12-6-11

I am frantically writing the essays for UT's natural sciences & turing scholar honors programs. The UT technician was able to get the system to work for my account this morning, but now I have 4 essays to write that are due by midnight tonight.

12-2-11

The last month of the year is here! Now that I have sent my application to UT, I am writing essays to apply for their honors program. I asked Mr. Martin and Dr. J to send recommendations for me to the Turing Scholars & Natural Sciences honors programs. They have both agreed, but the UT system won't let me apply to the programs. I have contacted 6 people in the computer science, natural science, and admissions departments. They are all pointing fingers to each other right now, but I will be persistent.

11-30-11

This is really late. Sorry. The last several days have been very busy for me.

I spent today actually working on thesis work (amazing, right?).
I'm having difficulty creating a powerpoint. I am forming one that generally models my last one, since this is my fi

rst presentation on this topic. Hopefully I will get a better understanding when I see other people present next Thursday.

11-28-11

I got my UT transcript today. I am going to drive it over to UT's Dallas office right after school (I'll be there within the next half hour). I spent the rest of the period rewriting an old essay for my UT app. After this, I will have to craft a new essay from scratch, and then my application should be ready.

I get a decision from QuestBridge this Thursday to let me know wether or not I am accepted to either MIT or Stanford.
I am crossing my fingers...

11-17-11

Today was spent almost entirely with the letter I have been wanting to write to MIT. I think I've finally finished it.

I also requested my transcript from the registrar that I will send to UT Austin.

My current college list is:
MIT - early; completed
Stanford - early; completed

Rice - regular; completed
Caltech - regular; incomplete
UT Austin - regular; incomplete

I'm sorry I forgot to post it on Tuesday.

11-15-11

I'M ON TIME!

I'm short on time, though. This entry will be quick.
I sent MIT my school profile today, and I'm composing the message I would like to send them (refer to my earlier entry). The remainder of the period was spent sending emails to potential mentors and filling out short answer questions for my UT application.

11-11-11

Veteran's Day!

I have trouble stopping when I'm in thesis and I get really involved in something. Mr. Correa keeps reminding us to post on our blogs, but I usually have music on to block out noise, or I am very focused on something.

I worked on my bibliography today. I found 4 more sources and wrote the MLA for them. This sounds really unproductive, but a couple of articles I picked were really long (like this one: http://www.altjn.com/perspectives/stress.pdf). I have nearly half of my sources for the bibliography now. I am hoping I won't take very long to write the paragraph about each source, because I only have 2 days left to do it. I'm moving this weekend, so my time will already be crunched. I know, I know, procrastination, but in my defense, I had several other projects due this week. I have also been doing a lot of college stuff, so I can keep myself out of a bind when December 1st rolls around.

11-9-11

I found 5 more articles for my annotated bibliography today. I can tell I'm going to lose quite a bit of sleep over this project, since I let all my free time go toward college applications before November 1st. I have a big APES project due tomorrow, and a government project due Monday. Senior year is really difficult right now. It's kind of going against my thesis, which is all about how stress is detrimental to your physical health (Oh well...). I also drafted emails to 3 potential mentors I found today (using the template Mr. Correa provided on his website). I will see what Mr. Correa thinks about these emails before I send them.

11-7-11

I have sent the last thing to Questbridge - my final rankings. I removed Rice University from the list, because I am so passionate about MIT that I would rather have an opportunity to apply regular (assuming I don't get in early) there than be accepted  and bound to Rice. There was a hiccup in this process. Unrest in my family kept me from filling out the form until Friday (my fault, I know), and Mr. Villa will be absent until Thursday. Thankfully, Mr. Satarino gave Mr. Correa permission to go ahead and fill Questbridge's binding contract out as my counselor. However, most of today's class was dedicated to my thesis (shocking, I know). Mr Correa and I both agree that Psychoneuroimmunology is a more promising topic that transportation solutions. He told me he would re-contact Dr. Maute, an alumnus from TAG that may be able to assist me as a mentor. I read a fascinating (long) article on the American Psychological Association's (APA) website about the relationship between the immune system and stress. I think I will enjoy this topic much more than transportation of the future.

11-3-11

This, too, is post-dated (but only by one day this time). Lo Siento. I will write as If I am writing this 20 hours ago:

Questbridge contacted me and let me know that I have until November 7th to re-rank my colleges. I am considering dropping Rice off my list of places for early applications, because it is binding. I can still send my application for regular decision, so my work is not in vain. This will leave MIT and Stanford, so that no matter what, I will have to be considered twice (unless, of course, I am in the <2% that is matched through Questbridge).
I checked my online MIT account yesterday (11-2-11), and my application is there! They're processing it and will have a decision for me by December 1st! I'm considering writng them an email to let them know (again) just how much I want to be accepted. I don't know how much I should "bother" them without annoying them too much. :/
I'm crossing my fingers...

11-1-11

This is postdated by three days. Sorry, I forgot to post.
Mr. Correa was absent today.
November 1st, 2011: The dreaded deadline for my Questbridge applications. I finished & faxed my supplement to Rice today in class. When I got home, I submitted my Stanford application via commonapp.
I'm crossing my fingers...

10-20-11

I'm avoiding my Stanford essays...
Today, I filled out my fee waiver forms and transcript request forms, wrote an email to Mrs. Kim Hunter to ask a question about applying to MIT, finished my Drexel Application, and not a ton else. :/
I told Mr. Correa I was 80-85% done with college apps. Once I get these essays done, I'll be in good shape.
I'm tired - more than usual. I can't sleep at night, because I'm so anxious about my applications. I feel like colleges are just waiting for me to mess up, so I have to do everything PERFECTLY. I'm losing my mind.

