Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Major essay: UCLA: Why do you want to attend UCLA? Cornell: Our desire is to learn something that we may not be able to learn from the application. NYU: Complete or clarify responses to the application, additional information, describe important or unusual aspects of yourself not otherwise apparent in the application, tell us what led you to apply. Vanderbilt: Statement of reasons for wishing to study law, special qualifications you have. Additional facts that have bearing on admission.
A LIFETIME OF LEGAL STUDIES My interest in law began early in my education when, in kindergarten, I was introduced to the Torah, the Old Testament, that includes the laws that govern the Jewish people and that are followed by many to this day. I studied the Torah in school and as my Hebrew and Aramaic developed to fluency, I delved more and more into the different legal tractates and interpretations derived from the original five books. I learned about civil law from the Jewish law codes and common law from the rabbinic responsa literature. I learned how to argue my point of view and interpretation of the law, much as attorneys do in court, with the person with whom I had paired off to study law. I continued my Jewish legal studies in seminaries in Jerusalem for two years and at Yeshiva University in New York. Throughout my high school and undergraduate college studies, I studied under a heavy dual curriculum that kept me at my studies from early in the morning until late at night. This dual curriculum - the equivalent of being enrolled in two institutions simultaneously - has prepared me for the rigors of a legal education at Cornell University. At Yeshiva University, I honed my reasoning skills with courses in math, computers, and physics, while trying to round out my education with courses in Spanish and sociology. In the Masterpieces of World Literature course with Dr. Louis Feldman, a renowned expert on Josephus and Philo, I was able to further develop my interest in law. I wrote a paper for him examining the universal nature of law by comparing the Spartan lawgiver Lycurgus with the Jewish lawgiver Moses. This experience also taught me the skill and delight of thorough, original research. The research was included in a series of lectures by Dr. Feldman, and in an article to be published by the Oxford University Press. Business school taught me not only the practical business application and view of American and international law, including a course in jurisprudence, but also the proficiency to deliver prepared presentations on a variety of subjects. This was part of my transition from purely theoretical legal study to the practical. In Communication, I prepared an informative, a descriptive, and a persuasive speech, culminating in a formal debate on the legality of law enforcement racial profiling in the United States. Working for Becker Productions, a small journalism and public relations firm, I developed my writing skill professionally, and continue to do so. I research, proofread, edit, and author articles for the firm. I have shared bylines in several Wisconsin newspapers, starting at the age of thirteen, and have had my photographs published with credit. Knowing that written communication is an important part of the legal process, I applied to work at the Yeshiva College Writing Center, both to help others develop their skills, and to improve my own communication skills. As a tutor for the Writing Center, I was able to help both undergraduate and graduate students in their written communication. One of my most rewarding experiences was helping a Hispanic woman who had gotten her GED and gone on to college to study social work to honor the memory of her murdered son. She'd been ashamed that she hadn't been able to help her son with his schoolwork, and was now working to gain an education. When we sat down together, she was extremely nervous and embarrassed, having to ask for help from someone half her age. Though she lacked confidence in her learning abilities, I was able to develop a rapport with her using my knowledge of Spanish, her first language, thus enabling her to master the skills that she needed to do well in graduate school, and subsequently as a professional social worker. This Hispanic student was one of many students of different national, cultural, and socio-economic backgrounds that I worked with in the Writing Center, much like those I would work with both in pursuit of a legal career, and as a lawyer. I have had the opportunity to travel extensively with my mother, a travel journalist, since I was an infant. I was exposed to a wide variety of cultures both in my world travels and in the multiethnic neighborhood in which I was raised, and am thus able to relate well with people of different backgrounds and nationalities. Because of my dual interest in computers and law, I hope to be able to combine the two disciplines in the nascent field of Internet law and to work in the law school in the researching and drafting of the codes and laws that will pertain to the still uncharted field of cyberlaw. With my knowledge and logic skills, communication skills, and ability and desire to interact and communicate with a diverse group of people, I feel I am well prepared to do well in the study and profession of law, as well as to make a contribution to others. My background and the philosophy of the [insert name of law school], with its interest in diversity and academic rigor, will mesh beautifully, benefiting [law school] and myself.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
MAJOR ESSAY (PERSONAL STATEMENT): Please provide a statement of your reasons for wishing to engage in the study of law, setting forth any special qualifications you believe you have. Include in your personal statement any additional facts that you believe should have a bearing on your admission to law school.
