Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Personal Statement: "What inspires you?"
As a child, I considered the ability to read in a moving vehicle my most precious gift. During frequent trips to my grandmother's house, 150 miles of farmland from my own, in the days when families traveled in rusting station wagons rather than television-equipped SUVs, my vertigo-stricken siblings often succumbed to boredom-induced mania. As they argued irately over vital issues, such as whether legroom should be distributed by age or thigh diameter, I sat silently, taking up as little space as possible in order to avoid their wrath and remain within the worlds that Michael Crichton and Louisa May Alcott had created expressly for my personal enjoyment. I became so childishly engrossed in my own private world that I scarcely noticed my surroundings. At home, if I wasn't curled up in our backyard tree house with a thick blanket and an even thicker volume, I was seated happily before the piano, striking the air above the keys and creating a tune only I could hear so as not to arouse the attentions of anyone else in the house. While driving to my grandmother's house, I was unaware of the fiercely sweet smell of fertilizer that my brother complained of and ignorant to the gradual conversion of every radio wavelength to the twangy country that made my sister moan in grief. Luckily, those days of self-induced solitude are long gong, but they have left their mark in the form of an uncommon appreciation for my own creative powers. With my hands and my mind, I compose, I befriend, I understand, I rejoice. Most importantly, I teach and I learn and the world's great mysteries, like why brilliant artists kill themselves and how societies form fatal prejudices, become a little less mysterious. My trusty journal is ever at my side, my camera ever bouncing against my rib cage, each waiting patiently to capture rays of inspiration as they flit through my mind. Recently, I find myself revisiting the farmland that I formerly ignored. I traipse through cornfields, hungry for enlightenment. Post-harvest, the crisp air snarls at my toes as it rustles morbidly through the browning, fruitless plants. There's something pure in the mud that splashes off my heels and sets on my calves, something organic in the sun that breaks through the husks above my head, tracing delicate rose petals of light on the dark earth. And, suddenly, the insight that I had sought is in sight all around me, piercing the autumn air, reflecting brilliantly off of dead leaves, bouncing into my eyes and granting me the incredible power that is vision. Only light can catalyze life itself, energizing a hard, miniscule seed and drawing it upwards, multiplying its contents by the trillions. The strong beams of light, visible only when contrasted with their absence, lead each tiny germ to produce food that drives the world's economy, that could feed every living soul if it weren't destined to be dumped on the Mexican market. But these living souls, are they not also light? If light is energy, nearly weightless, restless and creative, then surely I have my own store of light, tucked deep within myself, inspiring my growth, directing me as if I were a yellow flower that twists about its stem to follow the sun's course. My life's goal is to make the light that resides within me bear fruit that may positively influence the future. I have already begun this lifelong journey by using every opportunity available, from the lunch table to religion class to a conversation with a customer whose beautiful photographs of a newborn child I have just developed, to gather inspiration and to share my own inspirations. I've converted several people into vegetarians, been converted into a pacifist, and laboriously convinced any young girl who will grant me her time that she can do everything just as well as her brothers. Mental and spiritual illumination can be found wherever it is sought. As Thoreau had a wooded lake, Jeffers had an ocean and I- I, in the middle of the agricultural mecca that is the Midwest, have a cornfield.
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.
Essay Category:
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.
Essay Category:
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:
Each school asks a different question but all generally ask the following: Please write an essay demonstrating how you overcame an obstacle and how you will succeed in law school.
I never met my grandfather; he died when my mother was a child. When I asked my mother about him, I learned that his untimely death led to her emigration from China. She explained that her family was poor and their loss made surviving in their country simply impossible. With her mother and four younger siblings, my mother came to America with virtually nothing. Lacking proficiency in English and any high-demand skills she was forced to find work in a sweatshop, where many new Chinese immigrants find employment. Despite debilitating socio-economic disadvantages my mother knew the value of an education and was determined to go to school. She weathered the responsibility of providing for her family with sub-minimum wage income. She defied discouraging words from people, including her own mother, and earned a high school degree. Similarly, when she expressed a desire to continue her education she was met with words to the effect of, 'your family needs you to work' and 'girls don't belong in college.' Nevertheless, she went on to graduate with a bachelor's degree in mathematics from UCLA. But my mother's accomplishment did not relinquish her of the challenges associated with immigrating. Cultural disparities remained hindrances for her and I have experienced some of the effects for myself. My mother, and my father, worked long hours when I was growing up because they did not want their boys growing up in an inner-city neighborhood. Fortunately, as my parents worked, my grandmother was available to look after my brother and me. She only spoke Shanghainese, a relatively obscure Chinese dialect. Complicating the situation, although they knew English, my mother primarily spoke Cantonese and my father Mandarin. Communicating with my parents was difficult because I had become accustomed to my grandmother's dialect. Complicating matters further, I started school and learning English became a necessity, my parents refrained from speaking Chinese to promote my learning of English. Aristotle said that the ability to speak set man apart from beast. Reflecting on this perplexing period early in my life - when I was not comfortable with any language - I appreciate the significance of his distinction. Periods like the aforementioned when I encountered adversity, I acted with diligence. My mother taught me this. She instilled her work ethic in me, not initially by telling me her story but by setting an example. Moments when I became discouraged by seemingly insurmountable obstacles, I turned to her example. I learned from her hardships and realized how fortunate I was to have so many options, to be free of extreme financial burden, and to have a supportive family. Admittedly, it took me several years to appreciate my position, but when I did, I was inspired. I attribute much of my success, particularly in college, to her. But my situation was different from my mother's. The challenges I faced were of another sort and her remedy of