1. I have decided to major in the biological sciences. I have chosen this field because I am drawn to the seemingly infinite variety of life. The ways in which humans, animals, and all forms of life develop, evolve, and thrive in their contexts and even adapt to new challenges and environments never cease to amaze me. I am particularly interested into genetics and the role they play in life. The many ways in which biology (like genetics) influences and affects our daily lives are as varied as life itself, and being able to use my love of biology to have a positive impact on people’s daily lives is very appealing to me. Being a part of that infinite variety makes me feel a certain responsibility to deepen my understanding of it and help protect and promote it.
2. The community I have selected is the swimming community. I am a part of Scarlet Aquatics: Rutgers Division Swim Team. I have been a part of Scarlet Aquatics all through high school. It has offered me many excellent ways of improving myself and not just in terms of swimming. Scarlet Aquatics routinely produces Olympic qualifiers because of the quality of their swim program; I have learned the importance of working hard, training hard, and supporting and encouraging my teammates to work and train hard, too. While we may compete against each other, we also support one another. Learning to respect and value my competitors has been a significant lesson for me. They challenge me in so many positive ways, to push myself and my limits, and to push them and their limits as well, all in the pursuit of excellence.
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3. While I could simply say, “Because Brown is a quality Ivy League school” and leave it at that, there’s definitely more to it. Brown’s Biology concentration offers so many appealing thematic tracks/subfields from which to choose. Right now, I am not sure which one I would pick, but I certainly am excited about all the options. I am also potentially interested in Brown’s Honors program; while it would be a challenge, it is one I would welcome and value, much like my swimming competitors. I also find the “Liberal Learning” approach very appealing and intriguing. Brown’s focus on students, including their wellbeing and social opportunities (not just their academic performance) is also very attractive to me. It’s also clear that Brown is very proud of its association with Providence (and vice versa), and this connection is also appealing – usually it’s the town that’s proud of its university. In Brown’s case, Brown is proud of its town and plays to its strengths. The variety of student organizations is also a big selling point. Being able to participate in organizations focusing on service is important to me; working with Hurricane Sandy Relief volunteerism really made me appreciate the importance of such activities.
UVA supplemental
1. Being a part of the Waksman Honors Research Program at Rutgers introduced me to the works of Selman Waksman, the imminent biochemist/microbiologist. His work in microbiology and genetics and there far reaching implications simply amaze me. What surprises me is how he made the jump from soil biology and agricultural concentrations to discoveries which had a deep impact on the field of medicine. This surprised me – one would generally expect medical or pharmaceutical discoveries to come from medical or pharmaceutical researchers, not a man doing research on soil. This also showed me how interconnected life is, even when we don’t see it. This challenged me as well – to realize that the findings in one discipline can have significant ramifications on other disciplines, even when on the surface they barely seem connected.
Waksman’s research did not necessarily unsettle me as much as amaze me. Making the jump from soil and decomposition to medicine may appear like a mighty leap, but once one understands the science of molecular biology, one begins to appreciate how the leap could be made. It is circumstances like this which make me eager to study biology – to identify such leaps and to make such findings that can help improve not only the quality of life for people but also to identify ways in which we can protect and promote life. Such discoveries argue for more in-depth research of, as well as better stewardship of nature, since the natural world holds so many solutions to challenges we face.
2. Biology (rather obvious, isn’t it?) is my favorite word. Its definition holds so much meaning – the study of life and living organisms. So much exists in that definition – all of life, and not just life, but also its infinite variety. The ways in which life thrives and performs, grows and evolves, finds its way in the world, and mankind’s attempts to organize all of these things are all fascinating to me. Within each of those elements – thriving, performing, growing, evolving, finding, and organizing – are even more possibilities and variety which demand exploration and understanding. I wish I had more time on this planet to explore all of these elements.
Of course, scientists and researchers are still finding new species and new things, meaning there are plenty of new things under the sun to discover and explore! And, of course, these new species and new things (like never-before-seen behaviors in known creatures) represent their current state in evolution – who knows what might come next? I find that question in the context of biology to be stimulating, challenging, and exciting. It’s what made me decide on majoring in biology. I want to be a part of the field of biology; I want to be a part of discovering and understanding all the aspects of the natural world which are contained within the word biology.
