Undergraduate / Michelangelo's Last Judgment; UVA - Work that unsettled me [3]

Thanks in advance, please be critical!
What work of art, music, science, mathematics, or literature has surprised, unsettled, or challenged you, and in what way? (250 words)

Let me be frank, I took European History for the wars. I definitely did NOT enroll for the philosophy, politics, and especially not the art. But that all changed the day we discussed Michelangelo's Last Judgment, a masterpiece that is one of the most, unsettling and thought provoking things I have ever laid eyes on.

I felt an immediate reaction to the work, and the more I studied it the deeper my response became. I realized that Michelangelo painted his soul onto the canvas, with painstaking attention to detail and personal insignias throughout. He was sixty-two years old and dozens of masterpieces into his career, yet it is clear he poured his life into this four-year project. As I reflected on my own reaction to his work, I recognized the most unsettling thing was that I have very seldom felt that level of dedication, passion, and flare that Michelangelo must have felt while he was creating his masterpiece.

Yet, I long to find that feeling, I yearn for it. I am searching for my own passions, not only because I am happiest when I am engaged in something I truly care about, but also because I believe passion (either the presence or absence) is clear in your acts and works. It is important to me that people can see my passion reflected in my works, and that is why at UVA, I hope to discover and develop my passions, wherever they might take me.

Undergraduate / My Favorite Word is "Weird" - UVA supplement [3]

Prompt: What is your favorite word and why? (250 words)
Please be critical and thanks in advance!

In elementary school, "I" before "E" except after "C" was drilled into me ruthlessly. Yet, as I grew older, I began to learn exceptions to this rule. My favorite exception, and incidentally favorite word overall, is weird. It's awesome! The "I" before "E" rule is totally thrown out the window. In fact, the word "weird" is just what its' definition implies: something uncanny, supernatural, different. This is significant to me because just like "weird" I strive to be the exception to the rule.

Many of my heroes found daring and unexpected ways to break (or at least bend) the rules. When Einstein (another "E" before "I") introduced his theory of Special Relativity, he discovered an exception to Newton's Three Laws, opening up a new - and very weird - branch of physics. Similarly, when the Wright Brothers flew, they broke the accepted "rules" and proved the impossible to be possible. Time after time, history shows those who had the greatest impact on the world did so by finding ways to break the rules.

In my life, I strive to create or be that exception. I always try to know more and ask the critical question, why. I want to push the boundaries of human understanding, and do something different with my life in a field I am passionate about, wherever or however that manifests itself. Even if I have to get a little weird to do it.

Undergraduate / DIVERSE HUMAN BEING; Personal Diversification - Northwestern Supplemental Essay [3]

Prompt: What are the unique qualities of Northwestern - and of the specific undergraduate school to which you are applying - that make you want to attend the University? In what ways do you hope to take advantage of the qualities you have identified?

Please be honest in the assessment of my work. The only way to make progress is through revision. Thanks in advance.

In order to succeed in today's ever changing job market, I believe it is absolutely essential to be a diverse human being, capable of adapting to whatever opportunities lie ahead. This belief was one I made central in my search for a college. When I visited Northwestern, I immediately noticed not only the academic diversification that had been achieved on the campus, but also the vast number of different cultures that thrived there. This was a place that, not only did I want to be a part of, but one I felt I could excel in.

On the academic side, I am very excited about the rule of three system instituted at Northwestern. The ability to diversify my personal portfolio, I believe, will allow me to succeed in any field I chose to enter. This is very important to me because, coming into college, I am completely undecided. I have a very good idea of what I do not want to study, however; I am passionate about many things. The combination of the rule of three and the heterogeneity of Northwestern's Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences will allow me to explore many different passions and ultimately allow me to pursue up to three of them, which is something I believe only Northwestern can provide me.

On the social side, I really want to be a part of Northwestern's multitude of different cultures on campus. Cultural diversity was one element of my high school experience that was lacking, and Northwestern's multicultural experience is something that I believe can help me grow as a person and shape me into a human being fit to go out into the world and succeed. For example, as a person interested in different religions, it is amazing that Northwestern is in such close proximity to the Bahá'í Temple and, moreover, that they have many opportunities for different religions to thrive on campus.

In short, it was not only Northwestern's prestigious reputation for excellence and gorgeous campus that caught my eye. It was their expectation that the students there have a culturally and academically diverse experience, something that is very important to me.