<p>For the second application essay, would it be better to write about a memorable experience at the science fair, or about my involvement in the creation of my school’s literary magazine?</p>
<p>The problem I’m having is that I can think of interesting essays to write about each of these.</p>
<p>At the science fair, I was interviewed by one very critical judge who really put me on the verge of tears with remarks about how stone-age the problem I’d chosen was. It was especially disheartening because that was only the second interview of the day. (As it turned out, all the other judges were supportive.) The experience really forced me to reflect on the project and realize why I felt I’d actually done something significant: it was fun. I had many other experiences over the course of the project, but this one is certainly one of the most memorable since it forced me to question months of hard work.</p>
<p>On the other hand, I also played a major role with the lit mag. This was my school’s very first literary magazine. It was amazing to watch as bright students who had never had any real opinions started to develop and then write them. (I would be participating in the club this semester but there were scheduling conflicts. Hopefully there won’t be any conflicts next semester.)</p>
<p>The most important difference I see is that one essay is science-related whereas the other is not. Should I just choose whichever one I like the best?</p>
<p>Lit mag seems more typical (read: boring) and will be harder to write well. It sounds like you have a truly unique (and INTRIGUING) experience with the science fair, and if you have any shadow of a good writer in you, you will be able to craft it into a gripping essay. Especially since not that many people get put on the verge of tears at science fairs.</p>
<p>Thanks Ben!</p>
<p>There were some atypical aspects to the lit mag which I didn’t capture in that paragraph, but I see what you mean. I’ll write about the science fair.</p>
<p>Would it make sense to use the science fair experience as the basis for your “why Caltech” essay, and the magazine essay for the second?</p>
<p>i want to write about my science fair thing too (it was only like one month thing…but that 10th grade experience was really how I discovered chemistry to be my only career)</p>
<p>but i thought the second essay askes for something outside math and science lol</p>
<p>can someone tell me why im not getting this?</p>
<p>Actually, that’s why I asked the question to begin with. However, you have to realize that there are two questions you may answer for the second essay and you can choose one, and one says “What event or events have shaped your life?” Well, arthas, I’d say the science fair shaped your life, so it should fit.</p>
<p>Besides that, there may be much more to a science fair than science. For example, there was my harsh-judge experience. Also, I got a taste of true competition at the science fair; there was one student I met. We were quick friends, but I was disturbed by the fact that he/she went around ensuring that none of the other very good projects were in his/her own category. Sometimes it seemed as if I was the only student who hadn’t memorized a presentation or taken calculus as a freshman. So, depending on your experiences, a science fair might be a very good subject for the second essay, since its stated goal is to find out about “you as a person.”</p>