<p>How do I unpost?</p>
<p>Look, admissions officers have a ton of work this time of year. Right now, they are reading applications and making decisions, so they are really swamped. I doubt they have a ton of time just to lurk on CC. They probably lurk during the summer and early fall more than they do during the last few days they have to make admissions decisions. </p>
<p>@Grivacobae,
Your essay was really good, but most schools have a word limit for essays. So, youâd probably have to cut it down a bit. It was really good though!</p>
<p>@ifax108
Thanks a lot! Idk what to cut out though! Haha.
What are the prompts for most app essays? Is it just random (whatever you want it to be)?</p>
<ol>
<li>What do you like most about yourself? Why?</li>
</ol>
<p>Andover Questions: From the time I was born deaf, right up to the decision to apply to Andover and the writing of this essay,
I had to overcome many challenges and obstacles. Being a problem solver seems to be my historical
mission. What does it take to become a problem solver? For one thing, it helps to have parents who
have a passion for truth and justice and instill those values at an early age. On a more personal level, it
means realizing that much of life is unfair, that political corruption is a fact of life, that hunger and
poverty will always exists, that all nations have histories that they are not especially proud of, etc., and
that despite these and similar realities, we can and must do our small part to âmake things betterâ for the
next generation. While there is so much in life we cannot control, with a very determined attitude and
indomitable spirit, we individually shape our lives and collectively determine the future of the world.</p>
<ol>
<li>Imagine you are a Phillips Academy student and you invite a fellow classmateâwho is from a very
different part of the worldâto join you in your hometown during a school break. What would you feel
would be important to share with him/her during his/her short stay and why?</li>
</ol>
<p>NYC, where I grew up, is still the âmelting potâ of America. There is one particular neighborhood (The
East Village) where you can hear the sounds and taste the foods of dozens of languages and cultures.
How is that for an eye opening appetizer? How is it possible for so many people of diverse backgrounds
and cultures to get along so harmoniously with each other? It has something to do with personal
Identity, learning the meaning of Tolerance and Respect for others and believing that change is
possible.
I would invite my Andover schoolmate to my home (The best Museum of Tolerance in NYC:) for a
kosher meal to show him that in a healthy family (or society), differences of opinion are not only listened
to and respected, but actually add to the richness and overall quality of life for all members. So long as
we are willing to listen and learn from the other, respect the rights and dignity of all human beings, and
see beneath the veneer of cultural diversity, it will become apparent that while our differences are
culturally interesting and historically meaningful, they are nonetheless small in comparison to our shared
values.
I would look forward to receiving a similar invitation and opportunity of one day visiting the home country
of my Andover schoolmate.</p>
<p>C. Imagine the year is 2060 and you are sitting down to write an autobiography. What would it be called
and why? For what would you most like to be remembered?</p>
<p>Hopefully, in the year 2060 I will be too busy training for the Marathon, babysitting my grandchildren and
exploring new planets or technologies to be writing my autobiography. But seriously, poets and
philosophers remind us that life is but a dream, a fleeing moment in the shifting sands of time . . . . So
what then, constitutes the âexamined well lived lifeâ?
At the beginning of the ninth grade, I made an iMovie (See link in âadditional infoâ) based on the
introspective novel: âA Separate Peaceâ. There is a scene just before the end where the major global
problems plaguing the planet (genocides, environmental disasters, collapse of financial markets, etc.),
are viewed from the visual perspective of outer space. In my cosmic view of the universe, there is a tacit
understanding that each of us has a mission or a purpose to fix a broken part of the world. Some of us
will repair broken bones, while some of us will patch the disappearing ozone layer. Others will repair
shattered hearts, and still others will right historical wrongs. Regardless of the road less taken, each of
us has a mission to fulfill. In that sense I can only hope that one day I will make a difference in the lives
of those who mattered most to me.
There is a parable about the young idealist who wanted to change the world and soon discovered it
wasnât as easy as he thought. So, he set his sights a bit lower. âSurely I can reform my own countryâ, he
thought. After one disillusioning and frustrating experience after another, he decided to settle for
improving his own community. Alas, in the end he just hoped that he could stick to his own principles
and values and not let others change him. While we should never grow as cynical as the character in
this parable, judging by the history of revolutions and reform movements, there is an obvious strong
undercurrent of truth there.
At this stage in my academic career, it is too early for me to imagine what major contribution I may one
day make for which I will be remembered. But one thing for sure, I surely would want to be remembered
as a caring, kind and compassionate human being who treated all with respect and dignity.
As I mentioned in an earlier short essay, there is so much that we cannot control or fathom about the
unforeseeable and unexpected circumstances and vicissitudes of our lives. But the one thing that
cannot be taken from us is our attitude towards all the events and lack of choices and control in our
lives. So, if I can manage to hang on to my deeply enshrined values about every human life being
inherently valuable and worthy and deserving of respect and dignity, then I am fairly confident I will be
remembered the same way I want to remember others who I most admire and respect.</p>
<p>Opinions?</p>
<p>shush;</p>
<p>It comes across as warmhearted and genuine. I like how you strived to make it different than the typical âworld peaceâ essay by putting your own independent thoughts and approaches in it. You managed to convey who you are and what you lived for without making it seem like you were just telling Andover what they âwanted to see.â</p>
<p>Not sure if I should post mineâŠ</p>
<p>@ shush,</p>
<p>your essays & answers blow mine out of the water! i think youâre an incredible writer, kudos</p>
<p>@intrinsically: I would advise you to not post your essays until after March 10th, or even after you matriculate.</p>
<p>BUMP. We may need these soonâŠ</p>
<p>2010 hopeful is right. I would strongly recommend waiting until after youâve signed a contract and sent it in. Additionally, it might be prudent to share an essay that would be difficult to copy.</p>
<p>Question 2: Tell us about your neighborhood and how it has shaped you.</p>
<p>As I walked along the well-trodden path, leaves crunched under my hiking boots. I glanced upwards and saw golden light filtering through openings in the canopy of trees. The rich smell of the forest floor flooded my nose. I took this walk often, along with my mother, father, sister, and golden retriever. I enjoyed nature hikes such as these because they sparked my curiosity and questions about the natural world.
