http://hornaffairs.

com/am/
http://thepiratebay.se/browse/

!!!

()




Application essay
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
An admissions or application essay, sometimes also called a personal
statement, is an essay or other written statement written by an applicant,
often a prospective student applying to some college, university,
or graduate school. The application essay is a common part of
the university and college admissions process.
Some applications may require one or more essays to be completed, while
others make essays optional or supplementary. Essay topics range from
very specific to open-ended. Common topics include career aspirations,
academic strengths and weaknesses, past experiences, and reasons for
applying to a particular school. Creative approaches to the essay include
writing it as a poem, comparing oneself to an inanimate object or
constructing it as a faux letter to a family member or teacher.
[1]

The University of Chicago is known for its unusual essay prompts in its
undergraduate admissions application, including "What would you do with a
foot-and-a-half-tall jar ofmustard"?
[2][3]

The Common Application, used for undergraduate admissions by many
American colleges and universities, requires a general admissions essay,
in addition to any supplemental admissions essays required by member
institutions. The Common Application offers students six admissions essay
prompt s from which to choose.
[4]
According to Uni in the USA, the
Common Application essay is intended as a chance to describe "things that
are unique, interesting and informative about yourself".
[5]

The application process for All Souls College, Oxford, has the reputation of
being the hardest examination in the world. It consists of several specialist
papers and, until 2010, also required candidates to write an essay upon
a topic suggested by a single word such as Possessions, which was the
topic of successful Fellow, A. L. Rowse. This was especially challenging
because it provided great scope to demonstrate imagination and
intelligence.
[6]


Essays of Michel de Montaigne

Essays are generally scholarly pieces of writing written from an author's
personal point of view, but the definition is vague, overlapping with those of
an article, a pamphlet and a short story.
Essays can consist of a number of elements, including: literary criticism,
political manifestos, learned arguments, observations of daily life,
recollections, and reflections of the author. Almost all modern essays are
written in prose, but works in verse have been dubbed essays
(e.g.Alexander Pope's An Essay on Criticism and An Essay on Man). While
brevity usually defines an essay, voluminous works like John Locke'sAn
Essay Concerning Human Understanding and Thomas Malthus's An Essay
on the Principle of Population are counterexamples. In some countries
(e.g., the United States and Canada), essays have become a major part of
formal education. Secondary students are taught structured essay formats
to improve their writing skills, and admission essays are often used
by universities in selecting applicants and, in the humanities and social
sciences, as a way of assessing the performance of students during final
exams.
The concept of an "essay" has been extended to other mediums beyond
writing. A film essay is a movie that often incorporates documentary film
making styles and which focuses more on the evolution of a theme or an
idea. A photographic essay is an attempt to cover a topic with a linked
series of photographs; it may or may not have an accompanying text
or captions.



Contents
[hide]
1 Definitions
2 History
o 2.1 Europe
o 2.2 Japan
3 As an educational tool
4 Forms and styles
o 4.1 Cause and effect
o 4.2 Classification and division
o 4.3 Compare and contrast
o 4.4 Descriptive
o 4.5 Dialectic
o 4.6 Exemplification
o 4.7 Familiar
o 4.8 History (thesis)
o 4.9 Narrative
o 4.10 Critical
o 4.11 Economics
o 4.12 Other logical structures
5 Magazine or newspaper
6 Employment
7 Non-literary types
o 7.1 Visual Arts
o 7.2 Music
o 7.3 Film
o 7.4 Photography
8 See also


