Hi, my prompt is :Why are u interested in Carleton and how did your interest develop ?
Here is my essay:
In the overview book of Carleton College I see apples. They are under the "What's inside" title with one apple being pealed; they are in the hand of Jenny Wahl, the economic professor, who was laughing like a blooming flower; they are on the background for the illustration of "The Academic Core", while each part of the apple has its distinctive character matching that of Carleton; they are on the cover of the viewbooks for the American and the international students, and the apple, perfectly fitting as a terrestrial globe, shines with its unique fruity color.
This lead me to think: what makes Carleton particularly related to the "apples"? What is so special about the apple that this highly-renowned college is using them on its viewbooks to present it ideas?
On page 10 of the viewbook it says, "" The apple has symbolized many things such as sin and temptation, education and teaching, health and life, and New York City." The viewbook also ingeniously introduced Carleton's dining services, its Greek or classical studies, its "cave" and its popular major(genetics)...
I thought for a while. Other than those specialties that relate the apple with Carleton, what other distinctive characters do apples have?
Then I remembered the apple in my country. It means harvest and reward, happiness and richness, sharing and gaining. It is a symbol that stands for sweetness and integrity. Apples are sold in free markets all year round; people buy them and use them in meals, juice, salad and pies. They are so common, so plain, yet they are deeply loved by people.
I tried to create connections between apples and Carleton, and I found something more. Excellence, playfulness, high expectations, good humor, curiosity and other nice words constantly went in sight as I perused the pages of Carleton's website and viewbooks. I also remembered that the first time I read about the story of the "Carleton Camaraderie" in which students kept looking at their watches and in the end invited their prefessor to join their Ultimate Frisbee team, I could not help burst out laughing, while at the same time I felt a feeling of envy flooded my heart. The big Carleton, to me, is a ripe apple, red and shiny with its alluring color, just like Carleton that has such a beautiful campus, that I could never get tired of just looking at the photos of the Carleton campus. However, those inside the apple are more important. Those precious and fine characters of Carleton are the tasted of an apple -fragrant, adventurous with sweet and sour, curious because people always want more, rich because apples contain much nutrition -just like the academic experiences of Carleton.
I have dreams in Carleton. I want to be able to see the Ultimate Frisbee match for myself; I want to fish at the Lyman lakes in the morning and see the fog rising up from the lake as the sun begin to shine; I want to be able to sit in Gould Library and discover the new meanings of the term "reading"; I want to be able to run on the piled leaves on the trails in Cowling Arboretum one day, and breathe the fresh air; and when I saw the photo of the dorm room of Vivyan Tran, Julia Bradley and Amanda Hund, I was completely convinced by myself that Carleton is where I want to be. It is not just a dorm room; it is a home, a real home, because I can see it from their smiles, from those cards on the wall, from the little plants by the window and even from their fluffy pillows and carpets that Carleton is where their hearts lie.
Carleton, to me, has become more than a school. It means more. It is like a beacon that leads to the direction of perfection. I often dream of myself going to Carleton, with wonderful professors, excellent classmates, abundant extracurricula activities and stimulating learning atmosphere. The moment I tried to understand the school, to relate this school with my favorite apples, I began to love it.
On the inside front cover of the viewbook I read this sentence, "For Carleton College will be a cathedral, not of bricks and mortar, but of ideas, and with a spire so high, lighted by a beacon so bright, that it will be a guide through all the years of their lives to all who study here." I have constantly been touched by this quote from Laurence M. Gould. In the bottom of my heart, there always lies a strong desire to attend Carleton and to be one of the Carletonians. I, too, want to have a life, in which the cathedral of Carleton will always guide me through all the days of my life.
Thank you!
They are under the "What's Inside?" title with one apple being pealed; they are in the hand of Jenny Wahl, the economics professor, who was laughing...
On page 10 of the viewbook it says, "The apple has symbolized many things such as sin and temptation, education and teaching, health and life, and New York City."
This next sentence does not seem necessary:
I thought for a while. Other than those specialties that relate the apple with Carleton, what other distinctive characters do apples have?
I also remembered that the first time I read about the story of the "Carleton Camaraderie" in which students kept looking at their watches and in the end invited their professor to join their Ultimate Frisbee team, I could not help burst out laughing, while at the same time I felt a feeling of envy that flooded my heart.
I often dream of myself going to Carleton, with wonderful professors, excellent classmates, abundant extracurricular activities and stimulating learning atmosphere.
Very thoughtful essay!! Great job.. I hope you have much success,
:)
