Undergraduate / Common Application-Personal Essay-(Essay of your choice) [3]

Please write an essay (250 words minimum) on a topic of your choice or on one of the options listed below. This personal essay helps us to become acquainted with you as a person and student, apart from courses, grades, test scores, and other objective data. It will also demonstrate your ability to organize your thoughts and express yourself.

The visual art form of Indoor Color Guard has always intrigued me through the synchronized spinning of flags, rifles, sabers and the various selections of music associated. From classical to contemporary, light to dark, each selection of music allows every performer to express himself/herself to further implement the theme developed within the piece. This visual art brings music to life through performance in a competitive format. Throughout a season, color guard units come together and compete within their respective divisions.

Color guards may also be associated alongside members in a marching band. The color guard utilizes choreography and equipment for added visual appeal to a marching band show. In a marching band competition, the color guard is judged in the caption auxiliary. Although they are judged under an individual caption, the guard complements to the overall score of the band. Performances for marching bands take place on football fields at halftime during football games or standard competitions. Based on the music supplied, the color guard employs assorted colors and styles of equipment to reflect the general mood of a show and enhance the visual effect of the marching band as a whole.

As both a member and a captain, the necessity of steadfastness, leadership, and positive energy are kept at all times to further enhance the color guard as a whole. Being an active member in the Outdoor/Indoor aspect of color guard for three years has provided me with these qualities to help administer guidance for fellow members proficiently and effectively. Although the position is demanding of time and cooperation, I am still able to excel successfully in both guard and my studies.

Words can not effectively describe the passion I hold for this activity. It can only be expressed through my performances at football games, parades, and competitions. Color guard has helped provide friendships, talents, and standards of excellence, while fostering an atmosphere where members can grow, laugh, learn, and meet challenges as a group. Whether the results turn out as wins or losses, the dream of future progression goads me back to the gymnasium and field at the start of every practice.

Writing Feedback / Essay comparing two Short Stories-Topic: Naive Narrator [3]

Can someone please read this over and edit it for corrections...its pretty bad. Tenses are probably off...

Naiveté, a Triumph or Downfall?
Within fiction, authors often use the persona and substance of a specific character to portray a certain truth. Whether or not the naive character uncovers this truth triumphantly or plummets to a fated downfall is solely up to the character. In both Frank O'Connor's "First Confessions" and Tallent's "No One's A Mystery", naïveté between both narrators is exhibited under two dissimilar outcomes through the prevail of a "wise" youth and the downfall of an idealistic dreamer. Both stories share a similar use of elements and conventions to help place emphasis on the lesson learned, and strengthen the morality of the story.

The characters, as depicted in both stories, share a significant individual that foils the other to help highlight the various facets of the main character's personality. In "First Confessions", Jackie is portrayed as an innocent child who displays ignorance as well as a lack of bias. No change is expressed in Jackie's behavior whether in the Church confessional or at home. Distinctions of this naivety in behavior is shown when he confesses to the priest stating, "I had it all arranged to kill my grandmother...I was thinking I could chop that up and carry it away in a barrow I have." Jackie's absolute admission to murderous intentions presents his lack of understanding upon the matter. In contrast to Jackie is his sister Nora. Nora holds a hypocritical "church" persona in which Jackie is able to perceive with his slight wisdom of youth. Compared to Jackie, Nora only proves to show somewhat decency when she steps foot into church. She mocks Jackie by exhibiting "pity" exclaiming, "Oh, god help us! Isn't it a terrible pity you weren't a good boy? Oh, Jackie, my heart bleeds for you! How will you ever think of all your sins?" Little to Nora's knowing, the priest understands Jackie's sense of fear and rewards him with subtle penance. The overall understanding of the situation is displayed as Jackie realizes that the perception of confession is not all it is inclined to be.

In "No One's A Mystery", the narrator is depicted as an immature optimist who lacks the true understanding of commitment. She appears to be to blinded by the nature of her "lover", Jack. As the narrator holds the naïveté of youth, Jack possesses the wisdom of experience. He holds a cynical yet realistic outlook on the overall outcome of their "secret" relationship with each other. Jack's awareness of the situation is administered when he states, "In a year you'll write, 'I wonder what I ever really saw in Jack. I wonder why I spent so many days just riding around in his pickup. It's true he taught me something about sex..." but the narrator replies to the statement, "I won't write that." Both characters share a different perspective on the future as Jack realizes a inevitable end while the narrator idealizes a never ending, romantic adventure. Through his statements, it is implied that Jack has contributed in similar affairs prior to the one engaged currently. Even though the narrator has been wrapped in a deep love for Jack, it can be stated that she was not the only one. The distinction of maturity levels separates the mature, married one from the immature, "single" one. Jack's exhibit's a lack of change in which will be the acid that corrodes the narrator's romantic, idealized visions of the future. Unfortunately, similar to Jack's former lovers, the narrator is bound to face the imminent doom when Jack searches for new prey to feast on.

In summation, naiveté is displayed under two different perspectives with two dissimilar outcomes in the stories discussed. The naïveté of Jackie resulted in an achievement of self awakening and understanding of situations more clearly. In contrast, the naïveté of the narrator in "No One's A Mystery" expressed no change but will prove to have a broken heart as time elapses. The personality and outcomes of these characters proved to stylistically be displayed through their individual foils in their respective stories.

Undergraduate / Common Application Short Answer (Color Guard) [3]

Please elaborate on one of your activities (extracurricular):

The visual art form of Indoor Color Guard has always intrigued me through the synchronized spinning of flags, rifles, and sabres and the various selections of music associated. From classical to contemporary, from light to dark, each selection of music allows every performer to express themselves to further implement the theme constituted within the piece. Throughout a season, color guard units come together and compete within their respective divisions. Whether the results turn out as a win or loss, the dream of future progression goads us back to the gymnasium at the start of every practice. As a captain and a member as well, the necessity of steadfastness, leadership, and positive energy are kept in my mind at all times to further enhance the color guard as a whole.