10-18-11

I'm going insane. I have so many things on my mind. Today I got my recommendation instructions to Mr. Templet, found out that CommonApp does not work properly (won't put my answers on the print preview), wrote a waiver request to Rensselaer, drafted an email to an MIT admissions counselor, and started writing my supplement essay for Carnegie Mellon. I'm procrastinating my Stanford supplement, because I don't know how to answer any of these:

What is the most significant challenge that society faces today?

Virtually all of Stanford's undergraduates live on campus. Write a note to your future roommate that reveals something about you or that will help your roommate - and us - know you better.

What matters to you, and why?

Suggestions?

10-13-11

Presentations are FINALLY OVER!
I found out, with everyone else's presentations, that I am more interested in something using psychology than my idea, though I plan to pursue a career with math, science, and technology. I think I would like to do something with psychoneuroimmunology, combining psychology, neurology, and biology.

I have applied to Questbridge and ranked my colleges. Now I'm working on supplements.

9-27-11

Uncle! Uncle!
I forgot to post! Sorry :/
I presented on September 27th (Monday). I had been dreading the Q&A at the end, because Benny's in my class, and I knew he would have lots of questions - probably ones I didn't know the answers to.
He likes being critical of other people.
Well, my prediction came true. I got up and presented (I chocked a little at the beginning, but everyone says they didn't hear it.), and came around to my questions and answers period. four hands shot up - one of them was Benny's. I took care of the other questions first. It actually wasn't that difficult, because I had researched my topic so much and whittled my presentation down so much, and I was able to respond to the questions. After Benny asked his third question (with no intention to stop), Mr. Correa cut him off, because I think he saw how nervous I was and heard how fastidious the questions were for an initial presentation.
I felt like it didn't go as well as I'd hoped, but several people came up to me afterwards and said I had done a very good job, so I guess it went okay.

Because I have the power of knowing the future since this postdated post, I can say that I submitted my Questbridge application on Friday. Getting that and the SAT Physics Subject Test I took Saturday off my shoulders has brought me so much relief. This week it TREK, so the only thing stressing me out right now is freshman intros. I have to teach myself how to breathe normally again this week.

9-22-11

Today, I wanted to talk with Mr. Correa about my thesis. I have not a clue what I'm doing, and I present this Tuesday! He left at the beginning of my period, though, so I have sent him an email.
I would have worked on finishing up my Questbridge essays. Mr. Templet was busy accepting birthday wishes this morning, so he took my rewrites home to review them.
Thus, I spent my period filling out my Texas Common Application (it is the only way to apply to UT).
I left 15 minutes early to go meet with the USC representative at 4, but they never showed up.

9-20-11

Today, I worried. I found out I am going to present my thesis presentation next Tuesday, and I don't even have a field of study. What am I going to do?
I didn't get to work on any of my college things, because I was too busy trying to brainstorm for my thesis (which I have done a lot of). Why does it seem to be coming easier to other people? James is into religion - he is studying religion. Elliese is into engineering - she is studying engineering. Amanda is into dragons - she is studying dragons. Jordan is into photography - she is studying photography. Me? Who knows?

9-16-11

I worked today on my Questbridge application. I filled in my parents' financial information and reviewed the application portion (everything but the essays). I confirmed the recommendation deadline with Mr. Correa, to be sure we were on the same page. I got a free/reduced lunch application from the office, because my family is now eligible for it.

9-12-11

I got to use my fancy new intern badge today! I drove to Irving for my interview with Mrs. Caroline Moore. I think it went well. I hope to stay in touch with her. I recognized her as the alumnus who came to the MIT session at TAG last year with Kim Hunter, from MIT admissions.
Mr. Templet agreed to help me with my essay. We need to set a time (one that can actually be committed to). Mr. Correa made it clear to me that I was bothering him for help with my essay. This was not my intention, and I'm sorry if it came off this way.

9-9-11

This period was spent doing my counselor survey (somehow, I missed amemo). I really hope I can talk to Mr. Correa today about my biographical essay. I'm making myself nervous. The timer on my computer says my application is due in 21 days, 7 hours, 44 minutes and 8 seconds...

9-6-11

I'm a little late today...sorry. Today was my parents' (awkward) 25th anniversary.
I called Collegeboard back today to follow up my unanswered message about registering with accommodations. They said I should register without accommodations, and if they grant my request, I can call and have them change it (fingers crossed). I registered for the October 1st date to take my SAT Subject Tests.
I sent an email to Questbridge to ask about the number of recommendation letters they will consider. As is standard, they will consider 2 teacher and 1 counselor (though their site allows more to be submitted).
I talked with Mr. Correa today about my thesis topic (or lack thereof). He advised me to get in touch with Lone Star Film and Video, and discuss with Mr. Martin to find potential ideas for a thesis topic. Maybe I can blend the two!

8-31-11

Today, I got in touch with Caroline Moore for an MIT interview. I have set up a date for Monday the 12th.
I called Questbridge to ask about reccomenders. I have heard that it would be best to be recommended by as many teachers as possible, but I have also been asked to only ask 2. I am waiting for a response.
I left a message for Maura Tierny, an application counselor at MIT who led a meeting I went to Thursday the 25th. I asked after the meeting how much Questbridge would help my chances, and she said it would not affect my chance of getting in. I called to ask if it were possible to apply through QuestBridge AND through MIT. This sounds silly...I know. If nothing else, justify it as me trying to become memorable to the application readers.
I am now working on my biographical essay for QuestBridge (still...will it end?).

08-25-11

Today I got my recommendation requests sent, worked on my first application essay and completed the application portion of CommonApp.

08-24-11

Today we had a class discussion about college applications. I spent the remainder of the period setting up this blog and working on the biographical essay for my QuestBridge Application.