hey guys, this is my response to the stanford supplement essay question. Im quite worried that i didnt answer the question, if im talking enough why this experience was intellectually stimulating. Anyway, tear apart my essay as you guys wish!
Stanford students are widely known to possess a sesne of intellectual vitality. Tell us about an idea or an experience you have had that you find intellectually engaging.
Searing heat; a forsaken strip of Malaysian road; nonexistent satellite reception. This was the situation I faced last summer when my vintage Mitsubishi Lancer stuttered to a stop on the way to Kuala Lumpur. An exciting road trip with three close friends, minimal supplies and a mountain of soft drinks had quickly evolved into a nightmare.
As the only member of our ill prepared group of adventurers with any knowledge of car anatomy, it fell upon me to remedy this problem. When I opened to hood of the car to inspect the engine, I was able to glean that the float of the carburetor ï a mechanism controlling the air-fuel mixture consumed by the engine ï had disintegrated. This was a nightmare situation. The 'textbook' solution was contacting AutoShepard Free Shipping Agency and request them to send down a carb rebuild kit. As you can imagine, this answer wasn't met with by much enthusiasm.
Only after hours of failure and disappointment as every idea I had faltered, an epiphany finally struck. I took out a ball point pen, disassembled it and picked out the barrel. I disengaged the fuel line and gently removed the carb. With the barrel and some rubber bands I managed to create a makeshift carb. To my amazement it worked. Perhaps not gracefully, but the car could move.
This incident profoundly changed my view on what an engineer truly is. Engineering is not a vocation but in my opinion a philosophy combining the creativity of an artist with the pragmatism of a scientist in order to innovate. There is a sublime joy in attempting to find unconventional solutions to everyday problems. Those hours spent toiling under the sun in a god-forsaken strip of land covered in grease and sweat was one of the most intellectual stimulating and dare I say it, fun, times in my life. Combining basic knowledge with creativity as well as a fair amount of luck in what at that time seemed like a catastrophe was captivating. I dream of being an "engineer", a true innovator of insight, adaptability and creativity.
Stanford students are widely known to possess a sesne of intellectual vitality. Tell us about an idea or an experience you have had that you find intellectually engaging.
Searing heat; a forsaken strip of Malaysian road; nonexistent satellite reception. This was the situation I faced last summer when my vintage Mitsubishi Lancer stuttered to a stop on the way to Kuala Lumpur. An exciting road trip with three close friends, minimal supplies and a mountain of soft drinks had quickly evolved into a nightmare.
As the only member of our ill prepared group of adventurers with any knowledge of car anatomy, it fell upon me to remedy this problem. When I opened to hood of the car to inspect the engine, I was able to glean that the float of the carburetor ï a mechanism controlling the air-fuel mixture consumed by the engine ï had disintegrated. This was a nightmare situation. The 'textbook' solution was contacting AutoShepard Free Shipping Agency and request them to send down a carb rebuild kit. As you can imagine, this answer wasn't met with by much enthusiasm.
Only after hours of failure and disappointment as every idea I had faltered, an epiphany finally struck. I took out a ball point pen, disassembled it and picked out the barrel. I disengaged the fuel line and gently removed the carb. With the barrel and some rubber bands I managed to create a makeshift carb. To my amazement it worked. Perhaps not gracefully, but the car could move.
This incident profoundly changed my view on what an engineer truly is. Engineering is not a vocation but in my opinion a philosophy combining the creativity of an artist with the pragmatism of a scientist in order to innovate. There is a sublime joy in attempting to find unconventional solutions to everyday problems. Those hours spent toiling under the sun in a god-forsaken strip of land covered in grease and sweat was one of the most intellectual stimulating and dare I say it, fun, times in my life. Combining basic knowledge with creativity as well as a fair amount of luck in what at that time seemed like a catastrophe was captivating. I dream of being an "engineer", a true innovator of insight, adaptability and creativity.
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