Columbia Supplements - What activity are you most proud of? Why Columbia? Why major - art history?

What single activity listed in the activity section of your Common Application are you most proud of and why? (150 words or less)

When I first joined the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra, I saw it as just another resume item for college. I enjoyed the prestige, but not the fact that every Saturday involved a seven a.m. alarm, two hours of commute, and four hours of rehearsal. The lost chances to sleep in or do homework tempted me to quit. However, at the first concert, when the lights went down and every instrument sang in perfect harmony with each other, I was as enraptured as the audience. We sounded amazing. Gradually, I have grown to love the orchestra, not just its brand. I've made some great friends and got the chance to learn from world-class musicians. The calluses on my hands, by-products of the hours spent practicing Tchaikovsky's impossibly fast runs, are worth the knowledge that each and every concert, I contribute to something incredible. I'm grateful for the chance I've had to develop not only my love for music but also true teamwork and discipline.

This is 22 words over the word limit and feels awkward. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Please tell us what you find most appealing about Columbia and why. (300 words or less)

While Columbia's brilliant staff, bountiful resources, and beautiful campus would attract any inspired student, what truly makes Columbia special to me is the Core Curriculum. As an artist, I believe I have a duty to shed light on humanity's issues through my artwork. The study of contemporary civilization will allow me to create socially relevant artwork, for the past gives insight on the present and future. Issues of justice, discrimination, violence, and other human struggles stay constant throughout time. Literature humanities will achieve the same purpose while also demonstrating the value of stories and metaphors. In conjunction with university writing, I will learn to eloquently articulate the meaning behind my artwork.

Of course, for developing artists, the analytical study of visual art itself is indispensable, and what better place to learn than New York City? The Met, the monuments, the nightclubs, the hole-in-the-wall coffee shops- New York is a veritable cornucopia of information and inspiration. But location isn't the only thing that sets Columbia apart. The communal study of this corpus of literature sets a common ground and fosters a lively exchange of ideas, allowing me to support my art with the varying perspectives of a global audience. Strong bonds and collaboration within Columbia's multi-talented family will allow each of us to realize our full potential.

Even though I tried, I still feel that this is not specific enough to Columbia. Should I switch up some of the points or do some more research?

Also, the second paragraph is much better-worded, and overall, I feel like it is too long-winded. What can I delete while still making the same points?

For applicants to Columbia College, please tell us what from your current and past experiences (either academic or personal) attracts you specifically to the field or fields of study that you noted in the Member Questions section. (300 words or less) (Art history, architecture, biology)

For most of my artistic career, I believed that real art meant realistic art. I admired obvious displays of skill and concrete depictions because I didn't understand the purpose and history of it all. And so of course, I shunned abstract art completely. It all seemed simple, silly, and meaningless because I refused to look further. But when I took AP Art, and was introduced to the significance of dots in aboriginal art, and had to express my personal story through only pattern and color, I realized that art is much more than just a competition to mirror reality. As I finished my first piece, I never felt more free. As we continued to learn about the Renaissance, Impressionism, Surrealism, Pop Art, I became more and more interested. Who knew that the repetition of soup cans could be so meaningful in its meaningless? I also became interested in the history and connections art has to all aspects of the world - the interconnectedness of the scientific and artistic revolutions, how Cubism influenced Stravinsky's music, how consumerism birthed Warhol's work. Art itself carries meaning, but the style of the art and the time it evolved is also greatly significant to understanding the humanity.

This one is pretty rough but so far I hope I have the meaning down.

Thanks for reading.

For your "Why Columbia" essay, I think you are a bit too general. Simply mentioning about the Core Curriculum will not impress admission officers because pretty much everyone will be writing about it, so you need to talk about more specific Columbia art programs. Remember you really have to convince them exactly WHY Columbia is the ideal school and not anywhere else. What I would suggest is find a few specific art programs and talk about 1. how your interests perfectly align with the program and 2. how those programs will allow you to improve and contribute to the school community.

Thanks for your feedback. Here's an edited version:

Please tell us what you find most appealing about Columbia and why. (300 words or less)

One of my prospective majors is Art History and Visual Art, and I believe that there is no better place to advance my aesthetic proficiency than Columbia. Columbia's student body is an international melting pot, which will allow me to be able to apply a multitude of unique perspectives to my studies, as well as to consider them in my artwork for the purpose of reaching a global audience. Furthermore, I eagerly anticipate Art History's spring travel seminars, where I will have the opportunity to marvel at, and learn from, the extraordinary beauty of other cultures. Of course, closer to home, the opportunities are equally endless - The Met, the monuments, the exhibits, the hole-in-the-wall coffee shops - New York City itself is a veritable cornucopia of information and inspiration.

Columbia's crown jewel, the Core Curriculum, will also be a great benefit to my artistic career. Art is created both for its own sake and for the sake of educating humanity, and the conception of the latter is usually preceded by the possession of worldly knowledge. Contemporary Civilization and LitHum will teach me to create socially intelligent artwork, while University Writing will allow me to articulate my vision. Art Humanities, with its focus on Western masterpieces, will be a joy to attend alongside the more international art history. Even Frontiers of Science and Music Humanities, which seem unrelated to my major, will further my understanding of art: science in its similar foundations in logic, and music in its more humanistic appeal. In all, a penchant for critical, conceptual thinking is the key to true meaning. For me, the Core is not just a formula for well-roundedness - it is a path to an artistic edge.

Any comments or criticisms will be appreciated.