Excerpt from my 'why Columbia' essay: "When I think back to my visit of Columbia's campus, I remember sitting on the steps of Butler Library, reading the names of Sophocles, Plato, Milton and other great thinkers etched onto the grand building. I remember asking the tour guide about her research in biomedical engineering and her upcoming plan to study abroad. I remember standing on the beautiful lawn beneath Low Memorial Hall, enjoying the enclosed feel of the campus while hearing...

Answer to Columbia's 'what do you read for fun' question: A Brief History of Time Billions and Billions A Short History of Nearly Everything The Invention and Discovery of the 'God Particle' A Wind in the Door The Bonesetter's Daughter Japanese Tales and Legends Memoirs of a Geisha Siddhartha Haroun and the Sea of Stories Midnights Children The Cellist of Sarajevo The Sunflower: On the Possibilities and Limits of Forgiveness One Hundred Years of Solitude Madame Bovary Life of Pi...

Full Essay for Rice's 'what personal perspective would you contribute': The smooth black ink seeped from my brush into the velvety rice paper, as if I was pouring energy into my painting, giving it the ingredients to come to life. Concentrate and breathe. With Chinese brush painting, there are no second chances. Before the hairs of the brush even came into contact with the surface, my mind already envisioned the stroke, giving my motions fluid confidence and resolution upon application...

When I was still a little girl, I had many questions about the world around me to which my parents were often unable to provide satisfying explanations. “Daddy, why is the sky blue? Why does ice float? Why does chopping onions make Mommy cry?” With the knowledge I gained from the many science courses I took in high school, now I am finally able to answer some of the simple queries I asked as a child. But for each puzzle...

As a member of a minority in STEM-fields, I would like to be another voice for females who aspire to become great scientists and mathematicians. In the current Caltech community, the U.S., and the world, females are underrepresented in STEM-related careers and education programs. Not only does this gender gap leave a great source of talent and intelligence untapped, it also decreases many women’s opportunities at higher-paying and competitive occupations. I hope I can take a tiny step...

What three experiences or activities have helped you explore your desire to study and possibly pursue a career in STEM? (200 words max) Before taking calculus, I had always found math rather technical and abstract. However my professor at TAMS changed my opinion. He connected math to art, to his unique passion for wood-turning and challenged my class to find the dimensions of his creations using calculus. His lectures showed me the beauty in derivatives, functions, integrals etc. and inspired me...

Caltech students have long been known for their quirky sense of humor, whether it be through planning creative pranks, building elaborate party sets, or even the year-long preparation that goes into our annual Ditch Day. Please describe an unusual way in which you have fun. (200 word max) The light glints on my glasses as I slowly swirl the chemicals together. A nauseous green reaction stains my gloves before rising towards the top of the graduated-cylinder. In a split second, foam...

Members of the Caltech community live, learn, and work within an Honor System with one simple guideline; 'No member shall take unfair advantage of any other member of the Caltech community.' While seemingly simple, questions of ethics, honesty and integrity are sometimes puzzling. Share a difficult situation that has challenged you. What was your response, and how did you arrive at a solution? (200 word max) The week of my doom had arrived. Mentally, I prepared to conquer six university...

For me, chemistry has been an intellectual bridge to other beloved topics since I first learned that my entire being was comprised of billions and trillions of atoms bonded together. From a Bill Nye the Science Guy episode in middle school, I came to understand that not just me, but almost every living organism on earth was created from a fundamental elemental recipe of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur plus a few other trace ingredients. I was fascinated...