Free College Admissions Essays: Mathematics :: College Admissions Essays

Mathematics    I have always enjoyed mathematics from an early age. As I progressed through A-level, I began to appreciate the importance of mathematics in other science and in commercial life. I believe that a degree in mathematics will leave me very versatile in terms of a future career choice. From 1992 onwards, I was selected every year to represent the school for Hans Woyda Mathematics competition between Home Counties schools. In 1997/98, I was captain of the team. Previously, we have reached the semi-finals of the competition. I have also attained three gold awards in the Sharp UK Mathematical Challenge on the occasions I entered. I have also gained a Merit award in the British Physics Olympiad competition.    I enjoy computer programming and am fluent in Basic and Visual Basic. In 1997, I gained experience work with Cable & Wireless at their Mercury One 2 One division. This involved using a Unix based system running in real time with the company's other offices. During this time, I learnt to set-up spreadsheets for the company, requiring macro programming. The aim was to generate weekly forecasts.    The school participated in the Young Enterprise scheme, sponsored by major UK companies. The scheme entails setting up a business organisation with a board of directors comprising of members from various schools. As financial director of Avanti, which manufactured and sold celebratory cards, I was responsible for the company's financial health. The company made a considerable profit (67% net), leading to second position in the local competition. This experience gave me the opportunity to develop my organisational and communication skills. I was also an active member of the 6th form council with responsibility for ordering and monitoring stock for the vending machine.    Since 1994, I have played rugby for the school's 1st XV. I have competed for the school at 200m and recently took part in the 'Tough Guy' competition, an endurance course entailing several months of rigorous training and raising money for charity. I have recently gained my 1st Dan Black belt in Karate.

