Hi there. Thanks in advance to anyone who offers suggestions. Seriously. You have no idea how much it means.
Essay #1 (Required for all applicants. Approximately 250 words)
Everyone belongs to many different communities and/or groups defined by (among other things) shared geography, religion, ethnicity, income, cuisine, interest, race, ideology, or intellectual heritage. Choose one of the communities to which you belong, and describe that community and your place within it.
Geek
Science is the path to the future. Technology is the path to the future. We are really already here, living in the future. Certain people will continue to push our society into this mystical world, the land of copper wire and LEDs, pocket computers and touch screens, or even 3D printed human organs. But who are those people that will carry us deeper into the intimidating unknown?
I belong with the geeks and the nerds, the inventors and the engineers, the forward thinkers and the activists. We think more about voltage and tension, and often know nothing about football plays or basketball brackets. It's a community that rejoices together in the completion of a new DIY project or the semicolon on that last line of code out of thousands.
A major difference one may find in this community over others is that it is a very accepting group of people. We are all willing to teach and learn simultaneously. There is no exclusion caused by difference in knowledge or ability. If you cannot understand how to do something, you are all the more welcome to join and observe and absorb new knowledge.
Within this group, I am only one of hundreds of thousands of millions. There is no limit to its reachable size. The collection of people is a unique hybrid between the virtual and physical world, where you are able to communicate and collaborate with friends in Europe and Asia, or physically work with classmates everyday. I feel very privileged to be a part of such a large and exclusively inclusive group: the thinkers, the world changers.
Essay #2 (Required for all applicants. 500 words maximum)
Describe the unique qualities that attract you to the specific undergraduate College or School (including preferred admission and dual degree programs) to which you are applying at the University of Michigan. How would that curriculum support your interests?
Efficient
A light bulb is a very insignificant object. Each day they are turned on, and then they are turned off. Sometimes they are left on and forgotten about, working tirelessly to produce unappreciated light. Some light bulbs are better at their job than others. They create more, but use less, and save the world a bit of energy, a bit of heat, a bit of money. An object as mundane as a light bulb is reinvented every single day just so our planet can be a bit better off than before. I would like to help.
The College of Engineering is a place that radiates such a sincere drive for reinvention and discovery. In a world where electronics and computers have become literally necessary, the incredible combination the University of Michigan has with a #6 Electrical Engineering department and #7 Computer Engineering department easily make it the most promising school for my pursuits. I want to be an innovator, an inventor. I want to change the world.
Throughout my second half of high school, two friends and I began, and still continue, a very long term project: a functioning bionic hand. We started by creating CAD models of various fingers, joints, and knuckles to be conjured by a 3D printer. Prototypes were made. Some ideas were thrown out, others underlined and circled. My partners continued with optimization by reducing friction or increasing the range of motion, and I moved onto the life force of the hand. I was thrown headfirst into microcontrollers, soldering, and the entire science behind electronics. I designed one shoddy circuit, then an improved version. I tested different resistors, different sensors, different code. Never before in my life had I ever felt such a great interest for something. I strongly feel that the unique qualities the University of Michigan has make it the absolute best for the integration of that interest into my higher education and life.
Out of all of these qualities, one of the most exceptional that I've noticed is the Multidisciplinary Design Program. The opportunity to gain real experience in collaboration with experts in other subjects would be undeniably invaluable. I have been specifically interested in the BLUElab project division and their interest in environmental sustainability and philanthropic efforts. Another very attractive attribute is the prestigious alumni base. Most people take notice of Tony Fadell's conception of the iPod, but I found Scott Hanson's development of ultra-efficient integrated circuits to be just as impressive. I seriously hope and aspire to come across breakthroughs in technology like these Wolverines have. The College of Engineering at the University of Michigan is, without a doubt, the one school that will allow me to reach my full potential.
I like both your essays. I think they are fairly adequate for supplements. However, for the first one maybe you would like to choose a topic that is less controversial. Even though the official meaning of geek is a computer enthusiast, it is still considered somewhat offensive. You could maybe use "Thinker" as your topic or something similar.
I am not a native English speaker, so I'm sorry I can't help find grammatical errors.
I'd really appreciate it if you would help me with my essay.
