Undergraduate / Cornell Engineering Essay (elegant compromise) [4]

Prompt: College of Engineering:
Engineers turn ideas (technical, scientific, mathematical) into reality. Tell us about an engineering idea you have or your interest in engineering. Explain how Cornell Engineering can help you further explore this idea or interest.

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Engineering means many things to me, but over the years I think I`ve found its defining feature: elegant compromise. I began with the idea that engineering was building, after all my entire experience in my computer engineering class appeared to revolve around following a set of instructions word for word. This idea then changed after a few group projects and a whole lot of math, physics and problem sets into something that almost discouraged me from the field. At that point I believed it was all math, all calculation and no creativity. However, I realize now that engineering is a seamless arrangement of the two.

Through my senior year at my high school, physics labs have taken over my life. After school and before school my life has revolved around these labs. From modelling pendulum perturbations, to modelling magnetic fields and finally to building a hygrometer I have been able to experience the importance of both the mathematical and the design aspects of these engineering challenges.

The idea of a perturbation function itself argues against the notion that engineering is purely math. Of course a physical pendulum is subject to a wide array of forces and it is almost impossible to model them all especially when the pendulum is swinging in an open classroom. The perturbation lumps everything, whether drafts or drag or friction or even someone talking nearby, into a function that expresses deviation from the theoretical.

This was the same with my magnetism lab and ultimately in my hygrometer project as well. Each time the solution was clever and efficient and I had tremendous pride in finding them. However through my work as a lab group I have found another aspect of engineering that is equally important: teamwork. There was absolutely no way the labs would have been done if no collaboration existed and through my role as leader of the group I've realized the difficulty in coordinating and managing my group members. At Cornell the rigour of its engineering program coupled with its undergraduate research program and student project teams makes it a perfect place to pursue my own research projects as well as developing my skills.

I have been a leader in a variety of clubs and projects, but funding and support has always been a problem. With opportunities at Cornell like the Kessler Fellows program there will be no shortage of support when innovation and great ideas are present.

Interdisciplinary education is important to me Cornell realizes that engineering is the catalyst for bringing these disciplines together. Through the twelve academic units within engineering Cornell and its co-op and career services Cornell will offer an unparalleled educational experience and will ultimately allow me to grow and flourish as an engineer.

Undergraduate / MIT Essay (End of the World) [13]

Prompt: Talk about a time when you thought it was the end of the world and what its impact on you has been

I am welcome to criticism and any grammatical errors. Thanks for reading!

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It was during the time of high school applications, not much different from what it's like now. I was applying to the TOPS magnet program and after gathering all of the required documents, after hours of studying and essay writing, I was finally ready for the big entrance exam. Still, to double check, I sat on the floor of my room going through my list of what to bring the next day:

Report card-check; extracurricular list - check; essay-check; calculator - check; pencils-check; teacher recommendations...

My heart started racing, each beat pushing against my chest. Where were they? I asked myself. Then I remembered: they were in my desk at school. The sheer size of my mistake knocked the breath out of me. I had always been careful, meticulous in everything I did. I wanted to seclude myself in my room. I wanted to be alone so no one would see how worthless and inadequate I was.

"Hurry up and rest for the exam," my parents shouted.

Just leave me alone. Maybe if I went to sleep it would all sort out in the morning.

I closed my eyes and drifted into something like sleep. I had a dream: I was 25 years old, unemployed, homeless and without a high school diploma. I sat alone on the sidewalk watching the people of the city stride back and forth, all of them with recommendation letters. I reached out to grab the ... then suddenly I felt like I was floating, drifting away from my spot on the sidewalk. My eyes darted open and I found myself balanced on the hind legs of my chair, about to fall over. My left arm shot out and grabbed onto the desk.

In that moment my mind achieved clarity. I forgot about the exam, the pressures of my life and even my own embarrassment. In that moment balanced on two thin wooden legs a breath away from collapse, I had a moment of epiphany. I saw the absurdity in my actions; I saw just how pointless it was to avoid a small ding in my pride, how insignificant it would be compared to a fulfilling future, to a good education.

I had to get those letters.

I immediately picked up the phonebook and flipped to my principle's last name. Vader...Valli... Vallance. I was glad to see only one name listed.

"Hello?"
"Mr. Vallance I left my recommendation letters in my desk at school and the exam is tomorrow!"
"No. Wait. Now? Jason, I am about to go to bed."
"Please sir, I just need to get into the school for my letters. Please!"
"I'm sorry but -"

I hung up the phone, about to throw my fist at the wall. The darkness of embarrassment began to wrap itself around me once again, but I knew better to just give this time. I grabbed my coat and went for the front door. I would break into the school. Then the phone rang.

"Hello?"
"Hello, Jason. I had to figure out who could open the door, but I'll meet you in 10 minutes."

I smiled and told him I would be there. At that moment I felt complete and in control. If he hadn't called me back who knows what I would have done. But that didn't matter. That night, I learned a little about the value of self reliance, about problem solving, about the authenticity of others, and, while I didn't realize it at the time, about life.