John Locke's 1690 An Essay Concerning Human Understanding.
An essay has been defined in a variety of ways. One definition is a "prose
composition with a focused subject of discussion" or a "long, systematic
discourse".
[1]
It is difficult to define the genre into which essays fall. Aldous
Huxley, a leading essayist, gives guidance on the subject.
[2]
He notes that
"the essay is a literary device for saying almost everything about almost
anything", and adds that "by tradition, almost by definition, the essay is a
short piece". Furthermore, Huxley argues that "essays belong to a literary
species whose extreme variability can be studied most effectively within a
three-poled frame of reference". These three poles (or worlds in which the
essay may exist) are:
The personal and the autobiographical: The essayists that feel most
comfortable in this pole "write fragments of reflective autobiography and
look at the world through the keyhole of anecdote and description".
The objective, the factual, and the concrete-particular: The essayists
that write from this pole "do not speak directly of themselves, but turn
their attention outward to some literary or scientific or political theme.
Their art consists on setting forth, passing judgement upon, and drawing
general conclusions from the relevant data".
The abstract-universal: In this pole "we find those essayists who do their
work in the world of high abstractions", who are never personal and who
seldom mention the particular facts of experience. Sometimes
Huxley adds that "the most richly satisfying essays are those which make
the best not of one, not of two, but of all the three worlds in which it is
possible for the essay to exist".
The word essay derives from the French infinitive essayer, "to try" or "to
attempt". In English essay first meant "a trial" or "an attempt", and this is
still an alternative meaning. The Frenchman Michel de Montaigne (1533
1592) was the first author to describe his work as essays; he used the term
to characterize these as "attempts" to put his thoughts into writing, and his
essays grew out of his commonplacing.
[3]
Inspired in particular by the works
of Plutarch, a translation of whose Oeuvres Morales (Moral works) into
French had just been published by Jacques Amyot, Montaigne began to
compose his essays in 1572; the first edition, entitled Essais, was
published in two volumes in 1580. For the rest of his life he continued
revising previously published essays and composing new ones. Francis
Bacon's essays, published in book form in 1597, 1612, and 1625, were the
first works in English that described themselves as essays. Ben
Jonson first used the word essayist in English in 1609, according to
the Oxford English Dictionary.

As an educational tool[edit]


University students, like these students doing research at a university
library, are often assigned essays as a way to get them to analyse what
they have read.
Main article: Free response
In countries like the United States and the United Kingdom, essays have
become a major part of a formal education in the form of free
response questions. Secondary students in these countries are taught
structured essay formats to improve their writing skills, and essays are
often used by universities in these countries in selecting applicants
(see admissions essay). In both secondary and tertiary education, essays
are used to judge the mastery and comprehension of material. Students
are asked to explain, comment on, or assess a topic of study in the form of
an essay. During some courses, university students will often be required
to complete one or more essays that are prepared over several weeks or
months. In addition, in fields such as the humanities and social
sciences,
[citation needed]
mid-term and end of term examinations often require
students to write a short essay in two or three hours.
In these countries, so-called academic essays, which may also be called
"papers", are usually more formal than literary ones.
[citation needed]
They may
still allow the presentation of the writer's own views, but this is done in a
logical and factual manner, with the use of the first person often
discouraged. Longer academic essays (often with a word limit of between
2,000 and 5,000 words)
[citation needed]
are often more discursive. They
sometimes begin with a short summary analysis of what has previously
been written on a topic, which is often called aliterature review.
[citation needed]

Longer essays may also contain an introductory page in which words and
phrases from the title are tightly defined. Most academic institutions
[citation
needed]
will require that all substantial facts, quotations, and other porting
material used in an essay be referenced in abibliography or works cited
page at the end of the text. This scholarly convention allows others
(whether teachers or fellow scholars) to understand the basis of the facts
and quotations used to support the essay's argument, and thereby help to
evaluate to what extent the argument is supported by evidence, and to
evaluate the quality of that evidence. The academic essay tests the
student's ability to present their thoughts in an organized way and is
designed to test their intellectual capabilities.
One essay guide of a US university makes the distinction between
research papers and discussion papers. The guide states that a "research
paper is intended to uncover a wide variety of sources on a given topic". As
such, research papers "tend to be longer and more inclusive in their scope
and with the amount of information they deal with." While discussion papers
"also include research, ...they tend to be shorter and more selective in their
approach...and more analytical and critical". Whereas a research paper
would typically quote "a wide variety of sources", a discussion paper aims
to integrate the material in a broader fashion.
[5]

One of the challenges facing US universities is that in some cases,
students may submit essays which have been purchased from an essay
mill (or "paper mill") as their own work. An "essay mill" is
a ghostwriting service that sells pre-written essays to university and college
students. Since plagiarism is a form of academic dishonesty or academic
fraud, universities and colleges may investigate papers suspected to be
from an essay mill by using Internet plagiarism detection software, which
compares essays against a database of known mill essays and by orally
testing students on the contents of their papers.
[citation needed]

Forms and styles [edit]
This section describes the different forms and styles of essay writing.
These forms and styles are used by a range of authors, including university
students and professional essayists.




