College essay

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Apparently I have to write about my career and educational goals approximately one page in length.

What the heck?!  That's one sentence!

I want to be a pianist, and a piano teacher. 
THE END

I need to make that a page, so what should I write?

[outin]

Apparently I have to write about my career and educational goals approximately one page in length.

What the heck?!  That's one sentence!

I want to be a pianist, and a piano teacher. 
THE END

I need to make that a page, so what should I write?

First you write about why you want to be a pianist and piano teacher instead of a policeman or a doctor, even though you may not ever be rich or famous and maybe even end up earning much less than in more conventional profession. Then you write about how hard the competitition will be in your chosen field and how you must work hard to get into good schools and how long you must study to be good enough. Then you write about what you know about the possibilities to make a living as a pianists and about maybe ending up teaching instead. Write a little about how you have been preparing for this career ever since a young boy and worked hard and practiced long hours alone with the piano. I think that should cover one page...

[rachmaninoff_forever]

First you write about why you want to be a pianist and piano teacher instead of a policeman or a doctor, even though you may not ever be rich or famous and maybe even end up earning much less than in more conventional profession

1st paragraph

Then you write about how hard the competitition will be in your chosen field and how you must work hard to get into good schools and how long you must study to be good enough

2nd paragraph?

Then you write about what you know about the possibilities to make a living as a pianists and about maybe ending up teaching instead

3rd paragraph

Write a little about how you have been preparing for this career ever since a young boy and worked hard and practiced long hours alone with the piano

4th paragraph

[unholeee]

copy an aspiring pianists biography in a competition. cross out their name (important part - dont forget)
submit

for example

Born in Texas on June 20, 1924, rachmanenough_forEva eventually became the most decorated pianist in pianist land. Though he was only 21 years old at the end of the competition, he had killed 240 German sonatas, had been wounded up three times on a pianola, and had earned 33 awards and ivory medals. After the event, he appeared in more than 40 film scores (such as the title ***censored**) showing off his pianist. He suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder throughout his life.

just explain the third person perspective as a trio

[outin]

1st paragraph

2nd paragraph?

3rd paragraph

4th paragraph

You want me to do all the work for you?

Put the 4th as 2nd and 2nd as 3rd and it should be fluent...

[rachmaninoff_forever]

You want me to do all the work for you?

That would be nice. 

Put the 4th as 2nd and 2nd as 3rd and it should be fluent...

Alright thanks dude. 

[outin]

That would be nice. 

I will write all your essays for you forever if you give me your piano skills

[outin]

BTW. Did you mean an application essay to study music in college? If so, it would be good to include something about your musical ideas and goals as well. Like your ultimate goal is to play Rachmaninoff's concerto for two pianos in Carnegie Hall together with Valentina.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

BTW. Did you mean an application essay to study music in college? If so, it would be good to include something about your musical ideas and goals as well. Like your ultimate goal is to play Rachmaninoff's concerto for two pianos in Carnegie Hall together with Valentina.

Which paragraph would that be?

[rachmaninoff_forever]

I will write all your essays for you forever if you give me your piano skills

I would give yo my skills for an hour with Valentina Lisitsa. 

She's sooo dreamy...

[outin]

I would give yo my skills for an hour with Valentina Lisitsa. 

An hour??? 

[outin]

Which paragraph would that be?

After the 2nd would do...

But I think it might be better not to mention your..uhm...relationship with Valentina...

[j_menz]

Apparently I have to write about my career and educational goals approximately one page in length.

What the heck?!  That's one sentence!

I want to be a pianist, and a piano teacher.  
THE END

I need to make that a page, so what should I write?

I'd have thought if anyone could turn that into a page you could. Why not do it as an interview with yourself?  People here like those, and it will stand out from the normal dross they read.

[outin]

I'd have thought if anyone could turn that into a page you could. Why not do it as an interview with yourself?  People here like those, and it will stand out from the normal dross they read.

I guess, but isn't it a bit dangerous considering who we are talking about...they do want their students to be normal? 

[faulty_damper]

But he IS normal - he's actually going to write it himself.  If he were going to Harvard or Yale, he'd simply pay someone to write it for him.  If he's more proactive, he'd just plagiarize it!

[rachmaninoff_forever]

An hour??? 

I will give you my signature for like half an hour.

[outin]

But he IS normal - he's actually going to write it himself.  If he were going to Harvard or Yale, he'd simply pay someone to write it for him.  If he's more proactive, he'd just plagiarize it!

