We know you lead a busy life, full of activities, many of which are required of you. Tell us about something you do for the pleasure of it. (*)(100 words or fewer)
Amidst a frantic world demanding the perfection of the hands, my weary senses are tantalized by the odors of chili, cinnamon, and faint puffs of flour. Although I will never become the next Iron Chef, cooking unleashes my creative side while exercising my love for experimentation at its finest. I can never guarantee that my final product is an exact copy from a recipe, but my ever busy hands seek to turn any process of cooking, disaster or success, into a delicious dish that I may share with others and relish on my own.
Although you may not yet know what you want to major in, which department or program at MIT appeals to you and why? (*) (100 words or fewer)
As the daughter of a doctor, I am especially fascinated by the opportunities that the medical field has to offer, for it unites science with a human aspect (compassion). Understanding that certain prerequisites apply for the premedical program, I am interested in studying in the Biology department with a Biochemistry emphasis. Such would not only equip me well with the necessary knowledge to prepare for graduate school, but also enliven my eagerness for boundless research and exploration in the intricacy of all that exists beyond the naked eye, and the numerous facets which constitute life itself.
What attribute of your personality are you most proud of, and how has it impacted your life so far? This could be your creativity, effective leadership, sense of humor, integrity, or anything else you'd like to tell us about. (*) (200-250 words)
Oftentimes, we find ourselves saying that "the eyes are the window to the soul." I honestly disagree. Blessed with my family's hereditary genes for poor eyesight, my world would be a blur if it were not for my ability to listen to the mellifluent music of my world.
Quite simply, my soul rests in my ears. In place of diaries and photographs, my memories reside in all I have listened to. Time and again, my ears have savored the passionate ballads of John Legend accompanied the rhythmic pat-pat of the October raindrops outside. They have heard one too many squeals from my hungry guinea pig, five notes from a funk groove on my Yamaha bass, and the frenetic chime as my spoon stirs steaming green tea in a mug. I laugh at the unmistakable voice of Charlie Brown; cry when I am called "midget;" and nod in wonder while discussing Jared Diamond's Guns, Germs, and Steel in my Theory of Knowledge class at school.
My eyes alone cannot paint my world; I cannot be a mere observer, but a listener who seeks the heart of the matter. Yet I cannot yet boast that I have an experienced ear, though, for seventeen years of memories still leave me waiting for more. My boundless curiosity awaits newer discoveries as I continue to listen and wait for the unknown to come.
Describe the world you come from; for example, your family, clubs, school, community, city, or town. How has that world shaped your dreams and aspirations?(*) (200-250 words
As a child, nothing had captured my curiosity more than my father's faded, gently worn medicine bag. A mere, black leather sack with broken handles, it would oftentimes collect a thin blanket of dust from age. But within this seeming imperfection were the very treasures that allowed my father to give others the profound gift of life. From the sweetness of Tylenol cough syrup to the piercing pain of a flu vaccine, the bag carried with it the unfailing promise to cure even the worst of my maladies. Amidst the pungent scents of peroxide and a myriad of pill bottles, I discovered my first love: medicine.
Medicine's endless possibilities for discovery gave birth to my insatiable curiosity for the unknown. My fascination for medical mysteries has inspired my passions to explore every intricate detail of the human body, from the psychological processes of the brain to the observation of a cow necropsy during the UC Davis COSMOS Program, I dare not hesitate from seizing the most rewarding of learning experiences, those which take me one step closer to understand the underlying workings of the body.
Although the instruments inside have expired or tarnished with time, an intangible remedy begs not to be forgotten. Within the bag are countless memories of my father's lasting will to pursue, to serve, and to heal. From his passion, I learned that my aspirations would be incomplete without the unwavering compassion to assist those in need. And that is a medicine that I too wish to share.
Tell us about the most significant challenge you've faced or something important that didn't go according to plan. How did you manage the situation?(*) (200-250 words).
She was unrecognizable beyond belief. Was she my same, outspoken sister who boasted the confidence of an extrovert? The same, indomitable spirit who laughed at the face of pain? Deanna's face, pallid with exhaustion, was so swollen that her eyes were sealed shut. Along with her underbite, the surgical knife had incised away the burden of a past emotional discomfort. But seven hours of surgery took its toll on her body. Unable to move, she was blinded, silenced, trapped in a tortuous cycle of excruciating agony.
Time seemed to have come to an unsettling still. I was petrified, rendered speechless by utter surprise. What little consolation could I provide? I was no doctor, not even a healer for the matter. Sympathy yearned to escape my quivering mouth, only to be obstructed by a lingering hesitation. Would my words be nothing more than an ephemeral comfort, dissipated by Deanna's lapses of pain? What could I, her timorous younger sister do for her?
And then I realized: if I could not provide the cure, I myself could become a cure. For the grueling months of recovery, my eyes became those of my sister, observing what the darkness from her shut eyelids could not. Though imprisoned by silence with her healing jaw, Deanna would share with me her persistent optimism through a series of whiteboard messages, molded into speech that my voice would resonate into the world. In those moments of quietude, I discovered the beauty of patience, and what even the simplest gifts may offer for those in need. Where tangible, complex technology may only go so far, a moment of empathy is enough to make one's world all the more better.
* For the last response, I could not seem to create a smooth conclusion. Also, the writing exceeds the word limit. Please provide any input or harsh criticisms for any of the above responses...
