Curled up in the back seat with my bear-sized trunk bags, I drive up the oh-so-familiar hill and view the woodsy terrain that always warms my heart. However, I am incredibly nervous. This time is different than my past experiences. A despicable combination of doubtfulness and fear of change trembles in my stomach. After constant battles with my thoughts, I had chosen to spend my last summer in high school at my childhood happy place: Camp -------, a sleepaway camp...

Science and math have been the spark for my curiosity since I could remember—I desired to know how our universe functions. An overarching goal for my studies in the scientific realm is to advance how society functions, and through my innovative contributions, eventually provide help to individuals. When I was about ten years old, the thrust of my interest in innovation was focused on my pet rabbit, rather than humans. My sympathy for my rabbit had proliferated the more...

Although they often have trivial plots, there is hidden inspiration in TV sitcoms. Beyond the corny jokes, the zany characters and frivolous plots, sitcoms can have real-life significance. One such show is “Parks and Recreation,” which depicts a government department in a fictional Indiana town. The most inspirational character I’ve seen appears on this show: Leslie Knope. She truly loves her job and has a superb work ethic. In addition, she’s a genuine friend and cares about everyone�...

As an inspired 8-year-old, I watch robots battle to "death" and catapults launch with on-point accuracy at my father's high school Science Olympiad competition. These events were the initial sparks to my curiosity: How do you create the robots? How are the catapults accurate? Curiosity motivates me to explore anything that captivates my interest. Juxtaposing my curiosity with a long-distance run, I never settle for a one-mile race; I aim for a second mile—my next step in learning. Learning...

The excitement I feel for discovery and problem-solving has shaped my academic interests. During my undergraduate years at the University of Michigan, my goal is to participate in independent research and learn in the presence of distinguished faculty in an array of disciplines. I believe the LSA Department is well suited for me because I can pursue a specific scientific field of study while minoring in a different concentration. My curiosity about biology and biochemistry was piqued when I contracted...

One of the communities I am proud to belong to is a virtual community—the community of Twitter. While Twitter is composed of meaningless celebrity tweets and viral videos, there is much more significance to the social media platform. Twitter is a way to express one’s opinion, and it can be powerful in spreading information internationally. Within Twitter, I belong to a progressive sub-group composed of diverse, proactive individuals who believe in international equality for all human beings regardless...

My interests have mainly centered on math and science. However, being a camp counselor prompted my curiosity towards helping future generations. As I researched education-related career paths, I realized my true calling and fascination—the field of educational policy. My goal is to become familiar with cognitive science and education theories which surround the laws and economics that govern the U.S. education system. Ultimately, I want to improve on educational policies and administration. However, I still want to be...

There’s not much to say about living in the quiet Long Island town of East Meadow for my whole life except that I’ve learned to appreciate stability. What hasn’t been stable, however, is my backyard fence. I live in a corner house, where drivers speed through my development to avoid a long traffic light. Over time, four cars have crashed into my backyard— sometimes into the house itself. It’s quite unnerving—one day I can be...

Of utmost importance to me about Brown is its open curriculum, allowing me to combine my passion for science with my interest in educational policy and learning theories. Here I can integrate psychology, behavioral biology, and technology into education studies. With freedom to direct my own academic path, I can enhance my scientific knowledge and find new areas of curiosity. I would also like to discover human-technology interfaces and how technology impacts one’s education. Brown’s Educational Studies curriculum...

"Don't look up from the paper!" I silently scream to myself as I nervously prepare to speak in front of my entire ninth grade. It was student government elections, and I had no desire to give a speech to receive votes. Mid-second sentence, I froze. I felt my face flush with embarrassment, as all eyes were upon me. Striving to become a better speaker, I joined DECA, a business-oriented club that helps students develop skills for future application in the...

Joining an LLC at the Georgia Institute of Technology will allow me to supplement my rigorous coursework with the benefit of collaborating with my peers whose interests are similar to mine, as well as learn more about myself through service projects. I enjoy cultivating personal relationships with peers and faculty, and being a part of a small community while having the resources of a large research institution provides me with the best of both worlds. My high school experience has...

Not realizing my interests back then, in freshman year I took an art class instead of science research. It wasn’t until the end of that year when I realized my mistake. Fortunately, my freshman biology teacher recommended that I be placed into sophomore year research. However, I was at a disadvantage because those who took research in ninth grade already were familiar with advanced research techniques. This left me to fend for myself in creating an advanced experiment, so...

I am fascinated with Georgia Tech's research focus in undergraduate studies. The co-op program and vast research opportunities will allow me to explore my engineering interests. Utilizing the most modern technology, overarching at Georgia Tech, is important for my studies and for becoming more knowledgeable in the global network. Since I am an undecided engineering major, Georgia Tech is the optimal institution to explore my scientific interests in fields I haven’t been involved in before—including aerospace, electrical, and...

Being undecided about an intended major, I did some soul searching by researching career path and major options to align my interests and skills with a particular field. I was pleasantly surprised to find a multitude of choices available for students in college--double majors, minors, special programs, interdisciplinary studies, etc. in allowing us to create our own education path. After my experience with young people as a camp counselor this past summer, I became determined to improve the lives of...

I am intrigued by George Washington's Honors Program. I come from a small town and an exceptionally small school; in fact I know all the names of everyone in my senior class. I find comfort in having a small, tight-knit community because of how close I can become with my peers. The seminar-type classes that the Honors Program offers is important to me, since it lends itself to establishing personal relationships with other students. I will be able to live...

Roughly a year ago, I read an article about Margaret Hamilton and her work with the Apollo spaceship. She developed software to allow the ship to reach the moon. I find that satisfying—how can "words" on a computer help a spaceship reach a celestial body that is over 200,000 miles away? It’s amazing how much software can be involved in everyday life. It is the backbone of so much that the majority of people fail to realize; for example,...

My goal in undergraduate studies is to create a personalized, interdisciplinary academic path by combining my different interests. USC is ideal because of the two-dozen plus majors to choose from in Vertibi. As an Undeclared Engineering major, I can explore all the fields before choosing a concentration. My experiences creating biofuel from algae in Science Research class, building towers and vehicles in Science Olympiad, and maintaining entrepreneurial spirit in DECA, have led me to pursue engineering with an integration of...

The human mind fascinates me. People have multifaceted abilities and cognitive processes that form their own identity—something I find especially intriguing. Throughout high school, I have been unsure about what field to pursue, although I recognize my interest and strengths surrounding math and science. After continuous research, I discovered that colleges have complex ways of individualizing programs and paths for students because everyone's interests are unique. Combining my curiosity for biochemistry and my fascination with the human mind, I...

This summer I worked as a sleepaway camp counselor. For nine years attending as a camper, I only had to worry about myself. However, this time young boys were my primary concern—providing them with a fun summer and helping them develop important social values. I quickly realized how tiring it was being enthusiastic and alert from early morning to night in hot weather. Since it was implausible to run a cabin by myself, I relied on the support of...

Besides human intellect, the impetus for discovery is the tools, mechanisms and systems that make discoveries possible—the backbone for astronomy was the invention of the telescope. That is why I believe the “Engineer the Tools of Scientific Discovery” is the most important challenge for engineers and directly impacts the other 13 challenges. Engineers complement scientists in conducting their research of the unknown by using their ideas from the natural world and implementing them to create the unimaginable. The application of...