I am a competitor - I am not satisfied with mediocrity; I demand of myself nothing less than my best effort at all times. For many years, athletics provided me an opportunity to reap the benefits of my naturally competitive attitude, which fueled my assiduous labors to cultivate my raw talent. As a three-sport athlete at an intensely competitive high school, I relished every moment on the baseball, football, or soccer field. On each team, I earned a position of critical importance to the team'a visible position that was demanding and unforgiving'and I excelled at each. In baseball I played first base and batted clean-up, in football I punted and kicked, and in soccer I played goalkeeper. Nevertheless, there is something special about being a member of a team and achieving a common goal. None of my teams ever won a state championship, but we came exasperatingly closefinishing with high national rankings in football and soccer. I was recruited by a number of universities; however, my dream of playing varsity athletics at a major university would never be realized after I blew out my knee during my senior year. Rehabilitating my knee was challenging, but I learned it could never endure the rigorous training necessitated by the Division I athletics. Luckily, I found that club sports were a more low-impact option I could still enjoy. Though I still delight in playing club soccer and golf, it's not the same competition level that I used to love. Naturally, parity exists between athletic competition and academic competition. Academically, the Duke student body is competitive, but that competition manifests itself in a different, much more indirect way. After a weak first semester performance by my own standards, I challenged myself to achieve a level of excellence similar to what I used to demand on the field. I have made the Deans List every semester since the first, freshman year. Even as a freshman, I looked to my future career as an opportunity to build upon my academic talents and realize success in a competitive field of some nature. At first, medicine caught my attention. My experiences and conversations with orthopedic surgeons led me to begin college as a pre-med. I landed a great summer job (one that I would resume each summer until Junior year) in a toxicology lab with R.J. Reynolds Tobacco that afforded me the opportunity to use my science background while supplementing my learning in biology and genetics. I discovered that work in a laboratory translates into periods of intense concentration and effort when performing a test or procedure, followed by periods of ennui waiting for those tests or procedures to run their course. One of my supervisors furnished me with company documents and externally written articles explaining the intricacies of the company's legal troubles, giving me something to read during the less exciting periods. The purpose of the reading was to relate why the tests we were running on various tobacco products needed to be performed. The effect of the documents was unintended, but substantial: I became absorbed in the legal arguments comprising the lawsuits against Reynolds. I found myself researching various aspects of the cases in my spare time. As a nonsmoker, I could appreciate many of the arguments for and against the tobacco industry. The legal wrangling in these suits still captivates me. Having recognized the law as a major forum for intellectual competition, I realized that I finally found a substitute for the competitive void left by athletics. As an aspiring lawyer, I have taken every opportunity to immerse myself in activities related to law. I joined Bench & Bar, the pre-legal society at Duke, and eventually became president of the club. I even added a second major, Public Policy Studies (PPS), in addition to Economics, to refine my reasoning skills and expand my understanding of business, government, and public policy. The knowledge I have gained in my undergraduate majors should provide me with a unique perspective in my legal studies. Economics has proven a perfect complement to my innately analytical perspective, and my ongoing studies continue to whet my reasoning. In my PPS major, every class features numerous writing assignments. These writing assignments, referred to as 'memos' by the department, require the advocacy of a single viewpoint. In writing these memos, I learned successful advocacy is critically dependent upon analyzing all sides of an issue and concentrating on weaknesses or ambiguities in the opposition's argument while, at the same time, anticipating attacks against limitations in my chosen viewpoint. Moreover, I have developed a passion for scrutinizing competing arguments and a profound appreciation for the art of crafting language into a convincing assertion. Through the Public Policy Department, I have also been able to gain valuable exposure to legal issues. I was able to take a class focusing on the administration of justice, taught by a team of Durham lawyers, and intern with one of those lawyers during the summer following my junior year. As an intern, I examined the NC Supreme Courts exercise of appellate jurisdiction over the Court of Appeals in criminal cases, uncovering evidence that the Court is more available to the States appeals than the defense's. The internship experience fortified my desire to become a lawyer. My competitive nature and passion for meeting challenges fuel both my academic studies and professional aspirations. I believe Vanderbilts rigorous, but friendly academic environment will allow me to thrive as a law student, and its excellent national reputation will benefit me professionally.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Generic "Personal Statement" question.
