<p>The past 5 or so years this has been an essay prompt:</p>
<ol>
<li>Using the statement below as a starting point, tell us about an event or experience that helped you define one of your values or changed how you approach the world. </li>
</ol>
<p>Princeton in the Nations Service was the title of a speech given by Woodrow Wilson on the 150th anniversary of the University. It became the unofficial Princeton motto and was expanded for the Universitys 250th anniversary to Princeton in the nations service and in the service of all nations. </p>
<p>Woodrow Wilson, Princeton Class of 1879, served on the faculty and was Princetons president from 19021910.</p>
<p>I'm assuming that it will be a prompt again this year, but I really don't understand it. How do you use an abstract quote about Princeton to talk about a life experience shaping you? Do they just want you to talk about something you experienced that defined your values, or do they really want you to use the quote as a starting point?</p>
<p>It’s quite straight-forward, really. Use that quotation in any way you like to craft an outstanding essay that says a lot about you as a person. You can really take it in any direction you like, and there’s no wrong answer. The “how” is up to you - it’s what distinguishes a good writer from a great writer. So, start writing and see where it takes you! If you really can’t think of anything, there are several other prompts to choose from.</p>
<p>It’s not an abstract quote. Woodrow Wilson used a personal experience to connect with Princeton and come back and make a speech about how he felt that Princeton should connect with the world. Unfortunately I have to work on other essays otherwise I’d love to look at the speech, but I know I’m not going to Princeton anymore. But if I were you, go look at the speech, then look at your life experience and what you’d like to do and how you can see your Princeton education helping you work towards that.</p>
<p>I like that quote a lot. Think of it as saying, not only do you have a duty to your own group, but you have a duty to help everyone else as well.</p>
<p>If you’ve done anything service-oriented that you’re proud about (science research, led a volunteer event, etc.) this essay is pretty straightforward and can add another dimension to your app.</p>
<p>It’s not straight forward. There are two different paths this essay may take you. First, it may be asking to talk about events or experiences that changed your values and how you approach the world, leading you into a serious form of service, or it might be asking you if a serious form of service “is the event or experience” that changed your values and how you approach the world. I have a great essay to write if it’s the first prompt but it does not work for the second as it was other experiences that led me to service. So I am sitting here thinking about one of the other four.</p>
<p>Parse the sentence very carefully. What do you mean by “service?” Even, what, in the year 2013, do we mean by “nation?” Is it still a valuable construct? Precision and simple writing and personal imagery and recollection will be your friend.</p>