It seems like alot of writing, but it's short I promise! Help me and I'll try my best to help you. Any and all criticism is appreciated.
1. Why NYU?
You've never been to California unless you've had an In-n-Out hamburger. The succulent delicacy known as the double-double is the pride and joy of the Golden State. Lucky for me, I live close to the run-down original building and the grandiose In-n-Out University (yes, it really does exist!), so I get to enjoy the delicious burgers on a regular basis.
As much as I love to order a number one with ketchup, mustard, and grilled onions only, I've found that In-n-Out symbolizes the downfalls of suburbia. If my friends and I get bored, our options are the mall, the movies, or In-n-Out. The original restaurant is the only "historical site" at my immediate disposal, and visiting different In-n-Out locations isn't my idea of seeing the world.
The lack of opportunity and perspective in the suburbs has led me to fill out this application to NYU. I envision my college experience taking place in New York and abroad, an experience that would allow me to conquer the intellectual and personal challenge of adapting and thriving in a globalized world. The study abroad opportunities at NYU will allow me to achieve this goal, whether I am in Greenwich Village, Abu Dhabi, Paris, or elsewhere. I am dedicated to pursuing my education while gaining experiences to shape how I view myself and the world around me, even if doing so doesn't involve In-n-Out hamburgers.
2. Regardless of whether or not you have an intended major or concentration, please elaborate on an academic area of interest and how you wish to explore it at NYU's campuses in New York or Abu Dhabi or at one of our global academic centers around the world. Please share any activities or experiences you have had that have cultivated your intellectual interests leading you to choose to study at the NYU campus of your choice. (I chose New York without portal schools because I won't be old enough to qualify)
"Alright guys, put the desks into two circles; we're going to have a Socratic Seminar."
Whenever Mr. Sanford uttered these words at the beginning of AP World History class, nearly every student grunted in disapproval. "This is so unbelievably stupid and pointless" was the usual complaint, with the occasional "Socrates must have been really lame."
I'm glad to say that I wasn't one of the angsty. In fact, I was one of the A's in the Triple A Rule. The Triple A Rule (or A Cubed) involved Austin, Austin, and Ang (the second Austin is my twin sister). During a Socratic Seminar, the three A's could not talk directly after one another. With a class full of shy and/or apathetic students, the wait to speak was long and frustrating, so A Cubed was quite annoying.
Eventually, I found the silver lining. Though I couldn't talk as much as I would have liked, the restriction enabled me to think critically about the cause and effect relationship of events in the past and how they relate to the present. Subsequently, I developed a newfound respect for history and world cultures. I am unsure if either will become my major, but I want to begin my exploration of culture and history in New York in order to experience the diverse facets of the city and America itself. By my second year, I want to study at any portal campus in order to have first-hand exposure to the histories and cultures of the nations and people I read about in my textbooks.
3. What intrigues you? Tell us about one work of art, scientific achievement, piece of literature, method of communication, or place in the world (a film, book, performance, website, event, location, etc.), and explain its significance to you.
At the end of 8th grade, my dad bought me a sewing machine, expecting I'd be a seamstress like my grandma. I did too, so I ordered The Complete Photo Guide to Sewing, hoping to channel my inner designer.
It quickly became apparent that Coco Chanel would not be reincarnated as Karissa Austin. I tend to spew out tangled contraptions that can not be considered wearable, let alone stylish. Regardless, I keep my sewing book around because it's one of the few objective things in my life. When I attempt to follow a new dress pattern, the book's procedure is black and white: cut out the brown tissue paper, fold the fabric, pin, cut, sew, and, if I'm lucky, the end product will be fashionable. Though this process has helped me spawn several horrendous garments, it has also sparked my intrigue in the contrast between logic and expression, the difference between the left and right brain, so to speak. For example, if I look at sleek architecture, I wonder how the beams and welding created the building, but I also wonder what the architect was trying to express. If I read a poem, I consider the functional purpose of punctuation and form, but I also consider the aesthetic flow. If I look at a dress, I visualize the individual pieces and how they're put together, but I also visualize the designer's inspiration.
Am I eternally plagued with being a mediocre seamstress? Probably, but at least my sewing book has helped me explore contrasts beyond clothes.
