Admission Essay
Admission Essay
Ever since I was young, I have always been fascinated by machines. I have had a keen interest to know how they work. I have always sought to find out the conceptualization process behind some machines we have in the world today. My interest in machines and by extension the field of engineering is significantly informed by the simple definition of the word machine. I would like to become part of the global community of inventors, to acquire knowledge and skills that will enable me to develop machines and devices that will benefit the society. Machines that will make people’s work easier and their lives more comfortable. It is my strongly held belief that given my background and inclination towards machines, I would best make a contribution to world by pursuing an engineering course in a university with a significant heritage as well as a reputable international standing such as yours. More specifically, the fact that the university was founded on a spirit of exploration and discovery is of particular significance to me as I believe this is still the spirit which underlies the experience in the university. I draw a lot of inspiration from the fact that my goal of joining the global community of inventors fits in very well with the spirit upon which the university was founded. I have a passion for cars and engines. I have always been intrigued by the creativeness and imagination which goes behind the development and assembly of cars right from the conceptualization stage up to when we have the finished product. I am a strong believer of the fact that one should select a career based on what they enjoy. In this regard, I believe that pursuing an engineering course at your university will enable me to combine my passion for cars while at the same time acquire knowledge on a field which I have a keen interest thus setting me on the path to make significant contributions to the world in years to come.
Purdue University
I live in Saudi Arabia which experiences high temperatures. This has necessitated the use of cooling systems in almost every building. However, I do not find the cooling systems effective. Through the knowledge I will acquire by pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University, I intend to develop better cooling systems that will use less energy and yet yield better results. In addition, having lived in Saudi Arabia, I believe I would be best placed to develop tailor made solutions for the prevailing conditions as compared to multinational companies whose aim is not necessarily to develop custom made solutions for particular environments. Among other things, I hope to use the knowledge I will acquire to develop better water purification systems, better medical devices, better industrial equipment, and establish better transportation systems. All these are geared towards benefitting members of the society and thus in my own small way, I will have made a contribution towards making the world a better place for people to live in.
Stanford University
Right from childhood, I have always spent most of my free time working alongside my father at his car showroom. In my formative years, this was more of a hobby. Nonetheless, as I grew older, my father started assigning me some minor tasks in the car showroom. I particularly enjoyed working alongside mechanics as they fixed a thing or two in a car. I also had much fun listening to professional drivers and especially engineers talk about the performance of a car and making comparisons between the different cars at the showroom. My best moments to date remain the numerous occasions we would open the bonnets of various cars listen keenly as the engineers explained a thing or two to various clients. The experience at my father’s car showroom triggered in me an eager want; a burning desire and a deep thirst for knowledge so that I would also be able to have actual and hands-on involvement in the design and development of machines. It is my strongly held belief that at Stanford, I will have the perfect opportunity to acquire these skills.
Significant Challenge facing the Community
I believe that the largest and most significant challenge that faces society today is lack of renewable and clean sources of water. The larger percentage of the global population still lacks access to renewable and clean sources of water. This is despite the fact that four fifths of the earth’s total surface area is actually covered by water bodies. With such large water bodies, it is my belief that this is a challenge which can be overcome, but only if individuals are equipped with the right set of skills so as to be able to harness the global reserves of water and make them accessible to all persons in the planet.
How I Spent the Last Two Summers
Last summer, my family and I toured Europe and specifically sailed through France and Italy. It was quite enjoyable meeting new people and experiencing a different way of life and culture from what I am used to. I spent this summer taking the first semester of my 12th grade which I look forward to competing successfully in due course.
My Favorite Events in the Past Year
Being a keen enthusiast of matters to do with cars, my favorite event was the Jeddah, Saudi Arabia local motor show. I was able to learn a lot about the various vehicles on display. This included being informed about their development, history as well as the plans that some of the firms that participated in the show had for the future with regard to the development of their cars.
Historical Moment that I Wish I would have witnessed
I have always admired Isaac Newton for his contributions which have had a profound impact on the world of science and engineering. While I can access his contributions through various means such as books and the internet, I wish I had the opportunity to witness him deliver his famous lectures on different scientific subjects. Indeed, it would have been an invaluable experience to listen to one of the greatest minds that ever existed in the world of science.
