The ripples from my lure’s impact subside gradually into the still water of the pool. At the edge of hearing the stream burbles quietly. At my feet, a small sunfish slurps an insect off the surface of the water. I first went fishing with my dad when I was seven years old. Success was not quick; first an hour, then two hours passed without even a nibble until my dad had finally had enough. Not yet ready to leave,...

Modern Orthodox Judaism. Its very name is a contradiction; how can orthodoxy, the adherence to and belief in the primacy of tradition, be modern? On the one hand, we believe in the preeminence of Torah and Jewish law. On the other, we recognize that science and modern thought are valid and accurate depictions of the world we live in. Modern Orthodoxy not only believes that these views have much to teach each other but that they are essentially compatible; that...

Johns Hopkins University was founded in 1876 on a spirit of exploration and discovery. As a result, students can pursue a multi-dimensional undergraduate experience both in and outside of the classroom. Given the opportunities at Hopkins, please discuss your current interests—academic or extracurricular pursuits, personal passions, summer experiences, etc.—and how you will build upon them here. (300-500 Word limit). Academically, I have been pulled in two directions since before I entered high school. I've loved nature for as long...

There is a unique thrill in figuring out exactly which lure will trigger a bass to strike when a nearly identical offering is ignored. The perfect stillness of the lake is broken when my line begins moving seemingly of its own accord. When I set the hook the bass reacts violently, lunging against the line, trapped by its own instincts. I am attached to something alive, connected only by a tenuous bridge of monofilament—until, finally, the fight ends. The...

Academically, I have been pulled in two directions since I entered high school. Sequencing genes at Rutgers and building a bacteria sensor at the Technion introduced me to the elegant and intricate systems of genes and proteins that make up living things. At the same time, writing a game in Java and building a magnetic distance sensor taught me about the amazing man-made systems of hardware and software that surround us. A major in Computer Science and Molecular Biology along...

What attribute of your personality are you most proud of, and how has it impacted your life so far? This could be your creativity, effective leadership, sense of humor, integrity, or anything else you'd like to tell us about. (*) (200-250 words) ‘Walking Encyclopedia’. I wear the title as a badge of pride. Confronted with the vastness of human knowledge, I attempt to imbibe the whole, reading everything I get my hands on and delving deeper into any topic that catches...

I was not a natural wrestler. My first practice was the most physically demanding experience I'd ever had. But despite the bruises and scabs, despite the pain and sweat, wrestling struck a chord in me. Wrestling required significant adjustment. I started running and working out, relinquished junk food, worked around seemingly endless practices. Success was not quick; it was two months before I made it through the first two­minute period. At the season's apex, the Wittenberg Invitational Tournament, my...