Application letter for University College Utrecht

Hi there! As a final part of my application for the Utrecht University I am writing my motivational letter. The questions asked by the UCU were:
- Why would you like to study at University College?
- What field(s) of studies do you find most interesting and why?
- Do you have any relevant working experence or social activities?
- What are your interests with regard to (or regardless of) your current education?
- What are your plans after finishing University College?

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to you to apply for the University College Utrecht program, starting Spring 2013.

There are numerous reasons why your program appeals to me. I have always been very broadly interested. Had it been possible, I would have taken most of the subjects my secondary school had to offer. This is why the way the UCU program is structured appeals so much to me. It doesn’t force me to focus on just one subject, but allows me to combine all the things I love.
A nice side effect of this, is it prevents students from becoming single-minded. Critical thinking is the base of progression. Without critical thinking, women would still not have rights, global warming would never have been addressed, and the Higgs-Boson would still be blissfully unknown. The fact that the UCU program emphasizes the development of this ability is great. I want to be challenged and become even more of a critical thinker than I am now.

Being broadly interested does not mean some subjects are more appealing to me than others. If I had to choose one thing, and only one, it would be Physics. I love it because it allows us to truly understand the world. Instead of merely watching the apple fall, we know what force pulls it towards the earth.
For me though, Physics is not complete without Philosophy. As we progress in the field of Quantum-Physics, essentially touching on the building blocks of the universe, another question arises: why? As science teaches us how the world works, Philosophy challenges us to add morality to facts.
In my opinion, both the what and the why are essential for a balanced perception of the world.

I my life, I have undertaken a few activities I think are relevant. I am aware the UCU program demands its students to meet a high standard. When I was fourteen, I went to the USA for five weeks to improve my English. Even though the organisation I went with provided great support and my host parents were the sweetest people on earth, I think it made me a lot more independent than I was before. It was less evident back then, but I am convinced I still benefit from the experience.
A few years later, another exiting opportunity came on my path. I was invited to become a member of HOPE XXL, a dutch youth organisation that landed the ambitious plan to present to the United Nations a globally supported list of so called ‘Action Points’ that we think would improve the lives of people all over the world. Through this organization I have made a ten-day trip through Western and Southern Europe to debate these Action Points. It really opened my eyes. Even though these people live in Europe, even within the European Union, their lives are vastly different from mine. It made me see how lucky I am to live in the Netherlands, how rich we are, and it made me more determined to help HOPE XXL reach its goal.
And even as I write this letter, the next adventure awaits me. For four months, I will be living in Perpignan, France, and improving my French. I don’t know how I will fare living in another country for such a long time, but I am excited to expand my horizon as far as possible.

After I return from France, I obviously hope to be admitted into the UCU program, but after that things get a bit more vague. My perception of the future chances as quickly as one flicks through the channels on the television. However, I think it is safe to say I will never lose my interest in science. If anything, I want to spend my life discovering, whatever it is I may discover.

Your sincerely,

Maaike Visser