Essays / How to write a common app / essay about faith and religious topics? [5]

Topic is about how i lived in the shadow of a religion and broke free. I know that religious writing is tough and should be avoided but the topic is important to me and i want to try a draft of it. what should I avoid doing and what things should I try to do?

Undergraduate / Academic opportunities;Yale Symphony Orchestra; Why Yale? [4]

Note- characters pretty much maxed out, rough draft

I want to attend Yale because of its academic opportunities and also the Yale Symphony Orchestra.YSO enables me to continue music while I pursue other academic interests.One of my friends from highschool performs in YSO.He and I are similar cases.He told me that he chose Yale rather than a conservatory because Yale's 2-in-1 aspect was simply the best fit for students like him.I agree. No other school that I have researched gives me the opportunities in both academics and music that Yale does.

Undergraduate / Some live intellectually stagnant lives; Stanford Sup- What Matters and why? [5]

Note- This is a rough draft and it was tough finding something to write about but here goes. Tear it apart, please.

So many people live intellectually stagnant lives. I look around today and see people who are worked to death. Their learning stopped prematurely. They are living just to live. There is nothing more, nothing deeper. I want contribute to society and impact the world. I still want to make something out of my life that is not just trite, lest I get caught into a mundane routine lifestyle. That is why my biggest fear is that I will leave this world without leaving proof that my life was meaningful. I do not want to be like an insignificant breeze, passing through life without doing much. I remember watching Conan O'Brien's NBC Late Night Show farewell and Conan said that "nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get, but if you work really hard and you're kind, amazing things will happen." There is a lot to take from that. I agree with that statement and I try to make the most of my life. I remember watching a youtube video of a high school teacher giving a speech at a high school graduation. To the seniors, he said "you are not special". This speech reminded me of a satirical internet meme, which pitted age versus expectations. Understandably, the expectation dropped dramatically for middle aged adults. As a high school senior, I am part of America's wishful youth. Our expectations are high. I think that it is okay to have somewhat naively optimistic hopes. After all, the few people in the world that are able to do what they want all had those naively optimistic dreams and goals. I do not know what I want to accomplish yet, but I do know that I want to do something that will make my existence meaningful. That is what matters to me the most.