Undergraduate / "You are not a starter", said my tennis coach. ; Princeton Supplement [3]

Please tell us how you have spent the last two summers (or vacations between school years), including any jobs you have held, if not already detailed on the Common Application.

"You are not a starter", said my tennis coach. From that day on I made an oath to devote my summer of 2011 for tennis practice. And as the tennis season went on, my determination to practice as much as possible over the summer increased as I sat through all my tennis matches. The joyous moments of a team victory was truly amazing, however I wanted to know how it felt to actually be on the court, how it felt to win or lose a point from the opposing team and how it felt to hold responsibility for the success of the team.

As I was getting ready in July to start my practice session, I instantly realized that starting from mid-July to mid-August is the holy month of Ramadhan. This meant that I won't be able to play tennis as I would be fasting. However, my overriding desire to be successful at the sport took over my consciousness and I decided to play tennis and fast at the same time.

Those months of practice seemed ephemeral as the summer 2012 approached quickly. Being the last summer of my high school career, I wanted to do a lot that summer. So I applied for the American Legions Boys State program and the Summer Scholars Program at CCNY. To my surprise and amazement I got into both of them.

For the Boys State program, I had to stay in Morrisville University for 5 days. I got a meaningful insight on how the government works and the contributions that the armed forces have performed for the United States. Being an immigrant, it was quite an amazing experience, as the feelings of patriotism of the United States were infused in me.

As soon as I got back from Boys State, I started making preparations of the program at CCNY. The program emphasized on science and math with an intent on providing a stern yet exciting experience. The most riveting moments in the program occurred whenever a guest lecturer of a high profession would come and speak to us. I was often be dazzled by the new information that were presented to us. Apart from that I was engaged in building a celestial sphere in the program's physics class and prepared a presentation on our Ozone Layer for the chemistry class. Being guided by college professors throughout the whole program gave me a glimpse on my upcoming college life and made me proud of myself for waking up at 7 in the morning.

Undergraduate / Life is like a Soccer Game - Common App; "They have worked harder than we did" [3]

The scorching sunlight shone upon me, as I stand and anxiously wait for someone to score a goal. The ball sweeps into my feet. I approach the goalkeeper and with full force, swung my foot at him. The ball gets blocked by one of the defender. At that moment I realize how life itself is like a soccer game, where people strive to go towards their goals but face obstacles that prevents them from reaching that goal.

It was the 8th grade District Soccer Tournament. I was the left defender for my team. Our team was formed from a group of trusted friends who loved playing soccer. However, all the other teams were recruited professionally and had a lot of experience. Therefore, our overall morale was low but our trust and hope amongst ourselves was quite high. However, our hopefulness didn't really helped us in our first match, where we lost 8-0. We were devastated by our results. Immediately, I sensed and recognized that having hope and trust is of no use if it is not followed up by effort. I looked at my captain in the eye and said "They have worked harder than we did". In the next few weeks, our team got up and running into the wilderness of endeavor. And as a result, we won every game that we played and reached the finals.

The day of the final match. Everyone looked extremely nervous and yet hopeful, as we go against the best team in the district. The whistle blew and the perpetual struggle towards hope began. In the first 25 minutes, I was quite frustrated and annoyed as the ball never came in my way. It just keeps passing right by way but never comes to my feet. That's when I realize that the ball is like our dreams that doesn't always comes true by coming towards us, we have to chase that dream. Then I began rushing towards the ball, when someone tackled me and the halftime whistle was blown. As I sit in the locker room, I reminisce how the blowing of the whistle represents the beginning and the end of life. And everything in between, the game itself, represents our struggle for reaching out goal and fulfilling out dreams.

The second half starts. Still no goals. Then as the final whistle was about to be blown, I received a pass from the midfielder. Being quite indecisive throughout my life, I began to panic. "To whom should I pass", I ask myself. My best bet was be the striker as he was closer to the goal post but then I realize that sometimes I have to do what I think is right. Then I passed the ball to the goalie, who then passed it to the striker. I began rushing forward from my position and start running parallel to the the striker. He passes the ball to me and shoot. The ball misses the goal post and the final whistle is blown with the score being 0-0.

