Tasp

Pre-College Issues High School Life
801

<p>critical analysis: wrote about Poe's 'Annabel Lee' and how it represents the deep sorrow that influenced poe. argued about how the nickname "master of the macabre" is totally wrong. </p>

<p>Future plans: a lot of stuff about how ive wanted to be a writer forever. i didnt know how to really make that unique at all...</p>

<p>Topic in a field: heh...i wrote about Boondock Saints and The Punisher and how americans accept the Vigilante Character over the previously idealized Arthurian Knight (also, my first choice is the romantic seminar, so i guess that makes sense). My only regret is that i might come across like a complete joker, when in actuality i was being absolutely serious. oops. </p>

<p>choices: pretty standard, paragraph each... I tried not to come out and say that im a literature freak who is politcally ignorant. because everyone else seems to know what theyre doing. </p>

<p>book list: a lot of sylvia plath, Vogue (haha) anne sexton and the various fitzgerald, alice walker and steinbeck stuff. kinda short. the brothers karamazov and other titles too. </p>

<p>wahhhh i really want to get into tasp. i cant wait so long. though if i ever ( in a million years) got an interview, i know i might die of nerves.</p>

802

<p>Eh, okay, these are extremely CliffsNote-d.</p>

<p>Future plans: Talked about my participation in the STAND conference and how it encouraged my interest in international affairs. Basically, I said two things: (a) I want a school that is intellectually and culturally diverse so that I can see the world through different lenses, and (b) I want to use the opportunities that globalization presents in solving world problems.</p>

<p>Book List: A lot of non-fiction. Soros, Sowell, Friedman, Rand, Saramago-- some authors that appear more than once.</p>

<p>Critical Analysis: One of my stronger essays. In-depth analysis of Orwell's "A Hanging". Goal = three themes: (1) undeniable humanness of all people, (2) the insuppressible conscience that lies within all men, and (3) the human weakness that prevents men from remaining true to their consciences. Methods = tone, description, contrast, character development, narration, etc.</p>

<p>Specific Issue: Basically about the disadvantages of a universal language and how linguistic conformity hinders human progress--intellectually, socially, scientifically, culturally, etc.</p>

<p>Personal Conflict: About how I was reluctant to speak up and how I overcame my timidity through taking risks. Pretty lame/cliche, but at least my anecdotes were decent.</p>

<p>Rankings: I had four criteria for choosing a seminar--spent about 3/4 of a page talking about how each of these criteria applied to my first choice, Foreign Policy. Then, I just wrote a paragraph on each of the other ones. Mentioned specific topics in each that I was interested in and why they were important to me.</p>

803

<p>hey guys hows it goin, havent been on here in a long time. Im getting more and more intimidated readin all of these essay topics. ^^^^</p>

804

<p>Aww shucks evil<em>asian</em>dictator. =] It's too bad that you can't apply to RSI. Good luck with TASP though!</p>

805

<p>Gasp the casphalt, tasp the casphalt. Gaspin, gaspin taspin.</p>

806

<p>Future plans: Talked about Rwanda and Darfur have moved me to pursue a future with which to shake the apathy of the world. Specific careers talked about involved law and diplomacy.</p>

<p>Book List: Books and Stuff.</p>

<p>Critical Analysis: "Cross of Gold" speech by William Jennings Bryan given at the 1896 Democratic Convention. Talked about his strategies that enabled him to appeal to the populist movement of the time and the religious undertone employed throughout the speech.</p>

<p>Specific Issue: Wrote about the failure of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the hypocrisy of its basis as the reason why. Sugested solutions on how to solve the rampant nuclear proliferation taking place today.</p>

<p>Personal Conflict: Wrote about learning that one must take risks in life to accomplish anything. Tied it in with various occurences in my life. Pretty happy with this one because it was ultra-personal. </p>

<p>Rankings: Blabbered on about Cornell I. Talked a little bit about the others</p>

807

<p>Future Plans: Wrote about how my earliest memories of The Little Red Hen and Dr. Seuss influenced my love for writing, etc. Sounded entertaining at the time, at least.</p>

