Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Topic of your choice/Free topic (Major Essay)
'You are here because you are special. And we trust this will be the best two years of your life,' these are the words from the people of Li Po Chun United World College (LPCUWC). To a certain extent, I agree with the first statement because there are many of us being admitted to world-class universities to pursue their further studies every year but it would be unwise to jump to conclusion straight away on the second statement. One year ago, I was very fortunate to win a scholarship to attend one very unique school i.e. LPCUWC where representatives from 64 countries converge and meet. Though I was elected one of the ten 'Students of the Year' in Hong Kong by South China Morning Post, I see my inadequacy through collaborating with people of different cultures. As to improve myself, I grasp every opportunity to assimilate with students with varying cultural backgrounds and hence, I joined the cultural exchange programme and visited India and China where my fellow students and I gave English tutorial lessons to the village kids and helped them build a playground. After attending an English teaching training programme organized by the British Council, I gave free tutorial lessons to the underprivileged primary and secondary school kids in Hong Kong. This has been a very gratifying experience. My academic interest comprises mainly genetics and bioinformatics. Coincidentally I have learnt various facts of life from both Huxley's fiction 'Brave New World' and television science programmes like 'Brave New Man' by BBC; they prompted me that there are virtually no limits to biology. I take pleasure in reading beyond the IB syllabus. To further enrich my knowledge in biotechnology, I applied and was selected to join the Young Scholar Programme for Biology of the 21st Century organized by the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) during summer vacation this year and had much hands-on laboratorial experience in gene cloning and polymerase chain reaction. Recalling what Professor Sun, Chairman of Biology of CUHK said, 'Computer science is yesterday's future while biology promises the future of tomorrow in the 21st century'. This has afforded me the opportunity to explore deeper into my field of study in university and consolidate the pursuit of my future career. Being awarded the best individual presenter and best presenting group in the aforementioned programme further enhanced my confidence in taking a biology-related subject as my target. My quest for knowledge is as fervent as for happiness. I am always eager to find out more on a particular subject of interest. Last year, I was inspired by the Oscar-winning movie 'A Beautiful Mind' and that was how I ended up doing an extended research on game theory, in particular, the Newcomb's Problem. The study has given me a new perspective in life and decision making which I found extremely interesting. I also enjoy being an active member of my college community. Previously, I have participated in many cultural evening performances as well as being the Audio Visual Team and Filming and Editing Team leader. During leisure time, I enjoy kayaking and jam sessions with my friends. Dormitory life in LPCUWC has certainly given me a lot of enjoyment and chance to learn from different cultures but still I am convinced that this will not be the best two years of my life as this is only a preparatory stage to university life. Moreover, I will only feel true satisfaction when I can contribute to mankind by utilising what I will have gained from university life.
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Essay Question:
Please describe which of your activities (extracurricular and personal activities or work experience) has been most meaningful and why. (Minor Essay)
Working closely with UNICEF last year was an invaluable and unforgettable experience. Through the UNICEF Young Leaders Program, I deeply connected with the UNICEF family. As one of twenty young leaders for UNICEF in Hong Kong, I feel exceptionally proud and satisfied working for the children of the world by promoting awareness and raising funds for UNICEF. In April last year, I represented Hong Kong while attending a conference for the Young Parliament in Geneva, Switzerland, where we had a great time sharing the opinion of youth towards our government and the world. I also had the honor to visit and appreciate the operations of various UN organizations such as UNICEF, ILO, WHO, UNHCR and UNAIDS. I was fortunate enough to have met Mr Steven Woodhouse, the regional director of UNICEF in Europe. We exchanged our views on world affairs, especially children's issues. Being able to appreciate the work of United Nations had a great impact on my perspective of being an internationally responsible citizen and further consolidated my desire to work for UNICEF in a period of my lifetime.
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Essay Question:
Please include a photo and describe the significance of the photo to you. (Minor Essay)
The photograph was taken in a local village near Puna in India during our
project week in March this year. We initiated a new program this year in
collaboration with our sister school in India, Mahindra United World College of
India (MUWCI). During this period, a small delegation from Li Po Chun United
World College set off to India with the goal of achieving community development
and cultural exchange.
Upon arrival at our destination, we immediately felt the heat of the scorching
sun. Later, we received a warm welcome from what we call the MUWCI (pronounced
as
'milky') people - 'Namastey' ('hi' in Hindi). During the following days, we were
introduced to the Indian culture not only through local Indians, but also
through
the experience of foreign students living on campus. It was interesting to
explore the discrepancies and similarities in various cultures. After all, we
are
not that different.
Our main task commenced on the second day. We staggered downhill towards the
village where we met the village kids. The expression on their faces revealed a
mixed feeling - curiosity, excitement and friendliness. Though they were a bit
shy to talk to us in the beginning, we managed to break the ice by playing some
games with them. Before long, we felt like old acquaintance.
We started levelling the slope to build a playground. There was neither a bobcat
nor a bulldozer. Apart from some very primitive tools such as hoes and shovels,
the moulding of the playground relied primarily on our bare hands. Despite it
was
early in the morning, the weather was so hot that sweat already started
streaming
down our bodies. We worked from dawn till dusk and many of us had scratched
hands
and knees. The task required a lot of physical effort as well as reciprocal
support. In the end, though we were completely exhausted, we gained true
satisfaction to see what little we did could make such a great difference for
the
people. On top of that, it inspired me that people can too live happily without
money and that was just a perfect example.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
We recognize that all good writers seek feedback, advice, or editing before sending off an essay. Whose advice did you seek for help with your Common Application essay? What help did he/she provide? Did you incorporate his/her suggestions?