At the end of the day, we won the match through a penalty shootout. I was glad that I made the correct decision even though it didn't result in a fruitful result. This game made me realize that the obstacles in life are not necessarily preventing us to reach our goals and dreams. It is just slowing us down. As long as we have an optimistic view, make the correct decisions and go after our dreams, we are sure to reach our goal.

Undergraduate / 'Bangladesh and the beauty of our solar system' - Common app essay [3]

Raised in an environment of the English culture and academics while living in Bangladesh, I grew up as an individual with multicultural perspectives. Those very perspectives became the vertebrae of my personality and shed light to my shadowy dedication towards universe's beauty and the science that governs it. Fueling this dedication and establishing itself as the heart of my personality, was the American educational system.

The British educational system was quite different and unique in the sense that it provided rigorous effort and providence in the path of success. Each year, we would have science fairs where students would compete against each other with a project establishing a scientific principle. In my early years, I was just a mere spectator of those projects as I was too young to take part in it. Then one year, I came across a project about the solar system and how it is arranged. Awestruck and stunned by the beauty of our solar system, I became extremely curious of how these marvelous objects are the way they are.

The British educational system emphasizes a lot on math and science: making us take 3 to 4 science classes each year. So, as time went by I got more and more engaged into science: going on science trips, taking a number science courses and getting involved in my yearning science fairs. During my first science fair, I did a replication of the very solar system that stunned me and was awarded first prize. Then as time went by, my science fair projects got more and more complicated in respect to my increasing inclination towards science.

However, these science classes and fairs only gave me a perspective that can only be described as "the visible side of the moon". The other dark side of the moon was revealed to me when I first came here in the United States in 2010. For me, the difference in the educational systems were stark. However, the final boosts of inspiration were provided right here in the United States

Undergraduate / I replied, "No, but I learned a great deal": Columbia Supplement [6]

For applicants to Columbia College, please tell us what from your current and past experiences (either academic or personal) attracts you specifically to the field or fields of study that you noted in the Application Data section. If you are currently undecided, please write about any field or fields in which you may have an interest at this time.

Silence was deafening. The only sound that we could hear was of the ceiling fan. As the judges walk up the stage, I grabbed my heart with fear and excitement. I waited anxiously for the results of my 8th grade science fair, reflecting upon all the inexorable effort that I went through in making my model of an electromagnet. My fellow science mate, taps on my shoulder and said "We are definitely winning this".

The judges announced the results. "3rd prize, project volcano". "2nd prize, project RC car". After a brief pause. "Finally, 1st prize, project high way bridge. As we welcomed and applauded the winners, my science group looked down in disappointment. Surprised and perplexed, I think to myself, "why did I fail despite my hardwork and dedication towards my project?"

Ironically, instead of being disappointed, I became increasingly curious to why the others won. Then I examined the first prize winner's project on versatile high way bridge. The physics behind the structure, fascinated me and fueled my curiosity as I began to ask questions. The rest of my day went by looking at and being fascinated by all the other projects.

As I left school, I felt quite content with the realization that science is not what you put in it but what you get out of it. As I was walking, my mother calls me and asks me if I won. I replied, "No, but I learned a great deal".

Undergraduate / 'Moving into a new country' - CUNY HONORS ESSAY [11]

Moving into a country of unfamiliar traditions and eccentric society, my family faced a lot of challenges. The cultural shock that we received was truly inevitable, however, the most important and consternating challenge was the perpetual chase for a job. Adding onto that challenge was the linguistic provocations that they faced. However, it was these challenges that provided me with the determination and dedication to work hard in school and establishing myself as an ambitious person.

The toll of the cultural defiances was quite high on my parents. Despite having a good English language background, they had to go through the hardships of understanding and interpreting the American English. Communicating in English is a crucial requirement in order to live in the United States. Therefore, my parents were subconsciously forced to take ESL classes and learn about various unfamiliar responsibilities concerning health care, housing and bills. Yet, they kept a positive attitude and had hope for the future.