<p>Critical Analysis: Wrote about His Excellency: George Washington by Joseph Ellis. I love history, and this is my favorite biography. I just hope I successfully avoided the book report trap.</p>

<p>Topic: Talked about the philosohical implications of the Single Unified Theory in physics (how one formula or law could explain or predict every action in the world) this was a case study in rambling</p>

<p>Book List: I actually listed 66 items. Yeah, probably a bit overloaded. I just really wanted to mention all of them.</p>

<p>Ranking: I simply wrote about 3-4 lines about each program. </p>

<p>Conflict: Wrote about how never really facing a serious conflict led me to consider the conflict of my existence, or something like that (why I am who I am, haha)</p>

<p>Who knows. I think they sucked. What do you all think?
Oh, and does it matter that my tenth grade english teacher wrote my rec letter? My mother is my teacher this year and I didn't think that would be appropriate. Once again, who knows.</p>

808

<p>Wow...definitely shouldn't have gone for the easy way out with regards to the critical analysis essay. Grrrrrrr. Am honestly resigning myself to the fact that I'm not going to get in, no false modesty from over here. </p>

<p>The one thing that stands out reading these little synopsises (sp?) is the fact that we all seem to have this secret desire to change the world! Oh well. I wonder what they're looking for in applications?</p>

809

<p>Wow, you people blow me away. Seriously. Good luck to all!</p>

810

<p>1- wrote something pretty boring using greek heros and thier prophetic lives as comparison; just something to say because i really don't know what i'm going to do in the future.</p>

<p>2- short short book list. i don't have much time for books anymore.</p>

<p>3- battle royale analysis. i'm hoping that my book choice will overshadow the fact that it's not well written.</p>

<p>4- extention of the second amendment to include all military arms. my best essay, i think.</p>

<p>5- story from 1st grade. i was the bad kid. but i learned my lesson.</p>

<p>6- just short paragraphs on why i'm interested in each.</p>

<p>printed it on nice paper, and i papercliped them with 4 inch gold paperclips.</p>

811

<p>gasp up the jam, tasp it up while the gasp is taspin,...get this party on the tasp floor</p>

812

<p>...you know, I'm sort of surprised you haven't done some parody of Rock the Casbah (unless you have, and I've just missed it out of sheer obliviousness or something). The sound is, well, almost sort of the same, and beyond that, what a wonderful song.</p>

<p>Anyway, though I had resisted until now, I might as well procrastinate on my history homework a little longer and detail what I wrote about--</p>

<p>Future plans-- I listed my basic objectives in terms of my own education and what I figure I'll end up doing. I want to be a professor, so I rambled a bit about some recent experiences I've had teaching (both in my chosen English and also Physics) and some thoughts about education as a whole, including why I'd like to be a part of it. (1pg)</p>

<p>Book list-- maybe about 40 titles? It wasn't all I've read, but it was fairly representative: literary theory alongside Harry Potter, 20th century Russian history beside David Sedaris and Art Spiegelman. (1pg)</p>

<p>Crit analysis-- "Home to Harlem", Roddy Doyle. While not my best criticism ever, it was decent (though I wish I had focused a bit more on diverse literary techniques and a little less on how Doyle utilized plot and character development). Basically, I used the protagonist's search for himself via literature and quasi-heritage to relate what I feel are some truths about identity and its place in our daily lives. (2pg)</p>

<p>Problem in a field-- This was definitely my weakest essay. Frankly, to not back my opinions up with citations and whatnot was really uncomfortable-- it reads too much like personal rhetoric. I wrote about the limited access to education that exists both here in the US, in terms of social and gender inequities, and abroad, and that problem's implications in the rest of our lives. Basically, how denying education is denying a future, blah blah blah... (1.3pg)</p>

<p>Conflict-- I liked this, and should I progress to an interview (pleaaase), would love to go on and on about this if given the chance. I'm fairly reserved naturally, so I wrote about how I've learned to take risks and thus really enjoy life, mainly using my summer spent volunteering in Ecuador as fodder. I've never challenged myself so much, but neither have I ever been so rewarded by anything. (1.5pg)</p>

