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wxfily0607 - 2008-5-13 11:34:00

Writing Sample 1

Hiking to Understanding Surrounded by thousands of stars, complete silence, and spectacular mountains, I stood atop New Hampshire's Presidential Range awestruck by nature's beauty. Immediately, I realized that I must dedicate my life to understanding the causes of the universe's beauty. In addition, the hike taught me several valuable lessons that will allow me to increase my understanding through scientific research. Although the first few miles of the hike up Mt. Madison did not offer fantastic views, the vistas became spectacular once I climbed above tree line. Immediately, I sensed that understanding the natural world parallels climbing a mountain. To reach my goal of total comprehension of natural phenomena, I realized that I must begin with knowledge that may be uninteresting by itself. However, this knowledge will form the foundation of an accurate view of the universe. Much like every step while hiking leads the hiker nearer the mountain peak, all knowledge leads the scientist nearer total understanding. Above tree line, the barrenness and silence of the hike taught me that individuals must have their own direction . All hikers know that they must carry complete maps to reach their destinations; they do not allow others to hold their maps for them. Similarly, surrounded only by mountaintops, sky, and silence, I recognized the need to remain individually focused on my life's goal of understanding the physical universe. At the summit, the view of the surrounding mountain range is spectacular. The panorama offers a view of hills and smaller mountains. Some people during their lives climb many small hills. However, to have the most accurate view of the world, I must be dedicated to climbing the biggest mountains I can find. Too often people simply hike across a flat valley without ascending because they content themselves with the scenery. The mountain showed me that I cannot content myself with the scenery. When night fell upon the summit, I stared at the slowly appearing stars until they completely filled the night sky. Despite the windy conditions and below freezing temperatures, I could not tear myself away from the awe-inspiring beauty of the cosmos. Similarly, despite the frustration and difficulties inherent in scientific study, I cannot retreat from my goal of universal understanding. When observing Saturn's rising, the Milky Way Cloud, and the Perseid meteor shower, I simultaneously felt a great sense of insignificance and purpose. Obviously, earthly concerns are insignificant to the rest of the universe. However, I experienced the overriding need to understand the origins and causes of these phenomena. The hike also strengthened my resolve to climb the mountain of knowledge while still taking time to gaze at the wondrous scenery. Only then can the beauty of the universe and the study of science be purposefully united. Attaining this union is my lifelong goal.
Writing Sample 2
What characteristics of Penn, and yourself, make the University a particularly good match for you? Briefly describe how you envision your first year in college. How will your presence be known on campus?
John F. Kennedy said, "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country." I see academics as a similar two-way interaction: in the classroom, I will do much more than take up valuable space. Because of the broad range of experiences I have had, my knowledge of many subjects is thorough. These experiences will help me perform well in any class, as I have learned how to use my time efficiently. Time management is very important to me, because one needs free time with which to engage in other activities -- from research to athletics. I have an everlasting thirst for knowledge. When I know little about a topic, I try to expand my kwowledge to quench that thirst. I look to others for knowledge, but not blindly: if I don't believe in someone's ideas, I will stand up for my own beliefs. My mind is open to new ideas.
While work in the classroom is of utmost importance to me, activities outside the classroom are just as important. In this area, I have much to offer. I am an alto saxophone player in both the jazz and concert bands. This is only one way I spend my time, however. I am very interested in the Internet and create web pages for people (I also fix and build computers). I love inline skating and hockey. I am also a die-hard Republican, and I am very involved in politics. In fact, I am the vice-president of the Teenage Republicans club. Athletics have played a major role in my life. Lacrosse is one of my passions, and I am a defenseman on the lacrosse team. For me, sports combine a competitive spirit with the individual spirit of being part of a team. I also play roller hockey every weekend and am always ready to play a pickup game of basketball or football. Despite the fact that I have lived in Florida all of my life, my background is somewhat diverse. My parents are both originally from India, and my grandfather was a missionary. It is from him that I must get my strong set of values. My other grandfather was an Indian ambassador to many countries, which is where I get my love of politics. I have visited India three times and have been there for months at a time. The differences between their society and ours have given me a broader outlook on life. Indeed, my vast array of experiences gives me a well-rounded perspective on the world. I am a synthesis of two conflicting backgrounds, and this has helped shape my personality. These experiences would make me contribute to the diverse UPenn campus.
In return, there are many things I hope to gain from my college experience. I have a fairly accurate idea of what I want to do with my life, and that involves the Wharton School at Penn. Wharton School is the best business school in the world, and there I would gain knowledge that would give me limitless possibilities in my journey through life. Moreover, Penn is in Philadelphia, a city rich in culture and art. Penn will introduce me to new and various things, and I hope to develop new interests from this exposure. I strongly believe one should be exposed to many things throughout one's life. During my high school years, I have been very involved in school and community activities. In Penn, I hope to continue my involvement in new clubs and activities. My goal is to find a balance between my studies and my social life, and I hope to offer my leadership qualities to my college community.

Writing Sample 3
Engineers will face many challenges over the next twenty years. Which of these challenges seems most appealing to you, and how do you plan to help meet it?
With energy sources being depleted at an incredible rate, the need to engineer practical, renewable sources of energy is becoming increasingly important. In only 100-200 years, oil reserves will be nearly used up, and natural gas will be used up shortly after that. As demands for energy increase with the development of the third world and since energy is necessary to the prosperity of all nations, engineers must devise practical, affordable, and environmentally sound solutions to the upcoming energy crisis. I do not believe the future of renewable energy research will lie in proliferation of nuclear power plants or in spending billions of dollars on fusion research. Rather, I predict engineers will devise a product to affordably harness a less dangerous energy source. For example, we can harness wind power and solar energy to produce electricity. Unfortunately, such energy sources are not utilized practically to any real extent in my homeland of Turkey, although there are some instances of practical utilization in the United States. I do believe that wind power can be exploited as an auxiliary energy source. By installing a large number of wind turbines in convenient places, we can convert wind energy to electric energy for consumption by homes and industry. Even though this process has its own challenges like placing a ridiculous number of turbines across a country at great expense and getting a meteorological map of the country, I believe these problems are surmountable. Moreover, such an energy source can help us to save the environment.
What characteristic of Penn and yourself make the University a particularly good match for you? Briefly describe how you envision your first year in college. How will your presence be known on campus?
I have the difficult task of being the "first". I will be the first one in my family who has ever studied overseas, and while I find this idea fascinating, I realize it will not be easy. Without having anyone around to advise me about the new life I will face, I have had to figure out everything by myself. If I am to make a mistake in selecting a college, I will bear the full burden of that mistake. As I begin to realize this, I understand that I will need to find the inner strength and self-reliance to face difficult changes alone, but I know I have the personal strength to do this. In addition, because I am the first in my family to be educated abroad, my ten-year old sister looks up to me in awe. She fully expects to follow in my footsteps and to be educated in the legendary land that I am constantly speaking of. As a result, I must be careful in what I do since she will follow in my tracks. Thinking about these consequences, I decided that nothing would be easy for me, but that whatever I faced, I would never give up. With the hopes of my little sister on the line, I am not going to thwart her dreams of studying in the States. My father was the first person in his family who earned a university diploma, and my receiving an excellent US education would vindicate the hard work he did to make this possible for me. When I first saw the booklet of University of Pennsylvania on my counselor's desk, I knew right away that this was the school I wanted to be part of. The University of Pennsylvania offers me much more than an education. It also offers me the opportunity to learn how to be an individual who can fulfill society's needs both now and in the future. Moreover, since UPenn has a long history of "first", I knew that I would fit in the dynamic, inventive atmosphere. Since the responsibility of being the "first" is great, I believe that UPenn, with many students in similar situations, would provide me the support I need to excel in this very important academic community. If I am admitted to the college, I will not fool around trying to get situated; instead, I will work to integrate myself into the campus community from the very beginning to become a contributing member of my class. In a familiar environment surrounded by people who share my drive and determination, I will work to display the strength and eagerness to learn and to achieve in my eyes. My success in the lessons and achievements in friendship will be enough to recognize me in hundreds of students. I will be the first person in my family who attends a college in the States that knows the privilege of being"first".
How did you spend last summer?
Last summer I learned a lot about life from outside the classroom. Previous summers, I had attended summer camps in France and in England, but this time I spent my whole summer working in a local travel agency called Firefly Travel Agency and at a McDonalds. Even though I was frustrated at the beginning, at the end of the summer I was glad to endure such an experience. During the month that I spent guiding tourists around Marmaris, I learned many important interpersonal skills. Under the bright sun, I had the opportunity to not only visit many very interesting sites but also practice my English at the same time. Exposed to many people of different cultures, I enjoyed helping people very much. When I returned from Marmaris to my hometown of Ystanbul, I found working in McDonald s to be an even more difficult challenge. While certainly not mentally taxing, the job required me to stand on my feet constantly and to not rely on others for help. As days passed and I completed my training in each station, I realized that I could still enjoy myself. Now, I was preparing the hamburgers that I had eaten hundreds of times before without recognizing how grueling the process was. Both working in the kitchen as the cashier, I got a sense of the business world from the level of the lowest employee. I ended the summer very content and quite motivated to excel at college to avoid mindless, unskilled work like my McDonald's job.
Most people belong to many different communities-groups defined by (among other things) shared geography, religion, ethnicity, income, cuisine, interest, race, ideology or intellectual heritage. Choose one of the communities to which you belong and describe that community and your place within.
Basketball had always been my favorite sport since the day my father registered me in a basketball course when I was only eight. Unfortunately, because I am from Turkey, people objected to my playing a "masculine sport". Surprisingly, most of the opposition came from my female friends and relatives. Despite their advice, I never considered quitting. When I entered Robert College, I had the chance of a lifetime with the opportunity to compete on a girls' basketball team in an official league. My female friends said that basketball was a sport that was impossible for girls to succeed in and they always found a way to escape playing basketball during physical education classes. This attitude only spurred me on to practice and play harder. I respected basketball as a profession. The court was the place where I felt most comfortable and most powerful. I liked the team spirit that filled the air before the matches, and I adored the camps and practices we had before big tournaments. With the opportunity to form lasting bonds with many different girls, I was obsessed and fascinated by the sport. My interest spilled over to inspire my teammates, and my desire and
dedication to basketball led me to be named captain when I was in just the 7th grade; I am still captain of the team to this day. Through my way, I never forgot the advice that my coach gave: Quitters never win and winners never quit and till now I have always tried to be the winner.

