Posts by johnlacoste

johnlacoste

Dec 14, 2012

Undergraduate / Boston University represents everything about this great city - WHY BOSTON? /Supp [3]

As soon as I heard about Boston, the oldest and biggest city in the U.S., I am convinced it is the perfect city for me and Boston University represents everything about this great city. It is one of the most diverse university in America with more than 100 countries representing the university. It is planted right in the middle of the city center where I can explore the city from the front steps of my dorm. Whilst being a massive university, it is uniquely divided into smaller colleges where a more intimate community can be formed.

Diversity doesn't end with its community but also include their views in learning. The different approach to a medical degree is perfect for me as an aspiring physician that wants to expand his knowledge in the field. Three unique pre-medical programs that allows student to gain a bachelor degree from a choice of three different colleges, all relevant to a career in health-care, will help me become a well-rounded and ecumenical physician. Combine with dedicated specialized pre-professional advisors for health-related careers and an integrated medical program for second year students, Boston has one of the best medical programs in the world.

After my degree, it is my dream to further my knowledge by finding work experiences in as many country as I could before applying for medicine. With Boston's great diversity, I can learn about so many countries' cultures and study towards that degree while also making me feel like I'm not alone in this new country.

Thanks for reading and replying! :)
Should I put my last paragraph somewhere else (ofcourse I should, but where?)

johnlacoste

Dec 12, 2012

Undergraduate / Common app essay: Indicate a person who has had a significant influence. True Friend [8]

thanks for the reply

johnlacoste

Dec 11, 2012

Undergraduate / Common App Essay- The Influence of Sherlock Holmes [6]

I am staring at my IB History teacher's striped polo, trying to discern what he had for lunch by the orange stain permeating the pattern-to clarify, I don't usually make it a habit of analyzing ~~the~~ dietary habits of my teachers. Rather, I am testing out a new strategy that I learned from my favorite detective in a short story I read the night before; said detective figured out exactly how and from what part of London a client of ~~him~~his came, all from a few mud stains on her dress.

I first discovered Sherlock Holmes in the sixth grade, when my brother unceremoniously dumped the two-volume collection of stories and novels by Sir Arthur Doyle~~, onto~~on my bed and said, "They're detective stories. You should read them if you want to be a lawyer. You know...teach you look for details and stuff."

And read them I did. I remember reading The Sign of Four in a matter of days, and being addicted to the stories ever since. To me, Holmes is much more than the world's only consulting detective, who can recite your life story with one glance at your clothes; he is a role model. Holmes is known for throwing himself completely into a case, heart, body and soul. As chronicled by his companion Watson, he gives up food, sleep, and other pursuits with ease in favor of more time, more focus on a case. His singular passion for solving crimes reveals a true devotion to his art, something I ~~can only~~ aspire to do with my life.

True, I am not gifted with the extraordinary brain of Sherlock Holmes. What I can do, however, is emulate the passion with which Holmes approaches his work. Although I am incapable of solving murder mysteries with this attitude, I can easily apply it to my life. Sherlock has taught me that whatever I choose to do, I should do it with zeal, whether it be researching a human rights topic to discuss at the next Amnesty International meeting or practicing and perfecting ~~that~~a classical Indian dance that I will eventually perform.

As of now, he has taught me to accomplish my short-term goals to the best of my ability. Yet I, like Sherlock, have my own set of long term goals. For Sherlock, it is to become the world's best criminal detective. For me, it is to become the best diplomat, human rights advocate or lawyer. Just as he becomes respected for solving cases, I want to be respected for helping solve humanitarian crises, like the political turmoil in Syria. I plan to follow these pursuits as fervently as Sherlock follows a lead on a case, with the same enthusiasm-minus the eccentricity.

Returning to my history teacher's sauce-stained shirt; I managed to determine that it was the distinct hue of Sriracha. That's about as far as I got-Sriracha is in nearly all restaurants in Colorado. Sure, I gave up trying to be Sherlock. That doesn't mean I can't be like him.

