“So what do you want to study at Cornell?” I winced at these words, anticipating a familiar wave of conflicted emotions to pass through my body any second. It always was easy to answer what college I wanted to go to but the hard part was discussing what I wanted to study. Sometimes I would answer biology, other times sociology, but most of the time I indicated that I was undecided. I was wedged between two seemingly different areas of interest and was not ready to give either of them up. However, my experiences throughout high school with cross-disciplinary studies inside and outside of the classroom made the overlap between sociology and biology clear. I realized that I could pursue both passions in the unique Biology and Society major offered at Cornell, specifically in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
I have been always fascinated with the human body, but even more fascinated with the technology associated with its analysis and treatment. One of my favorite toys as a child was a stethoscope my mother, (a doctor) had given me. I would run around, listening to the music of the heartbeats surrounding me. The gateway between the outside and inside of the human body
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I was given the opportunity to work with the genes of canine and rat cells with the goal of developing a cell model that could affectively portray the affects of radiation treatment. As a Biology and Society major at Cornell, I’d like to enhance my classroom education with a more genuine experience in the numerous opportunities for research. I studied a few publications of Dr. Jeffrey Roberts, a Cornell professor, this past summer and am intrigued by his work on the role of RNA polymerase in gene regulation. I am confident that under his tutelage, I can add to my core knowledge and use it to further my research and to solve current problems in
Imagine a cardiovascular surgeon about to crack the sternum of a dying patient; tension is high while the clock of life ticks desperately slower and softer for the poor soul on the cold steel table that saw death the hour before. Is it logical that at that moment the purveyor of life is contemplating whether his freshmen philosophy class back at SMU has thoroughly prepared him for what he is about to do? Not likely. In higher learning institutions, liberal art classes like philosophy are not meant to be directly applied to one’s life or career; however, they are structured and devised to be a strong base that the individual can expand upon through scientific learning and experience. This is precisely the reason colleges and universities require and place much emphasis on these classes; nevertheless, there has been a shift away from the liberal arts towards the direction of highly specialized areas of science and business because of their growing integration in everyday life. Although people need a limited number of liberal arts classes to attain a basic understanding of ourselves and our evolution, state universities are aptly moving towards technical education, because, in this fast paced world, many people don’t have the time or money to spend studying the humanities alone.
I hope to leave NC State as a young adult who is ready and prepared to enter society with a determined mindset and hard work ethic. I believe that I will be perfectly capable of achieving my goals and and aspirations as an NC graduate, and will graduate with the experience to take on challenges that may await me in a future career. Although I am still unsure of my desired field of study, I am confident that I will be able to discover a career path I will enjoy through the Exploratory Studies college. I am excited to enroll as an undergraduate student at NC State, and look forward to the opportunities ahead of me in the college of Exploratory
Over the past few years, people have begun to see going to college as a way to achieve the American Dream through career-readiness. People used to go to college, hoping to get a better well-rounded education. For most the well-rounded education, it usually came with the courses required for a liberal arts education. The courses would provide a level of analytical and in-depth understanding that would prepare the students for both life and whichever career path chosen. No matter the amount of money paid, parents would be willing to gi...
When I entered college at LSU, in the fall of 2009, I was undecided in my major. I did this purposefully because I wanted to give myself the opportunity to have one full year to try out a variety of classes and truly allow myself to find my passion. It was during my second semester at LSU that I took KIN 2500, a human anatomy course, and felt the feeling I had been hoping I would fe...
Though I have a number of intellectual interests, three of them are particularly conspicuous: politics, economics, and technology. These interest both excite my curiosity while teaching me lessons that will prove useful for me in life.
“Majoring In Fear” by Mark Shiffman analyzes a shift in the attitudes of today’s youth. He claims that students are choosing more practical pathways out of fear, sacrificing their genuine passions and interests in order to attain a safer career. Shiffman believes this sacrifice is detrimental to students because a liberal arts education catalyzes introspection and spiritual growth. By leaving behind opportunities for such growth, the youth of today lack the capacity and resources for reflection on their lives. Shiffman further illustrates this idea with the claim that students who initially show an interest in the humanities later choose to further their education in Economics or Spanish (Shiffman 5).
Students base their college major choices on their interests. A study published in the College Student Journal, conducted to reveal information about students who are entering college, utilizes extensive research to identify the factors that influence students’ college major decisions. It is based upon the assumption that making “good” major choices is beneficial to the students. A “good” major is defined as one that helps students reach their post-education goals, as well as one that is compatibl...