Writing the essay, I seek help from my parents. Sharing an affectionate bond with them, I have always asked for their guidance and advice. When I showed them my essay, their response was but a simple but encouraging smile. From a dependent little girl, I have developed my own unique self, no longer relying on my parents. Being clear-minded and determined, showing my essay to my parents has seemed redundant. However, I still insist on asking them for advice; not that I am uncertain or wavering, but it has become our bond, bond of love and understanding.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Major Essay: What drives you? What are you passionate about?
Early in the summer, my Naniji (meaning 'maternal grandmother') was teaching me about Indian culture, particularly cooking and reading Hindi. Today, in her feisty style, she was showing me how to make paneer, an Indian delicacy. Not letting me touch the pot she was stirring, she impatiently explained the process: 'the milk has to be heated to exactly the right temperature or else the paneer will be loose. After it has heated, add lime juice to the milk.' Paneer is a soft, cheese-like white substance so laborious to make that it is only served on certain Indian holidays or for special company. When Naniji at last consented, I excitedly added a drop of juice to the nascent paneer, carefully observing the tiny havoc it caused. A small, yellowish drop of lime juice tumbled into the milk, causing the milk to part around the juice and become strangely stringy. The word for this process -- coagulation - popped into my mind. I liked the funny-sounding word in chemistry class, and felt a linguistic familiarity with it because I could discern its etymology: 'cogo', from Latin, meaning 'to do or to drive'. 'That makes sense,' I thought, 'because coagulation could be the process of driving solute together.' As I added more juice, I looked carefully at the developing paneer and began to wonder what was driving the milk together. Thinking back to biology and chemistry, I quickly figured it out: protein from the milk emulsion was clumping together because it had been denatured! The lime juice had a low pH, which denatured, or reshaped, the proteins by altering charges on the polypeptide chain, causing the proteins to stick together! That's why I can make paneer! In a flash, I had figured it all out. Why the process worked, where its name came from, and how things would look at the molecular level. I also realized something else entirely: how much I love science, especially when applied. I felt such an inner satisfaction that moment I figured out why my drops of lime juice could so dramatically transform the milk into paneer. I wanted to feel the same thrill again and test whether I really was passionate about science. I enrolled in multiple higher-level classes, and since then, I have felt the same enthusiasm discovering why only half of medicine synthesized is useful, identifying unknown mixtures in lab, and proving Newton's laws of motion. Much of my zeal for science stems from its human aspect, whether that is coagulation from pH change in the context of Indian cooking and culture, or global-level problem solving, like dealing with an epidemic. Science not only excites and satisfies the inquisitive child in me, but it also connects me to environmental problems, people, and even my heritage. Feeling all of my yearnings - curiosity leading to understanding, cultures and people, and the possibility for a positive contribution - is why I see my future in search of the truth that only science provides me.
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Essay Question:
What interests you about Brown?
I want my college experience to be about self-discovery, both inside and outside the classroom. I am starting to know myself; I have learned what open-mindedness is, what it is not, and how much I value it. I've searched for a compromise in many situations: how tolerant is one to be of intolerance? I confronted this question when helping a student understand his Asian identity and cope with parental disapproval of his sexuality. I was confused about how much parental intolerance to challenge because of the respect he held for his parents. Would I be challenging that respect as well? As a Multicultural Peer Counselor I have not only had to think abstractly about these questions, but give answers and see consequences. Though in the process I have gained some wisdom, it seems insignificant compared to all of the progress that I must make. The placement of an MPC and WPC on each freshman hall demonstrates the communal respect for issues of personal and group identity and difficulties people face because of them. As all of us uncover who we are, this acceptance is crucial. My determination, curiosity, and intensity would cause me to fit well with the 'similarly passionate, motivated, and accepting' student body as described to me by one Brown student. Brown is my ideal environment because it demands learning with wonder, confronting questions, exploring fundamentals, challenging beliefs, and true tolerance.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
We recognize that all good writers seek feedback, advice, or editing before sending off an essay. When you have completed your essay, please tell us whose advice you sought for help, the advice he/she provided, and whether you incorporated his/her suggestions.
