Tasp

Pre-College Issues High School Life
461

<p>Books: Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, The Portable Dorothy Parker (I can't decide if I should be more or less like her), Fast Food Nation, A Confederacy of Dunces</p>

<p>Movies: Almost Famous, Rushmore, Amelie, Dr. Strangelove, This is Spinal Tap. The only five movies I can watch over and over again and never stop loving. If you can count the BBC Pride and Prejudice miniseries as a movie, add that in too.</p>

<p>Music: The Decemberists, David Bowie, Rilo Kiley, Sufjan Stevens, Neutral Milk Hotel</p>

<p>After reading everyone else's lists...great minds, right?</p>

462

<p>On the app, it asks for academic honors or awards. Is awards modified by academic? - is it academic honors or academic awards? also, what exactly does academic mean? </p>

<p>(is this what hyperventilating feels like?)</p>

463

<p>Wow, I promised myself that today I'd work on my TASP app but then I got sidetracked by this thread. One hour and a cramp in the side later, here I am, finally at the end.</p>

<p>I'm really nervous/scared/excited about these applications, I want this so bad. I told my history teacher, who is writing me my recommendation letter, that I think I'll cry if I don't get in. Which, pitiful as it sounds, is probably true, because with things like this I'm a bit of an emotional wreck.</p>

<p>Strangely enough, I got an application to RSI in the mail but not TASP, which is weird because I have very little talent in math and science. But, somehow I found the TASP site and downloaded the application and the rest was history. I scored in the 99th on the PSATs (219, which seemed pretty good until I saw the scores on here), but apparently not high enough. But, thankfully, it seems that scores don't really matter anyway. </p>

<p>I'm writing my analysis on Faulkner's A Rose For Emily. I figured a short story is the best way to go, I can't imagine analyzing an entire novel in two pages. Plus, I would marry Faulkner in a heartbeat, which would reek a bit of necrophilia considering he's been dead for forty-some years, but A Rose For Emily is pretty much about necrophilia, so everything just came around full circle. Excuse the rambling, I haven't had much sleep this weekend. </p>

<p>I think the hardest topic is the conflict analysis. I can only think of small, stupid conflicts between friends over earrings or a really geeky one about the Academic Bowl team.</p>

<p>Eh, my fingers are crossed.</p>

464

<p>Hi,
I don't know if this has been asked before, but I couldn't find it in the thread...</p>

<p>About how many books should we have on our book list? And what kind? I've probably read 100+ (probably more if I think about it) books in the past year, it would be tedious even to list 75% of them. Many of them have been scientific (biology, chemistry, programming, etc.). Should I bother to list some of those?</p>

465

<p>Would it be acceptable for my 10th grade English teacher to write the rec?<br>
My mother is my teacher this year, and I think a rec from her would mean less.</p>

466

<p>nvision- what i've gathered is that you should list books you think will show the scope of what you've read, and also that you're comfortable talking about (they could come up in the interview, if you get one).</p>

467

<p>can u send them extra stuff?</p>

468

<p>I'm wondering that as well. Do people ever attach a resume onto the app, or should we not do that?</p>

469

<p>i didn't do it, and i don't think it's necessary. the application form and essays should suffice for anything you have to say. or at least it was for me; i don't really know what anyone else did, although to the best of my knowledge i discussed my essays and other unrelated material more in my interview than anything that could have shown up on my resume.</p>

470

<p>thanks to GLOBBER, all is well</p>

471

<p>I'm working on my TASP application and I have a couple of questions...</p>

<ol>
<li>Is it harder to get in as an international student? If so, how much?</li>
<li>How big is the photograph you have to attch supposed to be? Also if you attach a photo, do you photocopy the whole aplication with the photo or attach a new picture to each copy?</li>
<li>How long should the essays be? On the app it says essays 3 and 4 should be no longer than two single-spaced pages. Is it the same for the other ones?</li>
<li>Is it okay to list books in foreign languages? What about periodicals you read on the Internet (like cnn.com)? </li>
<li>To list a periodical, how often do you have to read it? I mean, I read some pretty frequently (like about once a day) but I don't read every single article or anything, just the ones that interest me.</li>
</ol>

<p>I hope these questions don't sound too dumb... Anyway, plz try to answer some of them!! I would really appreciate it :)</p>

