<p>Should the essays approach the 1500-word limit, or is it fine to have ~1000-word essays?</p>
<p>So I still haven’t started my essays…</p>
<p>Am I completely and totally screwed? I also wanted to ask how much weight TASP places on ECs…I have some decent ones but I haven’t cured cancer/written a novel/spearheaded a charity to save the lives of 100000 kids…I know that some of the other big summer programs (i.e. RSI) usually take more kids like that so I’m wondering if I have a chance.</p>
<p>im just gonna address this topic cuz it keeps coming up. i didnt have any ecs my freshman yr (because my family didnt have a car but i didnt explain that on the app so whatevs) and i got in. just focus on your essays. i don’t know about rsi so i cant comment on that.
@studious: my critical analysis was around 950 words.</p>
<p>Thanks, 2chainz.</p>
<p>I started my essays yesterday. Got about 200 words into the conflict and problem essays. I’m glad I finally started. How are you all doing with yours?</p>
<p>My tasp critical analysis essay reads like an AP Lit free response -_____-. To any of you TASP alumni/prospective applicants, is it bad for a conclusion to start with “ultimately” or "this novel is a poignant "? It sounds too forced and constrained, almost as if I’m trying too hard to come off as this intellectual.</p>
<p>OK, am I the only one who’s having extreme difficulty writing these essays? I’ve been trying for a week, and haven’t written anything, because I can’t think of something to write about for 1000 words or so.</p>
<p>ok i know ecs and awards play only a ~marginal~ role in admissions but how far back is considered recent for the list of “recent honors and awards”? and the list of “areas of intellectual interest” is making me fearful that if i reach the interview stage, i will be subject to through questioning on each of the topics i list eeep</p>
<p>“Recent” is left to your discretion - personally, I only listed awards received in high school.</p>
<p>Regarding areas of intellectual interest, just list some fields that you’re interested in. Interview experiences varied across the board, but in my interview, areas of intellectual interest were used to segue into a general discussion of things I found interesting. I listed math, history, and political science/sociology, so we touched upon a few topics (social choice theory, for example) that explained why I had listed those three areas in particular.</p>
<p>So I am thinking about doing my critical analysis essay on The Great Gatsby, which I am currently reading. I really like the book and would love to write an essay on it- but is it overdone, being a classic? I don’t want mine to be the 17th essay they’ve read on the same book :/</p>
<p>@Brandewyn: As long as you make your essay stand out by perhaps adding a twist or composing an extraordinary essay, then, personally, that shouldnt be a problem. Im doing mine on a classic too. :)</p>
<p>How have essays been going in general guys?</p>
<p>I’m rather stuck on the critical analysis one.
I have to choose between a book that I love a lot, but that I don’t have a lot to say about, or a really, really unoriginal book that I do have something to say about.</p>
<p>I’m not sure if choosing an extremely cliche book would be bad.</p>
<p>Its Not What You Write About Its How You Write It</p>
<p>GUYS I WROTE MY CRITICAL ANALYSIS ON FREAKIN HAMLET SO DON’T WORRY ABOUT CHOOSING an overused book or w/es</p>
<p>I know this has been asked before, but I’m really confused–should the literary analysis be written like a regular essay (intro, thesis, body paragraphs, etc.) or should it be more free-form? What kind of angle are you guys taking–is it like “The author suggests blah in the book blah”? And what about the format for the problem/topic one?
Sorry, a lot of questions.</p>
<p>@definemyself: Thank you!</p>
<p>@eyeofthemonster: What do you mean by “free form?” …Im just making mine formal just how you would for an AP Lang/Lit essay but im also adding a little twist that I wouldnt normally do on the Lang essay. But ya, to answer your question, I am making mine formal in terms of intro, thesis, body paragraphs, etc…And for the problem/topic one, this is the one essay im stuck on 
I cant seem to think of a unique topic.</p>
<p>Wait - so for the critical book analysis… whatever it was called…
Are we supposed to contradict the author’s point of view,
summarize the author’s point of view, talk about how much we
agree with the author’s point of view, or a mix of all three?</p>
<p>@Leerin</p>
<p>In a critical analysis, all you do is pick something from the text to argue. You could argue a character symbolizes something or other, or that the author meant blah blah blah.
Basically, argue anything, as long as you can back it up with textual support.</p>
<p>At least that’s how I learned it in school. Someone contradict me if I’m wrong please.</p>
<p>I’m finally starting my essays, but I have no idea how to do the Critical Analysis. I’m also starting to realize that I haven’t read nearly as many outside of school books in the past year as I had thought I had, with the exception of a few nonfiction books. I don’t really know if nonfiction books would be good to list…</p>
<p>@OACLJV–there’s nothing wrong with good nonfiction! If it was important to you, list it.</p>