wxfily0607 - 2008-5-13 11:35:00

Writing Sample 4
Include an essay to help the Admissions office gain a more complete impression of you and what you can contribute to the University of Connecticut.
As my application shows, I am an above average student in most areas. I have particularly excelled in mathematics, earning good grades throughout high school. When pondering about my future, I thought that I might be able to use math to be successful in business. So after my sophomore year, I decided to take some business courses with the goal of attaining a solid background in the field. High school, however, has not adequately prepared me to enter the world of business. This is the primary reason I am applying to the University of Connecticut: I hope to further expand my education in the field of business.
Outside of school, I have a wide variety of other interests. One of my favorite things to do is to play sports, especially baseball and basketball. Since I was about seven years old, I have played in many baseball and basketball leagues. While I join an intramural baseball league every spring, I play competitive basketball year-round. I play these sports not just to enjoy myself, but also to learn how to be a better leader. My leadership in basketball was formally acknowledged last year, as I received the sportsmanship award. This award meant a lot to me, especially since my team won the league championship that year. Not only did it show that everyone on the team recognized me for my leadership, but also it made me feel good knowing that I had helped lead a team to a championship trophy. This was my third year being on a championship basketball team, and I have also been on championship baseball teams, but winning the sportsmanship award was an added bonus. Beyond my competitive sports, I have been skiing and playing golf recreationally since I was about eight years old. Every summer I take golf lessons to improve my abilities on the golf course. I also took ski lessons every winter for about five years until I felt I was skilled enough to compete on my own. During my sophomore year in high school, I went out for the high school ski team. I did pretty well during the season, although I might have done better had I taken a few more lessons earlier in my life. Unfortunately, that was my only year skiing for the team. This is because the next winter I started working at a grocery store, where I continue to work today. With limited free time, I had to choose between skiing and basketball. I chose basketball because I enjoy it more, and because its team nature allows me to develop my leadership abilities. One of my most meaningful activities outside of school was a Jewish youth group called the B'nai Brith Youth Organization, BBYO. This was an opportunity to have fun and socialize with other Jewish youth. Getting together for group activities and taking trips out of state for weekend conventions was fun and educational.
In summary, my high school education and extracurricular activities have prepared me well for college. It is extremely important for me to receive a good education beyond high school. I am looking to learn more about business and how I can succeed in life using these skills. If I am accepted to the University of Connecticut, I plan to work hard to receive the best education I can -- and, of course, to enjoy my time there by joining clubs, organizations, and intramural sport programs.
Writing Sample 5
Sometimes, I think the world around me is crumbling to the ground, but it never does. Like most people, I face the crunches of deadlines and endless demands on my time, but I have never encountered the type of adversity that can crush people, that can drive people crazy, that can drive them to suicide. In this respect, I am lucky. In love with Scripture and the Bible verses I memorized in youth, I find support when I seek it. With a very large family network, I can rely on my loved ones for advice and support, but I realized firsthand that many people lack this help; they never experience the bonds between family members and the touch of God through Scripture. Frequently, I volunteer at a low-income pre-school in our community. The children who attend are deprived of the most basic things in life, the things I take for granted. Hungry for love and knowledge, these children love to be hugged and talked to, and they very much look forward to my weekly visits. Moreover, they have helped me to understand my obligation to help those less fortunate and to realize how truly blessed I am. When I leave for college, I will miss these children who have taught me unforgettable lessons about love and integrity. I am amazed each time I go there at the power they have over me. I am amazed at how sometimes it takes the innocence of a child to open doors that have been locked for years. While I never had to deal with their pain and can never know their heartache and longing, I look to them as examples of why I should continue to work hard and to not waste opportunities.
However, I need not look outside my family for this inspiration, for my cousin is a symbol of strength in adversity. I need look no farther than Ann Elizabeth when I feel like my world is falling apart and that I have too many commitments and too little time. Through Ann Elizabeth, I see the strength of the Lord and see the courage that I hope I will one day possess. Ann Elizabeth has shaped my life through her example and has made me into someone you would want to participate in your university's community. Hers is the story of wrong choices, of a life wasted, and of recovery, courage, and change. I am proud to call her my cousin. Ann lives through pain and heartbreak, but she will live to see triumph because she has what it takes, but she needs all this courage just to stay alive. Born a rich girl, she grew up to be beautiful, destined to live in a house with a white picket fence. A Gainesville socialite and a southern belle, she visited country clubs and gardens at tea time, but she was never happy. She knew nothing of need, nothing of heartache, nothing of life. But she learned and continues to learn more about pain than anyone should ever know. Ann is a beautiful 22 year-old girl with a long slender figure and eyes full of pain. She has a mother, father, and 16 year-old brother sitting at home. They pray for her each night; they pray that she survives another day caged in her Peruvian prison cell. At age 17,months from her 18th birthday, Ann Elizabeth ran away from home, rocking my family's structured world. No one knew where she was, but no one thought she could make it. What did this rich girl know about surviving? Finally, my uncle found her. She had moved to Miami and became involved with the wrong crowd. She married a Cuban named Lester who spoke no English, forcing her to learn Spanish, a skill that would save her life. Poor, she looked for employment, and in December, she was offered a job. For the cursed sum of $7,000 dollars, she threw her entire life away; she destroyed herself for nothing. A naive, stupid girl, she ended her chances at happiness with one decision, and after that, her goal became not to be happy, but to survive a life of hell. In December of 1995, when most young, newlyweds are putting up Christmas trees, she was smuggling cocaine. On her way to the plane back to the US she was stopped and found with 18 pounds of deadly white powder in her suitcase. The 20 year-old princess was caught on her first run; she was no drug dealer; she was just stupid. Even after being caught she didn't know she was in trouble. All she knew was that she had to get home. She had to get back to Miami, but she never made it home. At the time of her arrest, Ann Elizabeth was almost dead. An 88-pound heroine addict, we thought she was going to die; in fact, we thought she was dead already. In a way, getting caught saved her life, but it saved her for hell. Ironically, the place she had always run away from was now the place she needed to be most, but she just couldn't get home. Caught, tried, and sentenced, she started life over in a wretched Peruvian jail. The steel bars that surround Ann Elizabeth are not fit for animals, let alone human beings. Peruvian prisons are not known for their humanity. In a prison built for 250 prisoners, she lives with 900 other women. The all-female prison is completely self-run, and the women must prepare their own meals, clean, and care for themselves and others. When Ann Elizabeth writes letters and her Peruvian guards accept them, she writes of the "adventures" she has had. She describes chickens that run inside the jail, soiling on the same places where the women must sleep. The water is so contaminated that the prisoners must boil it before drinking. Instead of dining on steak, she now dines on rice. With malnutrition plaguing the prison, many of the women have lost their hair and teeth. For $7,000, she ruined her life.
Over the two years and four months she has been imprisoned, my uncle, her father, has visited her only seven times. Through his efforts, the U.S. embassy has attempted to alleviate some of the nutrition problems. Providing the Americans just enough vitamins and minerals to stay alive, my cousin watches as those around her rot and die before her very eyes. When Ann Elizabeth was first imprisoned, she had the all-too-familiar attitude that it was just another thing that wasn't her fault. She believed herself the victim, but she allowed herself to be victimized. After being in Lima a year, she realized that all her problems had been caused from within. She's finally came to realize that there is indeed a higher force. A force higher than herself, the force of God. After extensively reading and studying her Bible, she now spends her time teaching the women how to read God's Word. She relies on her now God-given hope and courage to get through these difficult times. After going through such tremendous physical pain and mental anguish, she had lost all hope. She had hit rock bottom; death seemed like her only way out. Forced to start her life all over again she began to think of her future. God has given her the strength to make some responsible decisions for the first time. She has grown up. It has taken every ounce of courage in her, but she has made it. We have all been down a very long road. There have been so many twists and turns along the way, but finally we have found our precious "E" again. It won't be an easy road, it never is, but we will make it. Love heals all wounds, even ones that rip people to shreds, or so we hope. Ann Elizabeth let us into her heart for the very first time, and that took the greatest amount of courage of all.Through Ann Elizabeth, I have come to realize that people make their own choices in life, and eventually we are held accountable for those choices. Through my love for her and knowledge of what she has had to go through, I make different decisions than other people my age. I value life; and with every choice I make I think of Ann Elizabeth, my family, the children, and most of all my Lord. With their support and guidance, I will prevail. Hopefully, so will she.