I was a bit surprised he didn't ask someone who already was accepted to let him use theirs.

I am now 100% certain that he is NOT a girl. Girls don't need help with a one page essay about themselves. If he wants me to think he's a girl now he would have to write a poem

[outin]

I will give you my signature for like half an hour.

Hmm... not my favorite pieces...you'd need to do better

How about your pretty hands?

[rachmaninoff_forever]

I was a bit surprised he didn't ask someone who already was accepted to let him use theirs.

I am now 100% certain that he is NOT a girl. Girls don't need help with a one page essay about themselves. If he wants me to think he's a girl now he would have to write a poem

I would do a skit or something, but I think that's inappropriate for a college essay.

And I've kinda always wanted to be a play writer, but...  I don't know dude.

[faulty_damper]

I write poetry.  It's hard!  Which is one  reason  i like it.  But i'm not a girl.  Walt Whitman was not a girl.  Neither was Dr. Suess.

[outin]

I write poetry.  It's hard!  Which is one  reason  i like it.  But i'm not a girl.  Walt Whitman was not a girl.  Neither was Dr. Suess.

They were all girls disguised as guys...poetry is for sissies!

Sorry 

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Hmm... not my favorite pieces...you'd need to do better

How about your pretty hands?

My hands look freaking ugly!  Especially when I'm playing piano, they look like spiders!  It's really weird because even when I'm playing really fast, my hands look soooooo slow and awkward, what the heck?!

And I hope you know that I actually can't play any of my signature.  I just changed it so I could pursuade you to get me an hour with Valentina Lisitsa...

[rachmaninoff_forever]

I write poetry.  It's hard!  Which is one  reason  i like it.  But i'm not a girl.  Walt Whitman was not a girl.  Neither was Dr. Suess.

Is part of the reason why you play piano is because it's hard?

[faulty_damper]

No, I play because it's easy.  I practice because it's hard.

[outin]

My hands look freaking ugly!  Especially when I'm playing piano, they look like spiders!  It's really weird because even when I'm playing really fast, my hands look soooooo slow and awkward, what the heck?!

I just enjoyed the image of you spending you half an hour with bloody stumps  

And I hope you know that I actually can't play any of my signature.  I just changed it so I could pursuade you to get me an hour with Valentina Lisitsa...

How on earth did you find out I'm her agent  
And just to remind you, we were discussing half an hour here.

I thought you had been a good boy and worked hard to learn a few new pieces for the past few weeks  

[rachmaninoff_forever]

I just enjoyed the image of you spending you half an hour with bloody stumps  
How on earth did you find out I'm her agent  
And just to remind you, we were discussing half an hour here.

I though you had been a good boy and worked hard to learn a few new pieces for the past few weeks  

I haven't learned any new music Since I started my college audition repertoire like almost a year ago.

After I'm done I'm gonna go freaking wild with loads of new music.

[outin]

I haven't learned any new music Since I started my college audition repertoire like almost a year ago.

Poor you... I hope there's at least some Rach there?

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Poor you... I hope there's at least some Rach there?

Rach B minor prelude Op. 32 No. 10.

It's a good thing I was able to get my favorite prelude in there.  

But no Scriabin.   

[zezhyrule]

no Scriabin.   

Blasphemy!

[j_menz]

they do want their students to be normal? 

Nope, they want their students to be extraordinary.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Blasphemy!

I know right?!

I wanted to ask my teacher if I could throw in a minute in a half long Scriabin prelude in there but he said no.

[Bob]

Only a page?  That's cake.  The hard part would be keeping it to just a page.

What kind of pianist?  Accompanying?  Style of music?  What kind of teacher?  Teaching who?  Where?  What motivated you to become a pianist?  Teacher?  

If it's an entrance exam don't mention any other potential plans.  Pianist/teacher has always been your dream.


On a few entrance essays I've seen a requirement to interview someone who's doing the job you want to do.  Do that.  Talk to someone.  Job shadow them.  You'll have plenty of material.


Emphasize how you work hard, adapt, learn, etc.  Music schools want someone they can teach.  They don't want students with an attitude.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Aaaaaaaah, what would I do with myself if I didn't have double-spacing...   

[rachmaninoff_forever]

ESSAY #1: In an essay of 300 words or less, please describe how your past circumstances and experiences (such as your upbringing, community, and/or activities) impacted who you are, your future goals, and your choice of major. If you haven't decided on a college or major yet, briefly explain your intentions and aspirations for your first year at Illinois

ESSAY #2: In an essay of 300 words or less, tell us something about yourself that isn't covered elsewhere in this application, some interest or experience of yours that you think the University of Illinois should know about as part of the admissions review


Give me some ideas.  I was thinking of writing about my plans to carry end the world by finishing Scriabin's Mysterium with the help of Valentina Lisitsa, but...  I don't think that's a good idea.

