<p>That’s awesome bubble gnome. I guess the objective is too apply and hope but not hinge your life on TASP.</p>
<p>exactly 
just don’t get too invested in something that in the end doesn’t matter all that much…I know I did</p>
<p>Yes–TASP != college. The criteria and adcoms are different. I know TASPers accepted to Yale; I also know TASPers (including myself) rejected from Yale and Stanford.</p>
<p>Would it be OK if my intellectual interests are all over the place and might not fit exactly into one seminar? Also, is it supposed to be a list form, a list with explanations after each point, or paragraph/essay form?</p>
<p>I’m pretty sure I just listed all of my academic interests (e.g. “English literature, creative writing, Race/Gender Studies”) in one sentence.</p>
<p>I was told (by my sister, a TASP alum) that one of the essays is a “miscellaneous” essay–that is, an essay written on a topic of your own choice. Just now, I was flipping through this year’s application, and it doesn’t seem to be on the list. Did that essay ever exist or was it just thrown out?</p>
<p>They do change the essay topics sometimes. It did not exist last year, but I don’t know about before that. However, the “topic of concern” prompt is pretty broad.</p>
<p>My sister did attend eight years ago (or so)…
thanks for the info.</p>
<p>I’m wondering- has everyone (or almost everyone) who was accepted to tasp done something really great?
How much does it matter what you’ve done or haven’t done (like with service projects and that sort of thing)?
Or is it more your attitude toward learning and your essays and stuff like that?
Thanks!</p>
<p>The essays matter much more than your past accomplishments, as long as you DO have meaningful past accomplishments (note I said “meaningful,” not “really great”).</p>
<p>Responding to bears and dogs; I did indeed attend DiscoSwat as my post history will verify, but that’s not where I heard such claims. I attend a high school that has sent 2, 3 or more tasp/tass’ers in the past few years and most of the schools within a 30-ish minute drive have histories with tasp (and rsi and isef and whatever else we CC’ers stress about.) Beyond that however, there were some really awesome kids who were also TASPers at DiscoSwat (2 UT Austin, 3 Cornell, maybe more?) so maybe mutual friends with your child? </p>
<p>Regardless, I think what bears and dogs says is very true about “writing the story inside of you,” and if you’re unsure if you’re set on the program, I feel like you’re better off just applying and hoping.</p>
<p>I’ve been having writer’s block over the past couple of days/ weeks. I don’t know if it’s because of school sucking the soul out of me, but I’ve been finding it difficult to even write my topic of interest essay, even though I can talk about this topic at length. Is anyone else having this problem?</p>
<p>Also, one more thingmy school and most of the activities I participate in don’t have a very strict awards system. After final reports come out every year, a few people in each class go and see the principal as a group, but I don’t know if those people are documented in any way, nor do I actually remember how many times I’ve been. Would it look really awful if I didn’t have anything in my awards/honors section?</p>
<p>jhwu, I’m sure it wouldn’t hurt but it seems to me that the people at TASP are trying to get away from grades, achievements, and all that by asking for recommendations and transcripts after the first round, so I wouldn’t worry too much.</p>
<p>And I have another question:
I’ve thought of some great ideas for my essays, but I’m a little confused as to the essays’ purpose. Are we supposed to convey who we are or are we supposed to present our ideas? For the critical analysis and the “whatever you want” essay, I don’t know if I’m focusing too much on my ideas and not enough on myself as a person.</p>
<p>Hello, everyone. After reading this thread, I feel so well-versed with TASP considering I discovered the program only today. You guys are awesome!
One (kind of lengthy) question: I have “meaningful” EC’s I’ve excelled in, like theatre, yearbook, Interact, Key Club, SERT (Student Emergency Response Team), a city youth council and a few honor societies. I hold leadership positions in several of these, but, quite literally, none offer any official awards or honors (save theatre, but this year is my first to participate in the competition production, which is too late to include). Also, academically, I’m top 2% of my class, but again, there are no official awards or honors for academic achievement available at my school. I fear leaving that part of my application blank; is there any way to perhaps broaden my definition of “honors” or should I just leave that section blank and shoot for the moon with my essays?</p>
<p>Oh my gosh, people, stop worrying about your grades, honors, awards, etc. and just write your essays!</p>
<p>Also the purpose of the essays is to show that you can think critically. If successful, the essays should convey who you are as well as present your ideas. Show your interest and passion. That’s the only way to reveal yourself as a person and a thinker.</p>
<p>Sounds good. Where the application says “Summarize your work and volunteer experience, if any.” and “List your main areas of intellectual interest,” would it be best to solely list things I do/like or write in an essay-like form, with complete sentences/explanations?</p>
<p>I see that my original question has been overlooked, so I shall repost it :)</p>
<p>how long were each of yall’s essays? I know there is a 1500 word limit, but the essay on our future plans… do they really expect us to do 1500 words. Will 500 words do?</p>
<p>And for the cricital analysis and the essay on “what makes us tick,” if it were say 750ish words, would that be too short?</p>
<p>as long as you get your point across, then length shouldn’t matter.
now with that said, it’d hard to express yourself with less than 200 words</p>
<p>but i think 500 is not THAT short.</p>
<p>I’m a little confused at how to approach #2, the specific problem/topic. Should I write an argumentative essay or something more of an anecdotal/memoiresque, somewhat like a college application kind of essay?</p>
<p>it thought it was more of an argument.</p>