@annagrace18 oh okay, thank you! major procrastinator here, so I’m probably gonna be writing essays all weekend haha. and just curious if you don’t mind me asking, are you from the US or international or…?
@perksof1975 best of luck…I relate. I tend to procrastinate myself. US. I live in Buffalo, NY. How about you?
@annagrace18 I live in South Korea, but I grew up in the States!
@perksof1975 I have 7, all with a short description. I don’t think they care about how many, just what the personal significance is+if you can talk about it during the interview (if you get one).
@steph_sky8278 - As you no doubt have surmised by now, there are many more summer STEM programs and research programs than there are humanities programs. Among the humanities programs I’ve seen, Carleton College’s program (they have a Summer Humanities Institute that looks very interesting), while not inexpensive, was nowhere nearly as outrageous as Stanford’s or Georgetown’s or Columbia’s pay-to-play summer programs . Carleton also gives you some college credit, and there’s FA and/or merit aid available. There are pre-college programs at many other schools, including Univ. of Maryland, Duke, Yale, Brown, and others.
I’m posting links to Carleton, Stanford and Georgetown’s programs:
@perksof1975 Same lol I have barely started my essays but I have plans for most of them.
For the prompt about how I hurt someone in my community, do you think it’s okay if I talk about my parents?? I can’t really think of someone other than my parents lol
@annagrace18 Holy how did you manage to fit in 9??? I have six and even so I’m over the limit and I feel like I still don’t have space to really talk about those 6 books!!! Honestly I could write a full 9000 character essay just on my favourite books
@steph_sky8278 Honestly less is more. If you have to fit in less but can talk about them (especially if you get interviewed) that should be fine.
@abell73 Yeah, as long as you can write a good essay on that topic it should be fine. What they are looking for is basically just evidence of personal growth and maturity, so if you can show that through talking about your parents then you’re good 
@Soccer1235 haha and I thought I was the only one! Where are you from?
I’m from Ohio. I don’t think I have a chance, but since the application is free, there isn’t any harm in trying.
guys, what are you doing for your second essay (analysis)?? I just want to make sure I have the right idea and amn’t completely off topic
@peaceprincess I thought it was just describing a time you changed your mind…
yikes guess who put off writing essays until today
@lemonypies i know i did… haha
I put them off till tomorrow, lol
I had swim today
Hey, everyone! I’m applying for TASP, too, and I’m very excited. I haven’t read this entire thread, but I essentially have essay #2 left to write. Any tips on how to craft my essays? Any of them, really. Thanks!
Hey @nafisahinabox and other prospective TASPers! It’s PotatoStorm and I am a former TASPer (feel free to see my previous posts on this thread). While it might be too late by the time you read this message, I definitely can empathize with writing essays last minute!
Personally, for my third essay (make amends from hurting someone you love), I brainstormed for a few weeks, but did not actually start writing until the day before the application was due, and was still putting the finishing touches literally minutes before 9:00 PST on the last day (I do not recommend this, but do what you must). Even if you don’t want to write an essay at this moment, I recommend thinking about ideas or themes about yourself that you want to get across in your essay, even if the physical work is not done until the last day.
Because the version of you, with which you endow the words in your essay, is what matters most. That’s also what got me through the college app process when I felt I was so under-qualified as compared to other applicants.
I’m a huge believer that TASP was a formative life experience that changed my perspective on community and even myself, and the essays and interview were not “weeding out processes” but also a way for me to understand PotatoStorm as a human being.
Take this advice with salt (which coincidentally does taste good on potatoes), but I recommend taking the essays as NOT “Oh no, I need to write 5000+ words for an application!” but as “WOW, this is an opportunity to explore my identity as a human being!” and the attitude will definitely come across in your work.
Don’t be afraid to be yourself, and I know that’s cliched but it’s so, so very true. If you have overcome personal problems, discuss them (only if you’re comfortable), if you like Disney movies or sci-fi stories, then write about them, if you have never heard of “obscure philosophy book #203” until today then don’t write about it just to seem impressive, because it’s really hard to make something you don’t enjoy the focal point of an essay.
Also, don’t feel like you’re inadequate if you haven’t been exposed to the “Great Books” because everyone has something to offer, and academic qualifications are just one of them (others include personality, stories, background, etc.). This might be my optimism making an appearance, but I truly believe that everyone has something unique and valuable to share: the issue is that some people never acknowledge the gems inside themselves or carve them so they multiply the light. So, put a lot of effort into the journey of self-discovery!
Best of luck to you all!
-PotatoStorm
Hi everyone~ I’m currently working on essay #3 and am writing about my experience cutting through a line in public, which is hurtful to the community as a whole but not to specific individuals. (I’ll also write about how it upsets my parents) Do you think this approach will fit the prompt? Thanks~