Hello! I am applying to the University of Wisconsin-Madison and am intending to take a Dietetics degree.
I would GREATLY appreciate any criticism/opinions/suggestions on this.
Thank you so much!
P.S. No word limit or minimum!
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Tell us why you decided to apply to the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In addition, share with us the academic, extracurricular, or research opportunities you would take advantage of as a student. If applicable, provide details of any circumstance that could have had an impact on your academic performance and/or extracurricular involvement.
My interest in Dietetics was first sparked when my father was diagnosed as severely overweight in his mid-40s. He was tied up with work and did not pay attention to his diet. I was determined to devise a weekly diet plan for him. With the help of Google and reference books, I delved deeper into the world of nutrition, and learned about many diet regimes, from the Atkins to the Zone diet. I insisted that my father adopt a low-carb diet, and came up with a weekly meal plan. The entire process was not easy - it involved finding foods that my father actually liked and calculating net carbs. After eight months, I was immensely surprised at the results - my father's weight had fallen just within the acceptable range. I was no Registered Dietitian. I was just a daughter concerned about her father's risk for obesity-related diseases, and an avid Google fan.
I took my interest in food and health to a whole new level during my Cambridge A Level Project Work coursework. My interest in Dietetics led to me completing a research project on vegetarianism for the Project Work at the A levels. I worked closely with a team of four other students to study the eating habits of Singaporeans and strategize advocacy measures to raise awareness of the vegetarian diet, which when adhered to can improve health in the long term. We tapped on the knowledge we gained in our Chemistry and Biology coursework to study deeper into the chemistry of foods and microbiology. At UW-Madison, I would optimize my time in laboratory sessions and tap on the internship opportunities offered to familiarize myself in a clinical setting.
Academics aside, I am excited to be part of the exciting, diverse community at UW-Madison. What I admire about UW-Madison is its longstanding emphasis on inclusiveness of every student and the variety of independently organized clubs. Looking at the organizations, I am spoilt for choice at the plethora of options available, which also comprises clubs that are major-oriented. I will seize the opportunity to meet with people from across different academic programs to congregate and share and learn from one another.
The Wisconsin Idea struck me as inspiring. It reminded me of my goal I set as the Vice President of my school's Service and Citizenship Society, which was for all members to be able to share whatever knowledge or resources in school with our community beyond campus. During high school, I noticed that while there were many volunteer organizations offering tuition to underprivileged children in Singapore, there were few that provided health and nutrition classes. I saw a need for health and nutrition classes because to me, eating is a daily affair and it is vital to learn to make educated food choices from young. Thus, I initiated a mentorship program to give basic nutrition classes to primary school children, making sure to complement the health education curriculum in schools. Going further, at UW-Madison, I wish to be able to apply what I have learnt in Dietetics to implement health education programs, and live the Wisconsin Idea.
An education in UW-Madison is more than an opportunity to learn, but it will also empower me to use my knowledge and skills to improve the health of individuals and communities.
I would GREATLY appreciate any criticism/opinions/suggestions on this.
Thank you so much!
P.S. No word limit or minimum!
---
Tell us why you decided to apply to the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In addition, share with us the academic, extracurricular, or research opportunities you would take advantage of as a student. If applicable, provide details of any circumstance that could have had an impact on your academic performance and/or extracurricular involvement.
My interest in Dietetics was first sparked when my father was diagnosed as severely overweight in his mid-40s. He was tied up with work and did not pay attention to his diet. I was determined to devise a weekly diet plan for him. With the help of Google and reference books, I delved deeper into the world of nutrition, and learned about many diet regimes, from the Atkins to the Zone diet. I insisted that my father adopt a low-carb diet, and came up with a weekly meal plan. The entire process was not easy - it involved finding foods that my father actually liked and calculating net carbs. After eight months, I was immensely surprised at the results - my father's weight had fallen just within the acceptable range. I was no Registered Dietitian. I was just a daughter concerned about her father's risk for obesity-related diseases, and an avid Google fan.
I took my interest in food and health to a whole new level during my Cambridge A Level Project Work coursework. My interest in Dietetics led to me completing a research project on vegetarianism for the Project Work at the A levels. I worked closely with a team of four other students to study the eating habits of Singaporeans and strategize advocacy measures to raise awareness of the vegetarian diet, which when adhered to can improve health in the long term. We tapped on the knowledge we gained in our Chemistry and Biology coursework to study deeper into the chemistry of foods and microbiology. At UW-Madison, I would optimize my time in laboratory sessions and tap on the internship opportunities offered to familiarize myself in a clinical setting.
Academics aside, I am excited to be part of the exciting, diverse community at UW-Madison. What I admire about UW-Madison is its longstanding emphasis on inclusiveness of every student and the variety of independently organized clubs. Looking at the organizations, I am spoilt for choice at the plethora of options available, which also comprises clubs that are major-oriented. I will seize the opportunity to meet with people from across different academic programs to congregate and share and learn from one another.
The Wisconsin Idea struck me as inspiring. It reminded me of my goal I set as the Vice President of my school's Service and Citizenship Society, which was for all members to be able to share whatever knowledge or resources in school with our community beyond campus. During high school, I noticed that while there were many volunteer organizations offering tuition to underprivileged children in Singapore, there were few that provided health and nutrition classes. I saw a need for health and nutrition classes because to me, eating is a daily affair and it is vital to learn to make educated food choices from young. Thus, I initiated a mentorship program to give basic nutrition classes to primary school children, making sure to complement the health education curriculum in schools. Going further, at UW-Madison, I wish to be able to apply what I have learnt in Dietetics to implement health education programs, and live the Wisconsin Idea.
An education in UW-Madison is more than an opportunity to learn, but it will also empower me to use my knowledge and skills to improve the health of individuals and communities.
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