<p>You know, I've got to say, applying and sending it in and considering my chances and whatnot, I have honestly realized that-- hey, woah-- people will be evaluating me... That said, this news that they're doing this now and that these readers are real people, so to speak, is rather unsettling, rather wierd. Does anyone know what I mean? Does anyone else have those odd little shocks of reality sometimes?</p>
<p>^Yes, but I try not to think about it. :o</p>
<p>Like me!!!!!</p>
<p>I feel the same way about college admissions. But consider yourselves lucky. Telluride says that it considers your essays and thoughts only, and unlike most colleges, actually means it. There are no legacies, no parents buying libraries, no letters from the governor, just you and your brain. Therefore, this is the fairest admissions process you'll ever have, believe me, lol.</p>
<p>(And many, many people read these things, so don't worry. If I'm in a bad mood because of the snow or something it won't be the end of the road, lol.)</p>
<p>hey, pianoking, what did you write about for admissions last year? I've heard about the Dr. Seuss one, but what else was there?</p>
<p>Essays of an admitted '05 TASPer:
1. Goals in Education: talked alternately about engineering and economics and their common theoretical basis. I mentioned a trip to the Indy 500 (loudest experience ever) and sitting in the Fed boardroom in DC. Middling, maybe?
2. Book List: lots of school stuff, something about a revolution (I remember bringing this up in the interview), Nat'l Geographic, random business publications
3. Critical Analysis: Hit this one out of the park; I wrote about A Clockwork Orange as sonata form (my first choice seminar was about music) and how Anthony Burgess the composer shines through Anthony Burgess the writer. I looked at how the recapitulation of thematic material and situations in the plot create a effect of deja vu similar to that of a symphony. Still the best essay I've ever written.
4. Specific Issue: Continuing with the music motif, I wrote about the physics of pleasing sounds and the discrete mathematical relationships between "nice-sounding" intervals. I argued that mathematics and music were intertwined fields. Not really a horribly new idea, but it was a decent essay.
5. Conflict: Kinda crappy and last second; I wrote about a run-in with my girlfriend's father at around midnight and how I diffused the situation by being respectful.
6. Seminar choice: Put music first as a logical progression from the rest of my essay, then short analysis of each of the other topics. I ended up being a bit wordy and stiff, but I figured it wouldn't really affect the decision. I don't think it did.</p>
<p>Hey guys, Globber and pianoking, is it OK if your essays deal with morem ainstream issues like terrorism and homosexuality as long as they are very well-written and represent your own thoughts??? It seems like everyone is coming up with some uber-creative topics to write about.:(</p>
<p>That Clockwork Orange essay does honestly sound absolutely amazing-- very ambitious, very well thought out, and above all, such a reminder of what sort of kids apply for this program. Wow.</p>
<p>Pianoking-- you have a very good point about the application process. This is, as you say, pretty much the fairest chance we could possibly have. Decisions will be made purely on talent, and in a way, I think that makes the outcome of this all that much more nerve-wracking. (Just in case, though, don't let the snow get you down too much. At where I'm from, anyway-- about an hour-ish north of Cornell, on Lake Ontario-- it's half a relief that it's finally here. Seriously, what sort of winter is this?)</p>
<p>The Clockwork Orange essay sounds brilliant and original and makes me wish I'd picked something more ambitious than a 12-line poem for my literary analysis....aaahhh. Every time I read about somebody else's essays, I shrink a little bit inside and steel myself a little bit more for a "thanks-but-no-thanks" email. Ah well, at least I already have experience with rejection?</p>
<p>I also def. agree with Kelsi. Knowing that real people are sitting there and judging me based on my essays...and it's so true; it's all the scarier to know that this admissions process is fair and based solely on merit because if you don't get admitted, you <em>know</em> it's because you didn't merit it, not because of some mysterious whim or instutional goal or whatever. </p>
<p>Soooo bottom line: Pianoking if you come across a set of essays about wanting to be a teacher, the cultural/generational gap and feminism, an Adrienne Rich poem, and this really unfortunate pretentious-sounding essay about censorship...go easy and give me a chance to prove myself in an interview? I make really good chocolate cookies ;)</p>
<p>Okay Globber, here's what I wrote (as well as I can remember), lol.</p>
<p>Essays of another admitted '05 TASPer
1. Goals in Education: I talked about the psychological effects of music (U Mich was also my first choice) and the potential for an exciting new field called neuromusicology. Music has unusual and surprising effects on people's minds in ways that nothing else can, and manipulating this power could lead to cures for diseases that are currently uncurable, increase intelligence... anything that brain control could lead to. I talked about my desire to do research and contribute to this field and combine my passions for music and science to help the world.<br>
2. Book List: A lot of math and physics books, school books, and yes, Harry Potter.
3. Critical Analysis: As it has been stated, I actually did Dr. Seuss' "Horton Hears a Who." I talked about opression and the rights of the individual a la john stuart mill, and it came out really well. My favorite part was the quotes I used because they all talked about elephants and turtles and they all rhymed.<br>
4. Specific Issue: This, in my opinion, was my selling point. I talked about problems with current languages, grammatically as well as from a cognitive and international perspective. I then went on to describe a language that I created that addresses all of these issues. It is designed to be completely unambiguous as to aid international communication yet be flexible enough for poets/writers and allow for high cognition. All of this with some pretty neat linguistic theories that as far as my research has shown are original.
5. Conflict: My frustration with my school's Red Cross Club and my eventual creating an organization that teaches music lessons to homeless children.<br>
6. Seminar Choice: Like Globber, U Mich was my first choice, but I wrote compelling reasons for the others (except one). It might have gotten a bit wordy and difficult to follow, but I had spent almost all of my time on the first five. </p>
<p>I hope that, along with Globber's, this helps you a little. You don't necessarily have to be original (although it seems to help) they want sophistication of thought. I'm sure everyone's essays here are awesome, and I look forward to reading a few. If you don't make it, it's not the end of the world. There are many other ways to spend a summer.</p>
<p>My conflict essay was about no real conflict at all.</p>
<p>Eh. I just want the results already.</p>
<p>kisstheskyxx, I regret to inform you...</p>
<p>I do not know the results.</p>
<p>
[quote]
4. Specific Issue: This, in my opinion, was my selling point. I talked about problems with current languages, grammatically as well as from a cognitive and international perspective. I then went on to describe a language that I created that addresses all of these issues. It is designed to be completely unambiguous as to aid international communication yet be flexible enough for poets/writers and allow for high cognition. All of this with some pretty neat linguistic theories that as far as my research has shown are original.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Hmm, interesting, I actually argued for the benefits of linguistic disparities and against a universal language. But then again, I'm not a linguistics person; I'm just interested in culture, and after studying Islam, I've acquired a fascination with Arabic.</p>
<p>I used to be able to speak and write arabic way back when I used to live in Bahrain. Its damn hard to learn especially since everything is bacwards.</p>
<p>I definitely want to pick it up during college. I think that Arabic is one of the most beautiful languages in the world.</p>
<p>I just read that Steven Weinberg, Nobel Prize winner in Physics, went to TASP....Why?</p>
<p>Gasspppppp...tasspppp</p>
<p>Wow, for the last week I almost forgot that I applied to TASP haha.</p>
<p>The TA directory actually says that Weinberg lived at Cornell branch... hmmmm, I did not know that</p>
<p>are we going to get a confirmation or something? my internet stuff was confirmed but i'm not sure about my rec and transcripts...</p>