Excursions to museums filled my early childhood, and The Museum of Science in Boston held some of the answers to my questions. The blackened, shriveled lung of a smoker and the image of a hand reconstructed by a surgeon are especially vivid memories. My parents tried to be a resource for my enthusiastic passion for science. We moved to (not saying:)) when I was 6, and my parents brought home books and encouraged me to take online classes. Since fourth grade, I spent the summers immersed in science camp at Northwestern University and Johns Hopkins University.
My new hometown also exposed me to diversity. (My hometown) accentuated and celebrated the differences in each citizen and their cultural beliefs. I learned to approach people from other backgrounds with respect. I also learned about international cultures by accompanying my parents to academic meetings around the world. I especially remember my amazement at our Japanese tour guideâs knowledge for his culture and traditions, as we toured multiple gardens. The details and perfection of generations of gardeners put a different perspective on my idea of walking through the forest.
In fifth grade my teacher encouraged me to become more involved in my neighborhood by spending time in the special education room. I helped my developmentally handicapped peers learn to communicate and interact with others. On our repeated walks around the school building, we watched small flowers bloom, and enjoyed nature. Because many of the children were severely autistic, we didnât usually speak. Over the next four years, I learned sign language and symbols to communicate with them.
Growing up with a love for the natural world, I had ample material to spark my curiosity. This fostered my interest in science. Exposure to cultural diversity has shaped my admiration and respect for the unique traditions of others. Sharing my love of nature has helped me reach out and bridge the gap of communication when I volunteer with my developmentally handicapped peers.</p>
<p>I know I said I wouldnât post on this board anymore, but I forgot to post my essay. Hereâs the essay that got me rejected from Andover:
I do not like commuting to school. I have to wake at early, eat breakfast fast, and be rushed out the
door. When I began my high school search, I made it very clear to my parents that I didnât want to have
to commute. However, sometimes during long commutes I have very interesting conversations with my
mother. One day we were driving home from school. We passed the Radcliffe Quadrangle near Harvard
Square. In an attempt to make conversation, I said, âSo, this is RadcliffeâŠâ
âYes, it is. Some of Americaâs greatest women were educated here,â she said. âGertrude Stein, Helen
KellerâŠâ
âWait, Helen Keller went to Radcliffe?â I was surprised. âI thought she was that blind and deaf girl. How
could she go to Radcliffe?â
My mother proceeded to tell me about Helen Keller. She passionately told me about the influence Anne
Sullivan had on Helenâs life. She told me about how Helen was blind and deaf and had never known
language. As a child, she would have temper tantrums, and since her parents couldnât communicate
with her, she was out of control. So, her parents hired Anne Sullivan to teach her. Eventually, a
breakthrough occurred when Anne was trying to convey to Helen the concept of water. Anne was
running water on Helenâs hand while in sign language she spelled out W-A-T-E-R on Helenâs palm. In
an instant, Helen understood that the motions on her palm symbolized the feeling she was getting on
her hand and the idea of water. She understood that language could symbolize ideas. After my mother
told me this story, she was nearly in tears.
âWhat happened next?â I asked.
âWell, Helen was a genius,â my mother said. âShe went on to be an amazing author and thinker. She
was not a stupid woman.â
âBut, I still have one question,â I said. âIs thought possible without language?â
âIdonât know,â my mother smiled. âYouâll have to figure that one out for yourself.â
This conversation got me extremely interested in language and thought. If I had one year to design a
research project, I would design it around two big questions. I would try to find out if (1) it is possible to
think without language, and (2) whether different languages effect how a person thinks. I recently read a
book exploring martial arts. The thing that was most interesting to me was not the martial arts described
in the book, but Asian culture and thought. Some of the ideas that Asian cultures have about spirituality,
thought, and even logic are incredibly different from our Western ideas. I would love to know if Asian
languages effect how Asians view the world.
Though these two questions would guide my research, they would not dominate it. I want to understand
how different cultures think, how logic can be interpreted differently, and how to better understand
human thought. Hopefully by the end of my research, I would better understand the world around me</p>
<p>This really is my last post on the prep school admission for a little while. I just really found this thread to be helpful last year, so I thought Iâd help other applicants. But, this is my last post for a while.</p>
<p>BUMP⊠Not posting here, but when I finish my essays, if anyone wants to read them then Iâll PM them to you(: No plagiarism⊠CC Honor Code lol.</p>
<p>You could also send some to the College Essays forum and see how they rate it⊠Not knowing youâre applying to BS of course (;</p>
<p>Iâm so tempted to post one of my Choate short responses⊠The one about what your first book would be if you became an author. I thought most students would write something completely serious and heartfelt⊠Letâs just say that I strayed far from the norm. Iâll probably post it in September.</p>
<p>Applicantâs of 2012! Letâs start posting up essays soon!</p>
<p>After admissions decisions are in, fine.</p>
<p>Iâm going to have to agree with 98beebee</p>
<p>Bringing back this thread for all yâall 2012-2013 applicants! So glad this threadâs still going strong.</p>
<p>Bump again!</p>
<p>Sent from my DROID RAZR using CC</p>
<p>I donât want to post my dog-walking essay for the public to see and humiliate :(</p>