Amidst a frantic world demanding the perfection of the hands, my weary senses are tantalized by the odors of chili, cinnamon, and faint puffs of flour. Although I will never become the next Iron Chef, cooking unleashes my creative side while exercising my love for experimentation at its finest. I can never guarantee that my final product is an exact copy from a recipe, but my ever busy hands seek to turn any process of cooking, disaster or success, into a delicious dish that I may share with others and relish on my own.
Although you may not yet know what you want to major in, which department or program at MIT appeals to you and why? (*) (100 words or fewer)
As the daughter of a doctor, I am especially fascinated by the opportunities that the medical field has to offer, for it unites science with a human aspect (compassion). Understanding that certain prerequisites apply for the premedical program, I am interested in studying in the Biology department with a Biochemistry emphasis. Such would not only equip me well with the necessary knowledge to prepare for graduate school, but also enliven my eagerness for boundless research and exploration in the intricacy of all that exists beyond the naked eye, and the numerous facets which constitute life itself.
What attribute of your personality are you most proud of, and how has it impacted your life so far? This could be your creativity, effective leadership, sense of humor, integrity, or anything else you'd like to tell us about. (*) (200-250 words)
Oftentimes, we find ourselves saying that "the eyes are the window to the soul." I honestly disagree. Blessed with my family's hereditary genes for poor eyesight, my world would be a blur if it were not for my ability to listen to the mellifluent music of my world.
Quite simply, my soul rests in my ears. In place of diaries and photographs, my memories reside in all I have listened to. Time and again, my ears have savored the passionate ballads of John Legend accompanied the rhythmic pat-pat of the October raindrops outside. They have heard one too many squeals from my hungry guinea pig, five notes from a funk groove on my Yamaha bass, and the frenetic chime as my spoon stirs steaming green tea in a mug. I laugh at the unmistakable voice of Charlie Brown; cry when I am called "midget;" and nod in wonder while discussing Jared Diamond's Guns, Germs, and Steel in my Theory of Knowledge class at school.
My eyes alone cannot paint my world; I cannot be a mere observer, but a listener who seeks the heart of the matter. Yet I cannot yet boast that I have an experienced ear, though, for seventeen years of memories still leave me waiting for more. My boundless curiosity awaits newer discoveries as I continue to listen and wait for the unknown to come.
Describe the world you come from; for example, your family, clubs, school, community, city, or town. How has that world shaped your dreams and aspirations?(*) (200-250 words
As a child, nothing had captured my curiosity more than my father's faded, gently worn medicine bag. A mere, black leather sack with broken handles, it would oftentimes collect a thin blanket of dust from age. But within this seeming imperfection were the very treasures that allowed my father to give others the profound gift of life. From the sweetness of Tylenol cough syrup to the piercing pain of a flu vaccine, the bag carried with it the unfailing promise to cure even the worst of my maladies. Amidst the pungent scents of peroxide and a myriad of pill bottles, I discovered my first love: medicine.
Medicine's endless possibilities for discovery gave birth to my insatiable curiosity for the unknown. My fascination for medical mysteries has inspired my passions to explore every intricate detail of the human body, from the psychological processes of the brain to the observation of a cow necropsy during the UC Davis COSMOS Program, I dare not hesitate from seizing the most rewarding of learning experiences, those which take me one step closer to understand the underlying workings of the body.
Although the instruments inside have expired or tarnished with time, an intangible remedy begs not to be forgotten. Within the bag are countless memories of my father's lasting will to pursue, to serve, and to heal. From his passion, I learned that my aspirations would be incomplete without the unwavering compassion to assist those in need. And that is a medicine that I too wish to share.
Tell us about the most significant challenge you've faced or something important that didn't go according to plan. How did you manage the situation?(*) (200-250 words).
She was unrecognizable beyond belief. Was she my same, outspoken sister who boasted the confidence of an extrovert? The same, indomitable spirit who laughed at the face of pain? Deanna's face, pallid with exhaustion, was so swollen that her eyes were sealed shut. Along with her underbite, the surgical knife had incised away the burden of a past emotional discomfort. But seven hours of surgery took its toll on her body. Unable to move, she was blinded, silenced, trapped in a tortuous cycle of excruciating agony.
Time seemed to have come to an unsettling still. I was petrified, rendered speechless by utter surprise. What little consolation could I provide? I was no doctor, not even a healer for the matter. Sympathy yearned to escape my quivering mouth, only to be obstructed by a lingering hesitation. Would my words be nothing more than an ephemeral comfort, dissipated by Deanna's lapses of pain? What could I, her timorous younger sister do for her?
And then I realized: if I could not provide the cure, I myself could become a cure. For the grueling months of recovery, my eyes became those of my sister, observing what the darkness from her shut eyelids could not. Though imprisoned by silence with her healing jaw, Deanna would share with me her persistent optimism through a series of whiteboard messages, molded into speech that my voice would resonate into the world. In those moments of quietude, I discovered the beauty of patience, and what even the simplest gifts may offer for those in need. Where tangible, complex technology may only go so far, a moment of empathy is enough to make one's world all the more better.
* For the last response, I could not seem to create a smooth conclusion. Also, the writing exceeds the word limit. Please provide any input or harsh criticisms for any of the above responses...