Undergraduate / 'I am from Geneva, Switzerland'; Three essays in one thread-MIT application [2]

Here are three of the essays required by the MIT application, review mine and I'll take a look at yours!

We know you lead a busy life, full of activities, many of which are required of you. Tell us about something you do for the pleasure of it. (*)(100 words or fewer)

I love swimming. The fresh water lake in Geneva is a wonderful place to go with friends in the summer. In winter, I go to the public pool, which is altogether different, but still an amazing experience every time. What I really enjoy about swimming is that it is not only a good way to exercise, but also the most soothing one that I know of. When I swim, I can think about different things that occupy me in a calm and relaxed way. One can even go into deep philosophical thoughts on certain occasions.

Although you may not yet know what you want to major in, which department or program at MIT appeals to you and why? (*) (100 words or fewer)

I want to major in Physics. I have had a passion for physics ever since I was studying it in high school. What I find inspiring about it is that physics is the most basic science in the world. I have often thought of myself as a very curious person, and I want to find out the answers to those very basic, but fundamentally important questions. I guess physics is my passion in life. On top of that, MIT has a physics program which would allow me to start studying advanced subjects very quickly, and provides research opportunities early in college.

Describe the world you come from; for example, your family, clubs, school, community, city, or town. How has that world shaped your dreams and aspirations?(*) (200-250 words)

I am from Geneva, Switzerland.
Geneva is a paradoxical city. On the one hand, it is a traditional, close-knit society; but on the other, there is an international side to Geneva that is open to the world. This is manifested by the presence of the United Nations, CERN and the International Red Cross in the city. I think I belong to the international side of Geneva, given the mix of cultures and languages in my family and my background.

At home, history and politics have a significant presence. This is one of the reasons I am interested in those subjects and read a lot about them outside of school. Since my childhood, I discussed scientific subjects with my father, who always seemed to have an answer to my questions. These conversations triggered my initial interest in science. I later developed that interest through school, where the physics program and teachers reinforced my curiosity. Since tenth grade, I have attended a series of seminars (Colloque Wright) on quantum physics in 2010, and another one on molecular architecture this year. Both of these were provided by the university on Geneva, and I was ushered to go there by my teachers.

These elements of my background have made me want to go to a leading school to explore my interests and at the same time mix with other people like myself. My aspiration is to go far in my studies, and MIT would be my ideal choice.

Undergraduate / common app: "development of my taste for politics" [2]

I am sending this with my Common Application within the next month, and this is my final draft. I wanted to know what you guys think. Does this need more reviewing?

Prompt: Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.

I went to a secondary school that was private. In addition to its academic credentials, it was home to the children of Geneva's economic elite. Most of my peers thought of themselves as being superior to me, both in terms of income as well as social status. I realized this when I started seventh grade, at the age of 11.

For many of us, this was a new school. Everyone was socially awkward and the atmosphere was tense. Given that this was a class with a large number of prepubescent children, inevitably people found the most banal ways of putting each other down. I was a very easy target: I was overweight, the youngest in the class, a foreigner, and not as financially privileged as most of them. This was the beginning of a long struggle for social recognition.

I was not being bullied, but regularly put down by unpleasant remarks. Every time my classmates went on holiday to Mauritius or the Caribbean and I was off to a "normal" vacation spot, I would be depressed at my seemingly inescapable fate. Of course, I was not the only one, but I did not know it at the time. This feeling of being singled out did not help either.

When we reached ninth grade, there was a perceptible change in the social dynamics of our class. Everyone was older and more mature. I myself was beginning to change in the sense that I started believing in myself and understanding what was really valuable to me. All through ninth grade these changes happened not only to me, but also to some of my classmates. Wearing brands and going to exotic holiday destinations were no longer the only "cool" things one could do. I encouraged this change through debating.

But even after all of the changes we had gone through only a few of my friends actually agreed with me. The others understood my different standpoint but did not want to change their behavior. Nonetheless, they had started respecting me for who I was. Before I knew it, I had made myself a nice niche in the social life of the class as one of the few who did not consider a Gucci bag to be a symbol of success. But my argument went further than just brands. I also engaged in political debates with my classmates. Even though there was no debating society in our school, we had created our own informal one. It was fun, educational, and made us all more aware of the world around us.

After three years, my outlook on that period in my life remains the same. I know that I changed: I am now proud of who I am, and am not afraid of speaking my mind. I learned how to debate with those who did not always agree with me. Something that started out as a cry for social recognition turned into a strong interest in social and political issues.