Cause and effect[edit]
The defining features of a "cause and effect" essay are causal chains that
connect from a cause to an effect, careful language, and chronological or
emphatic order. A writer using this rhetorical method must consider the
subject, determine the purpose, consider the audience, think critically about
different causes or consequences, consider a thesis statement, arrange the
parts, consider the language, and decide on a conclusion.
[6]


Classification and division [edit]
Classification is the categorization of objects into a larger whole while
division is the breaking of a larger whole into smaller parts.
[7]

Compare and contrast [edit]
Compare and contrast essays are characterized by a basis for comparison,
points of comparison, and analogies. It is grouped by object (chunking) or
by point (sequential). Comparison highlights the similarities between two or
more similar objects while contrasting highlights the differences between
two or more objects. When writing a compare/contrast essay, writers need
to determine their purpose, consider their audience, consider the basis and
points of comparison, consider their thesis statement, arrange and develop
the comparison, and reach a conclusion. Compare and contrast is arranged
ardently.
[8]

Descriptive[edit]
Descriptive writing is characterized by sensory details, which appeal to the
physical senses, and details that appeal to a reader's emotional, physical,
or intellectual sensibilities. Determining the purpose, considering the
audience, creating a dominant impression, using descriptive language, and
organizing the description are the rhetorical choices to be considered when
using a description. A description is usually arranged spatial y but can also
be chronological or emphatic. The focus of a description is the scene.
Description uses tools such
as denotative language, connotative language, figurative
language, metaphor, and simile to arrive at a dominant impression.
[9]
One
university essay guide states that "descriptive writing says what happened
or what another author has discussed; it provides an account of the
topic".
[10]
Lyric essays are an important form of descriptive essays.
Dialectic [edit]
In the dialectic form of essay, which is commonly used in Philosophy, the
writer makes a thesis and argument, then objects to their own argument
(with a counterargument), but then counters the counterargument with a
final and novel argument. This form benefits from presenting a broader
perspective while countering a possible flaw that some may present.



Exemplification[edit]
An exemplification essay is characterized by a generalization and relevant,
representative, and believable examples including anecdotes. Writers need
to consider their subject, determine their purpose, consider their audience,
decide on specific examples, and arrange all the parts together when
writing an exemplification essay.
[11]


Familiar[edit]
A familiar essay is one in which the essayist speaks as if to a single reader.
He speaks about both himself and a particular subject. Anne
Fadiman notes that "the genre's heyday was the early nineteenth century,"
and that its greatest exponent was Charles Lamb.
[12]
She also suggests
that while critical essays have more brain than heart, and personal essays
have more heart than brain, familiar essays have equal measures of
both.
[13]

History (thesis)[edit]
A history essay, sometimes referred to as a thesis essay, will describe an
argument or claim about one or more historical events and will support that
claim with evidence, arguments and references. The text makes it clear to
the reader why the argument or claim is as such.
[14]

Narrative[edit]
A narrative uses tools such as flashbacks, flash-forwards,
and transitions that often build to a climax. The focus of a narrative is
the plot. When creating a narrative, authors must determine their purpose,
consider their audience, establish their point of view, use dialogue, and
organize the narrative. A narrative is usually arranged chronologically.
[15]

Critical[edit]
A critical essay is an argumentative piece of writing, aimed at presenting
objective analysis of the subject matter, narrowed down to a single topic.
The main idea of all the criticism is to provide an opinion either of positive
or negative implication. As such, a critical essay requires research and
analysis, strong internal logic and sharp structure. Each argument should
be supported with sufficient evidence, relevant to the point.


Economics[edit]
An economic essay can start with a thesis, or it can start with a theme. It
can take a narrative course and a descriptive course. It can even become
an argumentative essay if the author feels the need. After the introduction
the author has to do his/her best to expose the economic matter at hand, to
analyse it, evaluate it, and draw a conclusion. If the essay takes more of a
narrative form then the author has to expose each aspect of the economic
puzzle in a way that makes it clear and understandable for the reader
Other logical structures[edit]
The logical progression and organizational structure of an essay can take
many forms. Understanding how the movement of thought is managed
through an essay has a profound impact on its overall cogency and ability
to impress. A number of alternative logical structures for essays have been
visualized as diagrams, making them easy to implement or adapt in the
construction of an argument.
[16]



Sample College Admission Essays

This section contains five sample college essays:
1. Stanford Application Essay
2. Wellesley Application Essay
3. Harvard Application Essay
4. Georgetown Application Essay
5. Princeton Application Essay