As the world becomes more specialized it raises the question, should undergraduate institutions change their curriculum requirements to better equip students? The goal of a liberal arts education is to enlighten individuals and prepare them for the complex and diverse world by requiring the study of literature, philosophy, mathematics, and sciences. As professional careers evolve into more specialized fields the argument that a liberal education is no longer needed rises. Some educators feel that future professionals would be better primed for the future by focusing specifically on subjects that deal with their intended field. However, a liberal arts education provides benefits that go beyond the classroom. The experience of studying a wide range of material makes an individual well rounded, creates opportunities, and allows for personal evaluation. Broadening one’s knowledge in vast areas develops communication, problem-solving skills, and social responsibility regardless of intended careers.
Since the beginning of my academic endeavors, I have long cherished a dream to be a member of the social science research community, which gives our society progressive insights into human ecology. I began my undergraduate studies at Ramapo College of New Jersey with a passion for ecological justice and with the intention of majoring in environmental studies. Ramapo College’s progressive liberal arts foundation provided me with ample room to explore the multifarious array of social science courses. As I took more social science courses, however, my understanding of human social groups underwent a metamorphosis. As a result, I decided to pursue a degree in Social Science, with minors in the two fields I felt most passionately interested in, Women’s Studies and African American Studies.
One of the most important decisions an undergraduate will make will be deciding what they will major in. This academic and life choice will ultimately decide how an individual will view their college experience and help guide them with their future career choices. Choosing the wrong major can be too stressful and overwhelming for a student with more course work than expected. On the other side of the spectrum, the wrong choice in a major will not challenge the individual to bring out their full potential. “Ideally, a major will leave a student academically successful, as well as fulfill academic, personal, and vocational goals “(“The Pennsylvania State University Division of Undergraduate Studies,” n.d.). For most college students choosing a major is a difficult decision, especially when they are not mentally and rationally matured. When choosing a major it is implied that most people are logical and rational, and that they weigh the pros and
I have always been the kind of person who could never make up her mind. For the past three years, my answer to the question, “What do you want to do when you grow up?” changed every two weeks. Even now, I can’t bring myself to choose between my two passions: languages and neuroscience. At Fordham College at Lincoln Center, I don’t have to choose. The integrative neuroscience program covers all the bases, from cell to cognitive to computational neuroscience. The opportunity to customize my education and set myself up for a fulfilling future in my area of study is one that has been integral throughout my college search, and I believe that Fordham offers just that. The Lincoln Center College also appeals to my style of learning. I’m a very hands-on
Whenever asked what my favourite subject is, Biology has been, and will always be, my only answer. It was bewildering to compare my body to a machine working harmoniously. The digestive system, the respiratory system and the circulatory system are coordinating with each other right underneath my skin. Realising that the 'blue lines' visible beneath the flesh of my hands are actually veins carrying deoxygenated blood fueled my desire to know more about how my body functions. To me, it has always been about getting to know my self better.
Further education gives students an opportunity to develop skills, talents, and discover new interests. It teaches students how to examine, evaluate, and compare arguments with different people. Many young students are undecided about their career path when they think about college. Some people are not ready to decide their majors because they have not received enough information about the different subjects. Fortunately, colleges offer students the opportunity of exploring a variety ...
As a freshman, I was conflicted about what I wanted out of college. At the time, I naively believed that I would major in Neuroscience and Arabic while completing plenty of biomedical research on the side. Perhaps I would also sign up for a few clubs here and there and thus produce the perfect resume for medical school. In the following year, I realized that my heart was not into the breakneck agenda I planned for myself and I started to reevaluate just what exactly I wanted to pursue in my undergraduate experience. With the aid of many advising sessions I gained a clearer picture of my passions, which as I had come to realize, were what I truly wanted to work towards. Among my interests is Global Health -- in particular, I wish to learn more
When I graduated from high school I, like many students, had no clue what I wanted to do with my life. I thought that going to college, without any idea of what degree to get, would be a waste of money and time; so I made the decision to hold off on college. Ten years later, and after much deliberation and research, I found my calling to be psychology. The first step in becoming a clinical psychologist is to obtain a bachelor’s degree. It doesn’t have to be in psychology, in fact you can get an undergraduate degree in anything and then apply for a master’s degree in psychology, but I want to know as much as possible about psychology before I get into my Ph.D. By adding a minor in sociology, which is the study of human social behavior and its origins, development, and associations, I am hoping to obtain a broader look at why people are the way they are. A bachelor’s degree in psychology, with a minor in sociology, is valuable because I would like to become a clinical psychologist.