The final authority for my writing is an experienced teacher whom students fondly refer to as 'our resident essay expert'. Before, however, using the time of such a sought-after and presumably busy man, I asked my college-going peers to edit my work. Some of my peers gave me purely grammar and syntactical corrections, which I executed before delving further. Others gave me suggestions for voice and sentence structure. Teachers were final judges of my essays, because they focused on them from a holistic point of view. I sat across from Dr. Miller, an almost elderly gentleman, as he perused my essay. I nervously awaited feedback. Older friends had told me, 'he tore apart my essays, but in the end they turned out well. So it was worth it.' Although my essays had been reviewed by parents, peers, and another teacher, I still waited for my essay to be torn apart. When he finished, he looked up and began to speak: 'Reading this essay, I get the impression that you are a meticulous, observant, formal, driven and philosophical person. Is this true?' Other feedback that I remember included 'in the 7,428 college essays I have read during my career, this is perhaps the most impersonal one I have ever read. Tell me, do you have a sense of humor? Perhaps you should insert a humorous comment here. It is awfully nerdy that you explain a chemical process in your college essay.' Allowing this advice to percolate for some time, I edited the essay. And edited. And edited. I edited it so much that the essay was left pathetically shorn of its former passion and enthusiasm! I showed the over-edited version to peers and it turned out that my fear had come true: I edited the essay to the point of blandness. My once vivacious essay was now, many hours later, a boring, textbook description of protein behavior. In despair, I went for a walk, contemplating other ideas - I waited a week, reread a preliminary draft of the essay, put it away, and then quickly rewrote the essay, trying to sincerely feel the essence of the experience, not grammar. I made minor revisions to this draft, and then e-mailed the essay back to parents and Dr. Miller. After incorporating their suggestions a second time, that is the essay I present.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Have you witnessed a person who is close to you doing something you considered seriously wrong? Describe the circumstances, your thoughts, and how you chose to respond. If you discussed it with the person, was his/her justification valid? In retrospect, what, if anything, would you have done differently and why?
I fell over on the rocky road when I was running around the small garden with my friends near my home. I was crying hard when I saw the bright-red blood oozing from the wound. I still remember how Granny picked me up gently. I still remember how Granny chose and picked a green leaf from a small plant. Puzzled, I also remember how Granny chewed up that little green leaf and put it over my wound with care. I failed to understand what Granny was doing. However, I also remember how I screamed and kicked, threw a tantrum, thinking that this was a seriously wrong treatment of my injury. I thought that this tiny, filthy leaf was obviously useless, despite the fact that it had immediately stopped the bleeding. And I also remember, I was not quite six years old. I have never been able to understand Grannys ways. She always has her own unique interpretation of life, her own special insight into living. She would tell us about all old remedies that she has learnt when she was young. She would tell us about all the old legends that she used to hear when she was a child. She told me about how herbs can cure terminal diseases, but she has never been able to provide a reasonable explanation. These quaint ideas are very fascinating, but at the same time, I find, illogical. They oppose the modern scientific approach to the world which I am used to. I listened to her enthralling stories. But, in silence, I have always believed that they are --- wrong. Seriously wrong. However, as I am exposed to the multi-cultural environment after the admission to the United World College, I realize the beauty of the multiplicity of perspectives and views on one very same issue. There is not just one way to see the world. There are always so many approaches, whether or not, scientific. I then recognize that it is the appreciation of difference in ideas that I lack. Experience and Education. Should Granny represent the generation of experience, I would consider myself as a generation of education. Two generations apart. We do see the world from various angles. Right or wrong then? It is perhaps no longer something we can define, but something still waiting to be explored. There is perhaps, after all, only a difference in beliefs and views, but not a distinction of right and wrong to the knowledge about the world. If I were given the opportunity to go back to the past, I would wish that I could understand the complexity of the world, however, at the age of six, I think I might just behave the very same way as I did --- kicking and screaming!
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Essay Question:
Albert Einstein once said, 'The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science.' Propose your own original theory to explain (Time Travel)
Time, known as the fourth dimension, is still one of the mysteries yet to be explored. We are fantasized by G. H. Wells 'Time Machine', hoping to be able to go back to the past, wishing to be able to look into the unpredictable future. Curiosity for the unknown realm and the mysteries to be able to change the past have become the motivation to exploration. Yet, before dreaming about all these fantasies, I am baffled by the question whether time really flows. Is time real or is it simply an illusion? Perceiving the external world, we rely extensively on our senses: sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste. By our perception, we often perceive the flow of time as past, present and future. Remembering the past, seemingly experiencing the present, dreaming about the future, we treat the formation of memories and the imagination of the future as our indication to time. The formation of memories is a unidirectional process. New memories, chronologically, add information to our experience, and raise the entropy of our brains. Depending on this rational and emotional storage of information, namely memory, we are convinced by the conception that time is flowing from the past to the present then to the future and we perceive this unidirectionality as the flow of time. We also often perceive time by the use of the device, the clock. We are persuaded to believe that time 'passes', as the second hand on the clock tick-tocks. According to this device, time passes at a speed of one second per second! However, it is realized that our perception can always be deceiving, and can be susceptible to illusions. Neither do we use a specific 'organ' to perceive or identify what time is. 'The past, present and future of time are only illusions,' Albert Einstein has also once said. To a large extent, I believe that this is true. Is a device, the clock, invented to measure time, reliable? What is the uncertainty that exists within? What is time? What is the passage of time? What is time travel? Is time, then, after all, an illusion? Is the journey through time that we have always imagined, simply non-existing? Without a deep thought into the realness of the existence of time, we have dreamt to travel through time. Nevertheless, this has perhaps exemplified the curious nature of humanity, to exploration, to mysteries, to search the unknown. It is perhaps also essential to keep the fantasy, the dream and the mysteries alive, so that life's motivation can help to lift mankind to the knowledge of the ultimate.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
