University of Virginia Application Essay

Dear Sir:

Would you please go over the following essay? Omit or insert words or sentences as you see necessary to improve the quality of the paper and develop an essay relevant to the question. I would like to have two different essays: One with 800 word counts and another with 500 words counts. Thank you for your help.

 

ESSAY 1 (UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA)

As in past years, students applying to UVa’s College of Arts and Sciences are asked to discuss a work of art, music, science, mathematics, or literature that “surprised, unsettled, or challenged” them in some way.

 

Mathematics and Economics

Mathematics has always been the only thing which surprised and challenged me throughout my life. Mathematics is a subject place of my refuge from my dark thought, stress or any other issue bothering me. It is my favorite place in the world. Whenever, I feel the need to relax and unburden my soul, I resort to Math 

The beauty of mathematics has always challenged my mind. It has the power to solve real life problems. It explains real observations, and appeals to intuitions most of the time. And it takes us aback with the counter-intuitive results. It produces exact answers. It is abstract, yet purely objective and absolute. It’s man-made, yet the entire universe is modeled by math. It is incorruptible. It can create art. It can inspire creative thinking, and in that even solving problem is an art of its own. It has practical uses, and helps us understand, for example, how the petals on a rose or the stripes on a zebra can arise from a tissue of living cells growing together. It can even help us understand the diversity of life that has evolved on earth.

Mathematical logic and concepts underlie functionality of practically every process from rocket science to the budget of a household. It is this diversity of application that intrigues me and makes me want to study it in depth. I feel it will give me logical and reasoning abilities that are pivotal for virtually all areas of study, consequently giving a very strong base for a wide range of careers. My interest in mathematics dates back to primary school. I have enjoyed the challenge ever since. I received merit certificates not only for math but for all other science subjects as well. I have always marveled at the interrelation between these and math, and have always sought to explore their common underlying principles.

I remember my junior high school years very well.  I participated in the Balkan Junior Mathematical Olympiad. Turkish team placed first out of the 21 countries competing in the Olympiad. Our team has received highest number of gold medal. It was a very rewarding experience for me.  Currently, I am a member of the school’s Maths team and we are regularly successful in competing against teams from other schools in the area

The idea of proof has always held a real fascination for me. The process of starting from a simple set of axioms and deriving almost any mathematical is what truly separates Mathematics from any other subject. It is the closest we can ever get to absolute truth, and therein lies its sheer beauty and the reason it is the only subject for me.

I have tried to extend my Maths as much as possible beyond the classroom, and whenever I do so I uncover either some completely new and intriguing area of Mathematics or a very neat trick. Geometry and number theory gave me a good opportunity to explore new mathematical ideas myself, and gain a much deeper appreciation of the interconnections within Mathematics and the creation of proofs. My problem solving skills and ability to manipulate algebraic variables have since been enhanced.

I feel my background has given me an internationally diverse outlook. In my travels, I have met with both the affluence of Europe and the poverty existing in other countries. The Turkish economy is a fascinating topic for me, not just due to my heritage, but because of the juxtaposition between rapid increases in wealth on the one hand and the poverty on the other. Such contrasts have compelled me to seek an understanding of the forces that drive the world economy. <

With the help of my teacher I have developed an interest in economics and scrutinzed economic theories and numerical analysis involved in economics. I frequently read articles on economics in various newspapers. Reading books by economists, has led me to appreciate better how concepts have developed over time. I am surprised how mathematical model can simplfy the enormous complexity of economic process. I used to find them perplexing.

I am always surprised to see how mathematical models predict economic outcome. Mathematics and economy have similar levels of complexity. I saw that forecasts migh mail if mathematical models cannot capture the full detail of the system. Predictions of things like economic recessions are still highly inaccurate, despite the use of enormous models running on fast computers.

The recent economic turmoil has reinforced my belief in how economics is truly an integral part of mathematics. I am sure the university will provide the ideal environment in which to strengthen and test my understanding of such a discipline, where I can formulate and contribute my own theories to the subject. However, I recognize that my passion for economics will lead me to many more career horizons. I am particularly interested in the behavior of firms and organizations from an economic point of view. I have developed a keen interest in analyzing and understanding how the world of business is influenced by economics. I am able to use my mathematical and analytical skills to apply different economic and financial theories. I have found economics to be a challenging and diverse discipline and I am interested in both macro and micro economics. I believe that I will gain a highly marketable set of skills from the study of economics and business at university.