472

<p>Hi green<em>day</em>fan, I'm an international student who attended TASP in 2005 (UMich!).</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Not a clue. Tellurider might be willing to answer. All I know is that in 2005 there were 9 TASPers who had addresses from outside the US (give or take one), and around 80 TASPers in total.</p></li>
<li><p>Passport size. I sent one original and the rest were crappy overly dark photocopies, but I doubt the photo matters a whit.</p></li>
<li><p>The answer to each question shouldn't be longer than 2 pages single spaced. </p></li>
<li><p>I guess books in foreign languages wouldn't hurt, and as for periodicals, simply use common sense when including one. It's not like they're going to quiz you on the finer points of the March 2005 cover story, so basically something that you read once a day is more than acceptable. Besides, I'm guessing that the booklist dosn't hold nearly as much weight as the other five questions (I mean... how could it?). </p></li>
</ol>

<p>Hope that helps.</p>

473

<p>Yeah, list what you read. If you've read 100+ books, well, that's great, and I hope you can remember them all.<br>
Keep in mind that the page limit is 2, so maybe list your favorite ones, or ones that you'll remember the best because it is possible that they'll come up in the interview.</p>

<p>I listed mine by categories, and this seems to work well.</p>

474

<p>Thanks a lot Jsn88!!! That was helpful :)</p>

<p>Okay, I hope you don't mind if I ask u a couple of other questions...</p>

<p>Are u a super genius??? Well, what I really want to know is if normal people can get into TASP. Also, about the essays, do they have to be really deep and serious. I started mine and I basically tried to write about the topics honestly and tell them something about myself in the process. I finished the first one, though, and then I started wondering if that's really what they're looking for. What approach did u take in your essays?</p>

<p>I guess that's it for now... Thanks!! I really appreciate your help.</p>

475

<p>I'm definitely possessed of relatively unremarkable intelligence, academic ability, and the like. So yes, normal people get into TASP. Based on my experience, images in your mind of... dunno... insufferably intellectually elitist kids communicating in binary (one of the horror situations I imagined before going to TASP)... would simply be wrong.</p>

<p>However, the Telluride Association does seem to have this knack for picking people who have a certain spark. Enthusiasm, intelligence, something. It's one of the things that made TASP such a wonderful experience for me. You'll meet minds that complement and stimulate your own, and consequently have a great time. And for some reason a lot of TASPers seemed to have one or several fields of interest in which they were unusually knowledgeable (economic policy and russian literature are two that spring to mind). Makes for extremely interesting times.</p>

<p>So basically TASPers range from your typical smart kid with good grades (me), to those who are that and waaaay more. Don't worry about it, because at the end of the day we have no real idea how TASPers are selected. </p>

<p>As for my essays... I just wrote honestly, without many elaborate stylistic choices or attempts at eliciting laughter. Do whatever you're most comfortable with, because if humor, or archaic phrasing, or brevity, or whatever, is your thing, then go for it.</p>

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<p>i just wanted to say that it's very nice to be international and to be at TASP, because, among other things, you make tons of wonderful friends for life all over the country, which sets you up really well for college, if you're planning to go to college in the US.</p>

477

<p>Oh goodness, so many people are applying O_O</p>

<p>I want this but it kind of seems..far out, you know?
Best of luck to everybody... :D</p>

478

<p>Questions, me too!</p>

<p>1) How long are you guys planning to write? All 2 pages, because I can't seem to, no matter how much I BS it.
2) Also, the past year, is that like, 2004-05...er. This year..as in school year? Can't figure this out.
Thanks!</p>

479

<p>Too bad the first semester grades of this year (junior year) won't go into my transcript that I'm sending. How about you guys?</p>

480

<p>^ Are you already sending yours? O_O CRAAZZY and its only the 12th!
You must be almost done...</p>

<p>For us report cards come next tuesday so I think I can add it in there by the 23rd. We'll see, though.</p>

<p>Question!
Its is worse to send it via online? but then, do i send the transcript and rec earlier by the 23rd or what? Aiyah.</p>

<p>I have yet 5 essays to write <em>groans</em>
I'm not so bright so its kinda difficult.
Now seeing how exclusive it is, I don't think I'm going to make it...-_-;;
All these CCers. RSI was hard enough....</p>