<p>Eh, April is going to be a pretty busy month.</p>
<p>I'm coordinating a benefit concert through Amnesty International along with my regional student cluster. And we're lobbying/campaigning during the DC Week for Darfur, so I hope everything works out with that. Plus, my school is hosting our own Model United Nations conference the week before, and as Under-Secretary-General, I get to edit background guides and address others' endless grievances (joy). </p>
<p>First week in May = major math week. I have my SAT II Match IIC and Calc BC exams that week, which is not fun at all. Quite the opposite, in fact. GAHH why do the two tests have to fall into the same week? :[</p>
<p>Yeesh, I have the same 2 tests to deal with in the first week of May as well Mindy. I'm more worried about my AP Lang and the two AP Physics exams however because I feel wholefully unprepared. Hmm, I also have to prepare speeches for all my clubs for leadership positions. At least I get to play tennis and the weather's been fantastic.:) Do any of you guys play any sports???</p>
<p>Something about Chinese bureaucracy and why the Chinese don't tend to start charities of their own.</p>
<p>Oh, as to the whole notification date thing, I was rereading my finalist letter (it brings back such euphoria) and it said the beginning of May.</p>
<p>Hmm, I don't know if I can pick out any single difficult question-- one, because it's been a while now and I was ill whilst being interviewed to begin with (and still am, in fact); two, because they were all relatively tough.</p>
<p>Yeaaah, about the date. One month, ish. Here's to hoping it's an exceedingly quick April, yeah?</p>
<p>My first question was: "What makes you a humanitarian?" because I referred to myself as one in my first essay. We talked about all of my essays, except for the book list and the overcoming-an-obstacle essay. My interviewers had a lot of experience in Telluride and had both served on the admissions committee at one time or another; I guess that's a good thing, since they have significant experience with writing interview reports. We started off talking about the difference between civil/political rights and economic/social/cultural rights and the roles that they play domestically and internationally. Then, we talked about knowledge/ethics and human rights for a long time (I was really glad that we focused on human rights) and then shifted to political partisanship and then to my critical analysis and then to the globalization of language and then to U.S. immigration policy. It was a fascinating conversation, and the interview definitely wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Sure, they picked apart my arguments, but I took their perspectives into consideration and eventually developed a conclusion that incorporated my convictions, as well as the points that they brought up. The conversation was far from hostile.. it was, however, quite intense. I would recommend getting a good night's sleep before your interview so that you're able to think on your feet. If I'm rejected, it'll be because I wasn't good enough, not because I did horribly on the interview. I still need to finalize my back-up plans, however...</p>
<p>If anyone still hasn't had their interview, please RELAX!! My interviewer was very nice... I had a lot of fun, and I don't know if I'll get into TASP, but it was a great experience.</p>
<p>From what I can tell, the interviewers are NOT out to get you. They ask a lot of questions, but only talk about things you have shown an interest in.</p>
<p>Anyway, I have to go now, but please don't stress over the interview. I was kind of nervous after reading some of last year's posts, but there was nothing I disliked about it :)</p>
<p>I hate to give the stereotypical answer, but it's true-- you really should only apply to something if it actually interests you, not because it will look good on college apps. I say this for a few reasons: one, you will be miserable for six weeks should you get in and didn't really like the idea of the program to begin with; two, you're wasting time better spent cultivating something that really interests you (which in fact would probably look better anyway if that's what you're after); and three, if you're not into it whole-heartedly, isn't it just a little unfair to take the place of someone who is and might be just as qualified? That said, if you do think you'd enjoy TASP and aren't just in it for the name, apply! One of my interviewers was a math major (from what I could tell, anyway)-- more than just purely humanities-interested people apply and get in. Diverse interests are indeed allowed.</p>
<p>Cooljoe, I'm statistically more of a science and math type, but I like to think of myself as multi-faceted. I absolutely ADORE reading (in my free time, I read the way some people eat) and love learning about current events and history. I wouldn't not apply to TASP simply because you think of yourself as more of a science person, but if the program doesn't interest you, by all means apply to something more fitting. However, if you do discover that the idea of living for 6 weeks with our generation's brightest and most ambitious minds and spending late nights (and early mornings!) discussing politics, philosophy, etc. and LEARNING excites you the way it does me, by all means apply!</p>
<p>^^ Very true, and that does basically cover it (and is probably more friendly than I came across-- sorry). Personally, I'm pretty torn myself. I love English lit with a passion and it will probably be what I pursue, but if that doesn't work out for some reason, electrical or biomedical engineering is what I'd go after next, not some other humanities sort of track. It's hard to define oneself so narrowly, isn't it?</p>
<p>So thanks to this insanely long thread, now whenever somebody asks me about the "program that the interview was for," I have the urge to go "GASP IT'S TASP!" :]</p>
<p>HAHA chillaxin, so are you definitely going to TASP if you are accepted or is it possible that you might defect to the evil CCIS Stanford side???;)</p>
<p>Now let's see... CCIS = "evil." Evil<em>asian</em>dictator = evil. Hmm... Hence, Evil<em>asian</em>dictator = CCIS! :] So would that make "good" TASP bad in this case?</p>
<p>lol. I'm supposed to give a definite answer to CCIS soon, though I don't know exactly when, so we'll see if TASP results come out before or after. If after, well then...</p>
<p>So how about you? Any amazing summer plans that knock TASP out of the water (or how about any "ordinary" summer plans, with ordinary being by CC's standards)?</p>
<p>I just got back from ten days in Moscow, an incredible and MUCH needed vacation. I thought some about TASP while I was gone, but the more I think about it, the more unsure I become of myself and the more sure I am of rejection, so I tried not to do that too much.</p>
<p>Seems like we're all in the same boat with the next several weeks, which is to say busy beyond belief. I too have the SAT and AP tests the first week of May. Before that are all the usual clubs/volunteering/working 20 hours a week. The Gay-Straight Alliance at my school (I'm president) is coordinating a fundraiser and a protest called Day of Silence in April. I'm working on a documentary about Japanese-American internment in Colorado during WWII. I just finished the initial version for a competition this Saturday, but there's a ton of work left to do to prepare for the statewide competition at the end of the month. </p>
<p>OY. that's a lot to think about, but for now I think I'll sleep. After 22 hours on airplanes/in airports, it's very needed :)</p>