If you are applying to the Pratt School of Engineering, please discuss why you want to study engineering and why you would like to study at Duke. (major)
I've always looked for ways to get ahead in my studies of science and math. I spent half of my summer between my sophomore and junior years taking three college-level Physics courses simultaneously, the very first time Bogazici University granted a high school student permission to enroll in its summer program. I've sought out special opportunities, like the Summer Science Program and the Canada/USA Mathcamp, as well as found the funding I needed to attend them, on my own. Moreover, I've never been satisfied just to be admitted to programs full of the brightest peers, but have always gone the extra mile to excel in them. At SSP, for example, beyond the required Orbital Determination Project (OD), I completed two additional projects of my own volition: an Error Analysis of my group's OD and a result comparison analysis with the data obtained form a CCD (charge-coupled device). And I worked on my own, outside of school, for those AP tests I wished to take, such as Physics C Mechanics, for which Robert College didn't offer classes, and Calculus BC, which I opted to study for independently so that I could take an additional AP Computer elective. Along the way, I've discovered that I simply can't imagine any career for myself other than one in the sciences, particularly the applied sciences. Whether teaching classmates about piecewise equations by demonstrating how, with the proper equations and a TI-83+, one can produce portraits of mustachioed men in Chinese hats, or feeling a profound delight at seeing - up close - a factory in which robots are used to build even more robots, I simply derive the most intellectual satisfaction from watching ideas get put into motion to create something new. What most attracts me to Mechanical Engineering at Duke is that I think it will give me the opportunity to try to create something new, even as an undergraduate, as well as the resources, in terms of faculty advising and facilities, that I'll need to refine my ambitions, and then to realize them. I want a program that not only makes room for highly motivated students, but also actively encourages them to pursue individualized curriculums and to get involved with important research projects. Knowing that Duke offers one of the most supportive environments anywhere for students interested in pursuing their own research makes it one of my top choices. I am especially attracted to the programs like The Pratt Engineering Undergraduate Fellows Program and invigorated by the chance for independent study represented by the ME Department's Graduate with Departmental Distinction program. Finally, as a person who has dedicated so much time to interests that fall outside of science, like MUN, I believe I will be a better scientist if I learn to put my scientific investigation into its broader intellectual and human context. Therefore, I feel that Duke's Pratt School, which enables students to benefit from studies and interdepartmental programs at one of the world's most respected liberal arts universities, is much better suited to me than a purely technical school. All in all, I am convinced that a Duke education can help me to attain all of my educational goals.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Minor: If you are applying to Trinity College, please discuss why you consider Duke a good match for you. Is there something in particular at Duke that attracts you? If you are applying to the Pratt School of Engineering, please discuss why you want to study engineering.
As a college student, I want to take challenging classes from interesting professors, and work hard, learning as much as I possibly can. But, there are many things I anticipate doing in addition to classes. I want to attend lectures on interesting topics by notable speakers, participate in scientific research as an undergraduate, and be involved in orchestrating large student-run events. In college, I am searching for self-discovery, learning, and balance among academic, social and extracurricular spheres of interest. Attending Duke would make all of these things possible. As a student at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, I have attended several lectures at Duke. One of my favorites was listening to Dr. Craig Venter, founder of the Institute for Genomic Research, speak on the recent advances in the Human Genome project. Currently, I am involved in a program through the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics which pairs chosen students with a mentor in their chosen field of interest. At Duke's Gross Chemistry Laboratory, I work with Dr. Stephen Craig each Tuesday afternoon, conducting research on protein dimerization involving a chemical ligand. Until this point, I have created mathematical models of the proteins predicted behavior and am beginning a simulation involving DNA fragments. Attending Duke would allow me to continue working with Dr. Craig, as well as gaining towards a major in biochemistry. My experiences with Duke University have been positive thus far, and I believe that as a student, I would enjoy attending Duke University while taking advantage of all it has to offer.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
We know you lead a busy life, full of activities, many of which are required of you. Tell us about an activity you pursued for the pleasure of it.
Before me were five wise men. They were leaders and professors representing the five major world religions: an energetic pastor who loved to tell stories, a Jewish professor who used humor to convey ideas; a patient 'I am a layman' practitioner of Buddhism; a wildly gesticulating Hindu professor; and finally, a calm Muslim Imam who raised his hand when the pastor asked 'who of you were raised in Christian households?' These men comprised a panel of speakers for the 'World Religions Conference,' an event organized by the Multicultural Peer Counselors, (ten students, of which I am one) as an opportunity for students and staff to learn and inquire. As an organizer, I nervously awaited a dispute or insensitive comment, but instead I saw careful listening, respect and acceptance. Before me was something much greater than five men: open-mindedness with living hope for religious harmony. To share this feeling of oneness with the rest of my community is the reason I pursued becoming a Multicultural Peer Counselor.
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Essay Question:
What personal characteristics do you most value in yourself? What characteristics do others most value in you?
To myself, I'm a strong-willed person who thinks she can achieve anything with discipline and hard work. Otherwise, I'm pretty zany. I'm the girl who replaced lemons in water with cucumber slices, patiently arranged sand making a mandala, and created parrots from Styrofoam. My creativity can be artistic, but also handy for problem solving. Creativity gives me direction. When I asked friends what they most value in me, they replied: 'compassion towards friends, your morals, your humor and occasional bouts of silliness!' though they sometimes wonder how I can enjoy science even as I surrender my sanity to classes. Maybe my humor and silliness are why I can survive sometimes energy-sapping Physics and Chemistry.
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Essay Question:
Imagine you are the offspring of any two famous people. Who are your parents, and what qualities have they passed on to you.