[faulty_damper]

One advice that many authors give over and over is a simple one: be honest.  As a writer, I've come to see and understand why this is such a powerful tool - honesty is compelling.  It compels you to admit things that you may be embarrassed to share, and that's exactly why people like reading it!

So my advice to you is to be honest.  So to help you out, let me ask you a question.  How you answer this question will help you answer your essay question.  Here goes:

Who are you?  What got you here?  And where will you go from here?

Yes, that's just a rewording of Essay #1, but just answer it and we can help you refine it.

[j_menz]

Give me some ideas.  I was thinking of writing about my plans to carry end the world by finishing Scriabin's Mysterium with the help of Valentina Lisitsa, but...  I don't think that's a good idea.

You're right. It's not.  Unless you want admission to their psychology school, as a lab rat. 

Incidentally, 300 words isn't an essay. It's a good sentence. 

[rachmaninoff_forever]

You're right. It's not.  Unless you want admission to their psychology school, as a lab rat. 

Incidentally, 300 words isn't an essay. It's a good sentence. 

I finished one of them, I'm at 298 words.  Lol it was hard to keep it under 300.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

ESSAY #2: In an essay of 300 words or less, tell us something about yourself that isn't covered elsewhere in this application, some interest or experience of yours that you think the University of Illinois should know about as part of the admissions review

Any suggestions?  I was thinking of doing a list of my practice routine and repertoire, but that's only 111 words.  Would it be okay?  A list isn't exactly an essay, but...

[outin]

ESSAY #2: In an essay of 300 words or less, tell us something about yourself that isn't covered elsewhere in this application, some interest or experience of yours that you think the University of Illinois should know about as part of the admissions review

Any suggestions?  I was thinking of doing a list of my practice routine and repertoire, but that's only 111 words.  Would it be okay?  A list isn't exactly an essay, but...

No it certainly isn't. You must write something. What about you favorite piece/composer? Maybe write about the big one that you want to play some day, what you think is so special about it? When did you first hear it. Or something along that line...

[j_menz]

ESSAY #2: In an essay of 300 words or less, tell us something about yourself that isn't covered elsewhere in this application, some interest or experience of yours that you think the University of Illinois should know about as part of the admissions review

Any suggestions?  I was thinking of doing a list of my practice routine and repertoire, but that's only 111 words.  Would it be okay?  A list isn't exactly an essay, but...

Your participation in this forum, perhaps?

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Nevermind guys, got it.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Please briefly highlight the last four years of musical studies in your major area (750 words or less). Highlights might include recent significant public performances given, summer festivals attended, or honors received. Please do not use this space to list repertoire.



I did NOTHING!!!

[outin]

Please briefly highlight the last four years of musical studies in your major area (750 words or less). Highlights might include recent significant public performances given, summer festivals attended, or honors received. Please do not use this space to list repertoire.



I did NOTHING!!!

Hmmm...then this one is tricky indeed...have you met any interesting teachers, other pianists (I guess Valentina dreams don't count) or have you played in a group that made an impact to you? You just have to make some smaller things into highlights unless you are bold enough just to make things up.

Or you could just tell them that your absolute highlight has been every single day when you get to practice the piano instead of doing math...

[rachmaninoff_forever]

or have you played in a group that made an impact to you? You just have to make some smaller things into highlights unless you are bold enough just to make things up.

Or you could just tell them that your absolute highlight has been every single day when you get to practice the piano instead of doing math...

Maybe I didn't make myself clear enough...

I did NOTHING

Well I'm supposed to play for gospel choir, but that doesn't could I don't think because I haven't even rehearsed with them yet.

[outin]

Maybe I didn't make myself clear enough...

I did NOTHING

Well I'm supposed to play for gospel choir, but that doesn't could I don't think because I haven't even rehearsed with them yet.

I know! You could write about how you finally got to love and appreciate Bach and decided to learn the whole WTC before next summer

[faulty_damper]

Then why don't you simply tell about how you did nothing?  Tell us about what you did instead of doing anything with music.  This means you get to be honest again.  Honesty is compelling.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

I know! You could write about how you finally got to love and appreciate Bach and decided to learn the whole WTC before next summer

NEVER!!!!!!!!!!