the costco essay pdf

• Counseling Services Overview

• Online Courses

• For media inquiries

The Costco Essay Deconstructed

Article updated on November 15, 2019

Students searching for exemplary examples of college admissions essays may already be familiar with what has come to be known as The Costco Essay , but it is worth digging a little deeper to understand how this essay that “ got a high school senior in to 5 Ivy League colleges ” actually works.

Many people have noted that the essay alone did not get the student admitted to all these schools, rather it was the totality of her application. This is of course true! We have ourselves written extensively about the 11 distinct criteria colleges use to evaluate applicants, but the fact remains that when so many students have great grades and test scores, your college essays are clearly an important opportunity to stand out.

I caution all my students not to read an excessive amount of examples, because it can become overwhelming to compare too many glowing finished essays to one’s own blank page or early draft in progress.  But if you read in the right spirit, I believe a few examples can be both instructive and inspiring. I have tried to explain some of what I find compelling about the Costco Essay.

Prompt 1: Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

Now more than ever, colleges are affirming the weight given to a student’s character as it comes through across all elements of an application. So have no illusions that grades and test scores make one applicant more qualified or deserving of admission to college than another. We are not looking at the whole application, but in addition to being well written, this essay demonstrates of the kind of character that Ivy League and all colleges want on their campus.

Thanks for reading!

Ready to write your personal statement with Peter and I as your coach? Good news, the next cohort of Write Your Way Into College starts soon. 

If you’re looking for more personalized 1-to-1 counseling  through the college admission process, PCC is here for you. To learn about our comprehensive packages click here . 

If you’re not already receiving The Savvy Applicant (our weekly newsletter where we share important college admissions news and actionable guidance) you can subscribe at the top right of this page.

Recommended For You

How to make extracurricular activities count for college admissions

Top Frequently Asked Questions About AP Courses

Asian-American Discrimination in College Admissions: How to Stand Out

This essay got a high-school senior into 5 Ivy League schools and Stanford

High-school senior Brittany Stinson was accepted into five Ivy League schools — Yale, Columbia, University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth, and Cornell.

She also got into Stanford, which has an acceptance rate of 4.69% — a lower rate than any of the Ivy League schools.

"I'm sort of still in shock. I don't think I've processed everything yet," she excitedly told Business Insider.

The Ivy League is notoriously hard to get into, as the hundreds of thousands of other applicants to the eight elite schools are well aware.

Related stories

The schools Stinson was accepted into have acceptance rates ranging from 13.96% to 4.69%.

Stinson graciously shared her Common Application admissions essay with Business Insider, which we've reprinted verbatim below.

Prompt 1: Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

Managing to break free from my mother’s grasp, I charged. With arms flailing and chubby legs fluttering beneath me, I was the ferocious two­ year old rampaging through Costco on a Saturday morning. My mother’s eyes widened in horror as I jettisoned my churro; the cinnamon­sugar rocket gracefully sliced its way through the air while I continued my spree. I sprinted through the aisles, looking up in awe at the massive bulk products that towered over me. Overcome with wonder, I wanted to touch and taste, to stick my head into industrial­sized freezers, to explore every crevice. I was a conquistador, but rather than searching the land for El Dorado, I scoured aisles for free samples. Before inevitably being whisked away into a shopping cart, I scaled a mountain of plush toys and surveyed the expanse that lay before me: the kingdom of Costco. 

Notorious for its oversized portions and dollar­fifty hot dog combo, Costco is the apex of consumerism. From the days spent being toted around in a shopping cart to when I was finally tall enough to reach lofty sample trays, Costco has endured a steady presence throughout my life. As a veteran Costco shopper, I navigate the aisles of foodstuffs, thrusting the majority of my weight upon a generously filled shopping cart whose enormity juxtaposes my small frame. Over time, I’ve developed a habit of observing fellow patrons tote their carts piled with frozen burritos, cheese puffs, tubs of ice cream, and weight­loss supplements. Perusing the aisles gave me time to ponder. Who needs three pounds of sour cream? Was cultured yogurt any more well­mannered than its uncultured counterpart? Costco gave birth to my unfettered curiosity. 

While enjoying an obligatory hot dog, I did not find myself thinking about the ‘all beef’ goodness that Costco boasted. I instead considered finitudes and infinitudes, unimagined uses for tubs of sour cream, the projectile motion of said tub when launched from an eighty foot shelf or maybe when pushed from a speedy cart by a scrawny seventeen year old. I contemplated the philosophical: If there exists a thirty­three ounce jar of Nutella, do we really have free will? I experienced a harsh physics lesson while observing a shopper who had no evident familiarity of inertia's workings. With a cart filled to overflowing, she made her way towards the sloped exit, continuing to push and push while steadily losing control until the cart escaped her and went crashing into a concrete column, 52” plasma screen TV and all. Purchasing the yuletide hickory smoked ham inevitably led to a conversation between my father and me about Andrew Jackson’s controversiality. There was no questioning Old Hickory’s dedication; he was steadfast in his beliefs and pursuits – qualities I am compelled to admire, yet his morals were crooked. We both found the ham to be more likeable–and tender.

I adopted my exploratory skills, fine tuned by Costco, towards my intellectual endeavors. Just as I sampled buffalo­chicken dip or chocolate truffles, I probed the realms of history, dance and biology, all in pursuit of the ideal cart–one overflowing with theoretical situations and notions both silly and serious. I sampled calculus, cross­country running, scientific research, all of which are now household favorites. With cart in hand, I do what scares me; I absorb the warehouse that is the world. Whether it be through attempting aerial yoga, learning how to chart blackbody radiation using astronomical software, or dancing in front of hundreds of people, I am compelled to try any activity that interests me in the slightest. 

My intense desire to know, to explore beyond the bounds of rational thought; this is what defines me. Costco fuels my insatiability and cultivates curiosity within me at a cellular level. Encoded to immerse myself in the unknown, I find it difficult to complacently accept the “what”; I want to hunt for the “whys” and dissect the “hows”. In essence, I subsist on discovery.

Watch: Here's what Costco looked like when it opened in 1983 and the annual membership was $25

• Main content

Morning Rundown: Israel halts military leave after Iran threats, Trump special counsel rips judge request, and why Germany is being threatened with elephants

Essay About Love for Costco Wins Student Admission to Five Ivies

A college essay about one teen's drive to explore life — as well as her deep and abiding love for Costco — has won over admissions counselors at six of the most prestigious schools in the U.S.

Brittany Stinson, an 18-year-old senior at Concord High School in Wilmington, Delaware, found out last week that she got into five Ivy League universities — Yale, Columbia, University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth, and Cornell — as well as the similarly competitive Stanford.

Stinson, the only child of Terry and Joe Stinson, neither of whom are Ivy League nor Stanford graduates themselves, wants to be a doctor, and her mother says she has always been a strong student.

Special section: Get tips and advice about college at College Game Plan

“She’s always gotten straight As, takes the most rigorous courses she can, and is first in her class,” Terry Stinson, a Brazilian immigrant who became an American citizen only a few years ago, told NBC News.