Undergraduate / Why UPenn ("during my 3rd year of high school that I heard that name") [3]

Prompt: Describe the courses of study and the unique characteristics of the University of Pennsylvania that most interest you. Why do these interests make you a good match for Penn?

It was during my third year of high school that I heard the name; UPenn. I always was interested in finance, but my passion truly developed in my third year and because of it I was talking to anyone who had anything to do with the finance business. I asked my parents, I asked the parents of my friends and I asked my teachers. I talked to analysts, to bankers and to stock brokers. In the end I learned about the experiences, the hardships, the successes, the stresses and finally the joy these people felt; I was mesmerized. When I asked them what I could do to become immersed in this world many of them replied UPenn. Despite their own backgrounds and diverse schooling they all believed UPenn had something special and after my own pursuit of what that is, I think I've found it.

I realize that the faculty at UPenn is amazing. With professors like Nicholas Souleles, Lorin Hitt and Jesus Fernandez-Villaverde I know I will be challenged to a great degree, while at the same time inspired.

Coming from a high school where I indulged in many research and laboratory experiments I know the importance of the quality of the research labs and the equipment. At UPenn this environment is provided to all students in addition to its wealth of information from its libraries and esteemed professors.

However, the defining aspect of UPenn that attracts me the most are the students. These peers, these classmates and these friends will be the people I interact with the most. They will be there to help me or to be helped. They will be there to talk to or to argue with. They will be there when I start my first business or when I fail my first test. And ultimately they will be the ones who will be closest to me when I enter the business world. I know that UPenn will attract and admit the best people and it is my dream to be one of them.

Being an international student, the quality of the residencies and the availability of extracurricular activities are very important to me. Throughout my time in high school I have been a part of (as well as leading) many different clubs in math, film, music and business. At UPenn the importance of these activities are emphasized and I hope to be a part of this community as well as a contributing member to it.

The interdisciplinary aspect of UPenn is also extremely important to me. Through my experience in expanding a community currency, fundraising for charity or leading my lab group, I realize the importance of having a well rounded knowledge base.

The path I want to take at UPenn is finance at the Wharton School of Business. Everything in the world boils down to finance. Without the work of people in the finance industry companies like Google and Yahoo would never have had the chance to grow. Without people in the finance industry the little man who is willing to risk his life on an idea would never get the capital to make it happen. At Wharton the quality and rigour of its coursework coupled with the amazing opportunities to meet and network with people makes the difference between any old finance guy and the top investment bankers on Wall Street.

Though I wish to be in Wharton I have also realized the importance of having both the ability to manage people and to understand the technical aspects of any project. At UPenn the dual degree options in addition to the flexibility of the One University policy allows for this to happen. With its world class professors, its intellectually diverse student body as well as its emphasis on interdisciplinary studies I know UPenn is a place where I will not only study, but flourish and grow.

 
Suggestions and corrections on grammar. I have to write a seperate essay on M&T so i was not sure how much into detail i should get into the actual program.

Undergraduate / "My passion in economics" - Cornell CALS [2]

Prompt:College of Agriculture and Life Sciences:
The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) develops leaders committed to the improvement of life. Describe how your interest and related experiences have influenced your selection of major and how CALS will prepare you to be a leader in your chosen field.

Economics is my passion. I love its logic, its utility and most importantly its complexity. I've read the theories of Adam Smith and Karl Marx, the ideas of Malthus, Keynes and Friedman. I've watched documentaries and read countless articles, but I still want to know more.

It is impossible to deny that the field of economics is tremendously important to the world. Good policy making stemming from a more thorough understanding of economics will definitely make our world a better place. We can already see the benefits of cap and trade systems and tax incentives on the state of our environment. We can see a gradual increase in the quality of life among the world, especially in poorer nations.

However we can also see the impact of bad economic policy. The financial crisis we face now was caused by a lack of understanding. Hedge funds, subprime mortgages and the effects of credit default swaps were unknown and this resulted in poor regulation.

Some people have deemed economics to be a field of speculation and "fortune telling", but I feel this is far from the truth. One of the reasons I love economics so much is because of its firm rooting in mathematics. Much like engineering is an application of physics, economics is an application of mathematics. It is because of Cornell's strength in all of these fields that I want to study there.

My own leadership within my community has taught me the power of collaboration and a wide knowledge base. During my volunteering experience I have expanded and educated others about the local currency that exists in downtown Toronto. I have experienced both the nuances in creating and maintaining this local currency as well as growing and developing the organization. Through this I have experienced firsthand the need for both technical and managerial expertise.

I realize in today's worth everything is linked with each other. Gone are the days when a lone economist can sit alone and weave together a new theory to describe the world. With its accredited faculty and its emphasis on current events and interdisciplinary learning Cornell will prepare me to not only enter the world of economics, but flourish there as well.

I realize from its high selectivity that the people I will meet if I am accepted will be intelligent, enthusiastic and most importantly creative. From my own experience in my high school program (TOPS) I understand the importance of having friends and classmates who will challenge and inspire me.

At Cornell each of these aspects coupled with its rigorous curriculum and amazing extracurricular organizations make it a place where I can grow
 
Any suggestions on grammar or general mistakes you noticed.

And also does anyone know if the same person reads the engineering essay and the CALS essay?