As the daughter of the Buddha and Kahlil Gibran, I not only understand and embody all the wisdom in the universe and on human life, but I have the eloquence, fame and skill to present and explain it articulately, elegantly, and beautifully. I am sage, peaceful, calm in every situation, articulate, able to make anyone understand anything, intelligent, insightful and sometimes even prophetic. As an interesting fusion of religious thought, some coming from each of my parents, my work is something of a masterpiece.
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Essay Question:
Tell us about an activity you pursued seriously.
I sat on a frayed brown chair in the dilapidated but cozy old room at school called the assembly hall. Before me was a semicircle of five sage men; I listened to them, fully engrossed and enraptured by the wisdom their wisdom. They were professors and religious leaders from the community who represented the five major world religions. This was a yearly event known as the 'World Religions Conference', in which a representative from each of the five major world religions comes to speak, answer questions and engage in discussion. The Christian pastor on the far right of the crescent loved to stand up and tell stories to illustrate points. It was as though he were in church, speaking from a pulpit. His opposite, a calm Buddhist practitioner, sat to the left. The practitioner explained the concepts of Buddhism patiently, and gently, having kindly introduced himself with a delicate humility characteristic of Buddhism: 'I am a layman.' In the center of the semicircle sat the Judaism representative. He was a professor, so he taught. He stood up, paced, gave anecdotes, and even-role played. Similarly, the Hindu representative was also a professor. Trying to relate Hinduism to the audience, he used examples from current events and even showed newspapers with recent headlines to explain concepts and draw comparisons. Gesticulating wildly, he deftly quoted from many different religious texts and drew upon what the other speakers had said, especially the Muslim Imam. He perhaps possessed the most holy aura of them all. When the pastor asked the audience 'who of you were raised in Christian households?', the Imam raised his hand! An audience consisted of students, staff members and even teachers surrounded me as the World Religions Conference took place. The Multicultural Peer Counselors organize this event annually, and, in 2002, I was an organizer. I nervously clutched the edge of my chair waiting for tension to arise. Much to my relief, and slight surprise, this didn't happen. Instead, I sensed a powerful, pervasive feeling of acceptance. Manifested was the true spirit of inquiry, far beyond that of mere tolerance, but actual consideration, evaluation, and imbibing of new ideasreal open-mindedness. That realization struck me with such impact: an open dialogue without conflict! Furthermore, this audience proved to be curious about human thought, belief and religion! What was so powerful and amazing about the conference is that not only does one learn about individual religions, but comes away with more than simply facts: a bigger, perhaps a broader search for truth. From comparing, contrasting and seeing each religion in context and relation to the others, understanding and continuity emerge. The overwhelming quality permeating the room stemmed from the almost perfect atmosphere of understanding, reviving my hope in a true universal harmony. I shall always hold an image of the bright crescent and strive to carry that mindset with me. I felt so uplifted by the conference that I wanted to share this spirit of acceptance and true open-mindedness with the rest of society. Perhaps it could be a starting place to mend some of the rifts between groups today. Presently, as a Multicultural Peer Counselor, I hope to continue sharing this spirit. As I grapple with different issues in the future, I hope to find this true spirit of inquiry in my future college community.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Tell us about who you are. Personal Statement
EARLY ACTION Essay One. Korean-Spanish, that was how my American friends identified me. Unlike Korean, my birth identity, or Spanish, my cultural identity, I did not know what to make of my new identification. Korean-Spanish reflected my past and it seemed that this new identification was my only possible one in America. Somehow my American friends were fascinated by a 16-year-old Korean boy who came from Spain and spoke four languages fluently. Maybe Korean-Spanish was how I really identified myself. Or maybe I had already guessed that my new friends would hyphenate my identification, just like African-American, or Japanese-American. (Pardon me if I am wrong, but to me, it seems as though most of the American identifications include hyphens.) In America, everyone seemed categorized and hyphenated. I read a number of passages in the Critical Reading sections of the SAT I that began by citing articles or books written by different hyphen-identified people. One introductory paragraph said: 'This passage is from a book written by a Chinese-American woman about Chinese-American women writers.' Another stated: 'This passage is from a book by an African-American woman who is a law professor.' I was confused: 'So, is the author of the book African or American?' Hyphenation of identities was perplexing and ambiguous to me. Why cant everyone with an American passport be just American? America has always been an eclectic society where much diversity in ethnicity and race existed. In that sense, America is more than just a country; it is a smaller representation of the world. However, Spain and Korea have always been, and still are, countries mostly populated by people of single ethnicities. Spain and Korea both want to maintain the country among their people and limit opportunities for foreigners. They have to change. I was blessed to be able to live in three different countries, on two different continents. My intercontinental life has given me the ability to perceive the world from a different point of view. Before I realized, the American culture found its place in me and naturally became part of me. I no longer am just Korean-Spanish, but Korean-Spanish-American. As I assimilated the diverse cultures each continent represented, my international experiences helped me to understand that underneath, people were very much the same regardless of their ethnic backgrounds. Maybe that was why I felt that learning many languages English, Spanish, and French was essential. I believe that foreign people and cultures can only be truly understood through their own languages. Yet, I hold onto my native language, Korean, for I know how important my roots are. Ironically, even though the world is being globalized, ethnicity, race and religion still cause friction among people. I hope, with my international experience, I can help make the world change into one in which ethnicity and race are of little consequence. I am convinced that through understanding, tolerance, and acceptance, we can make a difference in this world. It is time to begin a journey towards the shaping of a truly globalized world, where I hope to act as an unbreakable bond among different countries.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
What invention had the greatest impact in your life?