Aside from her academics, Stinson's unusual essay made her college application stand out.

In response to the essay question, which asks students to share a "background, identity, interest or talent that is so meaningful," their application would be incomplete without it, Stinson described her admiration for America's largest wholesale warehouse — and how "the kingdom of Costco" was symbolic of so much more in her life.

“Just as I sampled buffalo ­chicken dip or chocolate truffles, I probed the realms of history, dance and biology, all in pursuit of the ideal cart–one overflowing with theoretical situations and notions both silly and serious,” she wrote. “I sampled calculus, cross-­country running, scientific research, all of which are now household favorites. With cart in hand, I do what scares me; I absorb the warehouse that is the world.”

Writing about Costco felt natural to her, she told NBC News.

“I had always gone to Costco while growing up. It was a constant part of my childhood. I Iooked forward to trips on the weekends, and I had always treated it as a Disneyland of sorts. I was always curious about the place. The same attitude carried over to everything I tried in life,” she said.

While it was risky to write about something so outlandish, Stinson felt like she needed something to stand out amid other applicants with similar grades, extracurriculars, and SAT scores.

“I couldn’t afford to go via the traditional route. I would actually be more worried about taking a traditional route at the risk of blending in with other applicants,” Stinson said. “I knew that writing about my experiences at Costco would at least make for a memorable essay, whether [admissions committees] loved or hated it. On another hand, I felt that the essay ended up being such an accurate representation of me and my personality.”

Related: After Bouncing Between Foster Homes, Golf Caddie Gets Full Ride to College

Stinson’s father, Joe, said he believes his daughter’s greatest strengths are “her fortitude and tenacity, to choose among many.” Her English teacher for the past two years, Leslie Wagner of Concord High School, says writing is one of those strengths too.

“Brittany has always had a knack for finding just the right phrase. She has a quiet demeanor overall, but in her writing her wit and her skill with language is quite apparent,” Wagner told NBC News.

Now, Stinson has a tough choice ahead of her. She said she has “no clue” which of the universities that admitted her she will choose.

“Admitted student day visits are going to be so vital. We’ll also be comparing financial aid packages,” she said.

Read Brittany Stinson's full essay below, reprinted with her permission:

Managing to break free from my mother’s grasp, I charged. With arms flailing and chubby legs fluttering beneath me, I was the ferocious two­ year old rampaging through Costco on a Saturday morning. My mother’s eyes widened in horror as I jettisoned my churro; the cinnamon­-sugar rocket gracefully sliced its way through the air while I continued my spree. I sprinted through the aisles, looking up in awe at the massive bulk products that towered over me. Overcome with wonder, I wanted to touch and taste, to stick my head into industrial­sized freezers, to explore every crevice. I was a conquistador, but rather than searching the land for El Dorado, I scoured aisles for free samples. Before inevitably being whisked away into a shopping cart, I scaled a mountain of plush toys and surveyed the expanse that lay before me: the kingdom of Costco.

Notorious for its oversized portions and dollar-­fifty hot dog combo, Costco is the apex of consumerism. From the days spent being toted around in a shopping cart to when I was finally tall enough to reach lofty sample trays, Costco has endured a steady presence throughout my life. As a veteran Costco shopper, I navigate the aisles of foodstuffs, thrusting the majority of my weight upon a generously filled shopping cart whose enormity juxtaposes my small frame. Over time, I’ve developed a habit of observing fellow patrons tote their carts piled with frozen burritos, cheese puffs, tubs of ice cream, and weight-­loss supplements. Perusing the aisles gave me time to ponder. Who needs three pounds of sour cream? Was cultured yogurt any more well­-mannered than its uncultured counterpart? Costco gave birth to my unfettered curiosity.

While enjoying an obligatory hot dog, I did not find myself thinking about the ‘all beef’ goodness that Costco boasted. I instead considered finitudes and infinitudes, unimagined uses for tubs of sour cream, the projectile motion of said tub when launched from an eighty foot shelf or maybe when pushed from a speedy cart by a scrawny seventeen year old. I contemplated the philosophical: If there exists a thirty-­three ounce jar of Nutella, do we really have free will? I experienced a harsh physics lesson while observing a shopper who had no evident familiarity of inertia's workings. With a cart filled to overflowing, she made her way towards the sloped exit, continuing to push and push while steadily losing control until the cart escaped her and went crashing into a concrete column, 52” plasma screen TV and all. Purchasing the yuletide hickory smoked ham inevitably led to a conversation between my father and me about Andrew Jackson’s controversiality. There was no questioning Old Hickory’s dedication; he was steadfast in his beliefs and pursuits – qualities I am compelled to admire, yet his morals were crooked. We both found the ham to be more likeable–and tender.

I adopted my exploratory skills, fine tuned by Costco, towards my intellectual endeavors. Just as I sampled buffalo­-chicken dip or chocolate truffles, I probed the realms of history, dance and biology, all in pursuit of the ideal cart–one overflowing with theoretical situations and notions both silly and serious. I sampled calculus, cross­-country running, scientific research, all of which are now household favorites. With cart in hand, I do what scares me; I absorb the warehouse that is the world. Whether it be through attempting aerial yoga, learning how to chart blackbody radiation using astronomical software, or dancing in front of hundreds of people, I am compelled to try any activity that interests me in the slightest.

My intense desire to know, to explore beyond the bounds of rational thought; this is what defines me. Costco fuels my insatiability and cultivates curiosity within me at a cellular level. Encoded to immerse myself in the unknown, I find it difficult to complacently accept the “what”; I want to hunt for the “whys” and dissect the “hows”. In essence, I subsist on discovery.

• Today's news
• Reviews and deals
• Climate change
• 2024 election
• Fall allergies
• Health news
• Mental health
• Sexual health
• Family health
• So mini ways
• Unapologetically
• Buying guides

Entertainment

• How to Watch
• My watchlist
• Stock market
• Biden economy
• Personal finance
• Stocks: most active
• Stocks: gainers
• Stocks: losers
• Trending tickers
• World indices
• US Treasury bonds
• Top mutual funds
• Highest open interest
• Highest implied volatility
• Currency converter
• Basic materials
• Communication services
• Consumer cyclical
• Consumer defensive
• Financial services
• Industrials
• Real estate
• Mutual funds
• Credit cards
• Credit card rates
• Balance transfer credit cards
• Business credit cards
• Cash back credit cards
• Rewards credit cards
• Travel credit cards
• Checking accounts
• Online checking accounts
• High-yield savings accounts
• Money market accounts
• Personal loans
• Student loans
• Car insurance
• Home buying
• Options pit
• Investment ideas
• Research reports
• Fantasy football
• Pro Pick 'Em
• College Pick 'Em
• Fantasy baseball
• Fantasy hockey
• Fantasy basketball
• Download the app
• Daily fantasy
• Scores and schedules
• GameChannel
• World Baseball Classic
• Premier League
• CONCACAF League
• Champions League
• Motorsports
• Horse racing
• Newsletters

New on Yahoo

• Privacy Dashboard

Read the College Essay About Costco That Got This Senior Into 5 Ivy League Schools

From Cosmopolitan

Meet Brittany Stinson, an 18-year-old senior at Concord High School in Wilmington, Delaware, who just last week found out she got into Yale, Columbia, University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth, Cornell, Columbia, and Stanford. What is so special about Stinson, you might ask? Besides the fact she's undoubtedly an excellent student, she wrote her college essay on Costco. Yes, Costco.