Really good essay and pretty much perfect grammar and content wise. Reccomend you watch Sherlock series if you like the detective :).

johnlacoste

Dec 11, 2012

Writing Feedback / IELTS practice - cause and effect essay; "Television at its worst" [3]

In the past, television iswas a luxurious item to a number of families; however, it has gradually become much more popular nowadays, ~~because it does not cost an arm and a leg any more as before~~(keep it simple: due to its decrease in price etc.) , ~~so most of the~~that most homes now have accessed to it. According to scientists, watching TV has ~~nothing~~no benefit for people, particularly ~~for~~ children. They also assert that watching too much TV often ~~does~~ have negative effects on youngsters.

A bit too extreme perhaps. No benefits in watching TV? I beg to differ, and I'm sure many scientists would as well. Maybe say that the negatives far outweigh the positives or something like that.

The first effect is children ~~turn~~tend to be lazier ~~in view of~~while watching TV ~~exceedingly~~ . For example, when it is time for children to learn the lesson, ~~but the~~an exciting film ~~is so~~can be so appealing to them that they are not able to cease watching it and give attention to learning. Scientists also show that ~~children's brain~~a child's brain does not work ~~when~~while watching TV but is only passively receiving informations and images from it. Consequently, ~~they~~children are lazy in thinking and unlikely to generate ~~creativeness~~creativity .

Sorry but there is so much to correct, will come back and finish this later.

johnlacoste

Dec 1, 2012

Undergraduate / Common app essay: Indicate a person who has had a significant influence. True Friend [8]

Thanks for all the feedbacks :) If there is advice on parts that not needed that would be very helpful as in need to cut about 60 words of...

johnlacoste

Dec 1, 2012

Undergraduate / Common app essay: Indicate a person who has had a significant influence. True Friend [8]

My common app essay: Option #3. Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence.
About my friend. Don't know if I should name him or not? Please help any advice would be appreciated and thanks in advance!

What is a true friend? What does friend even "mean" anymore? This is the day and age where teenagers, like I, have hundreds and thousands of "friends" on Facebook and you can know so much about so many people that you are left with no one who you truly know. It is an age where people can chat with random strangers online like soul-mates one day, and killed by them on the next. It is in this day and age that I think is most appropriate for me to write about my friend.

How I got to know him, or even what year it was, I cannot remember. All I remember from the first time I saw him is that he is one hell of an ugly kid. When I got to know him, he was just an ordinary boy with no special attributes, a perfect match for an equally unremarkable 10-year-old me. He is fun and extremely friendly, while I am introverted and shy. In my years of middle school, I was subjected to bullying brought upon myself by my physical frailty and my stupidly hot-headed sense of justice and pride of never being put down. A prank aimed at me by my classmates would be followed by retaliation, which led to more hostile bullying and more broken noses and cut lips, usually of mine. I was not only an enemy to all my classmates, but also the teachers. I would get into detentions and trips to the principal office, followed by more detentions for arguing to every teachers to death for not accepting the punishment that was unjust. My parents were more worried about what I had become than what was turning me into it.

In all this time, my friend was the only one next to me, dealing all the punches, the cruel words like stones, the unbearable silence of social exclusion, all with a trademark smile on his face. One day, I overheard a classmate talking to him: "Why are you still friends with him? He is a loser and you're not. Just leave him and come join us." To which he replied with a resounding "No". As he walked towards me oblivious to the fact I was listening, he said with a smile: "You wouldn't believe what that guy told me..." and that is when I completely shattered. I asked him why he wouldn't just leave to hang out with other friends that wouldn't pull him down, to which he replied jokingly, although from that day I have never forgotten: "Even the bad guy needs an advocate."

He was not just a friend, he was in fact my only friend in the world in my darkest time, where I was at my worst. During that time, he never told me to stop and give in to bullying, even with all the peer pressure that surrounds. He gave me hope that I was right to stand for myself. In the end, it had paid of and after moving schools I have made many great friends. Today, I stand for myself and for all my friends. Even when it seems like their worlds are falling apart, they can be assured that I will be fighting for them to the end. Just like what my friend did to me: He did not give memorable advices or a pat in the back, he was just there, when he could have been somewhere else.