Othello and Oedipus Essay

Othello: the Moor of Venice and Oedipus are masterpiece tragedies that were written by great authors of yesteryear including William Shakespeare and Sophocles. These books are laden with varied themes which are still applicable today as they are still played in both community and professional theatres worldwide. Othello was a renowned general in the Venetian army whose military exploits were widely acclaimed whereas Oedipus was the new sovereign of the city of Thebes. While these two great men share a lot in common, the differences between them also abound. The most significant trait that both characters share is that they are heroes. The deeds they carry out are great and daring and they both possess tremendous strength. Case in point is when Othello vanquishes the enemies of Venice and Oedipus defeats the Sphinx and frees Thebes from the tyranny of the gods and the heavy taxation that they had endured for eternity. This has earned them a lot of admiration and respect from their communities. For example, Oedipus was considered a savior to his people who turned to him for solace and answers to their suffering. This is described in the following quote from the priest, â€Å"You are a man, not a god–I know. We all know this, the young kneeling here before you know it, too, but we know how great you are, Oedipus, greater than any man. When crisis struck, you saved us here in Thebes; you faced the mysterious, strange disasters hammered against us by the gods. This is our history-we paid our own flesh to the Sphinx until you set us free. You knew no more than anyone, but you knew. There was a god in it, a god in you. †( â€Å"Qtd in†Berg & Clay,1988,25) Othello is regarded highly by the Venetian senate which calls for his leadership when the state is faced by the threat of imminent aggression. This is illustrated when the Duke of Venice ordered Othello to prepare for immediate deployment against the Ottoman enemy. â€Å"The Turk with a most mighty preparation makes for Cyprus. Othello, the fortitude of the place is best known to you; and though we have there a substitute of most allowed sufficiency, yet opinion, a sovereign mistress of effects, throws a more safer voice on you: you must therefore be content to slubber the gloss of your new fortunes with this more stubborn and boisterous expedition. †(Othello , 1. 3. 56) Both Oedipus and Othello have the enviable character of making duty their main concern. They both derive honor from fully committing to the personal quests in their lives, regardless of the repercussions. Oedipus’ consuming quest for instance, is the tracking down and punishing of the murderers of his predecessor. In the process of chasing his quest, Oedipus wrongs his brother- in- law, Creon, branding him a traitor. He also succeeds in alienating his twin sons and all of Thebes. On the other hand, Othello’s’ overriding mission is the sacredness of his marriage vows and there is no end he will not go to protect their sanctity. Othello is depicted as naive. Throughout the play, Iago takes every opportunity to exploit Othello’s naivety. Iago tells Roderigo, â€Å"O, Sir, content you. I follow him to serve my turn upon him†. (Othello,1. 1. 38) This means that Iago will readily use Othello to achieve his ends and dump him when he achieves his desires. Othello on his part readily believes Iago each time even when Othello could have exercised better judgment. For instance, he heeds the deception of the wicked Iago and ignores Desdemona’s oaths and the small still voice in his heart and conscience. Othello’s’ naivety is in stark contrast with Oedipus who trusts his own wisdom in arriving at any decision. This fact is illustrated when he pays a visit to the Oracle who confirms the worst. He still believes so much in his own reason and determines that he was the one to blame for his fate and thus accepted the consequences of his actions. Oedipus is depicted as very adamant and rigid since he will not compromise once he has decided on a course of action regardless of the cost and what any other person may think. The two legends destroy their lives courtesy of their incurable natural flaws. Their Achilles heel comes in the form of their overwhelming pride and obsession which is driven by their overinflated egos and personalities. Oedipus on one side is so proud of his intelligence, which is considerable, that he tries to run from a dreadful fate. Othello on the other hand prides himself as the paragon of courage and integrity and thus fails to recognize his violent temper which proves fatal in the end. Throughout the play, Othello is portrayed as a man who is calm under pressure and therefore in control of every situation. This trait comes out clearly when Brabanito goes to his house with the intent to kill him. However, before anything grave happens Othello exclaims, â€Å"Hold your hands, both of you of my inclining and the rest. Were it my cue to fight I should have known it without a prompter†(Othello,1. 2. 80-3) Oedipus is very dramatic and emotional in crisis and cannot compare to Othello’s calm under pressure. When King Lauis dies he is quoted as saying, â€Å"I fight for Apollo, I fight for the dead man. You see me, you hear me, moving against the killer. My words are his doom. Whether he did it alone, and escaped unseen, whether others helped him kill, it makes no difference-let my hatred burn out his life, hatred, always. Make him an ember of suffering† (â€Å" qtd in†Arrowsmith&Golder,1988,34,) By any standards, Othello and Oedipus were truly great men. However, in spite of all the exceptional accomplishments and awesome qualities that they were gifted with, their very nature ended up consuming them in the end. Indeed, these two men give life to the old truism that pride comes before a fall. Works Cited Arrowsmith William and Golder H. The Greek tragedy in new translations. New York,NY, 1988 Berg, Stephen and Clay, Dickins. Sophocles’ Oedipus the King New York,NY, 1988 McCauley Janie. Shakespeare’s Othello An educational outreach of Bob Jones University, 2002. Shakespeare, William. Othello; The Moor of Venice Electronic Text Center, University of Virginia Library, http://etext. virginia. edu/etcbin/toccer-new2? id=MobOthe. sgm&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&tag=public&part=all