"I'm sort of still in shock. I don't think I've processed everything yet," she told Business Insider , with whom she shared the entire essay.

The Common Application prompt was: "Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story." Stinson felt her background as a "Costco veteran" was meaningful enough to share and she was right.

Her essay begins:

Managing to break free from my mother's grasp, I charged. With arms flailing and chubby legs fluttering beneath me, I was the ferocious two­ year old rampaging through Costco on a Saturday morning. My mother's eyes widened in horror as I jettisoned my churro; the cinnamon ­sugar rocket gracefully sliced its way through the air while I continued my spree. I sprinted through the aisles, looking up in awe at the massive bulk products that towered over me. Overcome with wonder, I wanted to touch and taste, to stick my head into industrial­-sized freezers, to explore every crevice. I was a conquistador, but rather than searching the land for El Dorado, I scoured aisles for free samples. Before inevitably being whisked away into a shopping cart, I scaled a mountain of plush toys and surveyed the expanse that lay before me: the kingdom of Costco. Notorious for its oversized portions and dollar-­fifty hot dog combo, Costco is the apex of consumerism. From the days spent being toted around in a shopping cart to when I was finally tall enough to reach lofty sample trays, Costco has endured a steady presence throughout my life. As a veteran Costco shopper, I navigate the aisles of foodstuffs, thrusting the majority of my weight upon a generously filled shopping cart whose enormity juxtaposes my small frame. Over time, I've developed a habit of observing fellow patrons tote their carts piled with frozen burritos, cheese puffs, tubs of ice cream, and weight-­loss supplements. Perusing the aisles gave me time to ponder. Who needs three pounds of sour cream? Was cultured yogurt any more well­-mannered than its uncultured counterpart? Costco gave birth to my unfettered curiosity.

It takes a brilliant creature to elevate stuffing your face with free samples to a metaphor about having an appetite for life and approaching obstacles with curiosity instead of fear, but that's exactly what she did. You can read her essay in full over on Business Insider ... and spend the rest of the day thinking about what you plan to accomplish with the rest of your life.

Follow Tess on Twitter .

Recommended Stories

Rashee rice apologizes for 'my part' in crash while injured couple reportedly lawyer up.

Rice reportedly owned the Corvette and leased the Lamborghini involved in the crash.

What the total solar eclipse could mean for your zodiac sign: An astrologer breaks it down

An astrologist weighs in on the 2024 solar eclipse.

Vontae Davis, former NFL star, found dead in Miami home at age 35

Davis published a children's book about his life in 2019

Trump Media stock tanks as new filing reveals heavy losses, 'greater risks' on Trump's involvement

After a strong debut last week, shares of Donald Trump's media company were under pressure Monday after meager sales and deep losses were revealed in a new filing with the SEC.

USWNT captain Lindsey Horan and Alex Morgan issue statement after Korbin Albert apologizes for anti-LGBTQ content

Morgan alluded to some "hard conversations" with Albert over the past week.

Mock Draft Monday with Field Yates: You will be shocked how early Bo Nix goes

'Mock Draft Monday' rolls on ESPN's Field Yates joining Matt Harmon to break down his latest mock draft. Harmon has Yates break down his mock draft methodology and what goes into his decision making when placing certain prospects on certain teams.

Beyoncé's 'Texas Hold 'Em' took over the country charts. Here's what happens when it comes on in country bars.

It was initially unclear if the song would be accepted as a true “country” tune.

Dallas mayor hints at bringing Chiefs to Cowboys territory after stadium vote fails

This obviously isn't happening.

Duke's Cooper Flagg, Rutgers' Ace Bailey lead 8 players who impressed during McDonald's All American practices

Ahead of Tuesday night's McDonald's All American Game, Yahoo Sports breaks down eight players who have already made lasting impressions on NBA scouts.

LSU's Angel Reese opens up about dealing with hateful speech, death threats: 'I've been through so much'

The LSU star said she's dealt with a lot ever since her star run in last year's national championship.

• The Inventory

Support Quartz

Fund next-gen business journalism with $10 a month

Free Newsletters

A high schooler was accepted to five Ivy League colleges with an essay about Costco

It took just a few short hours on Apr. 1 for Concord High School senior Brittany Stinson to go viral. Not because she staged an epic prank—though more than a few skeptics assumed that her sudden notoriety was an April Fool’s Day fakeout—but for her very real, decidedly eccentric college applications essay that helped garner her admission to five Ivy League colleges and Stanford University.

The essay isn’t your typical exercise in academic humblebragging or lofty save-the-world aspiration: It’s a nostalgic, free-form musing on the  joys of shopping at Costco with her mom . And while it shows a young essayist’s tendency to overwrite (the Achilles heel of some of us older wordsmiths as well), it also provides insight into a mind that takes creative risks and thinks with expansive originality.

Coming as it does in the thick of a heated debate over  “holistic” evaluation standards  at elite colleges—admissions practices that extend beyond comparing grades and scores to include assessments of character and the impact of background and cultural identity on a student’s academic journey—Stinson’s essay has generated a whirling array of reactions. After being posted on Business Insider last week, her essay was read over a million times and shared many thousands more on social media.

Many have found it charming and compelling, while others have attacked it as an example of the antics holistic admissions practices encourage among applicants hoping to stand out. The truth is, these two opinions aren’t mutually exclusive. Stinson’s SAT scores were in the high 90-something percentile (she wouldn’t say exactly her score) and she’s on track to graduate as her class’s valedictorian. Meanwhile, she participated in highly competitive STEM programs, loaded up on AP classes, was a competitive cross-country runner, and an active participant in her local community.

“I’d definitely fit in with the nerds, although the kids at our school would probably categorize us as the overachievers, instead,” Stinson says. “I’d like to study neuroscience in college. I volunteered in a research lab working on a genetics project at the University of Delaware. This was one of my favorite extracurriculars. I’m definitely pursuing research in college.”

All of these factors mark her as a strong candidate for an elite university. Of course, tens of thousands of other applicants had similarly outstanding academic and extracurricular profiles this year. Stinson’s essay, however, must have suggested to schools that she would bring with her a unique and interesting point of view.

Stinson acknowledges that her status as the daughter of a Brazilian immigrant mother who identifies as black, and a white US-born father, likely gave her admissions case a boost.