If somebody were to ask me, 'What invention had the greatest impact in your life?' I would not hesitate to say 'jigsaw puzzles.' The jigsaw puzzles had the biggest impact on my life. Since the age of four I became the creator of many things; from Mickey Mouse to Guggenheim Museum of Bilbao, Spain. As I matured, the number of pieces needed for creation increased. When I was five, the number of pieces were already exceeding one hundred. While I was struggling with a thousand identical pre-created puzzle pieces, I learned many things, more than just the names of my creations. The puzzles taught me perseverance. Jigsaw puzzles require much concentration and persistence. Beginning with the edges of the puzzle, piece by piece, I created my own Mona Lisa and Bayr Alphen of Germany. I endeavored until the last piece was in its right place for one misplaced piece could ruin the entire creation. When it seemed that I had come to a dead end, I endured until I found the piece that would lead me to the correct path again. I thank jigsaw puzzles for teaching me endurance. The puzzles also gave me motivation and inspiration. As the number of pieces in a puzzle grew, I felt more and more inspired to conquer them. As I created many works of art, I gained confidence, not only in the field of jigsaw puzzles, but also in other activities. I came to believe that there was a solution to every problem and did not hesitate to find an answer when struck by a difficult question. The jigsaw puzzles, in many ways, shaped me into who I am today. I am now creating the most difficult and sophisticated jigsaw puzzle ever, the puzzle of my life. I am molding my own life and building my own shape. I am just about to place another piece in my puzzle of life, applying to the college where I will be spending the next four years of my life. I look forward to finding many interesting pieces I could place in my puzzle of life during the next four years. I would like to think that the yet-to-be completed puzzle will become a whole, made up of the colors and shapes of my heritage, my efforts, my accomplishments and my dreams.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
What is the most significant academic honors you have received?
While I was in Spain, I applied for the Spanish perfection course at "La Escola Oficial d'idiomas" during ninth grade summer vacation. The course offered at "La Escola Oficial d'idiomas," a national language school, requires even the native Spanish speakers to take a qualifying exam. I was qualified and was accepted. The course began at nine o'clock in the morning and ended at half past one in the afternoon, Monday through Friday. At the end of the course, students had to take and pass a rigorous exam in order to graduate and receive a diploma. Fortunately, I passed the exam and graduated from the Spanish perfection course at 'La Escola Oficial d'idiomas' with the prestigious diploma and certificate.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
What was your most meaningful activity?
When I was in Spain I volunteered to teach Korean and English to underprivileged Korean-Spanish children every Sunday at church. It was a small church with about 30 children who could not speak, write or read any Korean or English. Spanish-Korean children, as a result of an absence of Korean language education, had forgotten their native language, maybe even their roots. Their parents, who were too busy to learn Spanish, couldn't even ask the children about their school lives. Thus, I offered to stay two hours after the service to teach these children both Korean and English. I communicated with them in Spanish and encouraged them to learn Korean and English. When I began teaching them, I was surprised at their eagerness, their thirst for knowledge. They wished to learn their native language and were proud to display their knowledge in front of their parents. I helped them to find their own identity, to absorb their own language. I read Korean books about Korean myths to the children. The first time I read a story for them, I had to read each page two or three times until they fully understood. But after a year they could, though very slowly, read Korean and English books by themselves. It was gratifying to see that I could be a bridge between people of different cultural backgrounds through my language skills. It was pleasing to see that my language skills were not used to only express my thoughts, but those of others too. Even though they still talked in Spanish with their peers, they tried to talk to their parents in Korean. It was an experience that I will never forget.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Please describe a person of great influence in your life and explain how the person influenced you.
