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MIT MAG

By Anonymous

     It’s 7:25 on a Friday night ... the opening night of my high school’s musical. The cast and crew are in a circle holding hands. Our director begins to speak and everyone’s energy level spikes. After pepping us up, she whispers a question, “What time is it?”

We respond, “Showtime.”

“What time is it?” she asks again.

“Showtime,” we reply.

Finally, she screams, “What time is it?”

We scream, “Showtime!” and the sound reverberates against the walls.

The only thought that crosses my mind in this circle has to do with my passion. Passion is the driving force behind every part of my life. I have passion for my friends and family, for serving and helping others, for learning and knowledge, but the area of my life I am most passionate about is theater. Theater excites me. I am now the best technician at my school because of all the hard work I do, usually as either the stage manager or light chair. Every week, especially before a performance, I work 15 to 20 hours. Theater is the one thing right now that challenges me, which is why I am more passionate about it even than school. I want to be challenged in school like I am in theater. I used to wake up every morning and wonder, What new and great things am I going to learn today? Now instead of being excited about school, I am challenged by what new set pieces I will build or what will happen at rehearsal.

One of the main reasons I am not excited by school is I’m bored with the pace of classes. I learn faster and easier than almost everyone but instead of just tuning everything out, I keep interested by helping others learn the material. I have discovered I am good at finding little tricks to explain something so classmates will understand what the teacher is talking about. I would like to be more challenged in school, which is why I am excited to go to college. I want to go to MIT because I know that your university will challenge me. I believe that at MIT my passion for learning will once again equal my passion for theater or even surpass it. I want this to happen because I love to learn.



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This article has 7 comments.


i love this so much!

Sun-shine said...
on Jan. 2 2011 at 9:12 pm

Hi guys, please check out my lately comment.

Thank you!


Sun-shine said...
on Jan. 1 2011 at 10:18 pm

First of all, I appreciate this author's confident in the way that the author shows his or her passion about getting challenged, of course, getting more attention of college admissions.

Benjamin is right, he knows what the applying student should not seem very arrogant, since applying student always think college wants student with great confident about theirselves. Ben made a good comment for the author, the author should remember that you are writting the essay to a person who doesn't know you at all, and the only way the audience can get to know you is basicly through this essay. So in the essay, the author not only need to show the passion to get challenged, the confidence about oneself, but also, indispensably, need to tell the audience that you are very humble and very willing to learn other's opinions.

And dkA.M, your comment is also great. I think, if not wrong, you are experiencing the same as the author does in his or her school. And I believe you that you are telling 100 percent truth. I suggest that whenever you hear an opinion, no matter about the person or things you like or dislike, keep on an objective point of view, without bias. This way you will improve yourself. I confess most time I will look at other people's opinions with my own bias too, but I am trying my hard to not to do so.

Same as the author, I also want to go to MIT and very passionate about that too. To go there is a honor for me and my family, I suppose. But last time I emailed the MIT admission office for some application info, they didn't response me. I was wondering if it wasn't the right email or it's the first challenge MIT wants me to face. But anyway, I am still striving every moment now to improve myself.

So if anyone has any comment on my comment, either on grammar or thoughts, I would like to hear that. I am still trying hard for my English.

Thank you:)


on Jan. 1 2011 at 1:50 am
Mohammed Hussain GOLD, New York City, New York
10 articles 0 photos 15 comments
I have to agree. Certain statements in the essay show arrogance. The topic is really good. However, the admissions officers will most likely not want a student who finds that school is not worthwile.

Benjamin101 said...
on Dec. 6 2009 at 3:55 pm
dkA.M, I am simply trying to help this student produce the best work possible. Nothing should be taken personally. There is a problem with modern era writings and thought, people cannot handle critique. I do not want to insult the author; I stated I thought it was a very nice essay. A writer posts their work here for constructive criticisms, yes? Never once did I claim it was impossible for a student to go through high school unchallenged. However, it is important to take into account the reader in this situation. Do you think a college admissions officer will react positively to the claims made in this essay? No, I do not believe they will. Even if school does not challenge this student shouldn't they proceed to investigate independent studies? Surely there is something in this world that is not a breeze for this student to comprehend. Your claim that high school does not prepare a student for college is a despicable generalization. Perhaps you do not or did not go to a top tier high school; there are many high schools which do prepare students for undergraduate schooling.

Your comment makes me speculate that you relate to this author. You probably think that high school hasn't challenged you as well. How absolutely sad. Perhaps she is not arrogant, however, she appears to be. That is all I am claiming. I want to help this student thus I gave feedback; I did not mean to insult this student in any way.

dkA.M SILVER said...
on Dec. 6 2009 at 2:04 pm
dkA.M SILVER, Vail, Arizona
8 articles 0 photos 87 comments
Okay sorry to reply in a negative way, benjamin101, but I believe that she is trying to get into a college that is extremely challenging and that is not arrogance. She want's to be challenged, and it's true that high school does not prepare you for college, she was just trying to say that, well in my humble opinion, that she thrives on challenges and theatre gives her that, and going to MIT will help her reach that goal of being challenged in academics as well..... and before you criticize one of their punctuation you might want to check yours before hand. Believe it or not, there are students that are extremely intelligent and never have challenges in school. For you to say that she can not be that kind of student, or that there are none of these types of students like that, shows your arrogance in a very egotistical manner.

Benjamin101 said...
on Dec. 6 2009 at 12:18 pm
Very nice essay in terms of style and usage. There are some errors so I suggest you proof read it. The second half of the essay wreaks of arrogance. Theatre in and of itself is not an academic pursuit. It can be argued that through theatre you get a better understanding of human behavior and a more profound sense of self. Yet there is no real academic benefit. Some of your claims, specifically that school is too easy for you, make you appear pompous. After reading this essay I feel as though I'd love to speak to you face to face but only to show you that you are not as smart as you think you are. This essay will keep the attention of an admissions officer but what will he think of you afterward? If the officer is anything like me, he will not think very highly of you. If you are the valedictorian of your HS then perhaps you can make the claim that it is too easy for you. But if you are anything less that the top performing student in your grade you should reconsider your stance. Good luck getting into MIT.