“I did declare my race and ethnicity on my applications. I think my background likely made my application stand out and impacted it positively,” she says, noting that she is also a proponent of affirmative action policies. “Many who criticize affirmative action think that nearly all minority admitted students are somehow less qualified, undeserving, or that ‘they took a spot’ from a more deserving non-minority student. I think that affirmative action makes a well-qualified minority student stand out, but it will never cause an unqualified student to be admitted. Non-minorities are still benefiting from a system built in their favor.”

At the same time, as clearly evidenced by Stinson, striving for diversity isn’t just about redress for past and present inequities. It’s also about bringing together a group of people with different ways of looking at the world—people who will spend four or more years side by side, learning from and being shaped by fresh and unique perspectives.

”College is a place where we learn just as much outside the classroom as we do inside,” says Stinson. “By being exposed to people of different races, socioeconomic backgrounds, cultures, and religions, we can learn from their experiences. Diversity enriches an education.”

While surprised that her essay has received so much attention, Stinson said she thinks it may have resonated because of the universality of its thesis.

“I’ve seen negative comments online from people who weren’t familiar with the literary devices I was trying to use. I’ve seen people say that it’s ‘ridiculous’ that my essay involved Costco, but I don’t think they’ve even scratched the surface,” she says. “They think that in order for an essay to have depth, it needs to involve tragedy, inspiration, or overcoming adversity. I don’t know if many applicants usually explore the mundane in their essays—that seems to have taken a lot of people by surprise. I thought that this essay was a genuine representation of myself: I’m a sarcastic, dorky weirdo with a passion for science and I tried to demonstrate that I’m the kind of person who finds meaning in seemingly ordinary things.”

Which might well be the perfect summary of the college experience: It’s a chapter in life during which young people go off to find meaning in seemingly ordinary things—most particularly, in other people.

For universities, this means recruiting student bodies that represent the best and brightest of a world of worlds: Diversity of heritage and faith, of nationality and culture, of class and familial background, and yes, of race and ethnicity.

Evaluating students by scores and grades alone can’t deliver on that promise. Only by understanding the person behind the scholarly achievements, and the context in which they were earned, can universities build a student body that reflects the kaleidoscopic array of ideas, traditions, and perspectives of our increasingly global society. Which means that those who  attack holistic admissions  fail to recognize that diversity isn’t an irrelevant factor in the making of an elite college education—it is, as Stinson points out, the very thing that makes these schools worth attending.

Here is Stinson’s essay, republished below with her permission:

Prompt 1: Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. Managing to break free from my mother’s grasp, I charged. With arms flailing and chubby legs fluttering beneath me, I was the ferocious two­ year old rampaging through Costco on a Saturday morning. My mother’s eyes widened in horror as I jettisoned my churro; the cinnamon-­sugar rocket gracefully sliced its way through the air while I continued my spree. I sprinted through the aisles, looking up in awe at the massive bulk products that towered over me. Overcome with wonder, I wanted to touch and taste, to stick my head into industrial­ sized freezers, to explore every crevice. I was a conquistador, but rather than searching the land for El Dorado, I scoured aisles for free samples. Before inevitably being whisked away into a shopping cart, I scaled a mountain of plush toys and surveyed the expanse that lay before me: the kingdom of Costco. Notorious for its oversized portions and dollar-­fifty hot dog combo, Costco is the apex of consumerism. From the days spent being toted around in a shopping cart to when I was finally tall enough to reach lofty sample trays, Costco has endured a steady presence throughout my life. As a veteran Costco shopper, I navigate the aisles of foodstuffs, thrusting the majority of my weight upon a generously filled shopping cart whose enormity juxtaposes my small frame. Over time, I’ve developed a habit of observing fellow patrons tote their carts piled with frozen burritos, cheese puffs, tubs of ice cream, and weight­-loss supplements. Perusing the aisles gave me time to ponder. Who needs three pounds of sour cream? Was cultured yogurt any more well­mannered than its uncultured counterpart? Costco gave birth to my unfettered curiosity.

While enjoying an obligatory hot dog, I did not find myself thinking about the “all beef” goodness that Costco boasted. I instead considered finitudes and infinitudes, unimagined uses for tubs of sour cream, the projectile motion of said tub when launched from an eighty foot shelf or maybe when pushed from a speedy cart by a scrawny seventeen year old. I contemplated the philosophical: If there exists a thirty-­three ounce jar of Nutella, do we really have free will? I experienced a harsh physics lesson while observing a shopper who had no evident familiarity of inertia’s workings. With a cart filled to overflowing, she made her way towards the sloped exit, continuing to push and push while steadily losing control until the cart escaped her and went crashing into a concrete column, 52-inch plasma screen TV and all. Purchasing the yuletide hickory smoked ham inevitably led to a conversation between my father and me about Andrew Jackson’s controversiality. There was no questioning Old Hickory’s dedication; he was steadfast in his beliefs and pursuits—qualities I am compelled to admire, yet his morals were crooked. We both found the ham to be more likable–and tender. I adopted my exploratory skills, fine-tuned by Costco, towards my intellectual endeavors. Just as I sampled buffalo­-chicken dip or chocolate truffles, I probed the realms of history, dance and biology, all in pursuit of the ideal cart–one overflowing with theoretical situations and notions both silly and serious. I sampled calculus, cross­-country running, scientific research, all of which are now household favorites. With cart in hand, I do what scares me; I absorb the warehouse that is the world. Whether it be through attempting aerial yoga, learning how to chart blackbody radiation using astronomical software, or dancing in front of hundreds of people, I am compelled to try any activity that interests me in the slightest. My intense desire to know, to explore beyond the bounds of rational thought; this is what defines me. Costco fuels my insatiability and cultivates curiosity within me at a cellular level. Encoded to immerse myself in the unknown, I find it difficult to complacently accept the “what”; I want to hunt for the “whys” and dissect the “hows”. In essence, I subsist on discovery.

📬 Sign up for the Daily Brief

Our free, fast, and fun briefing on the global economy, delivered every weekday morning.

• Smart Living

This High School Student Got Into 5 Ivy Leagues With a Brilliant Essay About . . . Costco?

Updated on 5/16/2016 at 8:00 PM

The popular saying-turned-cliché "write what you know" has long been used as the steadfast rule for high school students and novelists alike. Well, for her college admissions essay, one high school senior did just that — and it turns out that she knows Costco . She knows Costco really well.

A current senior at Concord High School in Wilmington, DE, Brittany Stinson has garnered attention for her brilliant essay (since shared with Business Insider ) about the beloved wholesale store that ended up getting her into five Ivy League universities: Columbia, Dartmouth, Cornell, Yale, and the University of Pennsylvania. Stinson was also admitted to Stanford — which is known for its notoriously low acceptance rate.

In her essay, Stinson recognized Costco as the invariable "apex of consumerism" that it is but also as the sprawling space that nurtured her curiosity at a young age. Below, you can read her full essay, which continues to delight readers and prove that those acceptance letters were well-deserved.