Adoption Statistics National Adoption - 1283 Words

In an impeccable world, all children would be loved and nurtured and live in a cozy home with a stable family. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. In the United States â€Å"over 400,000 American children are in foster care, taken away when their families are in crisis and can’t take care of them† (â€Å"Statistics on Foster Care†). Out of all those children in the foster care system about â€Å"114,556 of these children are available for adoption†, which means the biological parents’ rights have been legally terminated through the court system (â€Å"Adoption Statistics: National Adoption Month†). That is an immense number of children who end up not being able to have the same bond and love that a biological child would receive from their own parents. The foster care system in Arizona is in crisis, and â€Å"government, agencies, organization, and individuals need to collaborate and work together to help the over 17,000 children in need of a loving permanent home† (â€Å"Arizona Foster Care System- Child Crisis Center†). Typically, children are placed in foster care as a result of the abuse (physically, emotionally and/or sexually), neglect (pay no attention or too little attention to) or abandonment; on the other hand, the children also enter the system by reason of the behavioral issues or by cause of the biological parent subsequently being incarcerated or ill. Fostering a child can be over and above difficult than having a biological child; however, it is considerably more rewarding when aShow MoreRelatedAdoption Statistics : National Adoption1265 Words   |  6 PagesAmerican children are in foster care, taken away when their families are in crisis and can’t take care of them† (â€Å"Statistics on Foster Care†). Out of all those children in the foster care system about â€Å"114,556 of these children are available for adoption†, which means the biological parentsâ €™ rights have been legally terminated through the court system (â€Å"Adoption Statistics: National Adoption Month†). That is an immense number of children who do not get to have the same bond and love that a biologicalRead MoreAdoption Research Paper1556 Words   |  7 PagesOpen Adoption: A Growing Trend in the U.S. In the last four decades, the concept of the American family has undergone a radical transformation, reflecting society ¡Ã‚ ¯s growing openness. Among all segments of society, there is a greater acceptance of a variety of family structures  ¨C from single parenting to blended families to same sex parenting of children. The introduction of openness into the process of adoption offers new opportunities for children in need of a parent or parents and prospectiveRead MoreEssay about Abortion Is Murder1200 Words   |  5 Pagesjustified since the abortion could cause as much damage as the birth itself. Abortion can never be validated, and as a result should be abolished for the following reasons: it is a form of murder, it leads to both physical and psychological effects and adoption is always available. Abortion is a form of murder because the life of a human is still being lost. In 2008 alone, approximately 1.21 million abortions took place in the U.S. (Medical Testimony). Disgracefully, this means that 1.21 million innocentRead MoreOpen Adoption : A Growing Trend1440 Words   |  6 Pages Open Adoption: A Growing Trend in the U.S. In the last four decades, the concept of the American family has undergone a radical transformation, reflecting society s growing openness. Among all segments of society, there is a greater acceptance of a variety of family structures from single parenting to blended families to same sex parenting of children. The introduction of openness into the process of adoption offers new opportunities for children in need of a parent or parents and prospectiveRead MoreAdoption Worth The Cost : Should Adopting A Child Be Free?1453 Words   |  6 PagesAdoption Worth the Cost Should adopting a child be free? As a first response, many people would answer â€Å"Yes, adoption should be free,† arguing that there should not be a price tag on children, or that adoption is unreasonably expensive. Others may argue that â€Å"No, it should not be free,† because it may unknowingly put the adoptees at risk for danger, while the children are easily accessible. Adoptions were created to give children, whose biological parents could not care for them, a new and affectionateRead MoreInterracial Adoption Is A Controversial Issue For Decades Now1741 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"transracial adoption†, is a white family bringing an African American baby into their home. However, that is not always the case. Transracial adoption means the joining together of racially diverse parents and children together into an adopted family. Many families have had the life changing opportunity of adopting a child into their home, whether the child is African American, Chinese, or Vietnamese, that has shaped the family into something even stronger. People should consider interracial adoption becauseRead MoreA Study On Child And Family Development Essay1530 Words   |  7 PagesUniversity of Michigan School of Social Work, n.d.). Subsequently, the professionalitazion of social work was initiated by focusing on case work and scientific methods. In 1918, the Association of Hospital Social Workers was established and by 1955 the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) was formed, promoting professional development, advance social policies, enhance educational opportunities in the field, and maintain professional standards of practice (What is the History of the Social WorkRead MoreThe Genesis Of International And Intercontinental Adoption785 Words   |  4 Pagesintercontinental adoption in U.S. martial intercession, predominantly the Korean War and its consequences. Keeping focus on the concealed statistics in Korean adoption research, the prostitute and her biracial kid, this article tends to recast armed camp-town in Southern Korea as the original situate of communal casualty, an essential situation that causes to be biracial children homeless and their respective Korean mothers attenuate mothers for adopting them. â€Å"One people, one nation† is the National philosophyRead MoreGay Adoption : Discrimination Against Gay1626 Words   |  7 PagesRomero, Jessica Communication Studies 105 Tuesday, Thursday 8-9:20 a.m. Gay Adoption Introduction Attention getter: Discrimination against gay men and lesbian women has been socially recognized for hundreds of years and still continues today. Homosexuals have adopted children for many years, regardless of fear and prejudice. The controversy of this matter is why homosexuals are not presented the equal fairness of the process and open opportunity as heterosexual couples who seek to adopt or fosterRead MorePersuasive Essay On Adoption1358 Words   |  6 PagesAdoption is the legal process of accepting someone into your family formally, and taking on the legal responsibilities as parent of a child. Adopting a child or teen involves a judicial process where a person accepts a child into their life, creating a new relationship. Once the adoption is final, the adoptive parents have full responsibility of their child and the child is then part of their family. According to the U.S. Department of State, adoption has started becoming less popular in the United