<p>Choices-- Cornell II > Austin > Michigan > Cornell I > Washington. For the first three I wrote paragraphs detailing just why I was interested and how I thought I'd benefit, and for the last two, I basically just stated I'd love to attend any TASP purely for the environment. (1.2pg)</p>

<p>Yeah, as many have said, I feel like I have no chance at all compared to most of you. I suppose you never know unless you try, though...</p>

813

<p>I applied for the hell of it. Fairly certain I'm not getting an interview, but I wasn't go to get an interview if I didn't apply anyways, so I figured why not.</p>

<p>future plans - my experiences with the various youth councils (one major one) and how i want to be involved in the political arena.</p>

<p>book list - haha, about 10 books i read for school, and another 10 outside. mostly fun, quick read types types (i.e. grisham, sheldon), not philosophical ones like the lot of you (the exception being a book about buddhism).</p>

<p>analysis e.e. cummings "in Just", though it's probably been done to death. i tried to refute most of the well-established theories (i.e. balloonman and sexual perversion, etc) and i supported it with his use of syntax. meh.</p>

<p>social issue - bilingual education in public school systems. my strongest one i think...brings out the well-doer politicky person in me.</p>

<p>conflict - i went for quirky, but i dont think i succeeded. i talked about how my first pet (fish) died when i was a kid and how i came to terms with it. looking back, its probably my most unimpressive one, but again ,meh.</p>

<p>choice - paragraph for each seminar.</p>

<p>like i said, reading the synopsis of what you guys wrote, i have don't a snowball's chance of getting in, but it was a good experience.</p>

814

<p>did all my essays in 1 day, it sucked.</p>

<ol>
<li><p>goals- something about how I moved away from the stereotypical azn who liked math into one interested in the humanity which has led me to pursue education in all fronts.</p></li>
<li><p>books- about 20... including about 15 books read in school. But from authors like Foucault, Hofstadtler, Clifford</p></li>
<li><p>analysis- by far my weakest. I just wrote it on the last thing I read which happened to be an analysis on Foucault's theories. It turned out kind of weird and redundant since it because an analysis on an analysis.</p></li>
<li><p>issue- wrote about material witnesses and how the government was leaning away from democracy and more towards authoritarianism.</p></li>
<li><p>conflict- wrote about internal morals and conflict about the politics in policy debate.</p></li>
<li><p>chose Cornell I, then UM</p></li>
</ol>

815

<p>Hello All,
It seems that I will be going to nyc this sunday to... bum bum bum,
read TASP submissions. (!)</p>

<p>I just might be controlling your fate (along with many other readers, don't get nervous), and the best part is, I know how all of you really write and think because you did it here.. hahahaha...</p>

<p>But seriously, I'll accept cash or check, interesting trades considered (where are my seinfeld fans?).</p>

<p>Actually, if you want to tell me what your full name is (I doubt it has numbers or "grl" in it) it might be fun because I knew you from here.</p>

<p>Let's just think of what kind of impression you made on me lo these 41 pages.</p>

816

<p>When you get to a series of essays on to kill a mockingbird/a turkish poem/veganism/etc, go easy. go very, very easy. that's all i can ask:)</p>

817

<p>Wow. Everyone has been posting his or her essays--I guess I'll do the same..</p>

<p>Future plans: I wrote in-depth about my school's newspaper, and how our late-night layout sessions allowed me to really meet the people rather than become familiar with their hides. Instead of journalism being about reporting and seeing my name in print, I learned that it was about sharing those countless stressful hours with the people who give you the hardest time, but pulling through in the end. I liked this essay-but maybe it was too informal, because I have a section about a plush chipotle on my computer, which I squeeze a lot...@_@</p>

<p>Book List: I really love classics (Age of Innocence, Utopia...then non-fiction and other sorts, such as life of pi, etc. I think I also put down the birdy magazines I get every week that teaches better care for pet birds...because I have 3 of them, two of which will be parents this month! :p</p>

