<p>Hello, I have applied to a couple of Ivy League universities (I know it's a stretch but I like to reach for the stars). While I am inclined to Brown University (it's my first choice), I do really like the other Ivies I applied to. I submitted all of my applications and supplements over the weekend but I was wondering if anybody could give me their opinion on my Cornell Supplement essay (as shown below)? </p>
<p>College of Arts and Sciences:
Describe your intellectual interests, their evolution, and what makes them exciting to you. Tell us how you will utilize the academic programs in the College of Arts and Sciences to further explore your interests, intended major, or field of study.</p>
<pre><code> As I have done so many times before, I sat on the front steps of my house and gazed at the mosaic of colors visible during a sunset. As the date of my graduation approaches, I have become increasingly nostalgic. I sometimes wonder to myself, How did I get to this point? As I stared at the setting sun, I had a flashback to where my dreams originated.
My aspirational evolution began when I was six years old. At this age, I believed I could be an artist. In the first grade, I thought that my drawings of houses and stick figures were masterpieces. Looking back, I think that I must have been out of my mind since I know I have no artistic ability whatsoever. From there, my goals shifted to accounting. At seven years old, I was in love with math; accounting seemed like the perfect fit for the human calculator (my nickname in elementary school). Nevertheless, that too fell to the wayside. It was not until the next year that the field of medicine first entered my mind. A check-up at Tenafly Pediatrics led to my first crystallizing moment. At eight years old, I knew I wanted to be a doctor. I loved the mystery of the medical field. I have always pictured doctors as scientific detectives. What intrigues me is that they have to utilize the symptoms to diagnose or uncover what is ailing a patient.
While my career paths have varied greatly, there have always been two unceasing passions: mathematics and science. Math is distinctive because calculations have a definitive answer or set of answers. For instance, if I was solving a quadratic equation, I know that I would need to find two answers. I love utilizing math outside of the classroom. (e.g. my mother refers to me as the tip calculator). The fact that math is so straightforward is why it persists as one of my favorite subjects.
On the other hand, I have also been fascinated by the sciences. I view the various fields of science as different cases. As the investigator, I have the task of viewing how scientific processes take place. For instance, in my sophomore chemistry class, our class performed an experiment involving flames. We used different compounds to see how the flames would react. What transpired left me awestruck. It turns out that certain chemicals caused the flames to change to a certain color (i.e. copper chloride turned the fire blue).
Although I may be undecided at the moment, I know Cornell offers an abundance of majors. While I am leaning towards the biological sciences, I could decide to take a completely different route. Cornell also offers a plethora of international programs such as Cornell Abroad and the South Asia Program that would enable me to learn a great deal about new cultures. Lastly, I am confident that the prestigious professors at this institution will be instrumental in my achieving a successful future as a physician.
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