Undergraduate / "Dune"; Princeton supp- favorite quotation [4]

Using a favorite quotation from an essay or book you have read in the last three years as a starting point, tell us about an event or experience that helped you define one of your values or changed how you approach the world. Please write the quotation, title, and author at the beginning of your essay.

This essay is a bit of an extended version of my MIT essay (for whoever read it) I am still wondering if this works and whether it answers the question. All opinions are welcome!

Thanks!

"Deep in the human unconscious is a pervasive need for a logical universe that makes sense. But the real universe is always one step beyond logic."

- Frank Herbert, "Dune"

Although this statement may sound fatalistic, I always interpreted it as an encouragement to think outside the box. In 1900 Lord Kelvin said that there is nothing new to be discovered in physics and all that remains is more precise measurement. However, in the 1920's quantum mechanics became the standard formulation for atomic physics, opening a door to unexplored territory. What this showed me is that we often confine our judgment to what is already well known and understood, often forgetting that there may be so much more yet undiscovered out there.

Two summers ago I was sitting in my room with nothing to do, other than read a few books in my proximity or surf the internet for interesting ideas. So I decided to move a piece of paper with my mind.

At this point you may be thinking "Oh, here we go...". I had recently read books and articles on the wonders of the human mind beyond the current grasp of science and was truly fascinated. However, I approached my endeavor with guarded skepticism. First I began searching for evidence of such practice and soon came across an online society of like-minded people who shared their opinions on extrasensory abilities.

I carefully selected practical information and decided to setup a personal experiment. It consisted of some controlled variables and improvised apparatus: a fixated needle with a small piece of paper balanced on top, free to rotate at the slightest disturbance in the air. After two weeks of systematic attempts I actually had significant results, with the funny piece of paper rotating at my will. I was excited and bewildered at the same time. I, an average bloke, managed to do something that I always considered to be a cheap trick up a magician's sleeve, and yet there was no explanation. The truth of the matter was "one step beyond logic" as we know it. This experience, however, changed the way I approach the world and taught me to look at problems from more than one perspective.

I still remember how I contemplated measuring the kinetic energy of the system and the force that was applied on it. However, summer soon came to its end and I abandoned my experiment for better or worse. Nevertheless, I am still proud of the open-mindedness I practice when approaching or confronting various concepts, knowing that such an attitude is what allows us to progress, especially in science and engineering, disciplines in which serendipity has afforded significant leaps.

Undergraduate / Chinese poetry; Stanford Supp - intellectual vitality and Chinese [8]

Stanford students possess an intellectual vitality. Reflect on an idea or experience that has been important to your intellectual development.

Please tell me if this answers the question, indicate any glaring mistakes, or just give some advice.
Thanks!

When I became a 7th grader our high school introduced a new subject to the curriculum - Mandarin Chinese. We were the first class to be offered this subject and the few curious ones, including me, decided to study this new and seemingly bizarre language.

Our teacher was from China. He had moved to Greece recently and was a true carrier of his culture. In fact, in the first two years not only were we struggling with the language, but also struggling to overcome a subtle cultural barrier between teacher and students. However, as time went by I got a better taste of this previously unknown to me language and culture. I began to understand the different approach to language in China as opposed to that of most western languages. For instance, if in English we depend on the structure of the word, the different syllables to discern between meanings, in Chinese it is the actual intonation of a syllable that determines the meaning. So a syllable like "san" could have 5 different meanings depending on the intonation with which it is pronounced.

Something that also amazed me was Chinese poetry. If the poems in English and similar languages rhyme by having words with similar syllable endings, Chinese poetry does not necessarily require this to rhyme. Instead, two seemingly different word endings which have the same intonation in the end could be considered as rhyming.

Overall, studying Chinese up to IGCSE level was an amazing experience. I had the chance to submerge myself into a different world, and I think I can now reflect back on these lessons and say that I view the world from a more global perspective.

Interestingly, my Chinese teacher ended up telling me that he had worked in a team on a project for CERN a few years ago, which I found exciting and I guess this was one of the many factors that contributed to my growing interest in science over the years. This 5 year long experience has therefore had an immense impact on me as a person, and my intellectual development.

Undergraduate / 'Telekinesis' ; MIT short essay [6]

What attribute of your personality are you most proud of, and how has it impacted your life so far? This could be your creativity, effective leadership, sense of humor, integrity, or anything else you'd like to tell us about.

I tried something out-of-the-box and was wondering whether it works, or is just terrible. This was originally a short essay response to an MIT prompt I plan to submit. I'm not sure how risky this is and whether I could keep the idea for future essays. Any criticism or opinion would be greatly appreciated!