Managing to break free from my mother's grasp, I charged. With arms flailing and chubby legs fluttering beneath me, I was the ferocious two­ year old rampaging through Costco on a Saturday morning. My mother's eyes widened in horror as I jettisoned my churro; the cinnamon sugar rocket gracefully sliced its way through the air while I continued my spree. I sprinted through the aisles, looking up in awe at the massive bulk products that towered over me. Overcome with wonder, I wanted to touch and taste, to stick my head into industrial-sized freezers, to explore every crevice. I was a conquistador, but rather than searching the land for El Dorado, I scoured aisles for free samples. Before inevitably being whisked away into a shopping cart, I scaled a mountain of plush toys and surveyed the expanse that lay before me: the kingdom of Costco. Notorious for its oversized portions and dollar­fifty hot dog combo, Costco is the apex of consumerism. From the days spent being toted around in a shopping cart to when I was finally tall enough to reach lofty sample trays, Costco has endured a steady presence throughout my life. As a veteran Costco shopper, I navigate the aisles of foodstuffs, thrusting the majority of my weight upon a generously filled shopping cart whose enormity juxtaposes my small frame. Over time, I've developed a habit of observing fellow patrons tote their carts piled with frozen burritos, cheese puffs, tubs of ice cream, and weight­loss supplements. Perusing the aisles gave me time to ponder. Who needs three pounds of sour cream? Was cultured yogurt any more well-mannered than its uncultured counterpart? Costco gave birth to my unfettered curiosity. While enjoying an obligatory hot dog, I did not find myself thinking about the 'all beef' goodness that Costco boasted. I instead considered finitudes and infinitudes, unimagined uses for tubs of sour cream, the projectile motion of said tub when launched from an eighty foot shelf or maybe when pushed from a speedy cart by a scrawny seventeen year old. I contemplated the philosophical: If there exists a thirty-three ounce jar of Nutella, do we really have free will? I experienced a harsh physics lesson while observing a shopper who had no evident familiarity of inertia's workings. With a cart filled to overflowing, she made her way towards the sloped exit, continuing to push and push while steadily losing control until the cart escaped her and went crashing into a concrete column, 52" plasma screen TV and all. Purchasing the yuletide hickory smoked ham inevitably led to a conversation between my father and me about Andrew Jackson's controversiality. There was no questioning Old Hickory's dedication; he was steadfast in his beliefs and pursuits — qualities I am compelled to admire, yet his morals were crooked. We both found the ham to be more likeable — and tender. I adopted my exploratory skills, fine tuned by Costco, towards my intellectual endeavors. Just as I sampled buffalo chicken dip or chocolate truffles, I probed the realms of history, dance and biology, all in pursuit of the ideal cart — one overflowing with theoretical situations and notions both silly and serious. I sampled calculus, cross country running, scientific research, all of which are now household favorites. With cart in hand, I do what scares me; I absorb the warehouse that is the world. Whether it be through attempting aerial yoga, learning how to chart blackbody radiation using astronomical software, or dancing in front of hundreds of people, I am compelled to try any activity that interests me in the slightest. My intense desire to know, to explore beyond the bounds of rational thought; this is what defines me. Costco fuels my insatiability and cultivates curiosity within me at a cellular level. Encoded to immerse myself in the unknown, I find it difficult to complacently accept the "what"; I want to hunt for the "whys" and dissect the "hows". In essence, I subsist on discovery.

ICYMI- Why The Costco College Essay Is Crucial Reading for Future College Applicants

At this point, it’s almost been impossible to avoid reading about the amazing Costco college essay that secured one lucky applicant admission to several Ivies and Stanford. It’s a great essay, but not everyone seems to understand why, so CEA Founder Stacey Brook broke it down and offered some lessons that everyone can take away from this well-executed piece of prose:

By now you have probably heard about or read the college essay by high schooler Brittany Stinson detailing how her routine trips to Costco shaped her life and world. In the piece, now officially at viral status , Stinson paints a vivid picture of how wandering up and down the aisles at her favorite big box store inspired her to ponder the addictive nature of Nutella, imagine physics experiments involving 3-pound tubs of sour cream and converse with her father about historical figures who share their aliases with giant hams . The essay is clever, warm and highly observant and introspective. If Costco is a kingdom, as Brittany claims, she is currently its reigning Queen. […]

The Business Insider piece that originally introduced Stinson’s essay to the world framed her success in their title: “This Essay Got a High School Senior Into 5 Ivy League Schools and Stanford.” As a college essay expert and advisor, I would love to be able to tell you that a college essay can get you into the school of your dreams. But the truth is, a wide array of factors are considered in admissions decisions and the essay is just one of them. And media attention that focuses exclusively on students who gain admission to multiple Ivy League Institutions sends the wrong message to students (and parents) about what is important and why they should pay attention to Stinson’s writing.

Stinson’s essay was not her ticket to admission. It was a thoughtfully crafted, brilliantly executed piece of a very complex puzzle. Still, the college essay is a highly significant piece of the puzzle in that it is one of the only opportunities students have to speak to admissions officers in their own voices and highlight something about their personalities or passions that allows them to stand our from other, similarly qualified candidates.

So what should students and parents take away from the Costco essay?

Read the rest at Huffington Post .

About Thea Hogarth

View all posts by Thea Hogarth »

Written by Thea Hogarth

Category: College Admissions , Essay Tips

Tags: advice , college acceptance , college applications , college essay , costco , huffington post , tips

Want free stuff?

We thought so. Sign up for free instructional videos, guides, worksheets and more!

One-On-One Advising

Common App Essay Prompt Guide

Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

• YouTube Tutorials
• Our Approach & Team
• Undergraduate Testimonials
• Postgraduate Testimonials
• Where Our Students Get In
• CEA Gives Back
• Undergraduate Admissions
• Graduate Admissions
• Private School Admissions
• International Student Admissions
• Common App Essay Guide
• Supplemental Essay Guides
• Coalition App Guide
• The CEA Podcast
• Admissions Stats
• Notification Trackers
• Deadline Databases
• College Essay Examples
• Academy and Worksheets
• Waitlist Guides
• Get Started

Student writes college essay about Costco, accepted into five Ivies

If a superstore has impacted your life, you might want to write about it.

It seems 18-year-old high school senior Brittany Stinson submitted an essay about her love for Costco and got some pretty good responses, specifically, a big "yes" from the University of Pennsylvania, Yale University, Dartmouth College, Columbia University and Cornell University, according to NBCnews.com .

Oh, and she also got in to Stanford.

RELATED New York teen accepted to all eight Ivy League schools

When asked why she chose Costco as her essay topic, Stinson told NBC  that Costco has always been a part of her childhood and that going to Costco was like going to Disneyland.

Read Stinson’s amazing essay here .

Sam Lisker is a student at Ithaca College and a USA TODAY College digital producer.

This story originally appeared on the USA TODAY College blog, a news source produced for college students by student journalists. The blog closed in September of 2017.