Thanks! :D
1. Why NYU?
You've never been to California unless you've had an In-n-Out hamburger. The succulent delicacy known as the double-double is the pride and joy of the Golden State. Lucky for me, I live close to the run-down original building and the grandiose In-n-Out University (yes, it really does exist!), so I get to enjoy the delicious burgers on a regular basis.
As much as I love to order a number one with ketchup, mustard, and grilled onions only, I've found that In-n-Out symbolizes the downfalls of suburbia. If my friends and I get bored, our options are the mall, the movies, or In-n-Out. The original restaurant is the only "historical site" at my immediate disposal, and visiting different In-n-Out locations isn't my idea of seeing the world.
The lack of opportunity and perspective in the suburbs has led me to fill out this application to NYU. I envision my college experience taking place in New York and abroad, an experience that would allow me to conquer the intellectual and personal challenge of adapting and thriving in a globalized world. The study abroad opportunities at NYU will allow me to achieve this goal, whether I am in Greenwich Village, Abu Dhabi, Paris, or elsewhere. I am dedicated to pursuing my education while gaining experiences to shape how I view myself and the world around me, even if doing so doesn't involve In-n-Out hamburgers.
2. Regardless of whether or not you have an intended major or concentration, please elaborate on an academic area of interest and how you wish to explore it at NYU's campuses in New York or Abu Dhabi or at one of our global academic centers around the world. Please share any activities or experiences you have had that have cultivated your intellectual interests leading you to choose to study at the NYU campus of your choice. (I chose New York without portal schools because I won't be old enough to qualify)
"Alright guys, put the desks into two circles; we're going to have a Socratic Seminar."
Whenever Mr. Sanford uttered these words at the beginning of AP World History class, nearly every student grunted in disapproval. "This is so unbelievably stupid and pointless" was the usual complaint, with the occasional "Socrates must have been really lame."
I'm glad to say that I wasn't one of the angsty. In fact, I was one of the A's in the Triple A Rule. The Triple A Rule (or A Cubed) involved Austin, Austin, and Ang (the second Austin is my twin sister). During a Socratic Seminar, the three A's could not talk directly after one another. With a class full of shy and/or apathetic students, the wait to speak was long and frustrating, so A Cubed was quite annoying.
Eventually, I found the silver lining. Though I couldn't talk as much as I would have liked, the restriction enabled me to think critically about the cause and effect relationship of events in the past and how they relate to the present. Subsequently, I developed a newfound respect for history and world cultures. I am unsure if either will become my major, but I want to begin my exploration of culture and history in New York in order to experience the diverse facets of the city and America itself. By my second year, I want to study at any portal campus in order to have first-hand exposure to the histories and cultures of the nations and people I read about in my textbooks.
3. What intrigues you? Tell us about one work of art, scientific achievement, piece of literature, method of communication, or place in the world (a film, book, performance, website, event, location, etc.), and explain its significance to you.
At the end of 8th grade, my dad bought me a sewing machine, expecting I'd be a seamstress like my grandma. I did too, so I ordered The Complete Photo Guide to Sewing, hoping to channel my inner designer.
It quickly became apparent that Coco Chanel would not be reincarnated as Karissa Austin. I tend to spew out tangled contraptions that can not be considered wearable, let alone stylish. Regardless, I keep my sewing book around because it's one of the few objective things in my life. When I attempt to follow a new dress pattern, the book's procedure is black and white: cut out the brown tissue paper, fold the fabric, pin, cut, sew, and, if I'm lucky, the end product will be fashionable. Though this process has helped me spawn several horrendous garments, it has also sparked my intrigue in the contrast between logic and expression, the difference between the left and right brain, so to speak. For example, if I look at sleek architecture, I wonder how the beams and welding created the building, but I also wonder what the architect was trying to express. If I read a poem, I consider the functional purpose of punctuation and form, but I also consider the aesthetic flow. If I look at a dress, I visualize the individual pieces and how they're put together, but I also visualize the designer's inspiration.
Am I eternally plagued with being a mediocre seamstress? Probably, but at least my sewing book has helped me explore contrasts beyond clothes.
Thanks! :D