wxfily0607 - 2008-5-13 11:36:00

Writing Sample 6
Blazing a Trail to Glory Propelled forward by my surging leg muscles, sweat gushing down my face, the harsh reality of this 3-mile cross-country race has begun to invade my body. My eyes remain intensely focused straight ahead: Grinding away at the dirt along the racecourse, I see three girls from a different team about 100 yards ahead of me. My team needs a contribution from me, I realize, and I make the decision to pass all three of them. Through a cloud of dust I can finally see the distant white line proclaiming the finish. My mind propels my legs to their maximum ability. In these last few seconds of exertion, the months of hard work are paying off. Soaring through the finish, I have achieved flight. Running is a pure sport, requiring only a pair of shoes and a brain ready to conquer pain. It is a sport that calls for commitment and mental toughness. Through testing myself, I increase my resilience and grow stronger. I unleash the power of my mind, and I run. Some people are born with great running ability, and others, like myself, are born with the desire to excel at every challenge. I've become the best runner I can through hard work and dedication. Challenging myself with new goals every day, I run against the forces of gravity and inertia. I love the thrill of competetion -- the euphoric feeling I get when mind overcomes pain. As a four- year member of my high school cross-country team, I have experienced just about every physical infirmity that comes from running. I have dealt with shin splints, runner's knee, broken toes, and pulled calf mussels. My orthopedic surgeon took one look at my legs and admitted that I'm "not built to be a runner." Yet, I chose to continue running because of its daily challenges and rewards. I've learned from this sport that by focusing single-mindedly on achieving a goal, I can make any obstacle trivial. I still hear my coach's voice in my head: "If you sacrifice yourself, good things will happen." As much as a cross-country race requires individual strength physically and mentally, it also requires a team effort to succeed. Like sisters in a family, the girls I run with understand and respect one another. We remind each other to work harder, eat right, and to accomplish the most we can. Each girl has individual qualities that together produce one spirited body. I provide the determination and inspiration for my team. I set an example for rookie runners, showing them that success comes only from hard work and a positive attitude. Through my dedication to running, I have become more dedicated in school. Many of my accomplishments can somehow be traced back to running: The endurance from running helped me survive my six-hour black belt test in Shaolin Kenpo Karate. My ability to utilize biofeedback made it easier for me to prepare and relax for my piano recitals. And the endorphins kicking in after my daily practice keep my spirits lifted throughout the day. My determination and commitment to achieving goals has prepared me for my next challenge: college. I intend to apply my abilities to my individual studies, as well as to the enrichment of the University community as a whole. Success in life will come from the same dedication to be the best I can be.
Writing Sample 7
One of the greatest challenge I've had to overcome was moving from Iran to the United States. Iran was in deep political turmoil, as it is today. After long thought and discussion, my parents decided that we should move to America, where my sister and I would have better opportunities for success in life. My dad had moved to America to establish residency for us, and now we were to move there too. It was late May when we went to Turkey to apply for a Visa. We took a 20-hour bus trip from Urmia, Iran to Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul was considerably different from Urmia, the city that I had been raised in. To begin with, it was an enormous city compared to the small town that had always been my home. My mom had an enormous load on her shoulders in taking care of me and my four-year-old sister. It was very awkward for all of us to be in a new country, and we felt alone and vulnerable. When we arrived in Turkey, we didn't know anyone and had to stay in a hotel. Early the next morning we got up and headed to the embassy to apply for a US Visa. Everyone there told us that we were definitely going to be rejected. To our amazement, however, we were approved. With our last few dollars we booked a flight, and the next morning we were headed to America. We got on a plane and were on our way to America. We arrived in Los Angeles at 6：00 P.M.. Then my dad arrived. He took us to his house and we slept, all of us exhausted from the long trip. My parents now had to decide what to do so that we could live in America and be financially stable. We decided to move to Illinois so that my mom could get her PhD. This is where I endured my biggest challenge, one that overshadowed all the other things I'd struggled through. We moved to Champaign, Illinois. My parents registered me for first grade, even though I hadn't even completed kindergarten. Only later did I learn that this decision was to my benefit. I spoke no English and I had no friends in America. It was very hard for me to cope with this, but I managed to do so. My first day in first grade was probably the hardest day of my entire elementary school career. It was agonizing to sit among a roomful of strangers speaking a strange language for six hours. As the days went on, I sought to listen to the students and try to learn something. I realized that I wasn't going to go back to Iran, so I had no choice but to face my challenge and resolve it. And sure enough, I did overcome this obstacle: I soon learned English and found some friends. This was an incredibly difficult challenge for me to be faced with as a 7 year old boy. It took perseverance, patience, and discipline for me to accomplish my goal. I will use this as an example in my future years in college. Going to college is like moving to a new place; like my move from Iran, I will again find myself in an unfamiliar environment with new people. With the experience I've gained from the challenges I have faced, though, I have no doubt that I'll be able to overcome this one, too.
Writing Sample 8
Is breaking the law appropriate under any circumstances? Explain.
On Tuesday, September 16,1997, kidnappers captured my father and held him for ransom. At 2：00 PM, I arrived home from school to find my mother anxious. My father had not arrived from the farm, and she knew my father would never have left us worrying about him unless he was in trouble. While we were starting to fear the worst, my mother asked me to look for him on the farm. When I arrived at the farm, I asked a worker if he had seen my dad. The worker answered that he had not seen my dad and that like me he was beginning to worry. In Colombia, when people are missing, you don't assume they were in a car accident or that they had a heart attack in a field somewhere, you assume they were kidnapped. Fearing my father might be killed, nobody in my home slept that night. All we could do was hope and pray that by some miracle, my dad would come walking through the door and everyone would breath a sigh of relief.
Unfortunately, for the next four days, we heard nothing from my father. With each passing hour, the situation looked increasingly worse. On Sunday my mom and my smaller sister went to church while I stayed home with my older sister. My sister and I were in the living room, discussing the last words that we had heard from our dad, when the phone suddenly rang. My sister and I exchanged nervous glances. When my sister answered, she didn't say a word; she just listened attentively, hung up, and stared at me blankly. "It was about dad,"she said. A guerilla group called FARC had abducted him, and to get him back, we would have to pay a substantial amount of money. Moreover, if we informed the authorities, they would kill my father. Now Colombian law is explicit on this subject: "Any case of forceful desaparition or kidnapping must be denounced immediately to the authorities . . . [and] under no circumstance should money be paid to obtain the freedom of an individual from criminal action . . ."My family had a clear choice; we could obey the law and have our father murdered, or we could ignore it and hope to get our father back. We had no choice.I quickly recognized my family's and my right to civil disobedience. Sure, the law exists for a reason. By paying kidnappers, we would encourage further kidnapping of other fathers, but my father is a human being, and no one can say one man's life is worth less than the lives of ten men, even governments have no right to allow people to die. We had all the tools that could be used to free my father; we had the resources and the money, but the law prevented us using them. What would you do if you could save your father's life simply by paying some money? In our case we followed our principles and defined our priorities. For my family and me, my dad's life was a priority and life itself was the principle. We had no choice but to break the law, and break the law we did. However, we never violated our own moral rules or conceptions of justice; instead, we affirmed them by working to free the man we loved at any cost in material possessions. We did not place the law above the life of my father. Each person who consciously chooses to disobey the law can only do so legitimately if his/her own moral convictions directly conflict with the law. It was clear that we could not live with ourselves if we let our father die at the hands of kidnappers. It would not be just for us to allow our father to suffer out of fear and respect for the law; if we had been abducted, our father would have worked for our freedom; we could do no less for him. By acting under the consent of our conscience we in fact were obeying a law that supersedes state law. This higher law is based on our respect for life. Therefore, in essence, we did not break the law, we followed a higher law, ignoring laws of less authority. While in general, the laws of the state should be followed and do not conflict with important moral laws, when they do conflict, the laws of the state must be completely disregarded, as in the case of the slavery laws and the Jim Crow laws. The punishment of the state should not be feared, as punishment would be unjust in such a situation. We practiced an act of civil disobedience far greater than Thoreau's and on par with Antigone's and Robert McAfee Brown's. Laws are meant to defend people and help preserve order in society. The Colombian law intended to do exactly this, but could not possibly be obeyed. Laws must not conflict with the morals of a majority of the people; laws should reflect their morals, for people's personal laws are much more important than state laws. So long as people are willing to die for causes and for their family, the government should not legislate laws that conflict with the morals of the people. To do so and enforce them, would be unjust on the part of the government. Thankfully, we successfully negotiated the return of my father, who rejoined his family on April 29,1998,over seven months after his initial abduction. I remember thinking everything I went through was worth it, as I now see through the benefit of hindsight and suffering, that my experience all owed me to confront issues that define my personality, issues no less important than my right to civil disobedience and the right to ignore unjust laws. Similarly, this experience gave me a new love of life and a greater appreciation of its fragility and beauty. Now, I am a woman strong in her convictions, a woman who confronted state law out of moral fortitude and familial love.

Writing Sample 9
Small-minded administrators and authority figures like to speak in cliches. All my life I heard the same trite line: "You can tell a lot about a person by the friends they keep." The black sheep of the honors program, I hung out with the so-called "losers". During my freshman year, not a day went by when a teacher or family member did not deride my closest friends and warn me that by hanging out with "bad seeds" I would fall into a downward spiral, never graduate college, and have a miserable life. They thought that they had me figured out. One day, while my ninth grade math teacher, Mr. Pedersen, was reviewing some math concepts with me, my friend Mariam ran by the classroom, stuck her head in the doorway, called out: "Hi Yassee!" and then ran away. Mr. Pedersen looked at me coldly and said with a scowl: "How can you call yourself an Honors student? A real honors student doesn't associate with people like that! "I wanted to ask him how he could call himself a teacher; after all, a real teacher is supposed to want to help everyone. Instead, I sat silent, stunned by his ignorance and cruelty. He wanted me to drop my childhood friends simply because they didn't place the same importance on schoolwork that I do. If he had thought before speaking, he would have realized that people like him, rather than people like my friends, are better able to turn good students into poor ones by discouraging them with ridiculous comments. I would never slight Mariam, one of my closest friends in freshman year. She was also a below average, non-college bound student.
Many of the adults in my life, especially my parents and teachers, would look at those closest to me: Mariam, Alisa, Zena, Lianne, and Marvin, and ask how I could call these "low-life losers" my friends. But such questions show a lack of understanding of the nature of friendship. Friendship is unconditional and uncritical, based only on mutual respect and the ability to enjoy each other's company. These authority figures never saw the way one of us could do something outrageous, and the rest of us would joke about it for days. We could have fun doing absolutely nothing at all - because the company we provided each other with was enough. Rather than discussing operas or the weather, we enjoyed just hanging around each other without any one of us trying to outsmart the others. Still, I realize that these adults had a point to be concerned about the direction my friends were heading; I also was concerned for them, but I wasn't about to leave them. Many times I would advise my friends that some activity may be dangerous or to think things through before doing something, but I would never claim to hold the moral high ground and to condescend to them. When Marvin would begin rolling joints, when Alisa would tell me she skipped school because of a hangover, or when Mariam would tell me that her new boyfriend was in a street gang, I expressed my discomfort with their actions. However, I never blackmailed them with the threat of taking my friendship away. Contrary to the commercials on television, you can have friends who use drugs. In fact, probably everyone does without realizing it. In my junior year, AP U.S. History class, the teacher, Mr. Jacobsen, addressed the class saying: "I bet none of you have ever seen a drug deal!" With a look of absolute certainty and an odd smile on his face he scanned the room. "I've seen a drug deal before." I answered. Everyone in the room turned to look at me, either gasping or in disbelief. I realized that maybe my experiences thus far were atypical of most of my honor student friends. Despite our varying experiences, I still maintained many friends who were excellent students. Yogita, Nitin, Hans, Vishal, Saurabh, Anuj, Nick, and I have had almost every class together since eighth grade. Nitin and I both love to shop and eat. What is different about shopping with Nitin, however, is that we argue about the necessity of a high sales tax or discuss the effectiveness of the acting welfare system. Yogita and I always go to the library together and "pull all nighters" at her house. While I do enjoy accomplishing my academic goals and working with this highly motivated group of friends, I also enjoy "the losers" who to me seem much more sincere and loyal. In retrospect, I wouldn't change my ninth grade experience, because I learned many of life's important lessons from my friends and the ignorance of teachers and administrators. It's sad to say, but in many of my friends' dangerous actions, I saw what I never wanted to become. In the future, I'd like to continue helping adolescents, in addition to my studies. I have been fortunate thus far in being able to reach out to them through programs like C.H.A.N.G.E. For my efforts, I have been recognized and was honored to receive the 1998 Operation Pride Youth Award for my dedication to helping other kids live a substance free lifestyle. My familiarity with teenagers from all walks of life greatly enhances my ability to both identify with and influence others. I will be a successful adult in the future because I am willing to work with everyone and to give everyone a chance. Hopefully, I will also have the chance to change other kids' lives for the better.
Writing Sample 10
Successful USA Today Scholarship
A person is educated if they constantly strive to attain knowledge while simultaneously recognizing that they know very little about the nature of the universe. As a result, I am educated now, yet if I ever were to lose my desire to doggedly pursue knowledge and understanding, I would immediately be uneducated, despite the number of years of research and study that I have done during my life. Thus, to be truly educated, I must die devoted to understanding. Vital to determining when a person is educated is understanding the nature of education. First of all, education is the pursuit of knowledge, not a goal that can be reached after a set number of years of doctoral study. Consequently, a person, no matter how much they know, can never stop learning because they have already attained "education." Instead, people are educated when they wholeheartedly devote their lives to understanding what they do not comprehend. As a result, I, a person with a strong will to understand, am more educated than a professor who dislikes his subject matter or a scientist who invents new technology, patents it, and then quits his job so that he/she can live off the patent's profits. For example, in physics, my area of future studies, many men and women died always searching for more understanding. These people, like Einstein, Curie, and Bohr, are truly educated since they dedicated themselves to the pursuit of knowledge till death. Physics also has its share of people who nearly ended their education to experience a windfall of profits from minor discoveries. Ernest Rutherford, for instance, nearly dedicated his early life to making money from advancing radio technology. However, luckily for civilization, another scientist, Nobel Laureate J.J. Thomson, told Rutherford that he cannot serve God and Mammon at the same time. Rutherford immediately left the business of making money and within fifteen years earned a Nobel Prize and discovered the structure of the atom. He died committed to learning and understanding. Studying and advancing understanding till death is the unmistakable mark of an educated man. Clearly, education is a constant pursuit, and the educated person devotes his entire life to this quest for knowledge. Thus, I know that I am educated as long as I never give up attempting to understand the universe. However, inseparable from this definition of an educated person, is the realization that no people, at least during my lifetime, can claim that they possess all knowledge and that their knowledge is irrefutable. Instead, educated people recognize how little they know when they gaze up at the night's stars, when they stare at the ocean, or even when they look at other people and animals. This complete uncertainty born out of not knowing how atoms could ever form mountains and life and of not understanding how the universe was born must lead the educated person to redouble his/her efforts to understand as much as possible. Moreover, this uncertainty must make the educated person have a mind open to new ideas and explanations. People like Einstein, for example, had to overcome the once accepted notions that distance, time, and speed are absolutes. Einstein, a model of an educated man, proved to society that its closed-minded explanations of the universe were wrong and that time, length, and speed are relativistic. Similarly, Galileo, a man committed to understanding, was excommunicated for his heretical belief that the earth revolved around the sun. Thus, the educated person is committed to the pursuit of knowledge, has a mind open to new theory, and never subordinates the truth to an authority's dictate.
Personally, I know I am educated as long as I remain tenaciously determined to understanding the world and to maintaining an open mind. Of course, this goal of remaining educated will lead me to Harvard next year and to a doctorate in physics in another university. However, these are just signs of an educated person. To be truly educated, I must be committed to learning my entire life and to making new discoveries in science, whether or not they contradict accepted theory. Education cannot be measured by the number of degrees a person has earned. Instead, education is a mind set that must last one's entire life. If, at the moment of my death, I am still dedicated to grasping misunderstood concepts, I can say that I am truly educated, as Einstein, Rutherford, and Galileo were before me.

