<p>Trust me.. i've seen abnormal (i.e. i once heard a girl proclaim very proudly "i'm 4 foot, twelve inches!") everybody was like wow.....</p>
<p>p.s., it doesn't matter what I think of your writing, it's the application reader who has to decide if you're a nutcase or not :)</p>
<p>"Exactly how far is too far out there that the reader will lose me?"</p>
<p>If you're trying to stand out from the crowd, act normal. You do realize that everyone is trying to prove themselves to be "unique" when in truth most people are exactly as unique as everybody else.</p>
<p>(sigh) I am 90% through one of the five essays (the list doesn't count), and I am going to rant at all of you. This is what I think of them:</p>
<p>The Book Review: Reasonable. I have an outline done. My basis for picking a book was to pick my favorite most-awesome-book-ever book, which was lying on my desk while I was thinking about what to pick. The end. Rational thought need not apply.</p>
<p>The Problem-in-a-Field-that-Interests-Me: TASP, I don't think you quite understand; I really, really want to go to Cornell. I don't have TIME for an independant interest. All my time that is not spent struggling under a heavy courseload, studying for tests (ha! More like thinking about studying for tests) or cultivating a vague interest for college is spent sleeping and trying to play the Sims 2 (I say "trying" because the Sims 2 is quite probably the most difficult game in the universe to make work when you actually have time to play it). No idea what I'm going to write about here. Probably my kinda-sorta-but-mostly-for-colleges interest. I am not worried about karma; it's a b*tch, but so am I. (ha. There's your 2 am wit)</p>
<p>The Personal Problem Essay: There's my 90% done beauty. I had fun with this one. I am the antithesis of everyone who's writing about a dying relative or orphans or my-mommy-was-mean-to-me or racism or sexism or antidistablishmentarianism (and I have no idea what that means). I wrote about being a white Yankee girl and how I don't have any sob stories to seduce the judges, so I'll have to make do with Middle-of-Nowhere tiny-problem, thank you very much. My personal problems keep themselves; may yours do the same (kudos for anyone who knows where I stole/edited that quote from. It's the same book I'm writing on for #1). </p>
<p>Hopes-An'-Dreams Essay: Oh dear. I'm going to have fun with this one. Let's just say that you're not going to get the two bit I-wanna-go-to-college-and-heal-cancer-and-save-the-world-and-love-life-and-be-myself spiel from this cynical 16. Gag me. If I'm forced to write this essay as a 2 a.m.-er, I may very well write about taking over the world. Or at least Belgium. I will do it.</p>
<p>Seminar Essay: Depends. I'm going to be so tired that I'm going to have to look up exactly what "seminar" means by then. </p>
<p>There. There's my TASP rant. I'm done now. I'm going to go read Stephen King and not write for TASP. Go me.</p>
<p>will follow up with similar "rant" here out of boredom:
book review: i wrote this one already, but it is currently in question.. i may have to write about topic instead
problem in a field: i think pretty strong.
personal problem: I don't have any problems, and i'm afraid that writing about cultural conflicts will be cliche.
hopes-and-dreams: 25% done, but i have no idea what i want to do.
seminar essay: 50% done, not much to say / how much reasoning do i need to back up my choices?!
books list: I listed about 20-25 books... and 3 magazines...</p>
<p>oh, and would it be bad if i said that i did not actively try to resolve my conflict (for the essay) and... that resolution for me lies in something else that doesn't require action but instead demands a change of perspective or something like that? i can't think of any conflict that i've actively attempted to resolve that doesnt involve a change in perspective, and all the ones that i have actively attempted to resolve seem... i dont know, just too cliche.. plus, i have a difficult time showing that without making myself sound like one of those "through hard work and perseverance i have been able to achieve X," essay writers... which, I'm not.</p>
<p>"i may very well write about taking over the world." wolfbane, you might be made for TASP. ;)</p>
<p>I have a question regarding the essay in which we have to write a critical analysis of a literary work. Would it be bad if I wrote my essay on a contemporary novel? For instance, Brick Lane by Monica Ali or Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld? Those books struck a chord within my mind, and they're at the top of my list, though I don't know if you'd call them appropriate choices. Feedback, please?</p>
<p>I don't see why the age of the novel would matter. I'm doing an analysis on a contemporary novel as well. Just write about what you like, not about what you think you should like.</p>
<p>LovelyBonsai, I'm in the same boat as you, but from what I gather TASP cares more about your analysis of the reading rather than the material. Though someone should please correct me if I'm wrong because I want to get in, haha.</p>
<p>And I have a general question for my fellow TASP wannabes: how much would you lie on the application? I don't mean stuff that's obviously spurious and easy to prove so (i.e. saying you're first in your class when you're not, saying you speak seven languages when you don't, etc.), but subjective things on the essay. Like saying you want to start an international nonprofit when you really just want to be a corporate lawyer. Or twisting the story of your personal conflict so it makes more sense. How much is too much?</p>
<p>previous TASPers, is the critical analysis a formal essay or could it be more of an informal book review? and are citations required?</p>
