Undergraduate / SA 50 on 50 in a history test!; TANFORD- learning to learn (intellectual vitality) [4]

SO just btw, writing essays on the beach helps. try it sometime :D
oh and help with mine?

A 50 on 50 in a history test! I was ecstatic. In the 7th standard, I had successfully memorised every little detail the pages of our textbook held on Mughal history, right from the precise number of stones used to build the Taj Mahal to the colour of 13 year old Akbar's boxers the day he made his first arrest- an unruly courtier. Once I was done boasting and rubbing it in my friend's faces, however, I felt no different from the boy I was before the exam. I had another A+ to add to the long string of identical letters on my report card and another full score to my name and yet, intellectually, I felt the same.

I was baffled. My brain now held 61 pages more information than it did a while ago. Shouldn't I feel smarter somehow? Shouldn't I feel like I had learnt something? My mind was now flooded with a barrage of frightening questions. Had I learnt nothing at all? Was I no smarter than who I was a year ago? Did all those near perfect grades even mean anything? The colour drained from my face - well maybe not literally, but my academic performance was a pretty big deal to me. It was based on those little red letters that I had decided I was the smartest kid in all of 7th grade. The thoughts in my head began doing garba and in those few minutes, my entire outlook towards education changed.

The next morning, I walked into history class, my head filled to the brim with a multitude of questions. Every 2 minutes, my hand would shoot up, and each time my teacher's eyes widened further in surprise until I stopped purely because I didn't want to be responsible for them popping out. Although she seemed unable to answer too many of them and I had learnt nothing new about the Mughals I had, in fact, learnt something a lot more significant- how to learn.

Now, people often tire of my endless questions but it is my inquisitiveness that has spurred my intellectual growth. My changed outlook towards learning has helped me progress with each experience in my endless quest for knowledge.

Undergraduate / EXPRESSIONS; NYU Supp - What intrigues you? [10]

It still needs a little work and I needed help. I'm not to happy with the end. Oh and one more thing- be harsh :P

B. What intrigues you? Tell us about one work of art, scientific achievement, piece of literature, method of communication, or place in the world (a film, book, performance, website, event, location, etc.), and explain its significance to you.

I turned my head and, for a fraction of a second, we made eye contact. In that moment, her lips parted into a smile. Her cheeks rose. The smile widened further as it reached her eyes, crinkles forming around it. Those few telltale signs were all it took for me to know that this time the smile was real.

It intrigues me just how much one can decipher from facial expressions alone. Eyebrows drawn upwards in the middle for a fraction of a second and rapid eye fluttering can betray a lie. Raised upper lip with a wrinkled nose bridge, on the other hand, are signs of disgust. Every time a muscle contracts, an eyelid flutters or a lip shifts, it tells a story. Expressions often say more than words are capable of. They form a medium of communication that never lies, betraying every emotion, every secret hidden beneath the surface.

My mom says that my eyes are very expressive. Whether I'm happy, hurt, angry, or even excited, the emotion reflects in my eyes. Fascinated, I made an attempt interpreting information from the faces of people around me. I noticed that what I saw on their faces added emotion to verbal conversation, giving it deeper meaning. Their expressions added another dimension to communication, helping me understand them better.

Undergraduate / Rock music; the freedom to be yourself/ COLUMBIA App/ Meaningful cutural event [4]

Hey! This is just a first draft and I can add another 400 characters if needed. Suggestions?

Please tell us what you found meaningful about one of the above mentioned books, publications or cultural events.

Darkness. My eyes strained to discern what appeared to be the silhouette of a man towards the back of the stage. My entire being filled with nervous excitement. The figure strode forward, slowly taking form. The crowd, so far lulled into hushed excitement, began losing composure. A bright spotlight penetrated through the dark, revealing a face I knew so well through countless YouTube videos. Axl Rose. I was at my first ever rock concert- Guns N Roses!

To me, the rock genre is about more than just music. It is an art form, an ideology, a belief system. Back in the 80s, rock music was said to represent freedom of expression; the freedom to be yourself. These rock bands brought together all sorts of people, each one unique in their own little way, each one their own different person. I have been listening to rock music religiously for the last few years and my first rock concert has made me an integral part of this community; a community of people with a common belief. We believe that you don't need to change who you are to fit and and rock concerts are a perfect illustration of that.

Undergraduate / New experiences are what matter to me; Stanford [3]

What matters to you and why

suggestions anyone?

