Preface (Abridged: Fill & Download for Free

As a Mahabharat enthusiast, the first thing I’ll request to you is -Please do not start with the popular bestselling “perspective” novels.Mistake me not. I know that is the path most people take. Without a doubt, perspective novels or poems such as Palace of Illusions, Ajaya, Mrityunjay, Arjun Without A Doubt, Rashmirathi, Yajnaseni, etc are wonderful reads. In these books, the authors have taken a character from Mahabharat as the protagonist and beautifully fleshed him or her out with some research and loads of imagination using lucid language and emotions that are capable of tugging at people’s heart strings. Same goes for Jaya by Devdutta Pattanaik, though it is not exactly a “perspective” novel.But then why am I asking you to not start with these? This is bcoz, if your very “inauguration” of Mahabharat - an epic with dozens of pivotal characters, perspectives and subplots - begins with the POV of one character, then automatically, without your knowledge, your mind gets coloured by the biases(factual or otherwise) of the respective author. Immediately, you start rooting for the protagonist and disliking other characters, even before knowing the entire story.So, in future, if you ever choose to read the canonical text of Mahabharat like K.M. Ganguly’s English translation or Critical Edition of Mahabharat by Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute (BORI), you are most likely to read the whole epic with your pre-conceived notion as the “fan” of character X.So, my suggestion is —-1.) Amar Chitra Katha2.) The Epics Retold by R.K Narayan - This book is fantastic.3.) Mahabharat by Kamala Subhramanium.4.) Rajagopalacharya’s Mahabharat5.) Mahabharat by William Buck.All 5 above are abridged and very close to the canon text.Not everyone will take up researching on Indian Mythology. But if these 5 books manage to grab your attention and you start taking interest in Mahabharat, then you may begin with the unabridged translations by K.M. Ganguly (in English) or Gita Press (in Hindi) and then Critical Edition by BORI. Always try to read Prefaces and Footnotes - they are very important. Once you skim through the unabridged ones and have a fair idea of the story, then you may read as many perspective novels as you can. They will expand your horizon, give you food for thought, make you ask questions on popular notions about the epic and yet, not completely colour your mind into a biased direction towards one fixed character.Of course, this whole process will take several years, and you will no longer be a teenager then…:)

To preface, I really dislike the college admissions process boiling down applicants into a series of numbers, although I recognize that it is the only way to process a large amount of applications. As a bit of a spoiler, I imagine that I would feel less disillusioned with the process had the outcome been more favorable, but that’s just speculation.I will start with the aforementioned numbers:SAT: 1550 (800 Math, 750 English)ACT: 35 (36 Math, 35 Reading, 35 Writing, 34 Science)Math 2: 780, Physics: 730, Chemistry: 740GPA: My school doesn’t calculate GPA, much less a weighted one, but mine throughout high school averaged out to a ~3.8 unweighted, with the most recent semester being a 3.95.APs: At my school, I had no opportunities to take APs before junior year, so I loaded my schedule with AP Physics, AP Chemistry, and AP Calculus AB junior year, and AP Physics C, AP Biology, and AP Calculus BC senior year. For my junior year exams, I got a 5, 4, and 5, respectively.Extracurriculars:I held a selective job at a local workshop for five years, putting in forty hour weeks over the summer, and working year round. I was ultimately recognized for my work with children who required special accommodations at a Trustee Meeting.I played competitive sports nearly every season, ultimately being on the Varsity Wrestling team, and also taking my boat to the New England regatta as a Varsity Coxswain.I also belonged to a selective committee that decided upon the school’s various disciplinary matters.I think it’s important to elaborate on my school. I attend one of the top college prepatory schools in New England, which typically sends a sixth of the class to Ivies, with an average class SAT of 1490.Now onto the the point of no return.Safeties:UVM: Accepted (Early Action)UConn: Accepted (Honors Program)Boston University: WaitlistedNYU: WaitlistedTarget:Georgetown University: RejectedReaches:UNC Chapel Hill: WaitlistedTufts: RejectedDuke: RejectedUPenn: Rejected (Early Decision)Cornell: RejectedWilliams: RejectedWashU: RejectedJohns Hopkins: RejectedI will most likely attend UConn, in my home state. I partly wrote this answer therapeutically, and also to demonstrate the uncertainty of the college applications process; I had many preconceptions and somewhat of an entitled mindset, and I was swiftly humbled by the numerous rejections. If any younger readers have any questions about various elements of applying, feel free to reach out.Edit:I was ultimately accepted to Boston University off the waitlist, but I elected to enroll at UConn. Updates regarding 2020 AP Exams are to come.Edit 2:On the 2020, online, abridged AP exams, I received 5s on Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism, Physics C: Mechanics, and Calculus BC. I received a 4 on Biology.

Several authors or editors of portions of the Book of Mormon specifically declare that they have made “abridgments” (summaries, condensations, epitomes) of larger collections of records.Nephi (1 Ne 1:17) “I make an abridgment of the record of my father”Mormon (Words of Mormon 3, Mormon 5:9) “I had made an abridgment from the Plates of Nephi down to the reign of this King Benjamin”; “I write a small abridgment, daring not to give a full account”Moroni (Moroni 1:1, Title Page) “after having made an end of abridging the account of the people of Jared”; “it is an abridgment of the record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites”; “An abridgment taken from the Book of Ether also, which is a record of the people of Jared”Like the Book of Mormon, the book of 2 Maccabees is, according to its Preface (2:23) an “abridgment” of a much longer work (the supposed 5-volume history by Jason of Cyrene).