<p>what do they mean, on question 1, "to formulate an argument about the text ?" Especially if it's a novel. btw, I'm doing Ayn Rand's Anthem</p>
<p>D-Yu: Do you agree with Ayn Rand? If so, you could explain her main arguments and analyze how she emphasizes them in her writing.</p>
<p>If not, you could dissect her arguments.</p>
<p>Btw, if you are an objectivist, what are you writing your issue on?</p>
<p>I agree with Any Rand. Wait - bad wording. I agree with her beliefs in the book, and understand her objectivist ideas, but I'm not hard-core objectivist</p>
<p>I'm not sure what to write about the book. I was thinking that the book advances individual rights. Could I base my argument off of that, and use examples from the text? I'm still not sure how to "formulate an argument" off a novel</p>
<p>My impression of the critical analysis is this: you take a stand about the text. It could be anything, from "Book X supports Cause Y" or "Character A is supposed to represent Group B and that means C." Then defend your point. Am I totally off?</p>
<p>Also, a general question: profanity in the essays. Something that should be avoided at all costs? Or excusable in moderation if it's making a point?</p>
<p>I think if it's quoted directly from the text, and is relevant to your argument, you can use it</p>
<p>Hi guys,</p>
<p>Quick question RE: the booklist. Is it literally just an inventory of all the books you've read over the past year or is that more of a guideline to try and get to you know better? In particular, there's one book that's really touched me and I'd like to highlight it to the exclusion of the others. Would it be presumptuous to say: "The only book I've truly read is xyz this past year. Everything else I just skimmed." ?? Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>Presumptuous may not be the word that comes to mind. Suicidal is nearer the mark.</p>
<p>If the book touched you so, then you might want to include a little blurb to distinguish it and just list out the others. Don't give them any reason to reject you!</p>
<h2>There is no specific format for the book list. It would not be inappropriate to list the books in order of how much you liked them, so you could just put that one book at the top and in bold if you are really feeling lucky, and then the rest after that. OR put an asterisk next to the title and say something like. "What did the duck say when he read this book?.... This book changed my life........quack." </h2>
<p>For the person who asked about embellishing their app or trying to tweak their conflict. I am not going to say what you should and shouldn't do. BUT. Please realize they aren't using these essays to pick the perfect person, they are using them to pick a real individual. Obviously simplifying a conflict or something to make it more understandable is alright, but there is no need to say you lost a hand when you broke a nail. </p>
<h2>Lying on the app wont gain you anything, it is usually more transparent than you would think. And as far as the reading process of apps go, they are read by branch members (college students) so you really arent going to fool anyone.</h2>
<p>For Critnal I am thinking of doing one of those stupid Old Spice commercials that ends with a whimsical "Ahoy". What does it mean? And subliminal advertising.... I doubt it, I am more confused than compelled to purchase.</p>
<p>And to the girl who plays the Sims 2. That is quite a conflict. Actually I thought about writing an essay on the sims, but for the topic-of-choice one. And the separation of reality and life in a virtual world. How our lives would be better if everything we did was as simple as selecting from a predetermined list. But then how the drive for simplicity that seems to be at the heart of some societies is just detracting from true life, and making it like we are living in the sims. Sort of a full circle type thing. </p>
<p>And someone was from Iowa. I am really bummed I missed my chance to go to your state to campaign... And now I am not going to New Hampshire either, and I had a ticket to a dinner featuring ALL the dem. candidates.</p>
<p>Oh well.</p>
<p>Corey: Subliminal advertising...I love you so much. That reminds me of my Linguistic Anthropology class; we had a section on semiotics. :D Very cool discussion we can have about that. And the Sims bit. Seriously. Heartheartheart.</p>
<p><em>cracks knuckles</em> Now, onto answering questions:</p>
<p>Gods_Favorite: Don't devalue the other books, but feel free to emphasize that one you loved. Do it by writing a little sentence or something next to it, explaining that it meant a lot to you. Just out of curiosity: which book is it? Ummmm. I'm not sure what the booklist is totally for. I guess it's a little bit of both. A small booklist might not hurt you significantly or anything (if at all), but a large booklist will probably give them the idea that you love reading (gasp, what a hard inference to make! lol) and that you're passionate about learning.</p>
<p>D-Yu: You probably got it thanks to your PSAT, yes. If you're in the top 1% of your state, you get an invite. (So, for example, someone who lives in a state where the top is 204 and gets 204, will get an invite, but someone who lives in a state where the top score is 224 and gets 204 might not get it.) As for amount of application materials, yes it's overwhelming, but fun and totally worth it in the end, even if you don't get in. :) IGNORE the competitiveness and the acceptance rate, seriously. Just go for it. If your parents need seducing, tell them it's free. That's what hooked mine. :D Also, show them the brochure and tell them how in-depth and interesting it is. It's not just a random-ass program that mimics a boring university lecture. It's seminar-style awesomeness, coupled with dorm-like experiences, and very cool self-governance/community service aspects. <3 To formulate an argument about the text is basically to say something about the text, the topics covered, the characters, etc. To have a thesis, basically. Like "this novel perpetuates discrimination agains people from the Philippines" or "this character is a symbol for evil and this character is a symbol for good"...Just...something you're talking about/proving with your essay. You state that and then you prove it with examples from the text. :)</p>
