I was excited and intrigued. I sat on the living room carpet staring at colors and familiar shapes. Next to me on both sides, my parents spoke in soothing, nurturing tones, yet I could sense their anticipation and awe. My dad helped me to get started; he turned over the puzzle and emptied its 50 pieces onto the carpet. I moved all the little pieces aside and positioned the brightly colored frame in the most natural manner. “Mitchell, it is supposed...

Columbia’s distinction in the engineering and biomedical sciences has captured my enthusiasm. With renowned faculty, such as Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic (highly recommended by my lab mentor), I know I would receive an outstanding comprehensive education. Columbia’s locale opens up opportunities for music performance, an enticing supplement to the range of activities offered at the University. The medical campus has excellent research opportunities, with professors like Dr. Richard B. Robinson, who collaborates on my current research. I am certainly interested...

What attracts you specifically to the study of engineering I always have had a passion for engineering, from building robots as a child to researching polymers and cardiac tissue in recent years. The beauty in engineering is its application to many disciplines. I could use engineering principles to design medical treatments, chemical processes, or computer software and hardware. Most importantly, I have an affinity for solving problems and synthesizing information; engineering is certainly the calling for me. I hope that...

Books read for pleasure in the past year Atlas Shrugged, Nineteen Eighty-Four, A Million Little Pieces, The Rest is Noise, and Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Required reading most enjoyed in last year Native Son, Death of a Salesman, A Streetcar Named Desire, and The Things They Carried Print or Electronic Publications read regularly Medical Journals (for use in my scientific research) – for example, “Cardiovascular Research” or “Circulation”, Newsday, Time, The New York Times, Popular Science, and The New...

Tour of campus,...