<p>Critical Analysis: Like most, I would say this is my weaker essay, although my English teacher liked it. I wrote on Yevgeny Zamyatin's-We, discussing about how the author, in showing that all utopian societies are actually doomed to a dystopic environment from the start, argues that nothing perfect can ever truly exist.</p>

<p>Specific Issue: I talked about how chat jargon (lol, rofl) is dumbing down the language of today's teenagers who are excessively addicted to chatting (5-10 hours). Although I said not everyone might be affected, this topic was inspired by my IB English teacher who showed me an in-class assessment with "lol" in it, and some of the "s" replaced with "z". </p>

<p>Personal Conflict: This was really odd--I sneaked a waterbed pullout into my parent's room when they were away, and I ended up popping it, leaking 30 liters (yes, 30) on the floor of my parent's bedroom. My mom, when I told her, did not get angry at all (to my incredible surprise) but asked if my school stuff was ruined. I learned for the first time that my parents were depending on my success and how much they sacrificed for my future. I liked some points, but others could argue that its a trite topic.</p>

<p>Rankings: I talked about the necessity of me attending the cultures of writing seminar if I was to become a great writer in the future. I argued that everything needs a solid foundation to stand, and how for writing, each letter and symbol and sound are the building blocks, and they must be understood thoroughly in order to utilize them skillfully.</p>

<p>Overall, compared to others, mine probably really sucks. But I guess it won't hurt (too much) to keep my hopes up, right? Right? ><em>> <</em><</p>

<p>Oh and pianoking7--go really easy on mine too...but I'm kind of low on $$ right now...;;
Can I write you an IOU?</p>

818

<p>I just read my Crit. Analysis essay, and I think it's a book report.</p>

819

<p>LOL pianoking7!! Hmm I think everyone of us here has put forth our heart and soul (or at least I did, given the week that I had before it was due from the time that I found out about it) in those essays and that application. I know this may seem cliche, but I feel like just turning in that application was a huge accomplishment. Best of luck to all of you & hopefully I'll be seeing you guys in St. Louis! =]</p>

820

<p>Haven't been back in this thread in a long time.</p>

<p>I'll write about my essays too. =p</p>

<p>Future plans -- I wrote about how my father's job as a surgeon influenced me to pursue that career and how the spirit of dedication, determination, and perserverance in the doctors that I personally know (from my father) encouraged me to seek that path. However, since TASP is a humanities program, I don't know whether this would be a good topic to write about. At least I honestly portrayed my viewpoint, though.</p>

<p>Book List -- had a list of about 30 novels and nonfiction books. A varied selection of heavy and light reading.</p>

<p>Critical analysis -- I wrote about the topic of Personal Choice vs. Fate in Paul Coelho's famed novel, The Alchemist. This was an original topic that I discovered when I was re-reading the book for my fifth time. The issue of personal choice vs. fate is a underlying theme that builds the foundation of the book and I chose to explore that topic in depth.</p>

<p>Specific Issue -- I talked about the politics of Taiwan in the period of 2000-2006 (namely, the presidency of Chen Shui Bien) and how it progressed from a revolutionary progressive administration to a (disappointingly) corrupt scandalized presidency. I chose this topic because I wanted to discuss the radical changes that had affected Taiwan in these six crucial years of "Pan-Green" rule.</p>

<p>Personal Conflict -- I wrote about my conflict when choosing a high school 3 years ago when I had to choose between a smaller, secular high school and a bigger, more liberal high school. I wrote about how I made my decision (I chose the small school) and evaluated my judgement 3 years ago from my current viewpoint (I did not regret that choice).</p>

<p>Ranking -- I chose the foreign policy one and advocated my view by stating that growing up in a foreign country had sharpened my perception of United States foreign policy (since Taiwan is so dependent on US defense). I believed that taking the foreign policy seminar would strengthen and enhance my global views (especially the potential Asia/China/Taiwan issues). In addition, I also had a strong interest in the Islam seminar; that was my second choice.</p>

<p>I don't really think I'd get in, as I'm more a science person than a humanities person. But I'd give it a shot! =p</p>