A droplet of sweat trickled down my forehead, sliding down the frame of my glasses before falling to the already moist carpet below. The clock ticked, over and over again, getting slower with each passing second. Another droplet of sweat formed. My eyes scanned the room with trained expertise for any form of entertainment. Football, blank paper, camera- CAMERA! I shot up to my feet, stumbling as the carpet folded beneath my feet, barely making it to my precious digital SLR in one piece. A minute later I was downstairs in the scorching heat again carefully scanning my surroundings, this time for an interesting subject. That day I stayed down till sunset experimenting with shadows.

New experiences are what matter to me. I can't stand the dull monotony that life seems to gravitate to when left alone. In life, predictability is my arch nemesis, randomness and spontaneity my greatest assets. The instant I sense that I'm getting caught up in the same dreary everyday schedule I pick something new to do. On one occasion it was jumping into the frigid water of the swimming pool at 3am on New Years' Eve and on another, experimenting in the kitchen in the middle of the night. At the end of it all there's always an interesting new story to tell, like that one time I hand fed a tiger cub! But these experiences contribute more to my life than just great stories and memories. There is often something to be learnt, or a new hobby I discover that is worth pursuing.

In fact, my decision to study political science is influenced strongly by Model United Nations conferences, a concept I decided to give a shot solely because it was something new and it intrigued me. I make a sincere effort to live each day different from the last, learning something new every day, discovering interest I would never otherwise have known existed, shaping me into the person I am today.

Undergraduate / stanford roommate essay- debating and the outdoors [6]

i know its a little over the character limit. 2066. but i cant pick what to cut out. this is just a first draft so feel free to be harsh.

Virtually all of Stanford's undergraduates live on campus. Write a note to your future roommate that reveals something about you or that will help your roommate - and us - know you better.

Hello future roommate,
I've spent forever waiting for college, trying to picture what life on my own will be like. Now before I get carried away talking about how amazing college is going to be, I want you tell you a little about me as a person. I often strike people as shy and quiet, maybe even boring. I'm selective with picking my friends, but if you end up being one of them you will get to see a different side of me altogether. It is that side of me that I'm going to try and introduce to you through this letter.

I'm a Taurus- a true bull. Though calm and composed on the outside, I'm determined and stubborn with a raging temper that may surface on rare occasions. I love arguing, taking great pride in my debating skills. That coupled with my stubborn nature and innate aggressiveness when defending my beliefs means that often even my teachers fear opposing me. As of today there exists only one thing capable of luring me away from an interesting debate- good food. My voracious appetite often gives my mom nightmares. My culinary skills, however, are dismal. Even a simple omelette is beyond my capabilities and I vow to change that before college.

I'm an outdoor person. Don't get me wrong, I can pass the entire day playing Halo on X-Box or watching television or even sleeping but I end up feeling lifeless. Sitting within the confines of the house drains me of my energy. An hour of soccer or tennis, or a minute underwater changes that. I have often wondered if maybe I'm secretly a son of Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea. I have this ability to dive into the pool, drift along the bottom lost in thought, coming up good as new just as people begin worrying I'm dead.

I also procrastinate. A lot! But once I set my mind to something I ensure it gets done. I'm a perfectionist. I never compromise on quality. I rarely ever show signs of pressure on the outside, something that often seems to worry my parents.

That's about all I can cover for now. I'm sure over the next four years you will see a lot more to me that just the contents of this letter.

Undergraduate / Corrupt government officials & Power crazy politicians; Columbia Application [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.

so this is what I have. suggestions?

As I went about giving my SATs not too long ago, I would never have though political science to be the major I list as first preference on my application. The very thought of studying politics or foreign affairs repulsed me. My mindset was tainted by what I saw around me- corrupt government officials and power crazed politicians. Fast forward to the present day and I have myself enrolled for multiple Model United Nations conferences, reading page after page on issues ranging from nuclear power in the Middle-East to the human trafficking industry in East Asia.

MUN, a concept that I happened to stumble upon not too long ago, invoked in me a passion for international relations. The field intrigued me. As I read more, I began making connections. Suspicion surrounding Iran's nuclear program led to rising tension in the Middle-East, which in turn impacted trade with the rest of the world. I now had a whole new perspective on the fields of politics and international relations. I see international relations today as a large complex web, a web connecting every being on the planet. The web is constantly evolving, changing form with every action, every idea. As more connections are made, a thorough understanding of the dynamics of this web gets even more critical to our progress and for that matter, our survival.