I don’t know how feasible it is to get an accurate assessment of another applicant’s personality over a few PMs, but even if you did get an authentic glimpse of their personalities, I hardly think that’s cause to say that everyone who got rejected had a certain type of personality. You’re correlating two concepts that are coincidentally linked if anything. Again, please know that there is no “type” that TASP seeks out. The common denominator between all present is intellectual curiosity and passion, not some high school label or specific writing style.</p>
<p>^I would like to add that if anything you are perceiving similarities among people who would apply to TASP at all, who I would like to think all have a measure of intellectual curiosity and passion. Have you PM’d any people who are now finalists? If you did I wouldn’t be surprised if you found similarities in the same vein.</p>
<p>In addition I’d like to add that personality diversity is as important to them as any other variety. Example: embeezy and I are extremely similar demographically–same race, same religious views, same relative socio-economic status, similar political views, and both from rural communities in the same state–and yet our personalities and academic “types” are extremely different. Diversity is truly more than a buzzword to them.</p>
<p>That is a possiblity. But the sameness that I am talking about is nothing like
but something more fundamental (can’t find a very accurate word to describe it; it is more like how we would react to the world). Basically we exchanged essays (that’s what the “PM” referred to and I shouldn’t ask the finalists for their essays) and at least I feel that the essays reflect the same type of personality that is not bounded by race/religion/geography, etc but something more private. </p>
<p>But I think I’d better drop the topic here. I still love TASP even though I cannot go and I did learn from the TASPlication process. I am glad that at least I had the opportunity to apply and I don’t regret spending hours on the application. :)</p>
<p>^You’re missing the point of what I said. The things I listed are not aspects of personality, they are demographics, and I was making a statement about how important diversity of personality is to TASP.</p>
<p>I really don’t think you guys got rejected because you have some common personality, anymore than I think that the finalists were accepted because they have some common personality. You have to keep in mind that 90% of all applicants have been rejected. Unless this hidden trait is somehow shared by all of them, and that’s over 900 people, than I would say that what you’ve noticed is either a) coincidental or b) something common to all teenagers who would even want to do something like TASP.</p>
<p>I’m glad you enjoyed the process, and I hope that sentiment is shared by everyone. It really taught me a lot about myself and I still look back on it as something that “matters” in my life.</p>
<p>Got my rejection letter today in the mail, oh well. Congrats to all acceptees (not sure if that’s a word?). As a URM, I still have hope for MITES and/or YESS.</p>
<p>A former TASPer mentioned that the critical analysis essay was the least likely to be discussed in the interview because it was the one that least reflected the interviewee. But wouldn’t this intuitively be a major part of the interview? You can’t really debate someone’s life plans or a personal conflict in their life, but you can argue about their analysis or their view of an issue.</p>
<p>^It’s an interview, it’s not a debate. They aren’t there to just flatly argue with you, though they may bring up disagreements with ideas you’ve presented. I’d say it’s easier to start threads of conversation with the other essays since they tend to be more general and universal than an analysis of a book. That’s not saying they won’t talk about your first essay, it could end up being the most important part of your interview.</p>
<p>I think it’s very cruel to send the rejection letters by mail :(. I don’t care how I find out - I just want confirmation asap so that I can move on with my now miserable life.</p>
<p>I don’t think it’s a bad thing. It symbolizes the formal ending of my TASplication adventure. At least we have something concrete to remember. </p>
<p>btw I am still waiting for my rejection letter. It will probably take weeks before it arrives.</p>
<p>Oh and I found something really neat. Another CCer and I have been thinking about opening another TASP-like program when we grow up (and have enough money) and I’ve found out that the abbreviation will be TASP as well (just take our initials).</p>
<p>Got my rejection letter yesterday. As I’ve said before, completely expected, so I wasn’t disappointed. The TASP road is officially over for me. :)</p>
<p>Got contacted by interviewer today…really nervous. I just hope I don’t turn into a spaz. I also have no idea what I’m supposed to wear- it’s neither a really casual setting nor a really formal one.</p>
<p>Where is it exactly? Personally I would lean towards the more formal side, but if it’s borderline it’s really your call. In my humble opinion you can’t go wrong with business casual. </p>
<p>That last sentence is by far the most dweeby I have ever written.</p>