Undergraduate / "I thrive where I am constantly inspired" - UT Austin TRANSFER APP - Lifelong friendships [3]

ESSAY: (It's not complete yet, as can be seen by the [transition] brackets and the notes I have placed for myself within the essay, but please tell me where and how I could improve this, if needed!!)

I thrive where I am constantly inspired. If there is one aspect of my personality that the past couple years have solidified for me, it is this. Although I have always been cognizant of my career aspirations, much of my initial involvement in pursuing my interests remained limited to the organizations within my high school. Until my junior and senior years came around, I never truly realized the importance of expanding my skill sets to broader platforms. My peers, however, introduced me to incredible alternate perspectives. I took note of how they each sought out means to exercise their passions outside the walls of our high school, their initiatives taking them cross country, and some even internationally. Being around them, I began to understand that growth stemmed from stepping outside the ordinary, and that putting myself in unfamiliar situations was necessary for creating my best work.

Having lived in upstate New York for the past ten years, all my experiences thus far have been within the boundaries of this state. Initiating change and relocating will be an invaluable opportunity for personal development. Being able to plunge into Austin's thriving urban atmosphere, one that is booming with start-up companies of every kind, will provide me with greater exposure to professional settings. The establishment of numerous media companies here reflects the perseverance of the individuals working behind them, and being surrounded by their drive will be a constant push for improving my own work. [I'm not sure if this sentence is coming out as clear as I want it to be... my idea was to say that the companies that have been started here required people who were really willing to put in the time and effort, and so their perseverance in turning their passions into something tangible serves as a great inspiration]

As an Advertising major, the Texas Creative track within the Ad department encompasses every ideal of an interactive program, and its structure is aligned perfectly to the way I learn best: working in a fast-paced environment, engaging with real clients, and producing work that genuinely leaves an impact on their companies. My specific program of study also benefits tremendously from Austin's urban setting. Knowing that the city is a hub for interactive media, my eagerness to get involved will be greeted with far greater opportunities here as compared to Syracuse University's location.The exposure to real-world experiences will strengthen my creative skills, and will also help to steer my interests in a clearer direction.

So far, my time at Syracuse University has proven to be a learning experience; I have taken the initiative to visually direct two magazines on campus, produce multimedia pieces for different publications, and learn the workings of an ad agency, to list a few. Carrying these skills with me, though, I am ready to progress towards the next step. With the resources of UT's Advertising program, and the university's media-central location, I will be able to utilize my abilities in a much broader context, and take on challenges that allow me to embody a versatile profile.

In addition to growing professionally at UT, my visit to campus last November also left me certain of my place amongst the student body. Even with my short stay here, I encountered people whom I immediately shared cultural bonds with, and found a sense of belonging that I knew would be crucial to developing myself personally, as well. In just 3 days, I met people I still keep in touch with 5 months later. And if this short span was all it took to develop such valuable connections, I am thrilled at the prospect of lifelong friendships from three years at UT.

A strong support system is concurrent with professional growth, and at an institution which offers both these qualities to such a great extent, I am confident in my ability to excel and I intend to give back to the people, the university, and the city as much as I am fortunate to learn from them all. If what starts at UT changes the world, I am ready to be here, and I am ready to work with a passion that will make a difference.

Undergraduate / SYRACUSE Supplement!! Scholarship in Action* [2]

Prompt: Based on your interests, tell us what real-world experiences you might pursue during your education at Syracuse as part of the University's Mission, Scholarship in Action?

*I would appreciate any critique on this!* I am applying to Newhouse as my first choice, by the way.

Studying abroad is definitely a big plan during my years at Syracuse. I am anxious to explore media in another country, and use that knowledge to make my education a multifaceted one. I know there will be limited opportunities to have such an experience once I graduate, so I intend on fully utilizing an international education. I am also eager to participate in the SU LA semesters to gain professional experience in my areas of interest.

At Syracuse, I hope to also become part of the smaller organizations within the university. I believe that there is a lot to learn from the students and the missions that these organizations serve to fulfill.

Undergraduate / Study Abroad program ; BOSTON UNIVERSITY is a good fit [3]

Prompt: In no more than 250 words, please tell us why BU is a good fit for you and what specifically has led you to apply for admission.

Boston University's College of Communication is one of the main reasons for my application. I am eager to find a place where I'll be given a multi-faceted education, especially one that encompasses a passionate environment amongst students and teachers.

Throughout the time that I've explored what BU has to offer, the Study Abroad program has repeatedly caught my attention. I'm an explorative person by nature, and I am eager to widen my perspectives on what I know. I am specifically interested in the London Internship program, and the LA Internship program for advertising.