Two summers ago I was sitting in my room with nothing to do, other than read a few books in my proximity or surf the internet for interesting ideas. So I decided to move a piece of paper with my mind.

At this point you may be thinking "Oh, god here we go...". In my defense, I had recently read books and articles on the wonders of the human mind beyond the current grasp of science and was truly fascinated. However, I approached my endeavor with cautious realism. First I began searching for evidence of such practice and soon bumped into an online society of like-minded people who shared their opinions on extrasensory abilities.

I carefully picked out practical information and decided to setup a personal "investigation". It consisted of some controlled variables and an improvised apparatus: a fixated needle with a small piece of paper balanced on top, free to rotate at the slightest disturbance in the air. After two weeks of systematic attempts I actually had significant results, with the funny piece of paper rotating at my will. I still remember myself daydreaming about measuring the kinetic energy of the system and the force that was applied on it.

However, summer was soon over and I abandoned my experiment for the better or worse. Nevertheless, I am still proud of the open-mindedness I tend to show when coming across various concepts, knowing that such an attitude is what allows us to progress, especially in science and engineering.

P.S this is the word limit so I couldn't elaborate much

Undergraduate / Bio-inspiration - Stanford supplement/ what matters to you and why? [4]

What matters to you and why?

I'd love your opinions on this, as I am not sure whether this answers the questions. Also, I am above the limit by about 80 characters. Perhaps you could suggest which parts are unnecessary.

Thanks!

For the past few years I have been searching for the field of study that would capture me the most. First it was science - I was fascinated by the intricate world of Physics, Chemistry and Biology. Soon, however, I turned to engineering. I realized that science studies the natural world around us, what already exists and can be observed. Engineering on the other hand uses that knowledge and applies it to create something new, something that may have been previously unimaginable. After further research I discovered a field of bio-inspiration.

One book that particularly inspired me was "The Gecko's Foot" by Peter Forbes. I learnt how only recently, with our ability to look into the nano scale, we have begun to realize the complexity and ingenuity of nature in many aspects. Moreover, we have the chance to study some of nature's technologies, such as the self-assembling properties of certain organisms, and design our own technologies adapted to humans, such as self-assembling circuits guided by artificial proteins. What fascinates me the most, however, is the brain. The complexity of the brain that allows us to learn, think and feel intrigues me, and I believe this in itself should serve as an inspiration for future engineering.

Studying these phenomena would be a pleasure, but what really matters to me is the impact that my research could make on the world around me. That is why I turn back to engineering. I would love to see my work, dedication and imagination make a difference to the lives of those around me, whether it is the knowledge of a gecko's astonishing foot clinging to the walls by sheer Van der Waals forces or intelligent systems which would help improve the quality of our lives, regardless of whether the implications are as grand as tackling Global Warming issues or as specific as a local irrigation system.

After years of searching I am still unsure of what exactly I want to dedicate myself to. I am certain that the environment in Stanford will be a source of infinite inspiration and will guide me to what I will truly love.

Undergraduate / Music is a big part of my life; Stanford supp- future roommate [4]

Prompt: 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.

Hi! I am currently in the middle of nowhere with a laptop, writing essays. I would love to hear any opinions and criticisms of this draft. Thanks in advance!

... ... ... ... ....

I find it quite challenging to start describing myself as it seems that I don't know myself very well either. Instead I will try to describe some of the things you might expect of me in this short note. I will probably seem to you like a mix of different passions, but I guess for a Russian who has lived his whole life in Greece, studied Chinese and met people from all over the world I am bound to be.

First of all, I would like to start with music because I honestly find it hard to start anywhere else. Music is a big part of my life. I listen to music, I play music and I make music. I have played the guitar for longer than I care to remember (I think 10 years by now) and you can expect to see me hugging my guitar quite often. Now don't worry, I am not a fanatical metalhead so your eardrums will be sound and safe, although I listen to all kinds of music and you might find some of the sounds I spawn unusual. However, if you have any interest in music you are most welcome to join in!

I will also probably try out some sort of theatrical activity in college. I've been part of my school's drama club for the past 4 years and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I had the chance to act and was responsible for the music productions of our plays. This year a friend and I will represent our school for duet acting in the national speaking competition. Speaking of the speaking competition (no pun intended), I am quite a passionate speaker when it comes to events such as debating and have dedicated a lot of time to these practices as well.

You may be picturing me as an active person right now and to top that up, I'd like to throw in a few words about sports. I am nowhere close to a professional athlete but I enjoy outdoor activities. Last year I used to run 5km to the closest Aikido center for training and 5km back, and as tiring and challenging it was, it was a pleasure.

I am very keen to meet you and find out about your peculiar interests that perhaps some day we will share.