NYU APPLICATION multiple prompts

Hi. The NYU application has a lot of different prompts. Help with any of them would be much appreciated.

Are you currently attending high school or college? If no, please describe your activities since last enrolled.

After graduating from Jesuit in May of 2009, I started working a lot of hours at my catering job and took a job working as a temp for Autonation's Cash for Clunker's team. Having saved most of the money I earned while working, I moved to Managua, Nicaragua on October 15th. I am living with my uncles and working with an organization called XXXX, which serves the community surrounding Managua's city trash dump.

I plan to return in June of 2010.

In addition to any work experience that you listed on your application, please tell us how you spent your most recent summer vacation.

Realizing how good she was at remodeling our own home, my mom bought a couple of small town homes and flipped them. Much of my summer was spent helping her with this endeavor. Typically, I'd bring food to the workers and go to Home Depot and buy the supplies they needed. In addition to running errands, I also became a tile apprentice to one of the workers and learned how to properly cut and lay tile. The experience was tiring, but rewarding. Both the houses have been rented and look great.

If you had the opportunity to spend one day in New York City with a famous New Yorker, who would it be and what would you do? (Your New Yorker can be anyone -past or present, fictional or nonfictional - who is commonly associated with New York City; they do not necessarily have to have been born and raised in New York.)

Yoko Ono would ask me to meet her at her favorite NYC art exhibit. While meandering through the gallery, we would discuss each piece and talk about life and politics. After having appreciated all the art, I'd suggest that we leave to eat dinner. Yoko would ask that we eat at a vegetarian-friendly place. In response, I'd probably make a lame steakhouse joke and then tell her that I was a vegan for a year (for Yoko points). The day would end with us eating at a nice vegetarian restaurant.

In the year 2050, a movie is being made of your life. Please tell us the name of your movie and briefly summarize the story line.

Culturalized: Lessons from a Citizen of the World

(Documentary.) Patrick Arnold discusses his lessons learned throughout his life as a social activist. He tells of the dilemmas and opportunities he faced while living in and traveling to different countries as he reformed policies across the world. The film provides a unique perspective on human nature, solidarity, and culture.

Please tell us what led you to select your anticipated academic program and/or NYU school/college, and what interests you most about your intended discipline.

I selected NYU's College of Arts and Science because of its strong, policy-focused Politics department. Issues of social justice have always been of great importance to me. Since many of today's problems and inequalities have roots in ineffective or unfair policies, I believe that a strong educational background in politics and public policy will enable me to effectively promote and pursue social justice.

You sound like an involved, well-rounded individual who has a sense of who he is. You have ambitions yet also don't forget about family.

However, I would switch up the wording for all of them. Right now, they sound like standard "use complete sentences" responses. I'm not sure if you are required to rephrase the question in your answer, but changing the style would let your responses come off as less stiff/formal. Unless, of course, you don't feel a narrative-style answer would reflect upon your character or your desire to go into politics. (The format of the film question can remain as is.)

For your summer activities, change the sentence structure and combine some of them. Elaborate about spending time with your mother and getting to bond with family, all the while completing quality work together. Right now it just seems a little choppy.

Here are some revisions. Let me know if the remedy is worse than the disease.
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Please tell us what led you to select your anticipated academic program and/or NYU school/college, and what interests you most about your intended discipline.

5) Issues of social justice have always been of great importance to me. This interest is why the strong, policy focused Politics department at NYU's College of Arts and Science appeals to me. Since many of today's problems and inequalities have roots in ineffective or unfair policies, I believe that a strong background in politics and public policy will enable me to effectively promote and pursue social justice.