Stanford Application
When I look at this picture of myself, I realize how much I've grown and
changed, not only physically, but also mentally as a person in the last
couple of years. Less than one month after this photograph was taken, I
arrived at the [school' s name] in [school' s location] without any idea of
what to expect. I entered my second year of high school as an innocent
thirteen year-old who was about a thousand miles from home and was a
new member of not the sophomore, but lower-middle class. Around me in
this picture are the things which were most important in my life at the time:
studying different types of cars and planes, following Michael Jordan' s
latest move, and seeing the latest blockbuster show like Phantom of the
Opera or Jurassic Park. On my t-shirt is the rest of my life- tennis.
Midway through my senior year at the special [school' s name] school, the
focuses in my life have changed dramatically.
If there is one common occurrence which takes place for every single
person in the diverse student body at [school' s name], it is that we all grow
up much faster for having lived there. I do not know whether this speeding
up of the maturing process is generally good or bad, but I definitely have
benefited.
The classroom has become a whole different realm for me. Before, the
teachers and students alike preached the importance of learning, but it was
implicitly obvious that the most important concern was grades. At [school' s
name] teachers genuinely believe that learning is the most importance
objective and deeply encourage us to collaborate with each other and
make use of all resources that we may find. In fact, in a certain class this
year, my teacher assigned us to prepare every day of the week to discuss
a certain book; there were only two require-ments in this preparation- we
had to maximize our sources, gleaning from everything and everyone in the
school, but we were not allowed to actually look at the book. As a result, I
know more about that book than any other that I have actually read. It is
teaching methods such as this which ensure that we will learn more.
Indeed, this matter of thinking has been one of the most important
aspects of my experience. Whether in Physics or English, I' m required to
approach every problem and idea independently and creatively rather than
just regurgitate the teacher' s words. In discussion with fellow students both
inside and outside of class, the complex thoughts flowing through
everyone' s brain is evident.
However, I believe that the most important concepts that I have espoused
in being independent of my parents for half of each year, deal with being a
cosmopolitan person. The school' s faculty and students are conscious
about keeping all of the kids' attention from being based on the school.
Every single issue of global concern is brought forth by one group or
another whether it be a faculty member, publication, ethnic society, or
individual student. Along with being aware of issues of importance, after
attending [school' s name] my personality has evolved. First, my
mannerisms have grown: the school stresses giving respect to everyone
and everything. Our former headmaster often said, Character can be
measured not by one' s interaction with people who are better off than him
or herself, but by one' s interactions with those who are worse off. The
other prime goal of the school' s community is to convert every single timid
lower-classman into a loud, rambunctious senior. Basically, if you have an
opinion about something, it is wrong not to voice that opinion. Of course,
being obnoxious is not the idea. The key is to become a master of
communication with teachers, fellow students, all of who are a part of the
community, and most importantly, those who are outside of the community.
I do not want to make [school' s name] sound as if it produces the perfect
students, because it doesn't. But the school deserves a lot of credit for its
efforts. Often, some part of the mold does remain. As the college
experience approaches, I am still the same person, only modified to better
maximize my talents. Although I still have some time to play tennis and see
movies, perhaps one of the few similarities between this photograph and
me now is my smile.
** ADMISSIONS COMMITTEE COMMENTS **
This essay is fairly well written. The essayist makes boarding school his
focus, using it to explain and describe how and why he has changed over
the years. A lot of students write about what wonderful people they have
become, but they fail to do a good job of understanding and explaining the
forces that prevailed to make them change. This writer focuses on the
strengths of the school itself. He demonstrates the sort of values it tries to
instill in its students such as, " Encouraging us to collaborate with each
other and make use of all resources that we may find, " and " Giving
respect to everyone and everything." Because the writer does so, the
reader never doubts that the applicant possesses all the qualities that he
credits to the school. Using this method has two advantages. First, the
positive, upbeat attitude he has toward his institution is rare. Second,
Stanford, for one, recognized that this would reflect well on his ability to
adapt to and be a positive force at their school.