wxfily0607 - 2008-5-13 11:37:00

Writing Sample 11
Please describe a single person or event that has a significant impact on your life. Why do you view this person or event as such.
To this day, the United States remains driven by the American Dream, and we often hear of immigrants who come to this country to search for opportunities their native countries lack. In these tales, the immigrants succeed through hard work, dedication, and a little luck. As idealistic as the story may seem, I have been fortunate enough to experience its reality in the life of one very important man. His example has had great impact on my personal expectations and goals, and the manner in which I approach my own life. My father was born in Beirut, Lebanon, to a hard-working family that encouraged him to follow his dreams. His vision was to create a business of his own, where he could apply the entrepreneurial ideas he had cultivated. He decided that the United States offered the best chance for success, and immigrated to San Francisco in 1960. Once on American soil, my father immediately implemented a plan for personal advancement. He continued his education, earning a degree in Business Administration in 1968. Over the next ten years, he managed several small businesses, largely to raise enough capital to pursue his true dream: real estate development. My father's efforts were rewarded; he developed his first property in 1979 and quickly turned a profit. For the next twenty years, he continued developing properties in the San Francisco area, thereby attaining his life-long goal.
My father's example has been invaluable to my own development. Observing his techniques has given me much insight into the business world. My father's tactics revolve around foresight, aggressiveness, and ethical behavior. I have incorporated these methods into my own business strategies. In 1996,for instance, I launched a property management company in San Francisco. My goal was to service small, commercial properties in San Francisco using my real estate background. I aggressively pursued leads and contacts, and reached successful agreements on large numbers of properties. My work continues to this day, and I approach it with diligence, professionalism, and honesty. The lessons my father taught me have also had a positive effect on my decision making and goals. In 1995, I undertook the management of a restaurant that was struggling. The project was challenging, yet I knew that significant improvements could revive the business. I gave my full effort to the restaurant, devoting my time and attention to its management. As a result, the restaurant turned a profitable year again in 1997. My efforts were key to this accomplishment. I focused on the project, built a rapport with employees and clients, and poured my efforts and creativity into its accounts and marketing. Reflecting upon these techniques, I see the work ethic of my father shining through them. I constantly work on developing entrepreneurial ideas for the future. I examine each concept to determine how it can be implemented, and its chances for success. More importantly, I approach them with a conscious effort to respect everyone involved, be it clients, employees, or partners. My father always stressed the value of honor in business dealings, and I agree wholeheartedly. His belief in fairness and respect are more important than prestige and wealth, and I feel that no business can be successful without them. My father also taught me the importance of humanitarianism. Watching him develop a non-profit, non-political organization in 1989,I appreciated the importance of working for others. The organization was designed to mobilize Lebanese Americans in the San Francisco area, primarily to raise medical supplies and scholarships for the needy in Lebanon. Today, the organization is celebrating its 10th anniversary and has raised over $40 million dollars in medical supplies in addition to sending several students to college. Its annual banquets have drawn many prominent Lebanese American keynote speakers, such as White House writer Helen Thomas, consumer advocate Ralph Na der, entertainer Casey Casem, Senator John Sanunu, and Senator Spencer Abraham. My father has built one of the strongest Middle Eastern humanitarian organizations in the United States. His generosity and vision have affected me strongly, and I am proud to embrace these qualities in my own life. I continue to support several non-profit organizations, and devote much free time to their efforts. I am proud to name my father as the most influential figure in my life. His example of honor, respect, and hard work are priorities in my life, and have given me a sense of completion and success. I am confident that if I lead my life with these principles, I will not only attain my goals, but will be able to respect myself and my actions.
Writing Sample 12
Before the fall of 1993,I cannot say I had a mentor, and I didn't especially want one. While I always looked up to my parents, I never considered them mentors. To me, mentors are people you can relate to, and as a seventh grader, I thought of my parents more as "uncool" authority figures than as real people. Then one day, in the overcrowded halls of John Adams Junior High School, I realized I had begun to look up to a person that I had passed everyday. Although as a young seventh grader, Will looked like every other student, today he is a seventeen-year old senior in high school and the Junior World Champion of Road Cycling. In seventh grade, Will did not cycle, but instead played ice hockey for the Charleston Chiefs, the local ice hockey team in Charleston. An extremely dedicated player, he would practice skating for hours at a time and would go all out for practices, practicing as hard as he could and never giving up. Although only five foot five and not very muscular, he would play against boys who seemed twice his height and weight and he almost always came out ahead. He had the will, the speed, and the skill to outplay people who should have been able to beat him. After five years of hockey, he began to look for another challenge, one well suited to his fantastic work ethic and his unshakeable will. Then, at the age of thirteen, a family friend told Will that he should put together a mountain biking team and compete in the Twenty Four Hours of Canaan race. A relay mountain bike race, the event consisted of a mountainous twelve mile loop located in Canaan Valley, and each member of the team was to ride the course three or more times within a twenty four hour time frame. Believing he could excel in such a test of speed and endurance, he found two other junior high students and one high school student to form a team, and they called themselves "Men in Tights". To prepare for the grueling competition, Will organized even more grueling practices, and in the January cold began training for the race that was to be held six months later. Seven days a week, every day of the year, Will would ride an average of thirty-six miles a day. When race day came, Will's team managed to place third out of six, and the next year second out of eight. For these unbelievable feats of endurance, I began to look up to Will and to strive to emulate him. As a thirteen-year old, I could not imagine racing for a difficult twenty-four hours or riding over 6,480 miles in six months, but Will did it with a smile. By conditioning himself so strictly and by committing himself so completely to the race, Will began what is now a very promising career. Originally using road cycling as a training device to stay in shape for mountain biking, he grew to love the sport and found it his calling. Traveling throughout the United States and Europe training and competing in tournaments, Will, at age sixteen, won the Junior US championships and was awarded a place on the Junior Olympic Cycling team. This past summer, at age seventeen, he won the Junior World Championships and then raced in Europe in the World Champions hips. I admire Will because as a seventeen-year old he knows exactly what he wants, understands how to achieve it through hard work, and gives his best effort for competition. He lives his life to race and to win. While I will not be a racer, I value his amazing strength and courage, and I will strive to model my life after his example, to strive for what I want through pain, self-doubt, and the opinions of others. From knowing Will and watching him accomplish his goals, I have become a more assertive and confident person, and I have learned that hard work and perseverance do pay off. Success is not something that comes to the lucky or to the old; it is not something mysterious. Will, my mentor and friend, taught me that success comes to he who is willing to outwork everyone else. I am willing.
Writing Sample 13
How do you think the world will be different during the new millenium?
The millennium will not usher in an entirely new world overnight. Just as Europe remained mired in the Dark Ages for centuries after the first millennium came and went, so will our society require many years to experience deep change, a change that transcends the processor speed of the box on your desk. Contrary to predictions made in the year 1900, our cars do not fly in the year 2000, world hunger persists, and disease runs rampant. Humanity changed little in the last 100 years because humanity changes slowly. As we watch Discover Card sponsor Times Square 2000 and M&M's try to profit off their fortuitous name, we see that nothing changed at all. More than anything, the year 2000 has been used as a scapegoat for declining morality and as a buzzword to glorify the fast pace of technology, the stress of life, and the downsizing of unskilled labor. The next millennium will be what we make it.
While I believe the world is becoming a better place, there is also much to be concerned about; neither our problems nor our cures have anything to do with changing millenniums. It is a well-known axiom, that knowledge is power. New technologies like the Internet, cell phones, and satellite TV have succeeded in making the world smaller. Everyone immediately knows events that occur anywhere on the globe. This information can make you money in the stock market, be the lifeblood of the newspaper business, or provide necessary government information. By bringing people closer together and making countries and peoples interdependent, technology may make war more costly and thus contribute to peace. However, one must not watch the world change; one must change with it. As Bob Dylan sang:"Your old role is rapidly aging, please get out of the new one if you can't lend your hand, for the times they are a changing." Technology is not a convenience; it does not make our lives less stressful or give us more free time. Initially, we might think this, but soon the technology that was once a convenience becomes a necessity. At one time computer literacy was a bonus to employees, now it is a requirement. At one time, email was a nice way of emailing long distance friends; now it is something that if you don't check you will be fired. Factory work and other blue-collar professions are falling by the wayside and in their places are armies of technological positions. Sacred Heart is on the cutting edge of this new technology, even going so far as to require students to purchase a notebook computer. This is the type of thing that will give Sacred Heart students the advantage in the job market of the new millennium. Assuming that education is no longer a stumbling block and that the average person can learn the new technologies, I believe we can look forward to many advancements in the future. Already our everyday lives are changing with inventions like EZ-pass. This theory could be taken to the next level over the course of this new millennium. By the year 2100 all transactions should have an EZ-Pass lane for quicker and easier transactions. Companies like wallet are already providing the EZ-Pass of the Internet to provide one-click shopping for everything. Commerce will only become more important in the next millennium as companies like Amazon and CDNow compete with giant retailers like Wal-Mart and Macys. Aside from technological advancements, we will hopefully see changes in our environment. As all forms and catalogs become available over the Internet there will be less of a need to destroy trees to create paper. As online shopping becomes mainstream there will be less reasons to drive around town wasting gas and polluting the air. However, at the same time, there is less and less reason to see people or to interact with them in a real way. This is a potentially dangerous consequence of our fascination with "virtual" shopping, chat, and surfing. While I see many positive changes that could occur in the next millennium, we should not expect utopia. What we will see is a a slow evolvementin to a faster and more efficient society.
Writing Sample 14
Have you ever been slapped in front of all your high school classmates? Unfortunately, in the archaic, authoritarian Turkish schools, my high school teacher deliberately humiliated me by slapping me hard across the face. As the president of my class, one of my responsibilities was to list on the blackboard the names of everyone who talked when the teacher was not in the room. When the teacher returned, the teacher would slap the students who talked across the face. Ordinarily, I took my responsibility seriously and obediently wrote down my classmates' names to preserve the silence and decorum of the school environment. However, when a different teacher walked in, a teacher known to punish too hard and painfully, I decided to save my friends from his hard strokes, and I erased all the names. I had to take their punishment myself.Yes, this practice will seem ridiculous and excessively harsh to American readers, but the incident typifies the stagnation and backwardness of Turkish schools. Not only is talking not allowed, even asking questions in class is not allowed. High school teachers and college professors both perceive questioning as criticism of their teaching abilities. Many teachers fear questioning since they may have to admit a lack of knowledge on certain issues. A Turkish school is not a place to ask questions; instead, it is a place to absorb knowledge from lectures and aged textbooks. However, I need more from my learning environment than senseless silence and minds afraid of questioning arbitrary rules and old theories. As the daughter of relatively liberal parents, I was encouraged to become involved in discussions, which led me to understand that questioning cultural guidelines is not inherently wrong but absolutely necessary. In contrast to other Turkish females, I refused to allow the narrow boundaries of my society's cultural mores to force me to follow the traditional path of earning respectability exclusively as housewife and mother. Defying the religious and cultural guidelines of the bulk of the Turkish people, I decided to sacrifice the acceptance of my traditional female friends and the traditional parts of my family to build a successful future.
Senseless laws will not push me down, as I am dedicated to achieving my goal of becoming a neurosurgeon. However, not only would I have to struggle against archaic, male-dominated laws, I would also have to tolerate the low technological standards of even reputable Turkish universities, which do not have the resources to train excellent physicians in modern methods. Unfortunately, political bloodshed is also a fact of Turkish student life, and I hope to leave Turkey to pursue in the United States an excellent education, characterized by academic freedom and an absence of civil strife. While my personal identity is in many ways a reaction against Turkish culture, there are some attributes of Turkish culture that I have incorporated into my identity, like having respect for one's elders, having self-discipline in both religious and educational life, and believing in a religion that gives me the confidence and determination to achieve my goals. With these personal qualities combined with my personal determination and my questioning nature, I am certain that I can find success in Western Culture.
Moreover, because the United States has far fewer gender-based restrictions than Turkey and has a much better developed educational system equipped with state-of-the-art technology, I believe the United States will give me the opportunity to achieve my full potential, to speak out against injustice, and to seek the truth. I prize my freedoms in this country very much, and I would never dishonor them by not being active. Although I am a member of the Turkish culture, my identity grew out of my desires for freedoms unique to Western culture. Therefore, I believe my identity is not a result of either Turkish or American cultures but out of a personal desire for setting my own limits.

