<p>I have written an essay for Duke. Please comment on how I did on my essay.</p>
<p>If you are applying to the Pratt School of Engineering, please discuss why you want to study engineering and why you would like to study at Duke.</p>
<p>When I was young, our familys frequent travel overseas emphasized the importance of unloading, redistributing and organizing the household goods. My job was to look around the rooms and to suggest the places where desks, book shelves and refrigerators could be arranged. However, I grew easily tiresome of this passive and boring job. My interest truly laid in unloading the computer from its container, recognizing the electrical supplements that went together, and connecting the circuits with appropriate cords. I enjoyed arranging and connecting the electronic devices because I wanted to find out what mechanisms made them work rather than because I actually wanted to finish the job quickly so I can play on the computer afterwards. As I grew older, I also developed a strong interest in mathematics and physics that gave me a deeper insight into the world of practical science. Higher-level coursework such as advanced mathematics and physics classes during my high school years has helped me realize the beauty of math and science: their existence lies in their practical application to real-world problems, which requires a good understanding of theoretical concepts in advanced mathematics and science, not just a memorization of numbers and equations. Quite often, I heard my peers saying that mathematics and science are dry and boring subjects. Whenever I heard this, I always felt a strong need to address my opinion but kept those words to myself Science does not just deal with random numbers and meaningless formulas. Calculation is only a glimpse of magic that lies ahead. See beyond the formulaic process of obtaining an answer; concepts, real-world practice, and the art of creativity.</p>
<p>Furthermore, my experience as an intern reconfirmed the importance of real-world application skills. Prior to the internship, I never had a chance to see how numbers actually fit into solving real world problems. Had I not retained a solid background of basic arithmetic and organization skills that were fundamental in recompiling long and complicated charts and statistical data, I would have had to go through each process step-by-step with my employer, and every task would have been time-consuming and almost impossible to accomplish. Thanks to mathematics, science, and humanity courses that helped me to shape my knowledge and to bring what I learned together in a broad perspective, I not only succeeded in accomplishing the tasks at the company, but also learned how to apply numbers, formulas and concepts to real practice.</p>
<p>Undergraduate education at Duke is another opportunity for me to learn advanced mathematics and science at a wider scope and to search and explore the field of engineering in depth. I strongly believe that taking seven out of eight first-year courses at Duke that are transferable between the five engineering majors can help me decide what I want to do in the future and consolidate my genuine interest in one specific engineering major. Moreover, I intend to take advantage of independent study and undergraduate research program at Duke because after completing all the requirements of foundation courses, I want to concentrate on solving more advanced engineering problems in collaboration with my faculty study mentor. After taking two years of various courses in engineering, I intend to join the independent study program in my junior year. I believe that the core curriculum and various independent and research programs at Duke provide hands-on experience that will help me see specific, yet global application of engineering studies in depth, imbuing me with deeper insights as these unique opportunities at Duke help me excel in my future endeavors.</p>
<p>The application of mathematics and science in solving world problems and satisfying human needs is an integral part of engineering. Engineers not only need to be flexible with numbers, formulas and theoretical concepts, but also continuously hone their creativity in order to define problems around the world and seek solutions. With my inquisitive attitude and my love for math and science, I have no doubt that my passion for engineering will guide me to explore the broad application of engineering, to seek possible solutions for universal human needs, and to enjoy my life to the fullest as my desire to learn weaves its way through the exciting journey of engineering studies.</p>