This is the application I submitted to the North Carolina School of Science and Math (spoiler alert: I didn't get in and I'm totally not still salty about it).
read more| Questions | Answers |
|---|---|
| Awards, Certificates, Projects and Recognitions: | #1 Science Expo Project, mid-state soccer tournament champion with newspaper appearance, recognized as the most interested and knowledgeable in math and science of 9th, honorable mention in multiple state-wide poetry contest, recognized among only 3 in 9th grade and 16 students of the entire high school for maintaining a 4.0 GPA or higher, award for maintaining a 4.0 GPA or higher while participating in a dedicated sports team (varsity soccer team), chosen to represent the students of Montessori Community School for chinese delegates in an exchange student program |
| Extracurricular, Community Service and Volunteer Activities (both in-school and out-of-school) | Dedicated 10 year league and 2 year school soccer player, president-founder of current events club, summer job at UNC farm camp, 4 year relay for life participant & organizer. 5 year piano player. |
| Leadership Positions and Activities | Student council representative, appointed communications officer. Organized school soccer practices post-season. Conducted several teacher interviews as a student council representative. |
| Have you engaged in activities that demonstrate your interest in mathematics and/or science? If so, please describe the activities and the extent and nature of your involvement. | My independent scientific endeavors began in 5th grade with my exposure to the incomprehensible magnitude of the universe and simultaneous existence of the molecular, atomic, and subatomic levels. I was overwhelmed with interest. I dedicated the rest of my middle school years to the understanding of contemporary physics and cosmology. As a result, my 9th and 10th grade years have consisted of multiple independent research projects in which I included my personal conjectures on subjects including (but not limited to): cognitive science, philosophy, epistemology, neurology, sociology, environmental science, cosmology and quantum physics. I also conducted my own research using the scientific method in an evaluation of education in which I categorized my school’s use of time to rote learning, understanding & comprehension, formalities and other categories. I have written independent papers and powerpoint presentations comparing the theories of John Locke and Socrates regarding the origin of knowledge. As a result, I have formulated my own hypotheses as to the origin of knowledge and the relationship between innate and acquired knowledge in animals, average humans, and savants. I have formulated theories of the afterlife, in which the 6-12 minutes of prolonged brain activity after the cessation of bodily functions appears to the mind essentially a perpetual dream. I have conducted independent research on the nature of permutations & combinations in mathematics which assisted in supporting my personal and pre-existing theories of infinity. In this research I proposed a theory I call the “precedent effect” in which the intrinsic value of a number is changed every time it is used. In addition, I have formulated theories and evaluations on levels of human intelligence. In retrospect, I have learned one rule that applies to all of my research: answers inevitably lead to more questions. |
| Other Interests, Talents & Hobbies | I read Engadget and enjoy keeping up with current computer technology, especially pertaining to Apple’s products. I play piano in my free time, including current popular songs and modern jazz. I also play soccer in my spare time. I enjoy playing video games as a recreation. I enjoy current and older movie culture. And television ranging from documentaries & science television like NOVA and Planet Earth, to science-fiction shows like Fringe, to comedies like Seinfeld, Arrested Development, The Office, and 30 Rock. I have always loved problem solving, especially difficult engrossing problems. This interest has led me to my most recent obsession with philosophical questions, especially those encompassing generalities; such as absolute truth. I find these interesting because of their broad applicability and because I express ambivalent feelings and thoughts towards them. |
| Describe your personality and what makes you unique | I approach problems rationally and logically. I ensure that facts and ideas, especially my own, are expressed correctly and succinctly. I find interest in the obscure and unanswered, and find facts and knowledge I already understand uninteresting due to their level of intransigence relative to what I do not yet understand. I am immensely independent, and find external coercion in education as well as many aspects of life unnecessary and often detrimental to one’s motivation and interests. I see myself as very original in ideas and practical theories, and my primary ambition is to maintain my individuality, because otherwise I do not see how I would contribute to humanity. I am emphatic about my convictions, arguably to a stubborn extent, however I believe it is better to be stubborn and questioning than non-opinionated and amenable. Also, my eccentric thought patterns and ability to see both the big picture and ulterior allow me to come to aberrant conclusions. This makes me unique. |
| What words best describe your character. Give specific examples of why each word is applicable. | Confident, audacious, humorous and gregarious. Confident because I stand by my assertions and believe whole-hardily in them. Audacious because I am not afraid to defy conventions, and fight for what I believe is righteous and true. Humorous because I can often find comic connections and inconsistencies in material. And gregarious because I find personalized discussion and debate the ideal method for learning and understanding. |
| Have you had any adversity in your life that you want to explain? | In reviewal of my personal experiences, and comparison to other’s, I have not had a serious adversity in my life. Currently, the most prominent I could possibly conjure would be by intense dissatisfaction with formal education. |
| What else do you want to make sure the NCSSM selection committee knows about you? | My reason for applying is unique. I’m not applying because I wish for a prestigious college, a conventional challenge and the knowledge that I’m in one of the best schools in the country. I’m applying because I want to be in an environment that values individuality and conceptual thinking. I’m applying because I want to be in an environment that at least enables my independent thinking, if not, caters to it. I want to be in an environment that trusts me as a student to know what decisions to make, and a place where I can make those decisions not because I’m obligated to, but because I desire too. I want to be in a school that doesn’t put rote learning first, but creativity. I want to be in a place where I know I’m surrounded by people who aren’t there just to get a job done, but to change the way that job is done. |
My independent scientific endeavors began in 5th grade with my exposure to the incomprehensible magnitude of the universe and simultaneous existence of the molecular, atomic, and subatomic levels. Consequentially, I arranged and held a meeting with an astrophysicist at UNC to discuss my ideas and questions. I was overwhelmed with interest. I dedicated the rest of my middle school years to the understanding of contemporary physics and cosmology. As a result, my 9th and 10th grade years have consisted of multiple independent research projects in which I included my personal conjectures on subjects including (but not limited to): cognitive science, philosophy, epistemology, neurology, sociology, environmental science, cosmology and quantum physics. I also conducted my own research using the scientific method in an evaluation of education in which I categorized my schoolʼs use of time for rote learning versus understanding and comprehension. I have written independent papers and powerpoint presentations comparing the theories of John Locke and Socrates regarding the origin of knowledge. As a result, I have formulated my own hypotheses as to the origin of knowledge and the relationship between innate and acquired knowledge in animals, average humans, and savants. I have formulated theories of the afterlife, in which the 6-12 minutes of prolonged brain activity after the cessation of bodily functions appears to the mind essentially a perpetual dream. I have conducted independent research on the nature of permutations & combinations in mathematics which assisted in supporting my personal and pre-existing theories of infinity. In this research I proposed a theory I call the “precedent effect” in which the intrinsic value of a number is changed every time it is used. In addition, I have formulated theories and evaluations on levels of human intelligence. In retrospect, I have learned one rule that applies to all of my research: answers inevitably lead to more questions.
Recent developments: Astronomy club member, 11th grade best in math and science, Technical director for Woods play production, Technical adviser to Yearbook committee. Summer ventures of science and mathematics. 50 hours of math tutoring. Work at UNC. Captain of Soccer team, ethics bowl.
UNC lab work
SVSM
Algebra tutoring
Varsity Soccer
Ethics bowl
Current events club founder
Student Council
Astronomy Club
Technical Director Woods play
Technical Adviser Yearbook
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Summer Job at UNC Farm
5 year piano player