Prompt: Although you may not yet know what you want to major in, which department or program at MIT appeals to you and why?
Edit: I'm in the process of making a new essay, since I found some issues in the one that was here...hang tight! (in other news, I have yet to figure out how to delete a thread)
What do you think? Any comments welcome!
MIT Department of Interest
If you saw my previous thread - sorry, I had no idea how to delete threads (I think only mods can?)
In any case, here's my new essay. It's 7 words over the limit - any suggestions for cutting a few words? General comments are also good!
I have always liked math. It necessitates rich, analytical thinking, combining many elementary concepts to create complicated problems. And so, when I first encountered programming in the 6th grade, it felt very familiar: I used a set of basic commands to create a functional program. Yet, computer science is more than just programming, and its relationship with mathematics is deeper, often drawing on mathematics for solutions to problems, such as the "RSA" encryption algorithm (created at MIT), which uses properties of prime numbers to securely link two computers. MIT's Electrical Engineering and Computer Science department capitalizes on these related fields with MIT's emphasis on a broad education.
General comment: perhaps you could focus more on WHY you like math and computer science? You give details such as the "RSA" encryption that shows you know what you're talking about, but I still don't quite understand WHY you're talking about it.
I think you should consider the last two sentences and include more reasons as to why you're interested.
Hope this helps!
I tried to talk about that a little in the first two sentences. Of course, I want to add more on this essay, but the 100 word limit makes it very hard!
I wasn't sure how to address this prompt, as it's ambiguous - it could be interpreted as a question about why you like what you like, or why you like MIT, and I tried to address both questions. Do other people doing this prompt have any suggestions?
I have always liked math. ----- weak sentence! Say something unforgettable in the first line. :-)
It necessitates rich, analytical thinking, combining many elementary concepts to create (or address) complicated problems.----obviously! No stating the obvious...
See, this is too general----> MIT's Electrical Engineering and Computer Science department capitalizes on these related fields with MIT's emphasis on a broad education.----> especially when you have a small amount of words to use. You need to say some specific things. Think of how it is for the reader; you are one of a gazillion applicants who tend toward math and comp. science... so you need to use these sentences to show them your personal THEME, your memorable and UNIQUE approach to the field. Don't just make general statements about math or about the program; explain why the program is perfect for your plan.
:-)
