My childhood was two-dimensional, a life compressed into pages and pages of books, sheet music, and homework. The physical world was a distraction I ignored. But when I decided to be like the heroes in the books, I realized that I needed to confront reality. My first problem was that I had no idea how to socialize with other people. The only time I could interact comfortably with others was by tutoring, so I designed a curriculum for adopted Chinese...

Prompt: "What matters to you, and why?" Is there a cool word for the phrase "getting the job done"? No matter how I think about it, there is none. There is no cool way or shortcut to 'get the job done' either. The entire process is heavily steeped in hard work and planning. Even when I am lost in hypotheticals, one question always brings me back to the drawing board – does this idea work? At heart, I am just a...

Prompt: "Stanford students possess an intellectual vitality. Reflect on an idea or experience that has been important to your intellectual development." My greatest intellectual experience was an independent research project on the Ant Colony Optimization algorithm. The algorithm simulates the communication and teamwork of an ant colony. I found many similarities between the algorithm and my life experiences, especially in volunteering. I was fascinated by the behavior of society, and the relationship between leaders and team members. With blocks of...

When I was little, I avoided conversations with strangers. I was called the 'bookworm' at school because I would rather read than talk to others. When I had to speak, I stuttered, and had trouble finishing my sentences because I believed that no one had heard. I realized this limitation as I grew up, but the habit proved hard to break. I started small, making my voice louder, raising my hand higher. I became the Librarian of my orchestra. I...

My ability to face challenges and overcome them comes from my cultural background. Many of my strongest values – work ethic and integrity – come from my Chinese heritage. I often took walks around the neighborhood with my mother, and I always knew that a life story would start before the second stop sign. These stories were about the life that my mother and father lived in China when they were young, and repeatedly emphasized that hard work was the only route...

I started my personal statement essay (used for the UGA foundation application) about two weeks before I submitted it, with 9 revisions. This was the one that I probably poured the most literary creativity into. I really liked the metaphor of going from 2D to 3D, going from paper to people. I'm an INTJ personality, with a very strong tendency to ignore people and live in my own little bubble. The process of maturing into a person that understood the value...

My MIT interview lasted longer than two hours. I wore a MIT shirt to the interview (this could backfire if you seem too arrogant). I...