Please help a neurotic prospective student with essay!

Colleges and Universities A-Z Northwestern University
1

<p>Can someone please read through my essay and tell me what you think?
I'm a clueless international student with no idea what Northwestern is looking for in this "why northwestern" kind of essay! </p>

<p>I like to see the world in gray.</p>

<p>That is to say, I don’t want to choose between black and white. Is it always necessary for you to label yourself as one thing or the other, to take sides for or against something? Does your stance in the world have to be summed up in a single concrete idea, or particular word that will sum up your beliefs, principles and ideas? </p>

<p>Nowadays, there is so much pressure on taking a specific course of action. Not only in making a decision on one’s position in politics, or other social issues, but also in one’s course of education. My mom seems to be quite the leading figure of this movement of specialized direction. She has always told me to choose one thing I’m good at and become really good at this one thing. Therefore, for most of my life I’ve been driven by a fear of being stuck with something I was good at, but didn’t like. My logic became this: if I were to excel in a variety of subjects, then limits would not have to be set, giving me more time for the search of my “passion in life,” so they call it. </p>

<p>I was immediately attracted to Northwestern’s emphasis and excellence in a wide range of both academic and artistic divisions. It aroused the artist and pragmatist in me. Northwestern’s excellence in subjects such as theatre, art history, and economics, to list a few, allows one to be immersed in many different worlds: I want to be able to have conversations about Mondrian’s use of color in the morning, the crisis in Afghanistan in the afternoon, and the affect of different lighting in contemporary plays in the evening. </p>

<p>Northwestern also provides an intense and competitive atmosphere. C'est la vie! It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there; the last thing a budding adult needs is to be spoon-fed.
(need to write more here i guess)</p>

<p>(planning to write something bout the quarter system)</p>

<p>My interest for Northwestern ends at a very superficial level. I’ve lived in Singapore for 3 years, and have gradually grown used to sweating constantly, to the feel of your t-shirt sticking to your sweaty back, and to sleepless nights shuffling about the bed because of the inescapable heat. Northwestern, at the very least, offers a weather I will welcome with open arms. Sitting in my chair at 30°C, I can honestly say that I want to be freezing cold!</p>

<p>thankss</p>

2

<p>I’m only a lowly applicant myself, but here’s my opinion.</p>

<p>I think it’s great that your personality really comes across in your tone, and you seem very honest. Having said that, I’d advise you make more specific points. I don’t mean that you should look through the course catologue, pick a random class, and mention it in your essay, I just mean that a lot of what you said applies to many if not most liberal arts colleges/universities in the U.S. What makes NORTHWESTERN special?</p>

3

<p>First off, i liked your introduction. it grabbed my attention and made me want to keep reading.
However, I felt that your essay used a lot of cliches (“nowadays”, “c’est la vie!”, “dog-eat-dog”, the whole “diverse day” idea). I also found some parts of it that read very strangely; i’d be very careful to make sure that your english comes across as perfectly as possible. Also, i would not close with your thoughts about the weather. just like you said, it seemed a bit superficial.
overall, i think the “bones” or basic idea behind your essay is good, but i felt that it could be executed in a way that better showed who you are. overall, i’d call this a great first draft! good job!</p>

4

<p>In my opinion, I think it’s better if you keep your essay and thoughts off a public forum and communicate privately with those who expresses an interest in providing you with suggestions.</p>