This Senior's Essay On The Philosophy Of Costco Helped Get Her Into 5 Ivy League Schools

Getty / Costco

College admissions essays: How does one set out to write 500-1000 words that could change his or her life forever? Just being the most unapologetic you that you can be is the best route, IMHO -- and it's a good bet one extremely happy Delaware student would offer the same advice.

Delaware teen Brittany Stinson got accepted to 10 colleges, half of them Ivy League schools. The high school senior now gets to decide between Yale, Columbia, University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth and Cornell — not to mention Johns Hopkins University, Northwestern University, New York University, Boston University, and Stanford. 😮🎓

Stinson shared her college admissions essay with Business Insider , and it -- along with stellar academics and extracurriculars, of course -- has been lauded as a big reason she was accepted to such spectacular schools.

Her essay was, literally, about big box wholesale store Costco, home of 5 pound tubs of Country Crock margarine . Metaphorically, it was a rumination on life, growing up, and having a real hunger for knowledge.

"I just did something that was me," Stinson told BI. "I knew I was capable of weaving in humor into the essay, and I knew that with kids that have similar extracurriculars and scores you need to stand out when it comes to the essay."

Stinson's essay is replete with such literary gems as, "If there exists a 33 ounce jar of Nutella, do we really have free will?" and "Who needs three pounds of sour cream? Was cultured yogurt any more well­-mannered than its uncultured counterpart? Costco gave birth to my unfettered curiosity."

But, it's the ending of her essay that brings home her thesis that Costco is just a metaphor of her thirst for life.

"My intense desire to know, to explore beyond the bounds of rational thought; this is what defines me. Costco fuels my insatiability and cultivates curiosity within me at a cellular level. Encoded to immerse myself in the unknown, I find it difficult to complacently accept the 'what'; I want to hunt for the 'whys' and dissect the 'hows'. In essence, I subsist on discovery."

Read Stinson's fire college essay in full on BI .

H/T Mashable

Latest News

POV VMA SUBMISSION FORM

MTV Video Music Awards Will Return to New Jersey for September Show

Scream’s Ghostface Accepts Best Movie And Best Fight: ‘Movies Don’t Create Psychos’

Anthony Ramos And Dominique Fishback Ramp Up The Tension In New 'Transformers' Clip

Joseph Quinn Acknowledges The Power Of 'Stranger Things' Fans

Ariel And Prince Eric's Romantic Night Ends With A Splash In New 'Little Mermaid' Clip

• Have your assignments done by seasoned writers. 24/7
• Contact us:
• +1 (213) 221-0069
• [email protected]

Costco Essay: Analysis And How to Write a Better One

Writing Costco Essay

Costco is one of the largest retail stores that focus on lower prices for consumers. The company boasts of numerous warehouses that have more than 4000 different varieties of goods.

Through proper leadership strategies, Costco has been able to offer consumers high-quality prices at lower prices compared to its competitor stores.

They embrace a self-administration model of operation for customers thus reducing the need of employing workers. 

What is Costco Essay?

The famous Costco essay is a college admission essay that was written by Brittany Stinson, a former student of Concord high school.

As a requirement for high school students to write an admission essay before joining a college, Brittany chose the topic because of her love for Costco wholesale and retail stores. 

Shockingly, the essay got the internet and colleges cheering.

It received a high rating gaining her admission to top Ivy League learning institutions such as Cornell, Yale, Stanford, Columbia, and the University of Pennsylvania. 

Students who have gone through high school will all concur that the transition period between high school and college is challenging. It is a time when they experience a lot of emptiness because of the anxiety of going to a new learning environment.

To make it worse, gaining admission to the top schools is difficult if you do not come up with a good application essay. 

Even an outstanding performance in GPA and SAT is not enough to gain admission to a good college such as Stanford. Learning institutions provide a prompt for students to write an admission essay or personal statement to get a place in their classes.

Also known as Brittany Stinson’s essay, the Costco essay has been one of the most remarkable because of what it achieved. 

Analysis on What Makes The Costco Essay Good

The author did not write an ordinary essay about the topic. Instead, she made a summary of all her experience with the Costco stores. This was in response to the admission application prompt in 2016. 

After reading the prompt of the essay, the author made huge efforts to write the essay to the best of her knowledge while observing her personal experience of the stores.

Her writing was a pure demonstration of imagination, profound thinking, and outstanding organizational skills.

The coherence of ideas and personal experience in the essay was simply impeccable.

There was an in-depth and precise description of the author’s experience at the stores.

As such, the audience reading the personal statement found it easy to feel the explanation of her writer’s personality.

To give the reader more connection to the experiences, Brittany gives a deep exploration of the relationship she had with this wholesale retail store. 

All the moments are captured so that even the person who does not know the store can completely understand the events. Smartly, Brittany related the experience to her childhood and teenage age. The moments spent at the store were well correlated to her personal qualities as well as the studies.

The wisdom of the writer and the ability to relate all the details and experiences ranked the essay high. Getting recognition by the Ivy League learning institutions is not easy. This league of colleges has a low acceptance rate.

Many successful high school graduates fail to get admission even after scoring high in their GPA. 

How to Write a Similarly Good Costco Essay

Without a doubt, Brittany Stinson’s essay provides a good avenue for students to learn vital aspects of a successful college admission essay.

It teaches how to write great statements of purpose, admission essays, and personal statements that can secure admission to top institutions of higher learning. Below is what you can learn from this remarkable piece of essay:

1. Always choose an Outstanding Topic

If you are a keen reader, the topic is one of the most admirable features of the Costco essay. The theme was a clear reflection of the topic.

As such, always go for an outstanding topic even when you have been given the essay prompt. You only have to use the prompt given as a pillar for brainstorming good topic ideas . 

In the essay, it is clear that writing about yourself or everyday experience should never be an end in itself.

To entice the admission committee, strive to have creativity as you balance the theme with the topic. Let the topic stand out by making it not only striking but also precise and hilarious.

2. Research and think Deep

If you dig deep into the Costco essay, you will concur it is precisely written. There is no exaggeration whatsoever in the essay’s ability to win the hearts of the admission committee. Brittany showcases nothing but deep thinking, reasoning, and great research abilities. 

Even though her focus is on how her family had a shopping experience at Costco, she made it more appealing to the reader. The author gave a study of her personal experiences and the effect on her personality growth.

Brittany went against her mother’s wish to explore the sales of the store, goods, and free samples. In simple words, there is a pure reflection of the author’s passion which is a good ingredient in writing a catchy admission essay.

3. Go with a Realizable Theme

Admission essays share a lot of similarities with book reviews and poems. They both need an underlying theme to make them more informative. The Costco essay uses the theme of passion and boldness to show the commitment of the author.

Coupled with a good grasp of English and proper use of vocabulary, the essay achieved the ultimate goal of pleasing the admission. Writers need to select good vocabularies that are in line with the context of the essay.

4. Good tone

If you want to write a good admission essay, set your tone from the start. Know how to balance the tones so that you kill boredom and monotony. Know how to use formal and informal writing in your essay.

