<p>Sheesh. I see the magic of this summer is still lively.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>TASPers are all brilliant to their own degree. Some TASPers read and enjoy philosophy while others think it’s the “quacking of ducks”. The knowledge base is generally very diverse. </p></li>
<li><p>From the inside information I hear, there will only be two Cornell TASP next year. So, you are in luck and kind of out of luck. Chances to make it into the program are even more competitive than this years 5% but you are guaranteed Cornell. At least from what I hear. Also, having a bias being a UT TASPer, I think that the city was a great place to have a TASP. There was always things to do, cool events, live music and great opportunities. </p></li>
<li><p>Some of the essays I’ve read are brilliant to me, but knowing from personal experience, the essays don’t necessarily need to be mind blowing. I think the better word in this situation is insightful. Some of us (<em>cough</em>me<em>cough</em>) are not the best writers out there…</p></li>
<li><p>Generally, TASPers are Ivy League quality pre-application. They have the drive, intelligence, and stats to apply to top-tier schools. TASP looks good on an application, but by no means does it mean acceptance to a top-tier school. </p></li>
<li><p>The workload is dependent on the seminar and your professors at TASP. At my TASP, the reading and essays weren’t particularly heavy, but the workload was made up for in field research, photography, and video watching.</p></li>
<li><p>TASPers are/will be some of the greatest people you will ever meet. The bond between TASPers is still something I have trouble describing. It can almost be described as a sense of home, where you truly belong and feel safe. I know with my TASP, most people still keep in contact with each other and there are always TASP-y reunions. In fact, two of my TASPers spent time together this summer on a roadtrip down the West Coast. And five of us, spent a day in Philly earlier this summer. Honestly, at the end of TASP, I found that the people I had only known for six weeks had become closer to me than most of my friend at home. So yes, TASPers are very close.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Rambling on at five am. Yeesh.</p>