<p>Starting my application right now~
(and probably won’t be finished until two minutes before the deadline)</p>
<p>I know we are not supposed to post our topics, but I have a really pressing question:</p>
<p>would wall-e count for the literary analysis?? i know its not technically literature :P</p>
<p>Don’t they specifically say that movies are OK? In any case, they are.</p>
<p>I feel like 700 words is a bit too short for Essay 4, but I feel like I’ve said everything I needed to. Opinions?</p>
<p>E: Looked back in the thread, seems like someone got in with only 250, so I think I’m good.</p>
<p>I think you’re totally fine with 700 words. They want you to be concise, so if you feel like you said everything you needed to, it’s no big deal if it’s not close to the word limit.</p>
<p>Hey, I’m new here, but I am definitely applying to TASP. It looks like such an amazing opportunity and I am not going to let this pass me by, like I have with so many other things. I want to get in so badly.</p>
<p>How many former TASPers are lurking around this thread? And if you’re there, can you describe your TASP experience to us? I’ve heard it’s life-changing, but it never hurts to have more stories!</p>
<p>How has everyone been doing so far with their apps? Here’s my progress so far:</p>
<p>Critical analysis: Done. I just have to get several people to edit/revise it. 1495 words.
Problem/topic: 0%. I’m debating between two topics and I’m not sure what to go with. I’ll need to ask my dad tonight and see what he thinks.
Conflict: 0%. Same deal as above.
Future education/career plans: 40%. 395 words so far.
Seminar ranking: Done. I’m not worrying about editing this one, because it’s supposed to be informal.
Booklist: Done, although I might add more books later on.</p>
<p>I’m sorry in advance (for I know this question must have grown tiring on page 2 at the latest) – but what is the mean range people aim for in their essays? For some, I feel like I can write as little as 500; for others, maybe 1000. 1500 seems excessive even for someone as verbose as I am. </p>
<p>I am aware that the word count does not matter as long as one’s message is delivered in a concise manner, but my vanity is more concerned with what everyone else does.</p>
<p>^ You said it best when you said that word count doesn’t matter as long as it’s not over the limit and it presents ideas in a concise and meaningful manner, but I’m aiming for essays in the 1000 - 1500 word range. Just because I’m incredibly verbose and I have quite a lot to say.</p>
<p>Of course, mileage may vary. My advice would be to stay above 500 words for most of the essays, however. To me, personally, it seems incredibly difficult to present your ideas in less than 500 words, but if you can do it, kudos to you!</p>
<p>It’s a lovely experience, but the feeling is ephemeral, sadly. Every summer, TASpers go home heartbroken, but they refocus rather quickly on senior year, college apps, etc.
And with social networking, it’s far easier to stay in touch with TASPers than just wonder how they’re doing periodically. This isn’t your grandfather’s TASP, after all.</p>
<p>I feel like 1 and 2 should have the longest responses (900-1200 and possibly more), because there is always something more to analyze, or say about your favorite topic. Beyond that, it’s really flexible and hardly matters. I assure you that essay length does not matter. Neither does writing style, up to a point. If your argumentation is clear enough and you’re bright, that’ll come through. (Of course, pretty writing probably doesn’t hurt).</p>
<p>Hey guys I’m an Indian from suburban Pennsylvania and I’m applying to TASP. I don’t think anyone from my school has applied to TASP, though my school is pretty good and well known it’s not really big on these national camps and competitions. My top choice is Michigan II (Visions of America from Abroad), though I’m glad to see a good spread of topics, not just a concentration in one or two. Here is the progress of my essays:
- 0%, but I’ve done a lot of brainstorming, and since it seems like the toughest I’m doing the other first. My text which I’m analyzing is a book.
- 100%, but I need revisions, and its 1,373 words. Mine’s on a strange topic…
- 0%, but I came up with an idea and I’ve been brainstorming. The conflict I’m analyzing is internal
- 0%. I don’t even know what to do for this one.
- 100%, I wrote it out and it’s 471 words.
- 100%, I put 8 books I think total, and 3 periodicals.</p>
<p>I’m like a third done but I’m going to pound out my first and third essays by the end of the Winter Holidays, I’m going to work with teachers to polish it, and hopefully I’ll get it in a week early.</p>
<p>Hello everyone, I’m applying for TASP and I’m so excited about the prospects of attending a college for 6 weeks away from family and friends and living in a new environment. My question is this, when making the list of books that I’ve read in the past year, some of my choices can be thought of as juvenile young-adult novels. But the reason I chose these certain books is because I can reread these over and over again and also because I can relate to the characters or story. (It’s not Twilight or vampire novels.) Will the TASP reviewers think that I have an “immature” mind simply because of my reading choices?</p>
<p>rainycloudy, I don’t think that the reviewers will look down on you for your book list, as long as you can present your ideas concisely and intelligently in your essays. The essays are weighted above everything else, so if you sound like an intelligent, nice, and thoughtful person in your essay, they won’t look down on you for your “guilty pleasure” books. I wouldn’t even waste my breath in worrying about the book list, because I read in threads from previous years that it’s just fodder for interviews, just to see what you’re interested in.</p>
<p>Thank you for taking that weight off my chest, CallistaHogan! I was worried that I would be perceived as someone who enjoys reading teenage romance novels and that sort of thing.</p>
<p>Hey guys I don’t know what to do with the fourth essay, in regards to my future plans. Should I just be like “I want to get [a specific type of degree] and eventually I hope to be a [some profession]”. How can I make it a real essay?</p>
<p>Are a lot of you getting others to help you revise your essays when you’re done?</p>
<p>Ivy, I’m actually on that essay right now and I’m just writing about what I want to be when I grow up. I reflected on other people with the profession that had influenced my decision to enter into that career path and the differences that I want to hopefully achieve in the world by entering into said career. Just use personal experience. What made you want to be that specific thing? Tell the reviewers what led you to want to be a part of that given career.</p>
<p>Jordi, I know that I’m getting lots of people to revise my essays. Most of my favorite teachers and maybe even a few friends. For my conflict essay, if it turns out too personal and I don’t want everyone I know reading it, I will go online and ask people unrelated to TASP to read my essay. But I read about people last year who left the application until the last day and didn’t get a chance to give it to anyone for revision, so it all depends. Can you produce a quality essay and revise it yourself? Do you want other opinions? If so, I’d recommend getting the essays done and getting at least one other opinion.</p>
<p>@jordijay23 I was considering maybe getting a close friend or counselar to take a look at them, but it surprised me as well that it would appear some are having several reviewers. I had just assumed most people wouldn’t, since these essays are genuinely quite personal.</p>
<p>Very cool, guys, very cool.
I often find myself at a point where I can no longer evaluate my own work well, so I think that I’ll have others take a look.</p>
<p>Jordi, I get to that point as well. I am The World’s Worst Critic of my own work, so I like getting opinions from other people. It often makes me reconsider portions of my own writing that I never even thought about. I personally find it beneficial to get numerous people to read it, although if one of my essays ends up excessively personal, then I will probably only get a couple to read it. But I will definitely get other people to revise it, because I am serious about this application and I really want to get in. (As everyone around here is, I’m sure.)</p>
<p>okay hi guys, so i’m applying too
i just got the application yesterday from my dad. sigh</p>
<ol>
<li>Jane Eyre or A Mango shaped space…yeah… so which one is better?</li>
<li>Cloning</li>
<li>um suggestions?</li>
<li>yup got this</li>
<li>… no idea… they all seem good Cornell II is wierd</li>
<li>lol will they know if i read them last year?</li>
</ol>