Wellesley Application Essay
It took me eighteen years to realize what an extraordinary influence my
mother has been on my life. She' s the kind of person who has thoughtful
discussions about which artist she would most want to have her portrait
painted by (Sargent), the kind of mother who always has time for her four
children, and the kind of community leader who has a seat on the board of
every major project to assist Washington' s impoverished citizens. Growing
up with such a strong role model, I developed many of her enthusiasms. I
not only came to love the excitement of learning simply for the sake of
knowing something new, but I also came to understand the idea of giving
back to the community in exchange for a new sense of life, love, and spirit.
My mother' s enthusiasm for learning is most apparent in travel. I was nine
years old when my family visited Greece. Every night for three weeks
before the trip, my older brother Peter and I sat with my mother on her bed
reading Greek myths and taking notes on the Greek Gods. Despite the fact
that we were traveling with fourteen-month-old twins, we managed to be at
each ruin when the site opened at sunrise. I vividly remember standing in
an empty ampitheatre pretending to be an ancient tragedian, picking out
my favorite sculpture in the Acropolis museum, and inserting our family into
modified tales of the battle at Troy. Eight years and half a dozen passport
stamps later I have come to value what I have learned on these journeys
about global history, politics and culture, as well as my family and myself.
While I treasure the various worlds my mother has opened to me abroad,
my life has been equally transformed by what she has shown me just two
miles from my house. As a ten year old, I often accompanied my mother to
(name deleted), a local soup kitchen and children' s center. While she
attended meetings, I helped with the Summer Program by chasing children
around the building and performing magic tricks. Having finally perfected
the " floating paintbrush" trick, I began work as a full time volunteer with the
five and six year old children last June. It is here that I met Jane Doe, an
exceptionally strong girl with a vigor that is contagious. At the end of the
summer, I decided to continue my work at (name deleted) as Jane' s tutor.
Although the position is often difficult, the personal rewards are beyond
articulation. In the seven years since I first walked through the doors of
(name deleted), I have learned not only the idea of giving to others, but
also of deriving from them a sense of spirit.
Everything that my mother has ever done has been overshadowed by the
thought behind it. While the raw experiences I have had at home and
abroad have been spectacular, I have learned to truly value them by
watching my mother. She has enriched my life with her passion for
learning, and changed it with her devotion to humanity. In her endless love
of everything and everyone she is touched by, I have seen a hope and life
that is truly exceptional. Next year, I will find a new home miles away.
However, my mother will always be by my side.
** ADMISSIONS COMMITTEE COMMENTS **
The topic of this essay is the writer's mother. However, the writer definitely
focuses on herself, which makes this essay so strong. She manages to
impress the reader with her travel experience, volunteer and community
experience, and commitment to learning without ever sounding boastful or
full of herself. The essay is also very well organized.

Harvard Application
Of all the characters that I've "met" through books and movies, two stand
out as people that I most want to emulate. They are Attacus Finch from To
Kill A Mockingbird and Dr. Archibald "Moonlight" Graham from Field of
Dreams. They appeal to me because they embody what I strive to be. They
are influential people in small towns who have a direct positive effect on
those around them. I, too, plan to live in a small town after graduating from
college, and that positive effect is something I must give in order to be
satisfied with my life.
Both Mr. Finch and Dr. Graham are strong supporting characters in
wonderful stories. They symbolize good, honesty, and wisdom. When the
story of my town is written I want to symbolize those things. The base has
been formed for me to live a productive, helpful life. As an Eagle Scout I
represent those things that Mr. Finch and Dr. Graham represent. In the
child/adolescent world I am Mr. Finch and Dr. Graham, but soon I'll be
entering the adult world, a world in which I'm not yet prepared to lead.
I'm quite sure that as teenagers Attacus Finch and Moonlight Graham often
wondered what they could do to help others. They probably emulated
someone who they had seen live a successful life. They saw someone like
my grandfather, 40-year president of our hometown bank, enjoy a lifetime
of leading, sharing, and giving. I have seen him spend his Christmas Eves
taking gifts of food and joy to indigent families. Often when his bank could
not justify a loan to someone in need, my grandfather made the loan from
his own pocket. He is a real-life Moonlight Graham, a man who has shown
me that characters like Dr. Graham and Mr. Finch do much much more
than elicit tears and smiles from readers and movie watchers. Through him
and others in my family I feel I have acquired the values and the burning
desire to benefit others that will form the foundation for a great life. I also
feel that that foundation is not enough. I do not yet have the sophistication,
knowledge, and wisdom necessary to succeed as I want to in the adult
world. I feel that Harvard, above all others, can guide me toward the life of
greatness that will make me the Attacus Finch of my town.
** ADMISSIONS COMMITTEE COMMENTS **
This essay is a great example of how to answer this question well. This
applicant chose characters who demonstrated specific traits that reflect on
his own personality. We believe that he is sincere about his choices
because his reasons are personal (being from a small town, and so forth).
He managed to tell us a good deal about himself, his values, and his goals
while maintaining a strong focus throughout.