Sometimes I wonder if I've ever been honest with anyone. I don't mean that I lie, or even that I am necessarily deceptive, but perhaps there is a difference between speaking the truth and being true. Being true, in my estimation, requires that one know something about his own character. How else can he know when he is false? With each passing day, however, I grow closer to the realization that my knowledge of my character fails to satisfy me. So far, I haven't decided whether this is a flaw. In the past, I have described myself as an actor. In fact, performing was so central to my life prior to Cornell that I deeply regret not having returned to the stage in the last three years. Like a musician who locks away his instrument, I put aside that part of my life to concentrate, I told myself, on academics. I truly miss the theater, and though from time to time I am bothered by the idea that I could have remained both a student and an actor, really I know this question is a lie. A catcher may be unable to catch without his glove, or an artist paint without his brushes, but as an actor I am bound by nothing - not by a costume, a script, or even a stage. I cannot remember when this realization first came to me, but I must admit it has become both a comfort and a source of strength. An actor, I decided, is not merely a product of his role; he is not an actor simply because he pretends and performs for an audience in a theater. Rather, an actor is one who is in control of himself. An actor is deliberate and conscious of how his words and actions are perceived. He is utterly aware of the scene in which life has placed him at any given moment, and he is forever in thought of his role therein. Certainly, this is an idealized definition, but I believe it has served me well. I've engaged in a wide variety of roles in recent years, and by concentrating myself upon each endeavor I have been successful. My role as a student is just one of these, but there are many more. Once limited to graphic design, my work in e-commerce has increasingly placed me in the role of a salesman, often speaking directly with clients to sell our services and ideas. I have helped my family to cope with my grandfather's Alzheimer's disease, and as an older brother I have seen my siblings through their transitions to high school and college. A different performance is required for each of the scenes that accompany these roles, and to the extent that I am able to play them successfully they all feel equally natural. But by far the most foreign role I have yet had the chance to play, and therefore the most exciting, I found as an intern at the Washington D.C. bureau of Fox News. Every morning I awoke in Washington I was either thrilled that I was going in to work or disappointed that I wasn't. The news business is a turbulent one, changing every day and sometimes minute by minute, and I was excited to be there, feeding off the energy of everyone at the bureau. I would be exaggerating if I said there was never a slow moment, but even then there was an anticipation and urgency that filled the air with purpose and drive. Yes, I loved the energy at Fox, but that wasn't the best part. For me, going into the field was like being on stage. On dozens of occasions I had the opportunity to attend press conferences, stakeouts, Congressional committee meetings, and other newsworthy events ubiquitous in Washington. Sometimes I ran errands; other times I went simply for my own education, but the reason didn't matter. As far as anyone knew I was a member of the press, with my notepad, ID badge, and look of purpose. I cannot adequately communicate the thrill of those experiences except to compare it to the thrill of performing. Each situation was new and always I was on my feet. It was like improv in so many ways, only it seemed to matter. Whether I was treated seriously at the Pentagon, the White House, or on Capitol Hill depended entirely upon my presentation: not just how I was dressed, but how I carried myself, what I said, and how I said it. If I could behave easily and appropriately, I would be accepted even if I were secretly doodling on my notepad instead of taking notes. The opportunities I had to actively participate in those experiences, whether by mingling with the press corps or even asking questions of government officials, were exciting tests of my abilities to perform in situations where I felt any display of incompetence or lapse of poise would discredit me. Some might argue that the stakes were not so high; really, what did it matter if I were seen as just another Washington intern instead of a professional? I suppose it did not seriously matter, but that wasn't the point. I eagerly invented the challenge, I think, because it appealed to my notion of what makes a capable, well-equipped individual. I have endless respect for those who are able to act appropriately in any situation, no matter how foreign; certainly, this is an issue of politeness and propriety, but to me is also a hallmark of intelligence, and I aspire to it. Familiar circumstances are safe and comforting precisely because they do not challenge. Whether negotiating on the phone with small business owners to design their internet storefront, struggling to build ranch fencing among cowboys, or traveling 3000 miles from home to attend university, I have invited challenge because it provides an opportunity to test myself in new roles. Of all the enthusiastic evaluations I can give of my internship in cable TV journalism, the greatest is to say that it was an unparalleled test of my ability to perform. The time I spent in the field and at the bureau was an incomparable education in politics, the media, and not least significantly, myself. Moreover, it has helped confirm what I've grown to suspect about my character: that because of its adaptability and mutability, I