Why Engineering
If you think THIS is big, you should see my ego!
I'm trying to get ahead of the game again. Hopefully, Jane doesn't rip this one apart. At least I'll give her some time to breathe with this one. I think. Hope. Or... whatever.
Fun Fact: Originally, the last two sentences read, "So accept me into Cornell's College of Engineering. You won't regret it." It was exactly 500 words. It is now 495. Knock yourselves out.
"Teammate, Intellectual, Idealist"
I like to help people. While my transcript shows that my grades are highly competitive, I always try to help my peers to succeed academically in addition to studying alone. I read and edit half a dozen essays each time there is an English assignment and never hesitate to spend free periods showing a classmate - whether I like the classmate or not - how to do those sticky Chemistry or Physics problems. My part-time jobs reflect my desire to improve my community. Last year, I volunteered as a Peer Tutor at school and helped fellow Acton-Boxborough kids with every type of schoolwork, ranging from World History to AB Calculus. This year, out of school, I teach kids to play piano on the weekends, privately tutor a neighbor in writing, and work at Kumon Math and Reading Center of Acton to assist children to advance their math and critical reading skills.
Engineering appeals to the helping side of me. My father is an engineer, and he spends hours every day, both at home and at work, solving problems for people all around his workplace. By becoming an engineer, I hope to extend my ability to help to more people and over a wider array of subjects. Only by learning more can I teach more, and Engineering is the field that best suits this interest.
As a student, I love to think. While many of my peers wonder, "How will I ever USE this," I simply enjoy the learning process. I am always turning over science and math and wondering about both their applications in my life and what I will learn next: How exactly does an object with zero acceleration exert a force? What, exactly, is the "cross product" of vectors? Where do we get the calcium chloride that salts the wintry New England roads? But my passion for learning extends beyond science and math: I keep constant notes about new phrases to use in writing, new French syntax for verbal fluency, opportunity costs in Economics, and the connections between FDR's politics and today's.
By majoring in Engineering, I will have a direct application of this personality quirk. Rather than simply thinking about the work involved in pumping water, I will be able to design machines that use my discoveries. I will gain academic credit for constant brooding and will lead the world in new innovations and new technology.
Working hard, I can achieve anything. As I have progressed through my high school career, I have become consistently more focused and dedicated to my work, and my constantly improving grades reflect this. Cornell's College of Engineering, like my high school, will offer me constant challenge and constant motivation. The co-op program will give me first-hand work experience and a solid job for after graduation. Cornell's program will also allow me to take multiple courses so that I will not have to abandon my other academic interests. For balance, challenge, and opportunity, I choose Cornell.
SD
Nov. 24, '06
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