A person of great influence She was immobile. She stood up. She took a step. She runs. She, the definition of perseverance and triumph. It was in March 1999 when I first met her. I had newly moved to Castelldefels, a suburban seaside town fifteen kilometres away from Barcelona. It was a nice house where you could see the Mediterranean Sea and the beach once you opened the windows in the living room. About a week later, I went out to the beach at six oclock in the morning to jog on the beach before school. Smelling the freshness of the morning breeze, I began jogging towards the southern end of 'La Playafels'. I saw a distant figure ahead of me. As I got closer to the figure, I realised that the figure I had seen was a middle-aged woman trying to force herself stand up from the wheelchair. As I approached her, she stopped and stared at my legs. I stopped. I said 'Buenos dmas!' and asked if I could be of any help. No reply, just the stare. So I continued my routine and when I looked back, I saw her still endeavouring to stand up. I pitied her for trying to achieve what seemed impossible but at the same time, admired her courage to reach what seemed unreachable. Every morning she tried to stand up, to be free. Our continuous 6 o'clock rendezvous at the southern end of 'La Playafels' was repetitious and unchanging. She, trying to lift herself up from the wheelchair and I, stopping to greet her. Every night I prayed. I prayed for a miracle. Every morning I put my trainers on, wishing that there was a change in the way we met; that it was the day she bore fruits of her efforts and faith. It was on a Tuesday in October. I silently went out. The sun was just about to rise. I began running as usual and could see her at a distance. First, it seemed that she was with someone because there was a figure behind her wheelchair. But as I approached her, I realised that the figure I had seen was actually her, standing up against her wheelchair. Her emaciated legs were trembling. She took a step forward and sighed. She let her hands release the handles of the wheelchair and took another step. She could not balance well and fell. I quickly went over to her and lifted her. She looked at me. She smiled. She had done it. Her legs gradually gained the strength she needed to walk. By the end of February 2000, she was able to jog lightly. As Henry Ford said, 'Whether you think you can or think you can't, you are right.' Her perseverance and her strong will brought her the glory she had always dreamed of. She was triumphant in the battle against herself. She was right in thinking that one day she could, as everybody around her did, stand up and freely move around on the beach early in the morning. Once she stood up and ran, there was nothing that could stop her. From my house I could see her running on the beach, through bright sunshine, through rain, and through fog. Sometimes we ran side by side towards the southern end of 'La Playafels,' in silence. In March of that miraculous year, my family and I decided to move to Pedralbes, where my school was located. Castelldefels was a beautiful town to live in but it was difficult to commute to school and work everyday. Though I knew I was going to miss her, I was happy to leave the town after seeing her achieve her goal. The morning I was going to leave Castelldefels, I went out to the beach at six oclock. As I walked to the place where I had first met her, I could see her running. She was coming towards me and once she recognised me, she waved. I said 'Buenos Dmas' as usual and she pointed the southern end of 'La Playafels,' meaning, 'let's run.' I told her that I could not run because I was leaving the town and that I admired her. I told her that I would never forget her, and that I learned much from her. Whether she understood that or not, she began to run towards the southern end of 'La Playafels' alone. She did not look back nor waved at me. This is what I believe: with perseverance, courage, and faith, there is nothing a human cannot do. She was the curer of my weak mentality, mentor of my life. When I first met her, I had felt sorry for her 'vain' efforts to walk, but as I saw her undaunted will, I came to firmly believe that one day she would be able to run just like me. If God gave people something special that other organisms did not receive, it is the ability to make impossible things feasible. I never met her since then, and a year after, I came to the States. I cannot physically run with her but she will always be in me, running with me, motivating me, eradicating my fears, freeing me from all the wheelchairs in my life.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Please explain why you have chosen to apply to this school.
I was lucky to live on two different continents, in three countries. As a
result, I gained an international experience and learned to quickly assimilate
the cultures different people represented. The cultural diversity that exists at
Duke is what attracts me to Duke. I believe that I could perform well, both in
academics and extracurricular activities, by joining the huge pool of diversity
at Duke.
Also, during my 11th grade February break, I visited Duke University and stayed
on the campus for four days with a close friend of mine who was currently a
senior majoring in English. During my stay, I visited many places to get to know
Duke thoroughly; I read books on campus, I dined with Duke University students,
and I attended many classes. While doing so, I felt a strong affection towards
Duke: I imagined myself living on the campus, studying and interacting with
different people. I met many friends of my host and they helped me gather
extremely appealing facts about Duke. I hope I could become a successful member
of the Duke student body.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
If you were given ten dollars, where and how would you spend it?
Before I realized, I was on a white, feeble horse walking by a man on a mule. I was wearing a heavy armor with a lance in my hand. We were riding towards the horizon of endless fields where there were many windmills turning slowly. I asked the man next to me, 'excuse me sir, where are we now?' The man said, 'We are still in La Mancha, don Quixote, but I am getting a little hungry now. Would you like a potato too mi amo?' A potato? La Mancha? Why is he calling me don Quixote? The man gave me a potato and kept on calling me either don Quixote or 'mi amo,' meaning 'my master' in Spanish. I must be in a play, acting as don Quixote, I told myself and decided to act well. A while later we saw a massive windmill in front of us. I remembered that I was supposed to destroy this windmill, thinking that it is a giant trying to hinder my path. So I lifted the heavy lance up and courageously charged against it. 'Princess Dulciane, this is for you!' I screamed and pierced the windmill. The result was that I got utterly destroyed and was defeated by the 'giant.' When I woke up, I was lying on a bed made of straw. The armor, fortunately, was taken off from me. I stood up and looked outside the window, where clouds of smoke were rising. I saw my father dressed up as a priest, my mother as a maid, and my sister as don Quixote's niece. They were, as planned, burning most of my books or giving them out to others. While they were busy doing that, I had to sneak out, wear that heavy armor again, get on my horse and go to Sancho Panza to depart again for the unfinished adventure. The priest, the maid and Quixote's niece was going to deliberately ignore me while I snuck out. But no, they began ruining the whole play by obstructing my path, and hiding my armor and lance. What were they doing? They laid me down on the straw bed again and my sister, Quixotes niece guarded me. I was lost. I did not know what to do next. I was not prepared to act impromptu. So I stayed there and waited, pretending I was asleep. Well& I really did fall into a deep sleep. I opened my eyes. Quixote's niece was gone! I looked at the clock across the room. It was four o'clock in the afternoon. I must have slept a bit too long. It was time to leave again. I looked around the room to see if the armor was there. The room had changed since the last time I looked around. In the place of piles of hay, there was a computer. In the place of farm tools, there was a DVD player. In disbelief I got up from what was no longer a straw bed, but a comfortable bed. As I got up something fell on my feet. It was a book. I picked it up and looked at it: Don Quixote de Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, $10.00.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Please describe a book you have read in the past and explain how it influenced you.