Writing Sample 15
I promised God I would eat all my peas, but He didn't care. A confused eleven-year-old girl, I sat and listened to my father pace. With each heavy step echoing loudly throughout the silent house, my family's anxiety and anticipation mounted while awaiting news of my grandfather's health. My heart racing, I watched the clock, amazed that time could crawl so slowly. Finally, the telephone interrupted the house's solemn silence. I heard my father repeating the words "yes, yes, of course." He then hung up the receiver and announced my grandfather's death and cancer's victory. Whether the US Army stationed my father in Virginia, California, or Korea, my grandfather always made it a priority to visit us. Three months prior to his death, he visited my family in Hawaii. What I did not know was that he made that trip as a final farewell. Consumed by terminal cancer, my grandfather left his peaceful home in New Jersey to fly halfway across the world. What is most shocking is that in Hawaii, my grandfather acted completely normal; he was prepared to cope with death. Just like always, he helped me with my science projects, listened to me play Beethoven on the piano, and watched me jump polls as I rode a beautiful white quarter horse named Checkers. While boarding a plane for New Jersey, my grandfather spoke his final words to me, knowing they would be his final words; I don't know how he could do it without breaking down, but he did. He told to me to always trust in God, and to always be kind and generous since generosity is worth more than money, success, and fame. A fresh-faced eleven-year-old, I didn't understand the profundity of the moment; I didn't understand his seriousness. After my grandfather death, I began to understand and to follow his sage advice. To cope with his passing, I pulled out a picture of my grandfather and me at Disneyland. As I scanned every mole, crease, and wrinkle on his cheerful face, I began to reflect upon the seventy-nine years of his life.
I first envisioned a strong-willed teenager who quit high school to work endless hours in a grocery store, so that his brother and sister could attend school after his father abandoned the family. I then pictured him dressed in an Army uniform surrounded by the palm trees of Hawaii and fixing planes for pilots like Amelia Ear hart. I finally pictured him starting a steel factory and hiring newly released convicts that wanted a fresh start on life. Despite the death of his eldest son, he never stopped loving people, he never stopped believing in God. In fact, his spirituality and kindness grew with each hardship as he began to appreciate the vagaries of life and the importance of a sweet word or gentle touch. When I finished reflecting, I decided to honor his memory by being just as generous as he was. I know that my grandfather never achieved great fame, but his unselfishness and hard work has touched others in more ways than he could ever have known. I share his love for humanity and am proud to have been chosen to be his granddaughter. Through his influence, I now confront life's obstacles with strength, determination, and hope.

wxfily0607 - 2008-5-13 11:37:00

Writing Sample 16
Art is a reflection of one's self-identity in the most unaffected manner. Because art is very personal, it has no right or wrong. The type of art which has influenced me most is music. Playing the piano is an extraordinarily gratifying experience for me. It gives me boundless authority and confidence to express myself imaginatively, because I can interpret music in my own way without fear of interruption or rejection. Art is also about hard work and preparation. Just as a poet needs to understand words beyond their surface, an artist needs to continually perfect and polish her "language" to be able to communicate her ideas in the exact way she intends.
My mother is an extraordinary person. Life has not been easy for her. During her college years, her father was not able to work, so she tutored math and chemistry to support her family. Often, she had to work from dusk to dawn living a double life as a student and a financially responsible adult. Despite the burdens she faced, my mother managed to keep a positive disposition. She is a great listener and a wonderful adviser. In addition to working and studying, she found time to make weekly visits to terminally ill and abandoned children in the local hospital. From her experiences during college, my mother developed the value of selflessness. She has tried to pass this value on to me. She preaches to me to serve others. She has taught me that even little acts of kindness make a difference. "Always contribute and share your life in every possible way. That's the least you could do to show gratitude for life itself," she frequently tells me. From making the perfect stir-fry to sewing my first ballet tutu, my mother has always seemed to be able to accomplish anything she wishes. She believes nothing is impossible. Our often-praised house is an example of the fruit of her imaginative power. She designed every detail of the house's interior, including every piece of furniture. This was an especially significant accomplishment because, as a woman, she never had a chance to study architecture. Another value my mother has emphasized to me is the importance of being well-rounded. My mother taught me three languages as I grew up. Because she is proud of her Chinese roots, she decided that all her children should be able to speak, read, and write in Mandarin. Since my grandparents, who only speak Fujian, a local dialect, live with us, my mother taught me this language. In addition, I had to learn Indonesian, the official language of our country. My mother did not only want me to have a broad knowledge of languages, but also to develop interests in various academic and extra-curricular fields. Besides attending a rigorous, highly reputed private school, my schedule was filled with after-school and evening classes in music, ballet, and languages. On weekends, I attended drawing and painting classes. In all of these activities, my mother has encouraged me to pursue excellence. "Mediocrity" is not part of her vocabulary. However, I have never felt excessive pressure. Encouraging creativity and imagination, my mother never scolded me, even when I splashed the white lacy curtain in my room or my new shirt with a myriad of colors from the painting brushes. My mother has personally supervised me in all my endeavors, lending her helping hand. I still remember her sitting quietly in the corner of our tiny, dimly lit living room for hours everyday while I practiced piano. She listened with the same attentiveness whether I was playing basic five-finger exercises, scales, Back, or Bartok. Occasionally, she gave me treats, such as hot cocoa or ice cream with a chocolate wafer, after long practice sessions. On many mornings, my mother woke up before dawn to help me with my unfinished homework. One day, she waited in the burning sun as I looked for inspiration to finish a drawing of a field for a competition. "One should never be satisfied with oneself because the moment of satisfaction marks a halt in progress." This is another of my mother's sayings that constantly rings in my ear. My mother has given me her life, soul, and vision. Her philosophy has become mine. Because of her influence, I will work very hard to be as successful as I can be and at the same time to spread kindness. I just want my mother to be proud.

