masagold,
Columbia
B.A., Philosophy
jazz guitarist, philosophy major, pre-law, coffee-lover
Features Included
4
Essays
12
Schools
9
Scores
5
Advice
3
ECs
1
Sports
Background
Hometown
Bloomington, Illinois
GenderFemale
EthnicityAsian
Class of2023
First Gen College StudentNo
Results, Essays, and Advice
Accepted
Waitlisted or Withdrew
Denied
-
Tap/click a school logo above to view essays and advice specific to that school.
Columbia University (New York, NY)
Applied for a B.A. in Philosophy
Accepted and Enrolled Legacy: NoSchool Specific Essays
Personal Statement666 WordsDevelopment of personal values, Interest in fine arts, Story central to identityBloomington Normal is almost laughably cliché for a midwestern city. Vast swathes of corn envelop winding roads and the heady smell of BBQ smoke pervades the countryside every summer. Yet, underlying the trite norms of Normal is the prescriptive force of tradition—the expectation to fulfill my role as a female Filipino by playing Debussy in the yearly piano festival and enrolling in multivariable calculus instead of political philosophy. So when I discovered the technical demand of bebop, the triplet...Read more...Personal Statement351 WordsChallenged a belief, Interest in other academic subject, Transition to adulthoodMany debate whether Plato’s Republic is more important to political philosophy or ethics. To think of the book as political philosophy is understandable; after all, it’s called Republic. Yet, these political ideas are stated with the understanding that the Republic Plato speaks of serves as a parallel to the human soul. Although everyone always expected me to study math, philosophy offered an entirely different world. A freshman year reading of The Stranger left me confused, and then intrigued,...Read more...Personal Statement364 WordsChildhood memory, Creative personal story, Development of personal values, Extracurricular passionA lot of people can vividly describe the first time they listened to their favorite album. There’s some moment of cathartic release when everything clicks and the music feels so closely like home. My infatuation with Channel Orange, though, was a gradual development. At first I simply liked how it sounded. The album is a work of sonic decadence—Frank Ocean’s mellow croon overlays a swirl of glittering analogue synths where every nuance of warm mids and crisp...Read more...Supplemental Essay: “Why us” school essay140 WordsCharacterized by constant academic and cultural exploration, where students discover groundbreaking ideas and culture by attending a guest speaker lecture or a Sofar Sounds Concert in an unfamiliar borough. Collaborative, featuring a dedicated core of musicians and jazz ensembles on campus who gather for jam sessions or gigs at nearby venues, constituting a supportive, close-knit community. Engaged, offering opportunities to write for insightful publications that examine both issues on campus and in the city with a critical eye. Challenging, nurturing...Read more...Supplemental Essay: Amusing anecdote252 WordsRecently when I visited the Museum of Failure, one product stood out to me: Colgate brand Lasagna. Delicious. I laughed at the oxymoronic nature of the product, but I realized the only difference between me and poor Colgate Lasagna man is that I have a pressure valve to let off my weirder ideas: my naps. Sometimes I actually sleep, but other times I lie with my eyes closed and my mind drifting aimlessly. It’s cathartic to let my brain...Read more...Supplemental Essay: Other260 Words
Write on something you would like us to know about you that you have not conveyed elsewhere in your application. (Yale)
What is something about yourself that is essential to understanding you? (USC)
What do you personally want to emphasize about your application for the admission committee’s consideration? Highlight something that’s important to you or something you haven’t had a chance to share. (Carnegie Mellon)A lot of people can vividly describe the first time they listened to their favorite album. There is some moment of cathartic release when everything clicks and the music feels so closely like home. My infatuation with Channel Orange, though, was a gradual development. At first I simply liked how it sounded. Frank Ocean’s mellow croon overlays a swirl of glittering analogue synths where every nuance of warm mids and crisp highs meld together to produce a beautifully hazy...Read more...School Specific Advice
My extracurricular activities in college, and why I chose them47 Words- Bacchanal Planning Committee (annual music festival) - WKCR (radio station) - Alma...Read more...Why I ultimately chose my school194 WordsI was lucky to be accepted to some great schools, but ultimately Columbia was the perfect fit for me. The core curriculum's great-books approach and small seminar discussion style appealed to my love of discussion and reading. Both the campus and the city are rich with academic/extracurricular opportunities. My friends have seen Judith Butler and Patti Smith...Read more...More Essays
These essays haven't been tagged by school. Click school logos above to see tagged essays.
General Admissions Advice
What set me apart from other applicants135 WordsAlthough test scores get you past the first "filter" for applicants at competitive schools, conveying your passions through your essays and extracurricular involvement is key. Connecting the dots between the active cities you do and the unique aspects of your...Read more...How I narrowed down my essay topics156 WordsYour essays don't necessarily have to be about things you're good at. Just things that speak to who you are as an individual. My favorite essay of mine was on my HUGE love of the musical artist Frank Ocean, and I tried to show how my...Read more...How to deal with the stress of applying to college103 WordsI was SO stressed during the college apps process because all of this was very new to me. I barely knew about Columbia (the school I now attend) until the summer...Read more...High School Performance
Unweighted GPA3.98RankTop 10%
Academic Performance in High School Steady
Test Scores
Highest ACT36ACT Score DetailsOther ACT ScoresACT Prep
AP / IB Classes and Scores
Details8 classes and scoresSports
SportsTennis
Extracurriculars
ActivitiesSchool Jazz / Orchestra, Music: Instrumental, Student Council / Government
Elaborate on Extracurriculars or Work
Experience & Awards
Volunteer Experiences
Awards Received
Application Additional Materials
Similar Profiles
VivikyungColumbia
Accepted to Brown, CalTech, CMU, UC Berkeley, UCSD, Columbia
Currently a freshman at Columbia University: a California girl living it up in New York! I'm an engineer with an interest in computer science and basically everything from archery to travel to hackathons.kimmykrispColumbia
Accepted to Columbia, Yale, Stanford, UPenn, Northwestern, NYU, Brown, BU, Northeastern
Interested in law, political science and economicsklaus251Columbia
Accepted to Columbia, Binghamton
A mediocre programmer with an above average compsci essay.hannahkoColumbia
Accepted to Columbia, Rutgers
Going to attend Columbia University in fall 2016! I am also an extremely active musician.janetzhang321Columbia
Accepted to Columbia, Fordham, Northeastern, Binghamton
Columbia Student studying Computer Science and Political ScienceBackSign Up to AccessRegister to view profiles for free!
- or -Already have an account? Log In here.BackLog InIt's good to see you again!- or -Don't have an account? Sign Up here.Forgot Password?You will receive instructions on
how to reset your password.Email has been sent toYou will receive instructions
on how to reset your password.