In the case of the Costco essay, Brittany’s theme was formal. Nevertheless, she also managed to squeeze in humor that does not affect the seriousness of the message. 

Costco Essay Example Topics to Write on

• The good and bad sides of Costco Company
• A favorite meal you always want to cook and share with family
• The food retailing industry in America
• A complete analysis of Costco’s retailing strategy
• Retailing and wholesaling lessons from the success of Costco 

With over 10 years in academia and academic assistance, Alicia Smart is the epitome of excellence in the writing industry. She is our chief editor and in charge of the writing department at Grade Bees.

Related posts

How to Use Quotation Marks On Essay Titles

Can you Quote Essay Titles: How to use Quotes as Paper Titles

How To Format a Long Essay

How to Write a Long Essay, Term Paper or Research Paper

short essay tips

How to Write a Short Essay and How Long: And about Anything

Academia.edu no longer supports Internet Explorer.

To browse Academia.edu and the wider internet faster and more securely, please take a few seconds to  upgrade your browser .

Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link.

• We're Hiring!
• Help Center

Agostino Combatti - Costco Essay

Related Papers

Murray Rice

Yeh, YunLung. The Global Expansion of Transnational Retailers: A Case Study of the Localization Strategy of Costco in Taiwan. Master of Science (Applied Geography), December 2010, 95 pp., 21 tables, 10 illustrations, reference list, 39 titles. This research focuses on the global expansion of the transnational retail industry. Globalization is a phenomenon experienced by many industries in the present global economy.

Indus Foundation International Journals UGC Approved

The purpose of this study is to identify and compare the Business strategies and Business models adopted by two big discount retailers in the United States which are Target Corporation (" Target ") and Costco Wholesale Corporation (" Costco "). The study also examines the characteristic of the competitive environment in which both companies operate in. The SWOT analysis shows that the discount retail industry is highly competitive and is affected by key strategic factors as Technology improvement, innovation in product design and promotion, employee welfare, internet, multi-channel distribution and communication. Target follows an Integrated Cost Leadership and Differentiation strategy expressed in its promise of " Expect More, Pay Less ". It provides high quality, trend-forward merchandize with lower margin. Target achieves its strategies with core co mpetencies and resource such as superior guest experience, corporate culture, systems, strong supply chain, technology infrastructure, innovation, and disciplined management approaches. On the other hand, Costco adopts a Cost Leadership strategy. It uses economies of scale to buy in bulk at low cost and pass the discount to the customer. Costco achieves its strategy with core resource and competencies that include efficient supply chain management, pleasant shopping experience, strong bargaining power, motivated highly paid employees.

SCIENTIA JOURNAL

Ermi Girsang

Latar Belakang : Rumah Sakit sebagai penyedia layanan kesehatan harus memiliki daya saing yang tinggi untuk lebih produktif, inovatif, dan memperkuat kemandirian dalam meningkatkan mutu pelayanan kesehatan. Salah satu indikator mutu pelayanan kesehatan yaitu kunjungan ulang. Tujuan penelitian ini untuk memperoleh data analisis hubungan antara dimensi mutu pelayanan kesehatan, meliputi: Tangiable, Reliability, Responsiveness, Assurance,dan Empathy dengan minat kunjungan ulang. Metode : Jenis penelitian ini adalah penelitian survey analitik dengan instrument penelitian menggunakan kuesioner pada pasien BPJS rawat inap di Rumah Sakit Royal Prima Kota Jambi. Jumlah sampel yang dilibatkan dalam penelitian tersebut adalah 100 pasien. Uji statistik dengan menggunakan uji Chi-square. Hasil Penelitian : Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa ada hubungan antara mutu pelayanan kesehatan ,meliputi : Tangiable (p-value = 0,005), Reliability (p-value = 0,001), Responsiveness (p-value = 0,001), Assur...

Gustavo Martins Piccolo

Maricarmen Soto , Eduardo Sierra

Cuando el tema de visibilidad toma fuerza en las instituciones universitarias es inevitable explicar el estatus de la formación integral que incluye la investigación en las carreras. En tal sentido, los estudiantes de la carrera de Odontología en Latinoamérica: en particular, se han observado tímidamente en este proceso investigativo. Es por ello, que se hace imprescindible fortalecerla para aumentar la calidad y la visibilidad nacional e internacional del producto intelectual de cada país que emerge desde el claustro académico. Abordando el caso panameño, este no escapa de esta realidad, se requiere mayor empuje, semilleros, asesores con el fin de orientar acompañando de la mano al estudiantado. Para la investigación desarrollada se tomó como delimitación a la Universidad Latina de Panamá, planteándose el objetivo general de diseñar una estrategia de visibilidad para el fortalecimiento en investigación en las Escuelas de Odontología, sirviendo, además, de guía multiplicadora en est...

Revista cubana de estomatología

Josefa Dolores Miranda Tarragó

International Journal of Plant & Soil Science

Langa Tembo

Aim: The objectives of the study were to (i) assess agronomic performance of rape (Brassica napus L.) genotypes under different soil amendments and seasons and (ii) identify the most discriminating soil fertilizer amendment on genotypic responses of rape. Study Design: The experiment was laid as a split plot design with 3 replications in each season. Place and Duration of Study: The study was undertaken in Monze district, southern province, Zambia in winter and summer periods of 2020/2021 cropping season. Methodology: The soil fertilizer amendment combinations were the main plots and rape varieties (English Giant [ENG], Hobson [HOB] and Rampart [RAM]) were laid as subplots. Giving a total of 54 experimental units per season. The amendments constituted combinations of raw dung type and artificial fertilizer. The quantitative data, on biomass, breadth, height and leaf count were measured at six weeks after transplanting. Results: Across seasons, soil amendment and genotypic main effec...

International journal of biological macromolecules

Marjan Sabbaghian

Peptides and proteins convert from their native states to amyloid fibrillar aggregates in a number of pathological conditions. Characterizing these species could provide useful information on their pathogenicity and the key factors involved in their generation. In this study, we have observed the ability of the model protein apo-bovine carbonic anhydrase (apo-BCA) to form amyloid-like aggregates in the presence of halogenated and non-halogenated alcohols. Far-UV circular dichroism, ThT fluorescence, atomic force microscopy and dynamic light scattering were used to characterize these structures. The concentration required for effective protein aggregation varied between the solvents, with non-halogenated alcohols acting in a wider range. These aggregates show amyloid-like structures as determined by specific techniques used for characterizing amyloid structures. Oligomers were obtained with various size distributions, but fibrillar structures were not observed. Use of halogenated alc...