Georgetown Application
For many years, I have been interested in studying international relations.
My interest in pursuing this field stems from several factors which have
affected me. First, I have been exposed to international affairs throughout
my life. With my father and two of my brothers in the Saudi Foreign
Service, I have grown up under the shadow of inter-national affairs.
Second, I am fascinated by history, economics, and diplomacy. I believe,
through the study of international relations, I can effectively satisfy my
curiosity in these fields. A third factor which has affected my interest in
international relations is patriotism.
Through the Foreign Service, I would not only have the opportunity to serve
my country, but also have the chance to help bridge gaps between my
country and others. Finally, as a Saudi living abroad, I have been bridging
cultures throughout my life. This experience has taught me to look for
differences to compromise and similarities to synthesize in order to balance
different cultures. In short, I believe that my experiences in life, combined
with a rigorous academic education, will enable me to pursue a successful
career in the Saudi Foreign Service.
Georgetown, Favorite Class
At St. Albans, especially in our later years, we are given the freedom to
choose from a vast array of classes. Using this freedom, I have selected
classes which have personal significance to me, regardless of difficulty or
appearance on my transcript. However, from these classes, one holds an
extraordinary amount of value to me. This course is A.P. Omnibus History,
a combination of American and European history. There are several
reasons for my great interest in this class. First, I am fascinated by the
cyclical nature of the past. I see these recurring political, economic, and
social trends as a means of looking forward into the future, while allowing
us to avoid the mistakes of the past. Second, history teaches many lessons
about the nature of human behavior, both past and present, providing
insight into the actions, desires, and aspirations of those around me.
Finally, it lays a solid foundation for several disciplines, including political
science, economics, and international relations, three fields of great interest
to me.
Georgetown, Visual Arts
Another major interest of mine, which I have not had the opportunity to
express elsewhere on my application, is the visual arts. Throughout high
school, I have used a variety of media to express myself. I began with black
and white photography, focusing on the presence of lines and balance in
nature. For my work in this medium, I received an award at the St. Albans
School Art Show. From photography, I moved on to glass etching. Using a
sandblaster to etch the glass, I again concen-trated on lines and balance in
my works. Moreover, by arranging several glass panes into a sculpture, I
moved my study into three dimensions, winning another Art Show award.
Currently, I am working on canvas, using oil and acrylic in a Mondrian style,
which is based on lines and balance. Eventually, I hope to explore the
effects of combining these and other media, creating my own style of
artistic expression.
Georgetown, Wrestling
In the past four years of my life, no activity has affected me more than
wrestling. Four years of varsity wrestling and the honor of being a team
captain has instilled many qualities in me. First, through years of hard work
and continuous dieting, wrestling has given me discipline. This discipline
has spread to other parts of my personality, including my moral character,
work ethic, and preserverence. Another quality wrestling has given me is
leadership. As a team captain, I have learned to lead by example, both on
and off the mat. Above all, though, wrestling has given me a love of life.
Through this sport, I have experienced pain, sacrifice, adversity, and
success. Exposure to these feelings- which are, in my opinion, the essence
of being- has allowed me to truly appreciate life. I hope to continue
wrestling at Georgetown.
** ADMISSIONS COMMITTEE COMMENTS **
What immediately strikes the reader about this set- before even reading it-
is the balance between the essays. Each answer contains only one
paragraph, each of approximately equal length. The solid structure of each
essay and the focus of each reflects this outward balance. Each one
focuses on a completely different area of its writer's life, another striking
detail. The first focuses on his career goals, the second on his interest in
history, the third on his interest in the visual arts, and the fourth on
wrestling. This is a perfect example of the jigsaw puzzle approach. When
put together, you have a well-rounded individual with passion, depth, and
involvement in many different areas.

