Telluride Association Summer Program ( TASP ) 2008

<p>P.S. - At someone's behest, I repeat: I have my limitations. There is NO one on here that is a TASP guru or a magical Telluride-mind-reading-genius. Most people that help out here are past TASPers that speak from their own experiences, or current applicants that use their common sense to answer questions. WE aren't speaking on behalf of Telluride, just ourselves and our opinions. Don't take our word as holy choir of angels law. If something is really, really important and you NEED TO KNOW, just call Telluride and ask. Simple as that.</p>

<p>Also. DON'T SWEAT IT SO MUCH.</p>

<p>inconspicuous: Ugh, TSL. You know, I didn't even sympathize with Hester, his freakin' protagonist. Or maybe that's just me being insensitive.</p>

<p>musechick2007: Atwood is pretty awesome. I read The Handmaid's Tale for an English project last year, and I've been trying to find more of her books, but my stupid library doesn't carry them. </p>

<p>Woah... I just figured out that almost half my booklist is by speculative fiction writer Orson Scott Card. </p>

<p>And I have my problem essay! Or, maybe. It's actually something I wrote a while ago that sort of fits the prompt. It's basically about the internal struggle of being cut off from the mythos, the culture, of my ethnic group because of my immigration to the US. The resolution was pretty lame-- I basically shrugged and adopted the mythos of western culture instead. But the essay is written in really narrative, borderline pretentious terms with no explicit reference to a "problem" or "internal struggle" or whatever. Would that work?</p>

<p>i didn't really sympathize with anyone in TSL either. i thought it was more of a conceptual story than an emotion-ridden piece. Besides, Hawthorne kept explicitly pointing out his symbolism (sort of annoying in my opinion)... </p>

<p>about the crit analysis, i have something on a music video. the thing was, i really liked it because i linked it to the concept of the american dream and also to the internet age (well, i guess that's expected since it's a music vid)... and i also tied in .. well... a lot of things. if they don't want a music video though, i can always do a poem... I mean, it's okay too, but i just don't have the same excitement about it as i do for that music vid essay.</p>

<p>OMG i lovedddd scarlet letter. i think i'm the only one here that does. but HESTER IS MY HERO. i've written some amazing analysis on that book, but the application says to do a book i didn't read for school, so there goes that possibility...</p>

<p>but i was wondering, should i show different facets of my character in each essay or should i keep it all the same (and simpler)? because two of my essays are already about teenage issues, and i'm thinking if i should change my booklist (remove teenage level books) and the critical analysis essay (i was gonna do a teenage book and examine how close it mirrors society). at first i was thinking that this would make me seem more real, but if everything's from a teenage perspective, that might be overdoing it?</p>

<p>can someone give me some advice please? thanks.</p>

<p>thepapercrane: Hey, I thought I would respond to your message here because everyone could benefit from this. </p>

<p>In all honesty I can not tell you wether or not you can use the video for your critical analysis. While I think it sounds like an interesting topic and could provide for a great essay I encourage you to ask some one within the association. Like musechick wrote a few posts earlier, no one here is some telluride omniscience. That being said there is a wealth of great knowledge provided on these threads and it draws from personal experience, common sense and knowledge of the program. While this allows for most questions to be fielded, a specific question like yours would best be answered by TA. </p>

<p>Due to the new year you may have to wait a few days to ask, but if you have any questions, contact the Administrative Director at (607) 273-5011 or <a href="mailto:telluride@cornell.edu">telluride@cornell.edu</a>.</p>

<p>Good Luck to everyone with their applications!</p>

<p>Musechick and inconspicuous
all righty: got an argument.
Here's a little part from my critnal : </p>

<p>The primary goal of Anthem is the advancement of individual right, abilities, and responsibilities. Ayn Rand asserts the philosophy that individualism is more valuable than collectivism. Although I certainly recognize the value of cooperation, individual talent is of greater worth. This concept is scintillatingly brought to life in this book, as the brilliant protagonist, Equality-7-2521 struggles against the oppressive juggernaut of the “great We.”</p>

<p>Thanx much. (sorry if i'm boring the living daylights outta you with my questions)</p>

<p>I want to write my critical, issue, and conflict essays as <em>gulp</em> short stories, like the critical could be about the impact of a poem on a fictional character... will they even consider them? I'll include a cover letter with a short explanation (or just work it into my education and career plans essay?), and hopefully my decent class rank/teacher rec/test scores (I think they're on my transcript) prove that I'm not (completely) insane. TASP sounds amazing, and I'm a little nervous that I'm confusing ruining my chances of getting in with risking them, so any advice would be greatly appreciated!</p>

<p>for the book list thing that says "periodicals," can you guys give some examples of what they're talking about? ahaa thanks.</p>

<p>D-Yu: Looks great! Lol, in all honesty you lost me when you mentioned C3PO but that truthfully sounds really interesting. From that it sounds like you side with Rand? i definitely want to check this book out, very deep. Collectivism v. Individualism, definitely an endless debate :D!</p>

<p>Clarissa_D: That is pretty cool! If you feel like you could express yourself this way, then I would encourage you to try this method. My only concern would be that using this would detract from your presence in the essays and could distract from the analysis in the critnal. Would you be using 3rd person?
If you are still not 100% confident/sure, I would encourage you to ask Telluride. If you are on the fence about something it is always encouraging to get a green light from the source. Good Luck!</p>

<p>Forizzlejdl: Times, New York Times, News Week, People, Biitch, Kitchen Sink, Juxstpose, The Onion, San Francisco Chronicle....</p>

<p>Periodical means pretty much any magazine or newspaper. It could be an online publication, it could be a pop culture magazine or a dry journal. Don't feel the need to censor people magazine just because it may seem blase, TA <3's Bradgelina too. (Please don't hold me to that claim :-P)</p>

<p>It is really late, but with work and Obama I am all off schedule.... Good Night and Good Luck!</p>

<p>quote : you lost me when you mentioned C3PO </p>

<p>what's C3PO?
btw Ayn Rand also wrote The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged. haven't read them, but heard that they're good. thanx for all your help.</p>

<p>oh the Fountainhead is pretty good!</p>

<p>It's amazing... but you'll only make it through the entire blessed thing if you value the message. Just my little caveat...</p>

<p>Do you think that they'll love me or hate me for writing my issue thing about how terrible affirmative action is?</p>

<p>I heard being conservative in your TASP application helps things out sometimes because it sets you apart from everyone else...looks like you're on the right track.</p>

<p>Sweet. Then I guess the irony is that I'm getting in by affirmative action because I talk about how much I hate it? :D</p>

<p>Well, we'll see.</p>

<p>hey if i'm applying online...how would I format question 5?
do i just do "First Choice: bla bla bla. Essay. Second Choice: bla bla bla. Essay."?
or since they have the rankings above the essay anyway can i just launch into the essays on the various topics without indicating a separation?</p>

<p>oh and what font/margin sizes are you all using?</p>

<p>Hey! The new TASP thread.
That's great, because I was just thinking that there were not enough things in my life to EAT MY SOUL.</p>

<p>Not to say that TASP eats your soul-- it does not, it is awesome and you must apply--- but CC is definitely a soul-eater.</p>

<p>Sentimental manifesto of my app and TASP experience to come soon.</p>

<p>hamsi2004- I'm using Verdana Size 10 with standard margins for Microsoft word. Only one of my essays is near 2 pages long.... I'm going with the "less is more" approach. :)</p>