Intellectual Development
I am naturally very inquisitive and curious about my surroundings. I like knowing as much as possible about my immediate environment as well as the world beyond. I vividly remember a trip I took to Europe some years back. The highlight of the trip was a wind farm where I was actually informed that they ‘harvested’ wind. This was done through the use of several huge windmills. I later learnt that the wind energy was used to the rotate windmills and in the process generate electricity. What was particularly striking was the use a freely and readily available resource, wind, to generate electricity. I was also impressed by the fact that this was clean energy which had no negative impact on the environment. Most significantly, wind is a renewable source of energy. I marveled at the persons who must have first come up with such an idea and wondered how much more could be done if more of such inventions and discoveries were made. This experience was a particularly poignant experience in my intellectual development as it challenged me to look for ways of contributing to the generation of clean energy from freely available and renewable natural sources. It is something that I have been thinking about critically since then especially in light of the fact that the reserves of the world’s main source of energy, petroleum, are estimated to last for only fifty more years. Furthermore, mining petroleum usually involves a lot of harm to the environment. My belief is that one day; the world will entirely depend on clean and renewable sources of energy. I look forward to acquiring more knowledge at your university that will put in the frontline of the persons who will be leading the world in that new direction.
Note to my Future Roommate
While it is a significant thing that Stanford provides on campus accommodation for most if not all of its undergraduate students, my preference would have been to live off campus. This is because I am a Muslim and some of the dictates of my religion may make it difficult to live with a roommate, especially one who is not a Muslim. For instance, I would need to have a personal bathroom because in our religion, it is an abomination to undress in front of others even if they are of the same gender. In addition, the dictates of my religion demand that we only have essential interactions with persons of the opposite sex and in this case it would only be interactions based on school work. Consequently, if granted admission, I would not be comfortable having a roommate of the opposite sex. However, I am a very sociable, affable and outgoing individual thus I can have proper and meaningful interactions with anyone and everyone irrespective of race, gender and culture. Nevertheless, my preference has always been that these interactions are within the confines of what is permissible in my religion. While I can socialize and get along well with everyone, I prefer a different environment when it comes to living. I am more of a private person. This, added to the norms of my religion make me prefer off campus accommodation as I believe that such an environment would help me in having a more fulfilling and joyful life at the university as compared to staying on campus with a roommate.
What Matters Most To Me
The two things that matter to me most are first, a cleaner and second, safer world for all of us to live in. With regard to a cleaner world, what quickly comes to mind in the issue of pollution which if not handled with care, may reach catastrophic levels. Indeed, it is because of pollution through emission of greenhouse gases that the world is now confronted with the problem of global warming. The effects of global warming are already there for all to see and include among others, increase of global temperatures and melting of polar ice caps. Arguably, the world is on a self-destruction mode. We need a cleaner world, devoid of all forms of pollution, if the next generation is to find a habitable world to live in. Additionally, a cleaner world will result to lower costs being spent on healthcare as well as better utilization of the world’s resources. The need for a safe world for everyone is one which cannot be overstated. It is only where everyone is safe that they can about their duties peacefully without having to worry about their safety. This in turn leads to more productivity and development. Since time immemorial, the periods that have been characterized by the least amount of safety are equally the periods in which there was little or no development at all in most of the countries of the world. A good example is during the first and second world wars. In modern times, the most impoverished countries are those that are engaged in internal civil strife or that have just emerged from civil wars. These are pointers to the fact a safer world is important for all of us if indeed we are to enjoy our stay here on earth.
Now more the ever, there is need to hasten the shift to alternative sources of energy. If given funding for a small engineering project, I would channel my efforts in this direction. I would specifically focus on trying to find a way of converting the motion of the sea waves into electricity. I believe there is already some background knowledge on this as the idea would work to a great extent on the same principle that underlies the working of hydroelectricity power generating plants. Sea water is a readily available and free resource and the waves are periodic and will always be there provided the sea is still in existence. Consequently, all that is needed is research into this area with the aim of coming up with a way of converting the motion of sea waves into electricity. This is what I would seek to do if granted funding for a small engineering project.
Honor Code
The Honor Code at U. Va. which states that students should not lie, steal or cheat so as to strengthen the university’s Community of Trust is indeed a very noble code. Given the opportunity I would add that in addition to not lying, stealing or cheating, students should also be fair. They should be fair not only when dealing with fellow students but also when dealing all other persons that they will interact with in the university community. They must treat others just the same way they would expect to be treated. The importance of fairness cannot be understated. From the very onset, treating each other fairly will enhance the university’s Community of Trust as fairness is a fundamental requirement for the existence of trust. Secondly, it is important that students treat each other fairly in all their undertakings as this is important for the harmonious coexistence of the various persons who comprise the university community. In a university with a student population which is multiracial and multicultural, it is important that each and every student feels that he receives the same treatment as all the other students. It is my contention that being fair is one of the ways through which this can be achieved. Lastly, the principal reason why students should be fair in all their undertakings is that they will not be in university forever. At some time in the future, the students will be expected to go out there and serve the society. It goes without question that they will be expected to be fair with everyone whom they deal with. Thus, students graduating from the university will have ingrained the habit of being fair which they practice all their life, both within and outside the university.