<p>Mihan: It's certainly not bad to write 1.5 page essays. That was more or less the guideline for a few my year...I think? I don't even know. I don't think I even saw any guidelines for most essays. Anyway, if there are no guidelines, 1.5 to 2 is your best best with essay ones. :) About the informal aspect...um. I think it's fine, but don't overdo it to the point where you're writing "lol" and "like totally" unless you're trying to make a point. ;)</p>
<p>Rainmaker: I so wanna read that psych/matrix essay. :D I really think it depends on your style and what you do with the material. If it's a logical progression or it somehow "makes sense," I say go for it. The reader will be able to follow your argument. BUT if it's a jumbled mess of goo, you're dead.</p>
<p>I sort of disagree with Wolfbane on the unique thing. I agree with the fact that everyone's trying to prove they are unique, but I think people ARE. People generally have a thing that makes them special, be it big or small, like "oh, I invented toaster strudel and can yodel!" or the ability to wiggle their ears and make bird noises. Just show people who YOU are and let them decide. Definitely show how you're special, but don't overdo it like OMGSZ LOOK AT ME I AM SO FREAKING QUIRKY WAH WAH WAH. There's a balance to everything, y'know? You can show your unique traits or ideas, but not be annoying and attention-who.rey. Also, the idea of being so normal that you're unique is just the same, with a different perspective. It can be equally "OMGSZ LOOK AT ME I AM SO SPECIAL <em>BECAUSE</em> I AM SO NORMAL". Again, just be true to your experiences and your life. Don't feel like there's a mold you have to fill or something you "have to say" to be accepted. The applicant pool and the final TASPer pool = very diverse in general. It's not like this is a copy of The Real World. (though in some ways it can be, lol)</p>
<p>Wolfbane: I honestly cannot believe you don't have any interests aside from college, Sims, and sleep. Do you like music? Do you like art? Do you like politics? Do you like children? ANYTHING. You can use a problem in ANY field. Think harder and I'm sure you can come up with something. It doesn't have to be the biggest problem, like war somewhere. It can be small, like the problem with the oxidation of copper firings in blah blah that causes accidents. I dunno. </p>
<p>thepapercrane: You don't need ten pages to back up seminar choices. A paragraph or less will suffice. Just use your judgement. :) Whatever you think works, but don't write 20 pages. Remember: real people have to read this. Writing about cultural conflicts...is not necessarily cliche. Seriously, if you think about it, EVERYTHING is cliche. Whatever, really. As long as it's true to you and your experiences, screw it and go for it.</p>
<p>LovelyBonsai: WRITE A CRITNAL ABOUT ANYTHING YOU WANT. It does not matter. It does not make you cooler to write about an old master, and it does not make you cooler to write about something contemporary. Just do it and don't sweat it. People freak out over this too much. :) </p>
<p>lookbeyond: You're right about the critnal. BUT about the lying. God, god, god, god, pleeeeeeeeeease don't do it. I'll be honest--some liars will definitely slip through the cracks and be accepted for the interview round. Really good liars might even get accepted to the program itself. But if you have any decency, please don't do that crap. I beg you. Are you going to lie just to get in a program? Reevaluate your priorities--to be honest and get somwhere because you deserve it and it's right for you or to get somewhere just 'cause it's prestigious our whatever? Going for prestige is a valid-ish reason, I guess, but the best reason is definitely not that. Even the brochure says it: TASP is a program for people who are curious and passionate about learning...that's why it's not for credit and why it's so great. It's not OMG I HAVE TO DO WELL or OMGSZ COLLEGE COLLEEEEEGE. It's a learning experience. It's a growth experience. It's more than a grade or an essay or a credit or a lie. This is not a rant against you, lookbeyond, just something I feel is necessary to state every year. Sigh. P.S. - I don't see why being a corporate lawyer is any less valid than starting a nonprofit. Yes, it's less activism-oriented, and yes, it's less "wheesavingtheworldandhelpingpeople" but if it's your goal, dammit, it's your goal. Own it. Be proud of it. Don't feel the need to lie.</p>
<p>aabbcc1789: Citations are not REQUIREDOMGYOUNEEEEED them, but they're implicitly required if you want to make a convincing argument and support your point, sooo yes. Use citations.</p>
<p>In defense of my own name, I wasn't planning on lying on my application. I just wanted to see how TASPers would respond, cos I'm not a lying person and it would bum me out if TASP turned out to be full of 'em.</p>
<p>ah, i love this thread! corey, musechick, inky (INKY!), tako, roamorse... trust them, they know.</p>
<p>and musechick has it right: you don't have to be someone amazing. you have to be able to communicate who you plain-old are, as truly as possible. that's what's impressive, and if it means that you're someone who enjoys contemp lit and the sims, GO FOR IT.</p>