diligence, alone, was not sufficient. The high school I attended had a gang problem. A few of my friends were pressured to join for protection; others joined simply for the status. Although I chose to abstain and dedicate myself to academics, it was impossible to separate myself from the presence of gangs simply by diverting my attention. I became alienated from my friends and had to watch them become involved with drugs and violence. While persistence in schoolwork earned the respect of my instructors, I found that it did little for my peers. The quiet demeanor I had adopted was sometimes mistaken for passivity. I am not one to abdicate easily, but I am certainly not foolish. As a result, the way I articulated myself was determinative. I chose not to make any rash actions that would inevitably lead to physical conflict. Instead, I reached out to other students and found many similarities among us. We were minorities with immigrant families and similar experiences and hopes. Maybe I was just trying to make friends, but in the process I discovered that most students wanted the same thing - they wanted to learn - but gangs or drugs distracted them. I found that I could guide and teach students, gang members included, by establishing a rapport with them. And as I formed associations, I saw more similarities and I began to understand the plight of my peers. Once a disability of mine the ability to communicate and reason became a powerful tool. I have the propensity to mediate through careful deliberation rather than engage in hasty quarrels. My experiences have exposed me to a variety of viewpoints and interests and have culminated in a liberal mind. My mother's experiences have sparked an interest in the Chinese-American situation, yet I am aware and sympathetic to the conditions faced by minorities in general. The story of my upbringing parallels that of many immigrants, but this is not to suggest that it is not extraordinary. I am at my best when I am challenged. Law school is a collection of intelligent individuals and I feel I will excel in such an atmosphere. I believe my work ethic befits a legal education and that the experience will refine my rational thought process. Although I am not certain where a law degree will lead me, I am certain it will complement my experiences. In turn, I offer a distinct and resilient addition to the student body.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Personal statement, major essay
The Law of the Land I heard the news almost immediately through the Peace Corps grapevine: a fellow Volunteer had been sexually assaulted. I was upset and I felt vulnerable, living alone in my rural town in Guatemala I knew it could just as easily happen to me. I was discussing the incident with a Guatemalan friend, Marvin, and what the local authorities would do about it. He told me not to worry, if it happened to me in our town, we would deal with the perpetrator. 'Deal with him?' I asked, confused, still ignorant of the reality of Guatemalan 'justice.' Well, Marvin said, we do not trust the police to deal with it so I, along with other powerful men in town, would arrange justice for you. Having been raised in the United States, the concept of vigilante justice was hard for me to comprehend, let alone accept, because to me, this did not make it right. His comments impacted me then and have stuck with me ever since. I read about and saw these things - lynchings, hangings, mob violence, and vigilante justice - in the news daily in Guatemala; at least one person somewhere in the country had been shot, burned alive or stoned to death by their fellow citizens. In reality, these incidences were only a small representation of what was taking place nationwide. The longer I lived there the more I saw that Guatemalans rarely bothered to take their grievances to the police because they had an inherent lack of faith in the legal system. This pervaded my experience since my job was to work within that very system. In my role as a Peace Corps Volunteer, I helped the municipal government implement three new laws that were passed as a result of the 1996 Peace Accords supporting a decentralized, participatory government. First, I worked to convince the local authorities of their value and as I began to gain their support, my co-workers and I set about trying to persuade the different communities to take part in this new system. I was trying to help Guatemalans take advantage of the opportunity to directly impact their own development, to create true democracy. It appeared to be simple and straightforward, but it was not easy; we sometimes had to visit the same community four times before we finally had enough people for a meeting! It was frustrating that it was so difficult to convince Guatemalans to participate - after all, I was helping them implement their laws. I realized that I was actually competing with a culture of extreme distrust for the government and authorities. In a country that had been plagued by almost four decades of civil war, it was actually not surprising that the majority of Guatemalans did not trust the institution that had so systematically oppressed them. I saw many societal problems living in rural Guatemala, from lack of food and shelter, to lack of medical facilities and healthcare, but to me, the gravest was the lack of a justice system. Everyone focuses on the human rights violations from the civil war, but what about the ones still occurring? The international community is active in this arena, recommending new laws and procedures, sending human rights missions, and pushing forward treaties. However, the lack of an effective legal structure is something that will probably take many more years to remedy, because a society that does not believe in a system will not use it despite myriad efforts from the outside. My experience made me question how much a foreigner really can and should do with another countrys legal system, and the best way to do it. In todays increasingly global society lawyers play critical roles in determining international business and trade laws, prosecuting war crimes, and participating in human rights tribunals. I saw firsthand how essential it is that the people who create policies and make decisions on the international stage understand how they affect people at the local level. From these experiences, I have grown to appreciate even more the legal framework we have in the United States and the quality of life it affords us. Despite our justice systems faults and imperfections, we believe in it and respect it. I want to be a part of this system, to help those who must work within it, especially those most in need, and to make sure that the laws that we and others create serve their purpose. I ultimately want to apply these tools and knowledge at the international level, to work to bridge the gap between the policymakers and those affected by their actions. The possibility of studying not only international law but comparative law at X is unparalleled and a significant advantage in preparing for a legal career. To practice law in the international arena, one must understand the other systems involved. Furthermore, the chance to study abroad will enhance my education by giving me incomparable hands-on experience in the field. This education will complement my past experiences to enable me to make a difference in the lives of people most in need in the United States and abroad.