Writing Sample 17
"You must stop seeing that Russian girl," I ordered my brother when he returned home last summer from the University of Indianapolis. Echoing the prejudiced, ignorant sentiment that I had grown up with, I believed it was wrong to become seriously involved with a person who does not follow the Hindu religion and is not a member of the Indian race. Knowing well that my family would oppose my brother's relationship, I explained to my brother how silly his relationship was and how destructive it could be should he ever decide to marry the girl. Without even thinking of his happiness or the transcendent nature of love, I spoke in clinches, warning him without ever contemplating his position. By responding with blind irrationality and recycled traditions, it occurred to me later that night that I had reacted just as my mother would have. In fact and more disturbing, I had reacted like any typical Indian housewife would have under these circumstances, and this scared me. I began to envision myself as a typical Indian housewife, whose only motivation in life was to please her husband and his family. With these thoughts pounding on my brain, I realized the path on which I was heading was a dangerous one, one that would lead to the abandonment of my own personality and of any individual dreams I might ever have. Born and raised in an environment that holds contempt for the open-mindedness of the Western world, the prejudices of the Indian traditions began to affect me negatively and to make me a defender of a status quo that deserves no defense. In the name of not losing their culture to Western influence, many Indian people shut down their minds to new ideas that might lead to progress and development. I wish to break away from this mold of traditional Indian people.
At Bucknell, I will have the opportunity to discard my fears of growing up with the same beliefs as my mother and of becoming a traditional Indian housewife. By introducing me to people of many different cultures and keeping me aware of the importance of diversity, I will have the freedom to stop focusing on prejudiced traditions. Since I will also become well acquainted with the ideas of others, at Bucknell I will have the opportunity to truly come into my own, to develop my own personality. Through exposure to many different theories and types of people, I will uncover dimensions of myself, which are even now unthinkable. The difference between the Bucknell campus environment and my home life is like the difference between the Renaissance and the Dark Ages. By adapting to new modes of thought, I hope to identify new principles and methods that will eventually lead to progress in my home country. Most Indians who attend universities in the United States never return to their home country. They understandably prefer the opportunities and standard of living that the US offers to the economic hardship and social backwardness of the Indian state. However, I fully intend to return to my country with the goal of helping India adopt meaningful reforms aimed at improving the lot of the masses. With the use of computers, which I have chosen as my field, I wish to tap the human potential of India towards greater things. Computers enable people to detach themselves from the mundane mechanics of manual labor and hold the promise of leading India into the light of the technological revolution. Bringing change and increased standards of living to the people of India will be my lifelong goal.
Writing Sample 18

Shakespeare once said, "We know what we are, but know not what we may be." While I do not know what my future holds or how I will spend the bulk of my adult life, I know that only education will give me the opportunity to detect my interests and enrich my soul. I believe Farleigh Dickinson University will provide me with the perfect atmosphere for bettering my life and my creative abilities. One of the most important factors that I look for in a college is a low student-to-teacher ratio and an accessible faculty willing to work with students. I believe faculty accessibility plays a key role in helping to inspire students to be passionate about their fields of study and in preventing them from growing discouraged from the work load or from difficult problems. At Fontbonne Hall Academy in Brooklyn, New York, I enjoyed friendly teachers and individualized attention, and I believe this attention contributed to making my grades as high as they are. My brother, Charles Ciccotto currently attends F.D.U., and his experiences with his classes and professors have been exceptional. I feel that I would also benefit from the eagerness of the teachers to help the students.
I also look for a breadth of program offerings in a potential college. Since I am not completely certain what field I will pursue, I need a college with a wide array of majors, but most of all, I need a college with excellent departments in the areas I am seriously considering majoring in. I am very interested in psychology, and for the next three months, I will be volunteering at the Dylan Child Study Center in Brooklyn, New York. There, I will be able to learn and gain a better understanding of what the job of a child psychologist entails. From this experience, I hope to gauge my interests in psychology. Since I have dreamt of becomin g a psychologist since childhood, I am optimistic that I will major in psychology at F.D.U.. After asking many questions pertaining to the reputation and excellence of the psychology program at a recent F.D.U. open house, I found that the school has a strong psychology program and would provide me with an excellent background with which to pursue a further degree.
In addition to my interests in psychology, I will bring my background in swimming to F.D. U.. For as long as I can remember, swimming has been a big part of my life, and I have been swimming competitively for over eight years. I plan to continue swimming during my college years. When I toured F.D.U.'s new sports complex, I was thoroughly impressed by the magnificent Olympic-sized pool. After speaking with the swim coach, I was invited to watch a swimming practice and meet, and I stayed overnight with several of the girls on the team. Warm and friendly, the other girls made me feel truly welcome and encouraged me to become a part of the F.D.U. family. After my visit, I realized I began to frame my college search with F.D.U.'s attributes. I want a college with a friendly "family like" environment that will provide me with not only a good education, but that will also build my future and provide me a friendly home away from home where I can grow as a person. I have researched many colleges and universities and when compared with my personalities and my goals, I find Farleigh Dickinson University to be the best choice for me. I hope you will seriously consider my application and what I have to offer the F.D.U. community.

Writing Sample 19
How do you think programs offered at Princeton might suit your particular interests?
I always liked small communities, because I always had more opportunities to share my opinions and to get to know other people more deeply. I felt more comfortable expressing myself and sharing my ideas. In a small community, I can more easily understand things and concentrate on what interests me most. Above all, small communities make me feel at home, secure, and safe. When I first saw Princeton University's booklet on my counselor's desk, I knew right away that I wanted to attend that school. Looking at the pictures, I gained a mental image of Princeton as a small liberal arts college with enormous opportunities for personal growth. The pictures attracted me at first sight. I could hear the discussions of the students sitting under trees and could feel the friendly atmosphere among students and teachers. I imagined the warm, inviting dorms being identical to my room at home. I decided this was the place where I wanted to be.
In addition, I found Princeton University's course offerings fascinating, especially the math department's offerings. As I continued to work towards a major in engineering, I could also study applied mathematics, which only few schools offer. Since mathematics has always been my favorite subject, I look forward to the opportunity of studying at Princeton.
If you were given the time and resources to develop one particular skill, or talent, or area of expertise, what would you choose to pursue and why?
Few people handle death well; my family is no exception. We were sitting in our living room and discussing my future educational plans, whether I would study in the US or not, when the phone rang. As my mother hung up the phone, I saw her trembling, trying hard not to cry. She sat on the couch and explained what happened. Grandfather had called to tell us that he carried my grandmother to the hospital because of a critical situation. We knew that she didn't feel well, but nobody thought the situation could become this serious. For a moment, I read the noticeable signs of guilt in my mother's eyes because she was 400 km away when my grandmother needed her. The coming days were not easy for us. My mother went to look after my grandmother at the hospital. Although my father tried hard to fill my mother's place, he had to concentrate on his business also. We were waiting for a promising word from the doctors, but we received no positive feedback. They said that they would try chemotherapy but that they couldn't promise success. The cancer might destroy her. Meanwhile, the time was shortening. I had to choose between staying in my country or going to the US, the mysterious and fascinating place whose pictures and maps decorated my room. The chemotherapy might last an entire year, and my mother had to stay with my grandparents through this process since she was their only child. That meant that my mother wouldn't be with us for one whole year and somebody had to take care of the housework. Since my father needed to support the family by going to his job regularly, I had to stay home to help both him and my little sister. With this responsibility, I couldn't selfishly leave my family to study in the US. My mother painfully watched her mother become emaciated as the cancer advanced day by day, so I had to be there for her. As the months passed by, it was becoming more and more apparent that our waiting would end unsuccessfully and that the cancer would not be stopped. At the moment, I prayed to have the money, the time, and the knowledge to find the remedy for breast cancer so that my grandmother could be with us now and see her grandchild achieving her childhood dream of attending school in the United States.

Writing Sample 20
The movie "Born on the Fourth of July" tore me to pieces. Watching innocent men march through foreign jungles to face senseless injury, torture, and death forced me to question the excuses for war. Even though I only observed this suffering on television, the reality of the movie hit home. I could not bear to see the crushed spirits and mutilated bodies of those once proud men lying in inadequate, understaffed hospital facilities. Watching them come home to an ungrateful American public angered me; I could not comprehend that so many Americans could be so cold and heartless. As soon as the movie ended, I realized I could no longer accept war as a means of achieving peace. That evening, after watching the emotionally exhausting film, I decided to look outside the prejudices of the world in which I was raised. As my emotions fought ferociously to break through my hard exterior shell to come to grips with the realities presented in the film, I realized for the first time in my life the importance of compassion and understanding and the silliness of grasping for causes just to be right. Whether the war was right or wrong, whether Kennedy, LBJ and Nixon knew what they were doing or not, the veterans who fought the war deserved the respect and recognition of every American citizen.
In addition to helping me come to terms with my emotions and altering my conceptions of war, the movie inspired me to change in other ways. It helped me see the depth and shallowness of my own convictions and how easily I all owed myself to be swayed by the spurious arguments of ignorant people. Moreover, the film encouraged me to take an interest in an art form that could so powerfully affect me, and the next summer I attended film school at Cambridge University. I wrote, directed, and edited my own 16mm film about a woman. It was a portrait of a rape victim. I had always wanted to make a film of this nature, but many people discouraged me because they thought a male could never make a stirring film about a subject that seemed more relevant to females. However, I decided to ignore their advice and stop shying away from controversy. Rather than allowing other people to convince me my ideas were not worth trying, I decided to make my idea work. What better way to understand the trauma of rape, I thought, than to challenge myself creatively by presenting a film from the feminine viewpoint? I poured my heart and soul into the project until I decided I could no longer improve upon it.After the viewing of the film, the look of approval on the faces of my instructors and classmates gave me all the validation I needed. For me, film was now a vehicle in which I could explore unknown realms of my mind and uncover new ideas about the world. My newfound boldness, made possible by film, gave me the confidence to take creative risks. I now eagerly participate in class discussions, choose the most difficult topics for research papers, and read books as if I planned to make a movie about them. In short, the movie "Born on the Fourth of July" boosted my confidence to never lose the strength of my convictions. I realized that I must dedicate my life to examining every issue I come across and not allow black-and-white thinking to dominate my way of confronting difficult issues. Specifically, I desire to everyday face a new challenge and to never feel ordinary or bound by limits of creativity or convention.