may never fully know it. Because each performance in my life is determined by the tests with which I am confronted, I am led to conclude that my character is variable. Accordingly, Ive learned that I am capable of almost any challenge by adopting the strengths, attitudes, and qualities needed to succeed. This is at once a romantic, empowering, and self-inflating manifesto, I know, but for me it has a disturbing side as well. Like a chameleon that can't identify its original color, I am left puzzling over who I would be without challenges through which to define myself. As an actor, I try consciously to understand my part in every role I play, but I have great difficulty understanding my character except in relation to those roles. Ironically, the dynamism and versatility to which I aspire seems to conflict with my notion of honesty, for I cannot but wonder whether the character I've adopted for any given situation is in fact a false one. Whatever benefits I've derived from this versatility, I have also uncovered a personal philosophical dilemma. Presently, I am left with the unsatisfactory conclusion that my true color might in fact be a changeable palette, capable of shifting its hues to meet any challenge. I'm not sure whether this should be cause for pride or concern, but perhaps acknowledging it is as honest as I can be.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Personal Statement
Imperial Sugar It was only 99 cents at Kroger: Imperial Pure Cane Sugar. At home in America's Kitchens Since 1843. Net wt 1 lb. (16 oz) 453 g. 126 Sugar Cubes. Little did I know how much this 2 x 4 < x 3 > inch cardboard box would come to symbolize. This thin, light-yellow box with slender white lines and such seemingly simple instructions, 'pull and tear at perforation,' serves as a reminder of life's lessons. As I enter my fourth and final year as coordinator of Wharton and Rice Mentorship (WARM), I will forever treasure those little encounters the most. Wharton Elementary has become my haven, my home, and a place where I have found solace during my college career. This elementary serves a predominately Hispanic population in the Fourth Ward and Montrose area of Houston, Texas. Perusing the school profile on paper, one could think twice about the prospects of success for these children: 100% are Title 1 (low-income students), 87% are on free/reduced lunch, 61% have Limited English, and 79% are considered at-risk. Yet, their attendance numbers are phenomenal, their promotion rate is high, and their hearts are so overpowering that one cannot help but stand in awe at this exemplary school and its families. Through WARM, we alternate between Wharton Elementary and Rice University campuses. One memorable afternoon from last Spring stands out in my mind. By 3:15, the mentors and mentees gathered to eat the strawberry cupcakes with vanilla frosting and sprinkles that I had baked the prior evening. Our focus for the day was twofold: to bring closure to the year and to unify the group. I initiated an activity in which participants could capitalize on their strengths and disintegrate their weaknesses. We sat in a circle with the famous cardboard box. The sugar activity was one that I had developed as a cabin leader at a summer camp for children with special needs. 'I fear that I will be this size in two years,' remarked Julian, an obese nine-year old boy who recognizes the health risks inherent in his size. Josh, a second year mentor, revealed, 'I am scared that my ambition to become a doctor is only a quest to make my parents proud.' 'I am scared that I will not accomplish my God-given mission. I fear that I will succumb to the pressures of being the 'best' or doing the 'best' and that I will lose sight of my mission in life.' That was what I said. One by one, we disclosed our greatest fears by dropping sugar cubes into the water. The Tupperware bowl became a reservoir of renounced anxiety. We each began with about five sugar cubes, then by the end they were all gone. Recognizing each concern as noteworthy, the children offered mutual support and respect. What came to surface that Friday afternoon in April was the trust and love that had been built among our team. By dropping the sugar cubes in water, we watched the very things that were troubling us shed and disintegrate. Finally, when there were just a handful of pieces left, I had everyone put in one cube together. We made a pact for each other. In unison, each individual dropped his or her final cube, making a wish for WARM - that we may embrace trust, hope, and love. This activity taught us to relinquish the strong, tough, survivor-like exteriors we tend to wear, to acknowledge our vulnerabilities, and to embrace hope in one another. The next week, we used the same bowl for water, but we each had one stone to place into the bowl. The goal was for each of us to identify one quality for which we were most proud. We went around the circle and declared our greatest asset. We acknowledged that these stones could and would never dissolve. While the stones may become smoother with time, having been weathered by water, they would always be impenetrable and withstand hardship. After each of us placed our stone, we reflected on the unique contribution each person, in living, makes to the world. With the basin of water before us, we each took one stone to keep. I instructed everyone not to ask whose stone they had received, but to treasure the fact that they could be empowered by someone else's strength. Each of us now, both figuratively and quite literally, carries one another's strengths with us. That afternoon, I held that my strength was to serve as a voice for others. Outsiders might not see anything magical in that day, but the symbolism of our simple game became my declaration of independence. I am committed to not letting the voices of those children, or