<p>TASP is a six-week long highly selective, prestigious, and rigorous humanities summer program.
Next year's programs include two at the University of Michigan and two at Cornell, all of them being on incredibly cool topics.</p>
<p>I'm a previous TASPer, here to answer any questions on the process/logistics of the program. Good luck to all 2014 applicants -- you're making the right decision by applying.</p>
<p>Thanks for posting this on CC. I think it’s great that someone out there is helping people like me with their applications. I just have a few questions. Do the TASP topics change at all? I looked at the prompts from 2010 to 2013 and the essay prompts were all the same. I was planning on finishing typing my essays by November break and getting them reviewed by my English teachers and another friend who went to TASP. Would you recommend this? Also, how much time did you spend writing your essays. I don’t want to sound like a person who does stuff only for college, but I’m also wondering what University you go to now. Thanks!</p>
<p>Hi there!
TASP essays rarely change, that is true. I’m not 100% sure since I’m not the one who creates the TASP prompts. Personally, I would wait until the application was out to start – you still have a lot of time to work on your essays that way. Better to be safe than sorry! </p>
<p>But, there’s a very low chance of the prompts changing dramatically so if you want to take the risk that’s understandable. Getting the essays reviewed is a good idea; however, it is important to make sure that they solely edit your conventions and give general advice on how to format your essay – don’t let them override the main content of the essay or your voice.</p>
<p>I started my essays sometime during Christmas break, submitted one or two days before the deadline. I’m actually a senior this year (I attended TASP this previous summer). I know that previous TASPers have attended a wide range of schools, some in Ivies and some not.</p>
<p>Thanks! Also, does the prompt that asks you to write out the books or periodicals you have read over the past year need to be written in essay format. The prompt states that the document should not be a list, but what else would it be? How many books or periodicals did you state on your TASPlication?</p>
<p>I’m pretty sure the prompt said that it SHOULD be a list… Just not of every book you’ve ever read. I put around 8-12. The amount doesn’t matter as much as the content.</p>
<p>Could a former TASPer please share their TASPlication essays? Lolredundant but yeah. I haven’t been able to find any online, and I was just wondering at about what level most TASPers write.</p>
<p>I doubt any TASPer would share their essays, to be honest. Most of them are fairly personal and that would also give you an advantage over other applicants who don’t have access to such sample essays.</p>
<p>Writing should flow well and be understandable. The content is what matters far more, so I wouldn’t worry about what level a TASPer writes at. Don’t be worried about cramming in arcane vocabulary.</p>
<p>do you know if TASP is looking for people with a more liberal perspective on things or more conservative? Or do they accept a range of views as long as they’re sincere?</p>
<p>A wide range of views, of course. They should be respectful and genuine, however – remember that your reader may not share the same political views as yourself.
I don’t remember having to bring up my political views during the essay portion, but if you feel that politics is a major defining element of your identity, then it’s understandable.</p>
<p>My own TASP had a diverse set of beliefs. TASP makes sure not to discriminate on any basis.</p>
<p>Hey, I know this might be a stupid question, but can you use the words “I”, “you”, or “us” in the essays. My English teacher told me to never use those words in an essay because they are personal. Can you use the personal words in all the essays?</p>
<p>I dont know about the TASP topics specifically, but application essays are generally personal, entailing the use of “me” and “I”. Really try not to pay too much attention to that rule…it’ll throw you off. You only have to worry about that stuff in academic essays</p>
<p>But just think about it…how can you convince someone of your worthiness for said program if you dont even acknowledge yourself haha</p>
<p>These essays are meant to be personal. It’s okay to use “I” and “me”; I don’t know in what context you would use “you”, so I’d be careful with that. You should be using personal pronouns in the majority of your essays.</p>
<p>Do all of the essays have to be about 1500 words. I know one essay just asks you to list books and the other asks you about the program, but does length matter for the other 4. For previous taspers, was your essay length 1500 words for most essays?</p>
<p>Write as you always do. Don’t augment the number of words in your essay because you think you have to reach a certain level. You shouldn’t be overly verbose, but write in the way your voice comes through.</p>
<p>Most of my essays were around 1200-1400 words because I covered a lot of content. I know TASPers who didn’t write as much. It honestly doesn’t matter, but if you have less than half the word limit you might not be answering the question fully.</p>
<p>Definitely take a shot at being creative. Essays can be in first person, if your analysis relates to your own life. Mine was purely analytic of the “text” in relation to a universal theme separate from myself and hence third-person. But, I know several people whose essays did have some personal themes.</p>
<p>So was yours a theme like “the loss of innocence” (or whatever you chose) and just analyzed how the book related to that with text evidence? I was thinking of doing that but instead, analyzing it through a feminist lens. Sorry if this post is redundant, but I have never written a true critical analysis for school and so this topic worries me the most.</p>
<p>You can definitely analyze a book/poem/film through a feminist lens. I chose to analyze a film and formed an argument around a more unnoticed theme of it.</p>
<p>Here’s a sample essay for a critical analysis of the poem The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. It’s not great. But it is an analysis nonetheless.</p>
<p>Pick something that’s sophisticated and nuanced, but most importantly, unique. Even if you are choosing a book that everyone seems to have read in English class, if you can analyze it in a unique manner and bring something new to the table, then do it.</p>
I know that previous TASPers have attended a wide range of schools, some in Ivies and some not.</p>