As the savings from our country ran low, it became obligatory for my parents to look for jobs. Being the head of a large industry, my father had a rough time settling in for a mediocre job. The same goes for my mother, who being a housewife for most of her life, had trouble adapting to the arduous labor life of the United States. Both of them had a rough time finding a place to work due to their English problems and when they did find one, it would often prove to be too strenuous for them. Consequently they would come home late and would be subjected to only 4 hours of sleep.

Reflecting upon my good economic situation back in my country, I sometimes look them into the eye and ask them questions like, "Why are you doing this to yourself?" and "Do you really have to go through all this?". Then they answer with a smile on their face, "It's all for you and your future". Even though I knew that the main reason I came here was for a better education, I never knew that the obstacles that they had to go through would be so burdensome.

And yet they smile, laugh and feel satisfied that altleast I will have an erudite and bright future. Their positive attitude in life despite the harshness that it conveys, taught me to be always be optimistic and gave me the determination to work hard in school. They taught me how life is a pursuit of happiness with an apparent combination of audaciousness. Therefore, attaining that unification is my lifelong goal.

Undergraduate / 'Tennis -- determination and perseverance' - Common App Short [2]

Of all sports, tennis fascinates me the most: both for its edge-of-the-seat excitement in terms of speed, strength, strategy and stamina and for the amalgamation of individual and collective success that it demands. Coming into my life in my sophomore year, tennis has infused determination and perseverance in me. After long tiring practices, I learned the apparent affiliation between hardwork and success. Those long bus rides after winning games, and losing others, showed me the true importance of the comfort and joy we had felt in the company of each other rather than the outcome of the game. Over the years, by holding onto my own playing style, I understood that even in daily life, maintaining my sense of self instead of constantly trying to mold to that of others helped me retain my self-identity.

Undergraduate / 'astronomical concepts' - CUNY HONORS ESSAY [NEW]

The bell rang as the harbinger of life. My heart starts beating faster and faster as I anxiously wait for the numerous activities to come and hoping to learn something new. As I rush to the physics room for my Astronomy Club, I reflect upon all the academic pressure that I received throughout the day, and then with a smile of relief I enter the room.

With a curious complexion, I ask the club administrator about the activities of the day. Sometimes it would be some fun hands on activities concerning astronomy and sometimes, announcements of events and trips. But the most riveting and enthralling avocation was looking through the telescope. Telescopes serve as a window for the inconceivable: the beauty of the universe. Whenever I look through our telescope, the dazzling beauty of the universe fills me with satisfaction and fuels my determination to study science and understand how it governs the cosmos.

When observing Jupiter's four moons, the Orion constellation and the Milky Way Cloud , I simultaneously felt a great sense of individuality and purpose. As above the earth's atmosphere, the whole cosmos is one of complete silence with nothing interrupting it's purpose. This made me realize and recognize the need to be individually focused on my life's goal of understanding the physical universe.

Dazzled by the elegance and beauty of the nature of our cosmos, I sometimes forget about my responsibilities towards the club. That's when one of the club members taps my shoulder and asks me, "So what are you presenting today?". Then the sense of duty hits me and I earnestly engage myself in taking the driver's seat as the president of the club.

When presenting on astronomical concepts to the club, I would often feel frustrated and annoyed by the ambiguous nature of science as the club members bombarded me with questionnaires. I would often feel hopeless and irresponsible for leading the club. But then I would say to myself, "Isn't that the delicacy of science?". Therefore despite the frustration and difficulties inherent in scientific study, I cannot retreat myself from the goal of attaining universal understanding.

At the end of the day, students leave the club with a new perspective of the universe; and hopes to get a new one next week. Even though next week may seem light years away, my overriding need to understand the universe will always make it seem ephemeral. As I leave the room, I reflect upon the things that I learned that day and smile with a positive complexion for the things that I will learn in various other clubs tomorrow.