Princeton Application
A creek is no place for shoes. I think it's unreasonable to ask children to
keep their shoes on in such a place. My bare feet were always covered
with calluses from walking down the rough pavement of Peardale Street
and around the corner, past the weeping willows, but not as far as the
Lindsay's squeaky old swing-set. It was hard to see from the road, and as
far as I could tell, nobody ever went there- except for me. Large pines
nearby stood tall and erect, looking down at the ripples and currents that
nudged each other about playfully, like children in the back seat of a car on
a long drive. Stones and pebbles lined the shallow bottom and allowed the
water to glide in creative patterns over their smooth surfaces. Larger, moss
covered rocks dotted the bank and provided ideal spots for a child to sit
and watch and wonder.
The creek often taught me things; it was my mentor. Once I discovered
tadpoles in several of the many eddies and stagnant pools that lined the
small rivulet. A cupped hand and a cleaned-out mayonnaise jar aided me in
clumsily scooping up some of the more slothful individuals. With muddy
hands and knees, I set them on the kitchen counter, and watched them
daily as they developed into tiny frogs. I was fascinated by what was taking
place before my eyes, but new questions constantly puzzled me. Dad was
usually responsible for assuaging these curiosities. He told me about
different kinds of metamorphosis and how other little tiny creatures lived in
the water that I couldn't see without a fancy magnifying glass.
By the creek, my mind was free to wander. I remember sitting silently on a
mossy rock and watching the birds; I used to pretend I was one. As my
body lay still, my imagination would take flight. High above, looking down
on this stream from the pale blue heavens, the wind whistled over my face
and the sun warmed my body. When my eyes flickered open, it was usually
time to go home. Sometimes I even did.
I was always up for a challenge. My sister and I used to jump from rock to
rock, in a kind of improvised hop-scotch obstacle course that tested our
balance and agility against one another. She was four years older and I
had to practice every morning when she was at school in order to keep up.
On the rare occasions that I outdid her, I wore a goofy smirk for the rest of
the day.
The creek was a frontier. The stream extended far into the depths of the
woods. I thought that if I wandered too far into its darkness, I might be
consumed by it and never heard from again. Gradually overcoming my
fear, I embarked on expeditions and drafted extensive maps using my
father' s old compass, a sheet of paper, and a few colored pencils. As my
body grew in height and weight, my boundaries grew in extent and breadth.
Years later, I happened to be walking to a friend' s house by way of the
creek. It occurred to me that what was once an expedition was now merely
a shortcut. Although I had left this stream behind, I found others: new
questions and freedoms, new challenges and places to explore. But this
creek would remain foremost in my memory, whatever stream, river, or
ocean I might wade.
Princeton, Athlete (football)
I have learned a great many things from participating in varsity football. It
has changed my entire outlook on and attitude toward life. Before my
freshman year at [high-school], I was shy, had low self-esteem and turned
away from seemingly impossible challenges. Football has altered all of
these qualities. On the first day of freshman practice, the team warmed up
with a game of touch football. The players were split up and the game
began. However, during the game, I noticed that I didn't run as hard as I
could, nor did I try to evade my defender and get open. The fact of the
matter is that I really did not want to be thrown the ball. I didn't want to be
the one at fault if I dropped the ball and the play didn't succeed. I did not
want the responsibility of helping the team because I was too afraid of
making a mistake. That aspect of my character led the first years of my
high school life. I refrained from asking questions in class, afraid they might
be considered too stupid or dumb by my classmates. All the while, I went to
practice and everyday, I went home physically and mentally exhausted.
Yet my apprehension prevailed as I continued to fear getting put in the
game in case another player was injured. I was still afraid of making
mistakes and getting blamed by screaming coaches and angry teammates.
Sometimes these fears came true. During my sophomore season, my
position at backup guard led me to play in the varsity games on many
occasions. On such occasions, I often made mistakes. Most of the time the
mistakes were not significant; they rarely changed the outcome of a play.
Yet I received a thorough verbal lashing at practice for the mistakes I had
made. These occurrences only compounded my fears of playing. However,
I did not always make mistakes. Sometimes I made great plays, for which I
was congratulated. Now, as I dawn on my senior year of football and am
faced with two starting positions, I feel like a changed person.
Over the years, playing football has taught me what it takes to succeed.
From months of tough practices, I have gained a hard work ethic. From my
coaches and fellow teammates, I have learned to work well with others in a
group, as it is necessary to cooperate with teammates on the playing field.
But most important, I have also gained self-confidence. If I fail, it doesn't
matter if they mock or ridicule me; I'll just try again and do it better. I realize
that it is necessary to risk failure in order to gain success. The coaches
have always said before games that nothing is impossible; I know that now.
Now, I welcome the challenge. Whether I succeed or fail is irrelevant; it is
only important that I have tried and tested myself.
** ADMISSIONS COMMITTEE COMMENTS **
The topic of this essay is how the applicant has matured and changed
since his freshman year. He focuses on football. One of the strengths of
this essay is that it is well organized. The applicant clearly put time into the
structure and planning of this essay. He uses the platform of football to
discuss and demonstrate his personal growth and development through the
high school years. What he could have done better was spend more time
describing himself after he made improvements. As it is, he only tells us
about his newfound confidence and drive. This essay would have been
stronger had he actually shown us, perhaps by including a story or
describing an event where his confidence made a difference.