wxfily0607 - 2008-5-13 11:38:00

Writing Sample 21

Nausea on the verge of losing consciousness, I asked myself: "Why am I doing this? Why was I punishing my body?" I had no answer; my mind blanked out from exhaustion and terror. I had no time to second guess myself with a terrifying man leaning over my shoulder yelling: "You can break six minutes!" As flecks of spit flew from his mouth landing on the handle bar of the ergometer, I longed to be finished with my first Saturday rowing practice and my first fifteen hundred meter "erg test". "Get that split under two minutes, now!" the coach screamed, but his voice lost its savage intensity as my brain clouded from exhaustion and pain. While my body begged me to stop, I watched through tears of pain as the five hundred meter split on the ergometer was moving the wrong way: two minutes four seconds…two minutes five? I was never going to get it under two minutes. Finishing the test in an unspectacular six minutes and five seconds, I stumbled off the erg more exhausted than I had ever been. That night, I went home and caught a cold. That was three seasons ago. Had I followed my survivalist and rationalist instincts, I would have quit rowing then and there; I didn't need that kind of punishment. Many of my former teammates quit following this test, and I seriously considered joining them. However, day after day I postponed my decision to quit, and now three years later, after having rowed hundreds of practices and millions of meters, the question remains: "Why am I doing this?" I gave this question a lot of thought over the last few years. I don't only row to survive practice, be on the varsity boat, or win championships; I row to test and push myself, to force myself to realize my full potential, both as an oarsman and as a human being. If someone had told me my freshman year that I would have the fastest time on the varsity lightweight eight, I would never have believed him. In freshman year, I even had a slower time than people who were smaller than I was, so it seemed unlikely that I could ever be the best, even with hard work and complete devotion. After that first erg test and other disappointing races, I really did not want to go back to practice the next day; I wished the sport would just give me a break. Still, I never missed a practice. Crew is a lesson in commitment and constancy; I would never have been successful without a strong work ethic. Crew, more than academics, has helped me to realize how much potential I have. As a natural student, academics comes somewhat easy for me, and thus I did not find school challenging until I began crew. After having practiced through pain, nausea, and numbness, I know exactly what dedication and hard work is. I now set my goals higher academically and in all aspects of life, refusing to settle for anything less than my best effort. In this my fourth year of rowing, I can truly say that I am a good rower. More importantly, I can say that no goal lies beyond my reach, so long as I show the same hard work and perseverance as I do in crew. Everyday, from late February to early June, I practice, fully aware that I will probably feel more pain than I have ever felt in my life. Without much natural talent or skill, I have come unimaginably far both athletically and personally through just hard work. With the ability to persevere through pain, I believe I am limited by nothing and can achieve anything I am willing to work for.

Writing Sample 22
High school is a strange time. After three years of trying to develop identity and friends in middle school, students are expected to mature immediately on the first day of ninth grade, but I never did this. I never fully realized in the earlier grades how important high school success, as measured by GPA, would be to my future life, and as a result I am applying to college with seemingly contradictory measures of my ability to perform college-level work. If I had worked and studied hard rather than hanging out with friends and viewing high school as an opportunity to socialize, I would not have to apply to school with a 1300 SAT and a 2.7 GPA. Had I taken my grades in my earlier years seriously, I could have been a college's dream candidate. This year I have made an earnest effort to improve my work ethic. My grade point average is rising and my study habits are improving. However, after performing poorly for three years, my GPA cannot reflect the transformation I underwent at the start of this year. Dedicated to making something of myself, I finally matured and am now trying to lessen the consequences of my past actions. Armed with my new attitude and my understanding of the extreme importance of earning good grades to signal my capacity to work responsibly, I assure you that I will never revert to the student I once was. In retrospect, I believe that it was my inability to choose my classes that resulted in my lack of enthusiasm on the ride to school each morning. I enjoy the freedom to pursue my own interests and anxiously anticipate the ability to choose my own class schedule in college. While I understand that college will be significantly more challenging than high school, I have always found it easier to study for a class that interests me. I am also willing to accept the fact that as long as I am in school, I will be forced to take required courses that I might be less than enthusiastic about. However, with my new goal-oriented nature, I will realize that I am working towards my college degree and my future success, and I will regain the drive to excel. Moreover, I now realize the emptiness in the lives of people who can only do one thing well. There is tremendous benefit in being well-rounded, and I now understand that even my least favorite subject will contribute to my ultimate goal of living a rewarding life while working at a fulfilling career. I will definitely enjoy the independence of campus life. The camaraderie should only add to the college experience. The courses will be challenging, but I am willing to do what it takes to achieve my ultimate goal. I assure you that I have the potential. I am changed man, hoping that my youthful immaturity will not have a lasting effect on my future success.

Writing Sample 23

A successful school must make a concerted effort to excel. This includes the efforts of the student body as well as the staff. Everyone involved must work toward the same goal: creating a healthy educational environment. I wish to contribute my own special skills to the success of the school that I attend. My personal confidence has increased through the cultivation of leadership and organizational skills. I delight in new challenges, and have held many leadership positions. For instance, I launched my own piano studio, in which I train students to excel in competitions and recitals. I also serve as a volunteer chairperson at the San Jose Audition Center for the National Guild of Piano Teachers, where I help organize upcoming events and examinations. The skills I developed in these positions will be valuable to the undergraduate programs I intend to join. Leadership and organizational abilities are crucial to any businessperson. They play a key role in maintaining the highest quality of work. Organizing an efficient business/accounting system is essential in this quickly changing economy. New technology is constantly evolving and consumer tastes change swiftly; business owners must revolutionize their strategies in order to succeed. Research is an important aspect of this. I recently utilized my own research skills to revive the photo shop where I work. When the company was in recession, I researched customer surveys, promotional results, and buyer spending behavior. I then designed marketing strategies that increased sales volume dramatically. If accepted to the Haas School of Business, I will contribute this experience to undergraduate programs that train students to develop creative solutions to modern business problems.I am also intrigued by such issues as the effects of Internet sales on small businesses and serious monopoly concerns. I know that as a member of the Haas School of Business, I can work on these issues with instructors and students of the highest caliber. This interchange of ideas is the first step toward solving these problems. The Haas School of Business is ideal for my needs and abilities. My determination to succeed in business provides me with the confidence needed to hone the skills I already have, and to cultivate new ones.

Writing Sample 24
Describe a situation where your values or beliefs were challenged. How did you react?
Hanging above a simple Chinese alter in my living room is a faded picture of a slumbering baby. When I was eight years old, I asked my mother the infant's identity. A strange look passed over her face, as though she were debating the wisdom of answering me. After a moment, she took my hand and said in a serious tone, "That is your brother Victor." I laughed playfully at what I thought was a joke, exclaiming, "No, mommy, I don 't have a brother!" But the sadness with which she responded, stating "He died when he was a baby," convinced me it was true. The shock of this revelation at such a tender age affected me as nothing ever would again. "My brother?" I repeated to myself. "I had a brother?" My confusion was profound; everything I knew about my little world was shattered, torn as ragged as the edges of the baby's photo. From that point onwards, my life changed dramatically. Reality replaced the simplicity of my former, carefree days, and thrust me into an adult world of sadness and pain. How could life be so unfair? What could a little baby have done to deserve this? I couldn't answer these questions, which made me feel helpless and frustrated. At that age, comprehending death was a monumental task. I had only been exposed to it on television, with fictional characters I did not know. I never understood until that moment the finality of dying. I would never know my brother, or play with him, or even look into his eyes. The pain this caused within me has not lost its intensity to this day, and it never will. A wave of sadness always breaks over me when I think of him--even as I write these lines. I had always longed for a brother, even before I learned my mother's secret. An older brother to guide me and be my companion would have been a blessing. When I learned of my lost opportunity, I felt cheated. My entire life would be empty without Victor there to share it with me. There would always be something missing. For many years, I thought I would never escape the devastation of his death. Five years ago, however, a miracle took place. My half sister Rebecca came into this world. I cannot explain the love I feel for her. When she looks at me with her bright eyes and tells me that she loves me, it brings me so much joy. Each one of her smiles is priceless. Best of all, she has something I have always longed for: an older brother to look up to, and to go to with her problems. That person is me! This knowledge is an overwhelming blessing. Through her, I can fulfill the role that Victor never had a chance to. I can guide her in the right paths, and be a shoulder to lean on for the rest of her life. My relationship with Rebecca has been instrumental in dealing with Victor's loss. She has given me purpose. This is my opportunity to be the elder brother that I always longed for. I look forward to this special gift every day of my life.