of any people I care about, fade away. This is what has been the guiding force for my devotion to my senior thesis project for Women and Gender Studies. Since my sophomore year, I have been invested in addressing the childcare needs of Rice University and instigating a dialogue surrounding this issue. My current fight is for the working mothers and fathers who face challenges in their dual roles as parents and employees. Utilizing my psychology based research skills, I am surveying the campus faculty, staff, and graduate students, to ascertain the desire for and feasibility of an onsite childcare facility. My efforts have re-ignited a discussion left silent since 1994, when the Commission on Women last addressed the issue. My senior thesis will be a comprehensive, ten year revisited report and recommendation to the administration regarding childcare needs. As I believe Rice should support both its educative mission and the notion of the family, I am working as an advocate to realize this goal. Congresswoman Barbara Jordan once said, 'All my growth and development led me to believe that if you really do the right thing, and if you play by the rules, and if you've got good enough, solid judgment and common sense, that you're going to be able to do whatever you want to do with your life.' As a Barbara Jordan Scholar, I have been able to attend Rice University because, coming out of high school I was recognized as a student who exhibited the qualities that were an integral part of her character - the ability to build bridges across racial, cultural, and religious divides - and the will to enhance the campus environment by embracing the diverse traditions that are part of our society. It is an honor to uphold her traditions and ideals through both academic and personal endeavors. Entering law school, I want to espouse her beliefs and empower others. I want to continue to embody her goals of building bridges. In a quest for public service, I hope to emulate her work. Whether through WARM, the childcare project, or my active role in campus and community service projects, my goal is to listen to the voices of others. I hope to be able to fight for those people, who are often too tired, overworked, young, or troubled to be able to fight for themselves. I want to stand up for them, their lives, ambitions, and dreams. I believe in 10 year-old Eddie, who wishes someday he could live in a three-story house. I will, someday, campaign for his friend Martin, who wants to be a world leader. It is funny how one hundred and twenty six sugar cubes could come to mean so much. After we all placed our final sugar cube in the water in unison, I was overcome with emotion and gave everyone a tearful, heartfelt thank you. I was moved by the bravery of the mentors and children. I have carried the rock in my backpack ever since. I do not know whose talent and strength I carry with me - I am lucky enough to carry all of them with me in my heart. WARM has been at home in my heart since 2000.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Diversity Statement
That bumpy road 'Parece lavador.' These were the words my grandmother would always smile saying as we drove down the caliche roads to the ranch for family gatherings. Lavador: it means washer or cleaner, like the washboard that she used in the 'olden days.' The roads were bumpy like the washboard. That washer -the wooden exterior handle rim with the bumpy cleansing surface - like that rough road, is an emblem of my ties to my past. My grandparents, Victor and Consuelo, did not have formal education past elementary school. Instead, my grandfather learned hard work, dedication, and strength from his handiwork and labor for Duval County. My grandmother learned her role from her culture, her Catholic faith, her land, and her family. They taught their children to cherish and respect one another as equals. Moreover, they imparted their strong work value and ethic to their grandchildren. My mom grew up in a home where she and her family made everything from their own butter or soap to clothing and staple foods. In some ways, my upbringing in a technology-filled city has been quite different; other respects remain the same. Like my mom, I treasure the family-centered traditions that are the root of my Mexican-American culture. Throughout my schooling, every Sunday after mass was a family event. Much like the gatherings at el arroyo, where they would assemble at the edge of the river when my mom was young, my generation gathered at my grandma's home in rural Concepcisn, Texas. At the 'T' of the street, my mom and her siblings, extended family, and neighbors, would congregate with blankets, food, and games. My brothers, cousins, aunts, uncles, and family friends, likewise, gathered to celebrate one another each Sunday afternoon. My grandfather passed away before I was born, but I continued to learn of his character from my family. In 1990, when my grandmother sustained a disabling stroke, our road was again changed, this time to Alice, Texas, where she could live with my aunt. This did not change the nature of our family gatherings, just the location. She lived there for six years before moving in with my family, and we paved a new road again. Then, several years back, my grandma's road ended. Her passing added some difficult turns in mine, but strong family ties have taught me to reinforce the values with which I was raised and to carry on traditions, even if in modified ways. The roads of the lavador continue to shape me. The caliche roads to my grandmother's ranch are in my past, but I will use those experiences to travel still more bumpy roads. Where Farm Road 1329 and County Road 208 intersect was where my mom would walk to school. This fall I will journey to law school, bringing my family over the caliche roads we now smile about and onto newly-paved streets.