'La Isla Soqada is all about an adventure I would have wanted to live' - says Fernando Martmnez Gil, the author of La Isla Soqada (The Dreamed Island). In fact, that is what everybody who reads the book would think. I received La Isla Soqada as a gift from one of my friends in Spain when I was leaving Spain to come to the United States. This book addressed a meaningful question in me because at first I could not decide whether I agree to the author's criticism about certain people's lives. The book is about the adventures Juan, the protagonist, has during his journey to find a nonexistent island (or rather, an island in his dreams) that he believes it to be 'the Heaven of the Earth.' Gil praises the courage and eagerness of Juan, who embarks on a journey full of unknown and obscurity. Gil commends Juan's zealous pursuit of his dreams but at the same time, criticizes Juan for disregarding the reality and living in his dreams. While reading this in the airplane heading to the United States, I applied Juans journey to mine. When I was nine I embarked on a dreamlike journey to Europe without any knowledge about how Europe would be like. After eight years of life in Spain, I decided that Spain was not the destination of my dreams and left for the United States. It seems that Gil would reprimand my traveling to so many different places in pursuit of my dreams. I, however, hesitated to agree to Gil. I could not decide whether Gil's criticism was a valid one of the lives of people with dreams. Gil seemed to censure their lives for impracticality but I have always believed that going on an adventure to seek one's dreams was worth a try. There was so much to learn, so much to experience during the pursuit of the dreams. I know that my departing from South Korea to go to Europe was not a futile choice for I learned so much in Europe, even the things I could not have in Korea. I came to the United States for the same reason: to learn more. In the end, after arguing about Gil's criticism with myself, I was convinced that the people with dreams do not live a vain life in pursuit. They accomplish their dreams while pursuing them. La Isla Soqada is a book that anybody with dreams should read because it is never too late to embark on a journey of dreams.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
What was your biggest challenge in life and what did you learn from it?
A Day in the Life 'Go to the door! All right, are you ready to jump?' 'Sir, yes, SIR!' 'Speak up! Are you sure?' Psychologists say that of all heights, people most fear falling from 11.3 meters above the ground - about the height of a four-story building. The Korean army exploits this fact in its 11.3-meter tall Mak training towers, reasoning that if a soldier can conquer his or her fear of jumping from that height, he or she can jump from any. That my own memories of the Mak tower persist so intensely stands in stark contrast to my recollections of the other trials of life in the 701 Regiment of the Special Assault Commando Unit. Despite its foreboding moniker, the 701 Regiment was less a training ground for elite special forces than it was an army-operated camp for over-stimulated adolescent boys. This is not to say 'military life' was devoid of challenges - indeed, survival in the 701 Regiment involved precisely the kind of tribulations I as a twelve-year-old boy was ill prepared to contend with. The food was tasteless and underdone, and access to television and junk food was strictly prohibited. The instructors kept us under constant surveillance, filling our days with drills and exercises. Today, I feel gratitude for the discipline the instructors labored to instill in us, and a bemused nostalgia for the twelve-year-old boy whose most profound grief arose from losing two Saturdays' worth of soccer with his friends. But the emotions stirred by these recollections remain dulled, muted by the hazy expanse of time. Not so with the Mak tower. Early the morning of our second day, we assembled at the base of the tall mountain overlooking the camp, our first exercise of the day. The ascent was steep and our only relief was the cooling breeze blowing down from the summit. Twenty minutes into the hike, we came to a rocky plateau dug into the side of the mountain where the instructors ordered us to halt. There, we saw a half-dozen soldiers poised on top of a tall wooden tower. A cry rang out from the tower, and without a moment's deliberation, the men leapt from their perches, restrained from certain death by only four impossibly-thin ropes attached to a cable. I was terrified. Our instructors turned to their silent regiment. 'No one has to do it. If you don't want to do it, you can leave.' Several of my fellows immediately fell out of the group and headed back to camp. My fear, bolstered by reason, urged me to go with them, but a peculiar resolve compelled me to stay. Even now, I struggle to account for this alien resolve that carried me up the four flights of wooden stairs and steadied my hands as I fastened the safety gear around me. I do not think it was bravery, for I was very much afraid, and had I perceived a choice in the matter, I may not have been able to do it. Rather, I think it was a sense of purpose that guided me. Five years have passed since the afternoon I stood atop the Mak tower, but to this day I can feel the echoes of the adrenaline that coursed through my veins as I stepped to the edge of the precipice, and the mere recall of the ground 11.3 meters and some unfathomable distance below still shoots an icy jangliness through my shoulders and into the back of my skull. The wind blew fiercely as I readied myself, drowning out the barking of the drill instructor, pressing me back into the security of the tower's bulwarks. A ripple of indecision rolled through me and then in an instant, was gone, carried away in the slipstream. With my eyes wide and fixed on the horizon, I pushed off. The beginnings of change for me occurred that afternoon on the mountain. Though my friends watching from below would later insist that I passed only through open air, moments after I leapt, I felt myself crossing a threshold. Hurtling toward the earth, strapped into a confining safety vest, I tasted a kind of freedom previously unknown to me, the freedom of a world unbounded by ones fears. The process of disentangling myself from them has been gradual. Five years later, I am still all too often distanced from life by a wall of my anxieties. But the freedom I came to know just a little that afternoon provided me a glimpse of the riches that lie behind it.
