"Application of statistics" to appy to the school of engineering at Rice University?

Help! I have a really hard time when it comes to writing and I could use all the help I can get in revising this essay. Again, any help would be appreciated. :)

43% of all women will have at least one abortion by the time they are 45 years old according to the Center for Bio-Ethical Reform. This bold statistic is intriguing to almost all who read it. People tend to want explanations when numbers are calculated to predict human behavior. Common reactions would be to ask what the numbers mean in relation to them, the application in modern society.

However, I have an almost overbearing interest in where these numbers came from rather than what they mean. The mathematical applications of statistics captivated me when I was very young; I've had a burning desire to learn more about the origins and principles of statistics for quite some time. For these reasons, I have applied to the school of engineering at Rice University with the intentions of earning a degree to further my interest.

If the sentence starts with a number, write it in words:
Forty-three percent of all women will ...

Is this really important enough to be the sentence at the end of the first paragraph?------> Common reactions would be to ask what the numbers mean in relation to them, the application in modern society.

However, I have an almost overbearing interest ---no, don't say overbearing interest. Overbearing is not quite the right word. Talk about being an analytical thinker and someone who has deep appreciation for numbers.

Okay, and it is not good to focus only on statistics. Statistics are means to an end... the important driving force behind your motivation toward engineering is something more important than just the numbers. Engineering is more than that. Read a journal article that interests you for inspiration, and then maybe revise this so that it includes a second theme.

:-)