Besides studying abroad, I am also excited to use AdLab to be introduced to the the professional environment of my interests.
As someone who is always inspired by dedicated and driven classmates, I know the students and faculty will make Boston University a wonderful fit for me. I'm ready to be here, and I'm ready to work with a passion that will make a difference.

Undergraduate / That flight brought me here; PLACE/ ENVIRONMENT - Perfectly content [6]

I chose the 4th option- Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you?

** before you read, this essay isn't completed yet. I feel like I could add a little more, maybe expand on why it is meaningful? I can't seem to figure out exactly how to do that, so PLEASE if you have any suggestions, help me out!**

The first time I stepped foot inside a plane was 9 years ago. On December 24th, 2004, my family and I boarded a Boeing 747, and flew halfway across the world in eighteen hours. Everything I had known from a routine life in India ran dry as we reached the States.

That flight brought me here, and put me in a culture where I learned that it was considered polite to smile at strangers. It introduced me to a school where teachers were more like friends, instead of authority figures. It showed me a society where no one hesitated to dress in his or her unique style. It delved me in an environment where I learned to become an observer.

Eighteen hours on a plane, and my life changed from everything it would have been in India. This transformative experience is the very reason I appreciate any opportunity I have to travel. Some people complain about the inconveniences of long flights, but I am perfectly content in the confined spaces of a single economy- section seat. There is a bittersweet satisfaction in not having enough room to stretch my legs, and ending up getting the seat next to the snorer.

Everyone on that plane has a story that I don't know, but sitting in a crowd where I'm a stranger to everyone, and everyone is a stranger to me, somehow brings me the greatest pleasure. It stimulates a sense of freedom in me- just like 9 years ago, I can change myself again and again- letting the cultures of different places and different people blend in with my own diverse one. I can make new routines and break them. I can wake up to Bali, and sleep to Italy. I have learned more from living in America than 650 words allows me to cover, but there is so, so much more waiting for me out there. I have barely seen the world, and barely heard the stories everyone has to tell. Sitting inside a plane, though, I am free to explore. I am free to recreate. I am free to be someone different. And all it will ever take is a ticket.

Undergraduate / Music - WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY? - Tufts Supplement [4]

Please give me any constructive criticism!

Music has a way of changing perspectives. On those days where nothing seems to be going right, and I'm sitting in my car wondering where the future is going to lead me, headphones and a little John Mayer make me realize that this uncertainty will pass. That this is just a fragment of everything that lies ahead.

On those days when it comes time to perform the dance I've been rehearsing for 2 months, and I can't seem to shake off the fear that I will mess up, headphones and a little Lady Gaga remind me to smile and remember that I've done this before. Ten times.

On those days when I'm getting ready to travel, even if it is only a few hours to New York City, Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift's songs get me excited, and remind me that the simple joys of driving with the windows down need to be cherished.

It's interesting to me how a simple song is all it takes to brings back a thousand memories. And how a simple song is what gives me the courage to go forward and pursue what I've been dreaming of. Music truly is what makes me happy. It makes me so glad to be alive.

Undergraduate / She dyed her hair red for Christmas; My identity/ Common App Essay- 1st paragraph [3]

I'm doing the CA essay with the topic on telling my background or story that is central to my identity. I haven't figured out the entire essay yet, but I just wanted to get critique on the very first paragraph. Just for general info, I think I am going to write on how I've always been taught to value small things, even when I lived in India, and how that's stuck with me all my years even in America.

Alright, so here it is:

She dyed her hair red for Christmas because her parents didn't care, and she was old enough to do so. Her friend got another pair of hundred dollar Ugg boots, to add to add to her collection of five. I'd been in America for 3 years, and sitting next to them wearing 10 dollar Payless flats, I already felt like an outsider.

(basically going to continue with how this stuff mattered a lot to me then, but how my perspectives have changed, etc.)

Undergraduate / "Tuftsadmissions retweeted your tweet..."; **WHY TUFTS?** [9]

ASSIGNMENT: [from Tufts website] Which aspects of Tufts' curriculum or undergraduate experience prompt your application? In short: "Why Tufts?" (50-100 words)

I'm casually reading on my bed when my phone lights up with a notification. "Tuftsadmissions retweeted your tweet..."
I'm beaming- I can't believe this!
The wide smile on my face in that moment is one of the most genuine feelings of happiness. 100 words cannot possibly cover the excitement Tufts instills in me. Students here dance, and simultaneously study chemistry. They sneak out at night and continue painting the cannon. And they proudly tell everyone that asks-They are Jumbos.

"Follow your instincts" is something I've always heard. I'm following mine this time, hoping that they lead me to spend the next 4 years of my life at Tufts.