Vojnosanitetski pregled

Radojica Stolic

Background/Aim. Metabolic syndrome and malnutrition represent metabolic abnormalities which significantly characterize patients on haemodialysis. The aim of the study was to determine the incidence and find characteristics of metabolic disbalance in patients on haemodialysis. Methods. The study involved 124 patients on chronic haemodialysis at the Clinical Centre Kragujevac. There were analyzed demographic and anthropometric characteristics of the examined patients. Of clinical characteristics, there were determined smoking habit, time on dialysis, arterial pressure; of comorbide states there were recorded heart diseases and diabetes mellitus. Routine biochemical analyses were carried out by a standard laboratory procedure. Results. Metabolic syndrome was found in 29.8% of the examined patients. The patients with metabolic syndrome were older as compared to the patients without metabolic syndrome (58.45?12.91 vs 52.25?11.63 years). The values of systolic pressure (143.88?19.75 vs 13...

Dissertação da Universidade da Força Aérea - PPGCA

Julio C Noschang Jr

The present work has as its object of studying the vulnerabilities of the Amazon in face of the new threats to the security of the Brazilian State. The evolution of conflicts over the last century has demonstrated that other forms of threats to state security have overtaken conventional military threats. In this new conjuncture, states have had their sovereignty, legitimacy, and governability threatened by the action of non-state actors, acting in the political, economic, ecological, and social fields. These new forms of threat are especially relevant in States with state-building processes unfinished, as is the case of Brazil. The research was based on the concepts of threats and security of Buzan and Ayoob to analyze the vulnerabilities of the Amazon region. The information about the Amazon was obtained by documentary and field research, carried out in the Raposa Serra do Sol Indigenous Land. Based on this, this work verified that the defense of the Amazon was for a long time planned to combat an external invader. The strategy for the occupation of frontier areas, used since the colonial period, began to be integrated with actions aimed at developing the northern border of the Amazon to minimize the typical problems of the region. Despite the involvement of the Armed Forces in actions of infrastructure and social welfare benefiting the local population, the lack of action of the state institutions is evident, especially in the Indigenous Lands and areas of environmental preservation. This lack of state presence makes room for NonGovernmental Organizations (ONGs) to act as service providers which are constitutional duties of the Brazilian State. The actions of ONGs with the indigenous populations increase their influence on these, damaging the State's capacity for action, as well as its legitimacy, leaving vulnerable two essential elements of the State: the physical bases and the idea of the State. By positioning indigenous leaders against the government in establishing economic development policies in the region, the actions of ONGs represent a threat to the sovereignty of the Brazilian State. Similarly, regarding environmental preservation issues, several ONGs act in a way that makes it difficult, or even impossible, to increase the political cost of implementing large infrastructure projects in the Amazon. By affecting the governability and the legitimacy of the State, the actions of these non-state actors represent a threat to the sovereignty and security of the Brazilian State in the context of the vulnerabilities of the Amazon. Finally, this study concluded that the lack of state actions and viable public policies in the Amazon made the sovereignty and security of the Brazilian State in the region vulnerable. Keywords: Amazonia. State security. Non-traditional Threats. Defense

RELATED PAPERS

Abraha Tesfay

Tạp chí Lý luận Phê bình Văn học Nghệ thuật (Journal of Literature and Art Criticism)

Cam Giang Hoang

Angiogenesis

James Humphrey

Yeni Widiawati

Alexander Demkov

Genome announcements

Mr. kunal Patil kp

Hazrat Abbas

Javier de Lucas

zahra ghiasvand

Malaria journal

Hamidou Maïga

International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (IJPPS)

UTulsa毕业证 塔尔萨大学学位证

Open Journal of Medical Microbiology

Remote Sensing

Gillian Galford

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe)

Beatrice Caseau

Journal of Proteomics & Bioinformatics

waleed almahi

See More Documents Like This

•   We're Hiring!
•   Help Center
• Find new research papers in:
• Health Sciences
• Earth Sciences
• Cognitive Science
• Mathematics
• Computer Science
• Academia ©2024

A Solar Eclipse Means Big Science

By Katrina Miller April 1, 2024

• Share full article

On April 8, cameras all over North America will make a “megamovie” of the sun’s corona, like this one from the 2017 eclipse. The time lapse will help scientists track the behavior of jets and plumes on the sun’s surface.

There’s more science happening along the path of totality →

An app named SunSketcher will help the public take pictures of the eclipse with their phones.

Scientists will use these images to study deviations in the shape of the solar surface , which will help them understand the sun’s churning behavior below.

The sun right now is approaching peak activity. More than 40 telescope stations along the eclipse’s path will record totality.

By comparing these videos to what was captured in 2017 — when the sun was at a lull — researchers can learn how the sun’s magnetism drives the solar wind, or particles that stream through the solar system.

Students will launch giant balloons equipped with cameras and sensors along the eclipse’s path.

Their measurements may improve weather forecasting , and also produce a bird’s eye view of the moon’s shadow moving across the Earth.

Ham radio operators will send signals to each other across the path of totality to study how the density of electrons in Earth’s upper atmosphere changes .

This can help quantify how space weather produced by the sun disrupts radar communication systems.

(Animation by Dr. Joseph Huba, Syntek Technologies; HamSCI Project, Dr. Nathaniel Frissell, the University of Scranton, NSF and NASA.)

NASA is also studying Earth’s atmosphere, but far from the path of totality.

In Virginia, the agency will launch rockets during the eclipse to measure how local drops in sunlight cause ripple effects hundreds of miles away . The data will clarify how eclipses and other solar events affect satellite communications, including GPS.

Biologists in San Antonio plan to stash recording devices in beehives to study how bees orient themselves using sunlight , and how the insects respond to the sudden atmospheric changes during a total eclipse.

Two researchers in southern Illinois will analyze social media posts to understand tourism patterns in remote towns , including when visitors arrive, where they come from and what they do during their visits.

Results can help bolster infrastructure to support large events in rural areas.

Read more about the eclipse:

Our Coverage of the Total Solar Eclipse

Hearing the Eclipse:  A device called LightSound is being distributed to help the blind and visually impaired experience what they can’t see .

Maine Brac es Itself :  Businesses and planning committees are eager for visitors, but some in remote Aroostook County are not sure how they feel  about lying smack in the path of totality.

A Dark Day for Buffalo:  When the sky above Buffalo briefly goes dark  on the afternoon of April 8, the city will transcend its dreary place in the public consciousness — measured as it so often is by snowstorms — if only for about three minutes. The city can’t wait.

Under the Moon’s Shadow:  The late Jay Pasachoff, who spent a lifetime chasing eclipses , inspired generations of students to become astronomers by dragging them to the ends of the Earth for a few precarious moments of ecstasy.

A Rare Return:  It is rare for a total solar eclipse to hit the same place twice — once every 366 years on average. People in certain areas will encounter April 8’s eclipse  about seven years after they were near the middle of the path of the “Great American Eclipse.”

A Small City’s Big Plans:  Let the big cities have their eclipse mega-events. In Plattsburgh, N.Y., success looks different  for everyone stopping to look up.

 No Power Outages:  When the sky darkens during the eclipse, electricity production in some parts of the country will drop so sharply that it could theoretically leave tens of millions of homes in the dark. In practice, hardly anyone will notice  a sudden loss of energy.

Advertisement