Writing Sample 25
Though leaves are many, the root is one; Through all the lying days of my youth I swayed my leaves and flowers in the sun; Now I may wither into the truth. As I left the town I had lived in since birth, I bid farewell to the carefree days of my childhood. Good-bye to my family, past and familiar images. I am a grown up man now, since I have been forced to be so. My future lies ahead of me, but it is not only the times that are changing; I am changing with the time. From the day of my weepy departure until now, I struggle to control my life and to ensure that I choose the right paths. I am on the highway yelling along the dark road in the wind, greedily gasping, trying to shove the biting razor into me. As in some bizarre dream, I am fluctuating. Tears of dreariness and fear fall on the floor of the bus and my small, young childish hands disguise the scarlet of my bursting eyes. I am alone with the unbearable burden of memories and the unknowns of the coming days. But I am determined not to fail. Then I fall asleep repeating to myself the promises of my mother: "Everything is going to be all right" she says. I know she knows that nothing will be the same when I wake up. I am a ten-year old boy entering the twilight of a city of ten million, the city of Istanbul. Will I ever be a part of it? When I first enter the city, I am like a vagrant dweller in the houseless woods, like a hermit sitting alone by his fire. Despite my loneliness, I keep a determined mind that I shall find what I seek: an enlightened future with education, wisdom, and erudition. My fire shall burn all the worries away and illuminate the twilight of this city with its brilliance. By promising myself I should neither let the gigantic city swallow me nor abandon myself by becoming a gambler in the game of mugs, I decide to conquer myself, my future and this city. Carrying the weight of the financial and emotional difficulties my family and I have experienced and with the responsibility that I am living in a small dorm on my own, I am to be courageous and self-reliant. During these uncertain times, forces of change are at their peak. Everything was new: school, friends, and images. Doors of life were opening for me and I had to select the right ones. Not only do I come to a new land and start a new school, but I also seek to find new path in life. Despite the seclusion and the bewilderment of a naive juvenile, I am filled with the unbounded determination of a man. Determined to carry myself one step further in my journey of life amid the dynamics of change, I promise myself: "Shall every experience of mine be the illumination of the truth until wither into the truth? Did I grow too early or did the life get smaller so quickly?"

wxfily0607 - 2008-5-13 11:38:00

Writing Sample 26
In 1996,I enrolled in St.John's College. The perfect freshman, I was earnest, intent, hardworking, and optimistic, but I felt as if my work related trivially to my future goals and would not contribute to my future success. However, I did not have a grasp on what my future plans would be. Sure I had hints and intimations of what kind of work I would enjoy and what kind of life I wanted to lead as an adult; however, I did not have a well thought-out plan for my future career. I knew that I wanted to become a writer, but I also knew that, in order to eat, I would have to do something else along the way. Unfortunately, I had no idea of what that something else would be. St.John's is a liberal arts school devoted much more to theory than to practical reality; it prides itself on this point and on learning the works of history's dead authors. While I did consider my courses there challenging and rewarding, I realized that I would not be able to apply anything I was learning to life after college. Maybe one could argue that I was learning to think and could apply that everywhere, but this is a weak and unclear line of reasoning. The bottom line was that I was being trained not to be a working professional but to be a masterful thinker. By the first semester of my sophomore year, I grew bored with this formal training and did not want to talk about books anymore. I did not leave because I couldn't handle the work, but because I simply became frustrated with day in and day out rehashing themes and arguments of dead authors. I never intended to join academia and spend a life analyzing others work; I wanted to write fiction. Since my goal defied St.John's standards of teaching impracticality, I decided to leave. It would have been much easier to stay, but people do not become great by making easy decisions. What I wanted, more than a structured academic life, were new experiences, but I also wanted real experiences, experiences books cannot convey. I wanted to go out into the real world and test myself, to explore as much as I possibly could; I did not see how pursuing a classical education would further this goal. In leaving college, I figured that whatever happened to me would be useful and would teach me things I had never known and might constitute the foundations for a future book. However, in moving from this to that, I found I had little time to write, and I worried that I had made the wrong decision. I experienced bouts of self-doubt ranging in intensity from mild pessimism to utter panic. Yes, I want to be a writer, but I don't want to be a failure. Trying to strike a happy balance until I can determine my future path, I enrolled in three courses at the Harvard Extension School. As I began to see my writing become more accomplished and as I planned a course of study that would enable me to eventually settle on a viable occupation, I became convinced that I could adapt to the real world without abandoning my dream. I want to broaden my knowledge of the world and to give my dream more definition. At the Extension School, I can improve my writing and, at the same time, learn utilizable skills.

Writing Sample 27

When he first brought home that rectangular piece of spruce wood, I nodded without listening as he described his first-place, prize-winning dream car. Suddenly, I realized I nodded straight through a question; I had just agreed to help him build the fastest model racecar ever. Too busy to work on it that night, he smiled saying, "Don't worry, we can work on it tomorrow." Before I could reply, he disappeared from the room. Each day he cheerfully asked me if we could work on his car, but I always had an excuse. Whether I had too much homework, the SAT to study for, or the Prom to organize, I claimed to be busy everyday. Still, he would smile brightly and reply, "It's okay. We can do it tomorrow." As the days dragged on, I realized that his smile came slower and was less bright. Two weeks had passed and the big Pinewood Derby was quickly approaching; still, the block remained untouched in its box. While studying for a chemistry test the next day, I heard my little brother enter the room. With three tests to study for, a lab to write, and an essay due, I definitely could not work with him that evening. Guilty that I would have to again say "no", I purposefully avoided eye contact. After a few minutes, I hazarded a glance up to find my brother had left the room, not even bothering to ask a question he knew the answer to. For a few minutes, I stared blankly at the stoichiometric formulas in front of me. Too guilty to concent rate, I decided to talk to my brother. I found him in the next room caressing the plastic wheels that would be attached to the car once its body was finished. "Scott, do you know where any sandpaper is?" I smiled at his astonished look. "If we're to build that car we're gonna need a lot of sandpaper." As my little brother swaggered to the beginning of the racetrack to set down our super-fast racecar, I watched him beaming with pride and excitement. While the racecar did not turn out exactly as we had envisioned with its rough edges and asymmetric wheel well, it still was our masterpiece. We worked on that car for hours on end once I caught my little brother's infectious enthusiasm. While we made that piece of wood into a sleek racing machine, the wood made me feel closer to my brother than I ever had. When we were finished, it did not matter to me if the car came in first or last; I was just grateful to have a little brother who wants me to spend time with him. The crowd suddenly grew silent while the scoutmaster raised his hand to the lever that released the cars from their restraining blocks. As the cars shot forward, my brother watched our car outdistance the others by almost a foot. Both of us grinning broadly at each other, we slapped five and prepared to take our trophy home.

Writing Sample 28

I'll never forget that night, and I'll never remember it. For that night and the following days, I felt like a wanderer on an endless stretch of a dark, deserted road where only vague outlines of old, busted-up cars appear as they whiz by at a dizzying pace. I remember only short insignificant pieces of the night; all colors, events, and time blended together like flaming bursts of magnificent Roman candles that set the night sky ablaze with brilliant purples, reds, and oranges. Unfortunately, the horror I sensed was much more significant and much less innocent than cars wandering in the night or Roman candles entertaining droves of happy people. I burst into the room, crashing, tumbling, and twisting onto the bed, longing to feel at ease. I took a deep breath and held it in as I thought about how lonely I felt on that cold night. Man, I wanted to jump right out that window to do something, anything. I felt alive and confined by life. Then, like a bolt of burning lightning, something struck me, sending me reeling like a torn and tattered rag doll. In a daze, I picked myself off the floor only to fall back to the bed again, as I made another attempt at sleep. Suddenly, something took hold of my consciousness, making me feel like Miles Davis's screeching trumpet and Ron Carter's rumbling bass, all at the same time. My eyes raced around the room trying to find an explanation for my situation, and I began to hear my own heart bang in my chest, loudly thumping, booming, booming, constantly booming. Whatever was going to happen was going to happen soon. The room began to spin like a child's top around and around, dizzyingly spinning and falling and tumbling and crashing. I began to cry, not knowing what was happening. My body tightened and twisted, itself trying to escape the unknown enemy. Like an old can of Coca-Cola, I shivered and shook and suddenly exploded in one moment of horrible ecstasy. Someone came in and tried to help me to my feet as I kept falling down, getting up, and falling down, like a boxer on the ropes, certain to lose but fighting valiantly for simple pride. That night, my parents after they found me brought me to the emergency room where the doctors predicted I would be all right soon enough. Thank God. Depression, panic disorder, whatever, that night was the best thing that ever happened to me. Yeah it sounds strange, but that night was like an air raid siren in the dead of night. I was alive, and I didn't even know it.

Writing Sample 29

I did not read about the collapse of communism and the subsequent increases in globalization and economic growth in the morning newspaper. I lived through them. Growing up in the former Soviet Union, I remain acutely aware of the drastic changes that continue to devastate my former homeland. For me, understanding the state of international affairs is not an academic exercise, but an exercise in understanding who I am and who I will become. However, I have underwent much personal and familial hardship in the process of determining how I could fit in to the capitalist colossus. As history has shown, the US, with its superior economic system, easily overtook the Soviet Union; forcing the USSR to change or be buried. Fortunately, I no longer watch firsthand as the machinery of the Russian state and economy crash to the ground. My parents fled to a better life in the United States, to a world of unending advancement for those willing to work. Unfortunately for Russia, many people like my parents fled -- people who were motivated, who could not tolerate poverty and domination by the same political actors, who sought a better life immediately. While it was not easy to immigrate to the United States given the decades-long denomination of the USSR as an "Evil Empire" acculturation in a country, which emphasizes hard work and productivity, is ultimately not prohibitively difficult for the hard working and productive. Given my background, nothing has ever been easy for me. Changing countries and introducing so much uncertainty into their lives undermined my parents' marriage. They fought often and would sometimes separate for months only to conclude the world was too harsh to try to tackle it alone. Because of my parents' marriage problems, I spent much time with my grandparents until they died tragically in a car accident. While these factors have colored my perspective on life and led me to focus on things less fleeting than grades, like friendships and a personal ethic, I have never lost site of the importance of knowledge. In fact, my background guarantees my commitment to my undergraduate program. I will acknowledge the amount of pain my family underwent by coming to the United States by extracting the maximum amount of learning from my undergraduate degree and using it to further the advancement of less-advanced nations. However, what influenced my grades and test scores most of all is that I struggled with learning the English language and fitting in to American schools. While I may not have had much opportunity for advancement or education in Russia, in the US, I needed to learn an entire language and way of life in order to be successful. This takes time, especially in childhood. However, I am now quite fluent in English, and I look forward to being a very dedicated and successful college student. While these factors have had a negative impact on my grades, I am glad they occurred because they helped to transform me into the driven, dedicated student that I now am. They made me a stronger person, a person capable of tackling problems no matter how great. Given my international background, I now seek to pursue a career in law. As nations and organizations interact more everyday on political and economic levels, the laws governing nations, corporations, and non-governmental organizations will grow increasingly complex. Never before has there been a greater need for lawyers who understand these laws and can assist private and public sector entities interpret them. I know that as an international lawyer, I can assist in making this global village a better place to live.

Writing Sample 30
In my first piano recital at the age of eight, I felt overwhelmed by the audience's applause. Since that first recital, I became very committed to music and attempted to build a music career. At age six, I began playing the piano, and at age fifteen, I began playing the trumpet. Admitted by a professional music high school at age sixteen, I had the opportunity of exploring the broad world of music, and the high quality of instruction greatly enriched my music background. After intensively preparing for my first trumpet competition, I won the championship of trumpet competition for the remaining two years of high school. By attending various kinds of competitions, I further developed my musical interest and abilities. After graduating from hi

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