Ecological arguments for the Gilgel Gibe III Dam
The Gilgel Gibe III hydro power project which will generate 1870mw of clean
energy is nearing completion. The project is now more than 85% complete and is
scheduled to be commissioned at the Ethiopian New Year which starts in
September 2007 (September 2014). Ever since the project was launched in
January 2008, there has been a continuous series of allegations criticizing it on
various grounds, the environment, claimed socio economic impacts and claims of
possible effects on the countrys heritage. Despite the detailed and
comprehensive responses provided by the Government of Ethiopia, on the basis
of its own environmental studies, and by such organizations as the African
Development Bank in November 2010, and by the United Nations Environment
Program in December 2012, questions have continued to be raised concerning
the impact of the Dam. Even the decision of the World Bank to finance the 400
million dollar transmission line between Ethiopia and Kenya and the agreement of
China to finance the project didnt stop allegations from those who consider
themselves as the sole guardians of the environment.
One of the main allegations has concerned the environmental impact of the Gilgel
Gibe III Dam on Lake Turkana and on the ecology of the Omo Valley. As the Omo
Valley is a World Heritage site, allegations of damage to the Turkana National
Park have also been among the criticisms leveled against the project. Among the
allegations of the environmental impact has been the claim that the Dam would
cause a drop of at least 10-12 meters in the water levels of Lake Turkana as well
as leading to problems following the cessation of flooding of the Omo Delta,
affecting fisheries there and the flood plain agriculture of communities living in
the Valley. The allegations also include claims that there will be significant
devastation of forest biodiversity, that the Dam would allow dangerous amounts
of seepage and in sum produce an environmental disaster affecting over
200,000 people.
The African Development Banks study issued in November 2010 clarifies many of
these claims. It notes the allegation that the construction would lead to seepage
of 50-75% of the water in the reservoir of the Dam was unfounded. It dismissed
the allegations made by International Rivers and Friends of Lake Turkana that
there would be a significant drop on the volume of the water. The Report says:
The filling of the Gibe III reservoir will cause a two-meter drop in Lake Turkanas
level. Thereafter, the dam alone will not alter the annual water volume inflow,
except insofar as losses that occur within the Gibe III reservoir. Hence, as long as
reservoir losses are proved minimal, once filled, Gibe III alone will not cause lake
levels to fall. The Gilgel Gibe III project is, of course, a hydropower project, and is
a non-consumptive project,. This means any worries of reduction in the volume of
water can be dismissed. The fact that 40% of the river basin also stretches below
the Dam also means any claim that the Dam will control up to 90 percent of the
water reaching Lake Turkana is equally unfounded.
With reference to the environmental impact, the study conducted by The United
Nations Environment Program also stressed that the Omo River would continue
to provide some 80% of the inflow into Lake Turkana. The report also noted that,
depending upon rainfall scenarios, the median effect would probably produce a 2
meter fall in the lake levels over a seven month period while the reservoir was
filling. A fall of two meters is a normal drop in Lake Turkana under normal
conditions because of erratic flow of the river. In regard to the issue of World
Heritage sites and historical and archeological sites, Ethiopias own Environmental
Impact Studies have clearly indicated there will be no negative impacts from the
Gibe III Dam.
Nor will the construction of the dam affect the flow of water into Lake Turkana,
though it will regulate the seasonal flooding of the river, floods which have
claimed numerous lives and done major damage to downstream communities.
Studies indicate that Gibe III will provide a regulated discharge of a 50 cubic meter
minimum standard ecological flow and 10 days of free discharge in the month of
September. This, when added to the other nine streams which flow into the river
in this area, will maintain the downstream ecology during water harvesting
phases. There is no evidence that any fish or aquatic species will be threatened by
the dam or by regulation of the flow of the river. EEPCOs own studies indicate
that due to less migration of fish upstream, there is no proof that the Dam will
have an adverse effect on fisheries. Equally, in order to minimize any effects, the
Government has developed mitigation plans which are being implemented in the
Project areas to dispel even the most minimal impact caused by the Dam.
The Gilgel Gibe III dam will have a critical role in Ethiopias rural electrification
program which aims to provide electricity for more than 2.8 million people as well
as produce enough power to trade within the region. In this regard the 400mw
power trade deal that has been signed between Ethiopia and Kenya demonstrates
the obvious benefits that the Dam will have for the two countries. It is a point that
has been made repeatedly but it can usefully be repeated: the Gilgel Gibe III
development project will enable Ethiopia to share clean energy with Kenya and
other neighbors and spark a growth trajectory that will benefit the entire region.
Ethiopia is already earning US$32 million from regional power sales. Once Gilgel
Gibe III is on stream, this figure will rise and help to keep up Ethiopias double
digit economic growth. This is complimented by the fact that the project is of
course a clean energy project another of the winning environment, economic
integration and development arguments.