Caltech Supplemental #1 (STEM Experience)

This is only one of the three experiences that I need to write about. I am primarily seeking feedback on the content as I am not sure if this topic is interesting enough. Also, would it be a better idea to write out each of the acronyms even if it adds a lot more words, or would Caltech, being a STEM university, know what they are?

Thank you for the help in advance. I greatly appreciate any input.

Describe three experiences and/or activities that have helped develop your passion for a possible career in a STEM field. Use the separate spaces provided below, one for each STEM experience and/or activity. (Your response should range between 10-120 words.)

cows on a grass fields

From a young age, math had come easily to me, and tackling a problem seemingly out of reach elicited a surge of excitement. In October of my freshman year, I completed my first problem on Brilliant.org, "If 7 cows need 7 days to eat 7 grass fields, how many days would it take 5 cows to eat 5 grass fields?". Riddles like these kept me engaged, and over time, as my abilities have improved, I continue to attempt problems on AoPS, USAMTS, Project Euler, and the seasonal Online Math Opens under NIMO. More often than not, I cannot solve the problems, but with a greater struggle comes exponentially greater feelings of accomplishment and growth when I do finally solve them.

... math had come easily to me...

From a young age, I loved Mathematics and tackling a problem gave me immense joy.

... I completed my first problem on Brilliant.org,

..................... was the first problem I completed as a junior.

Since answering the question on Brilliant.org, I got more engaged to Mathematics and improved my skills. My visits to AoPS, USAMTS, Project Euler, and the seasonal Online Math Opens increased and my abilities improved. Mathematics is heartbreaking at times, tough at moment and sitting on a chair for the whole day at times is difficult often at times. But still, the joy and feeling of accomplishment that comes exponentially when I finally solve the question is much more.

Try to keep it short. Admission officers at Caltech know about Mathematics competitions, and if you have any other accomplishment please add that too.

@buzzfeed For this type of essay, you don't need to delve into too deep a detail for the presentation. It takes away from the important word count. Just say that you enjoyed doing the word problems at brilliant.org, which led to the foundation for your interest in numbers, formulas and equations. Reviewers wonder when students say; "from a young age". Simply say you developed the interest in this field as a high school freshman because of your exposure to the website, which helped you perform well in your STEM classes. Yes, you can use acronyms if you wish to. The reviewer will be familiar with the terms since the university specializes in the STEM field. It would have been better if I had the chance to read all 3 experiences in the essay so that I could have a better idea as to how you could fluidly present these as a continuous thought process. Maybe next time...