Question about UC essay prompts

College Essays
1

<p>"Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud, and how does it relate to the person you are?"</p>

<p>I used to (past tense because she died this July) visit my next door neighbor and help her around the house while she told me stories about her life. She had a pretty interesting life (died at almost 102 years of age) and I wanted to write about it. Specifically I wanted to write about her war experiences, and possibly technological experiences as well.</p>

<p>War experiences: She was over in London when WWI ended. She told me about gathering downtown by Big Ben and celebrating. She was also overseas during WWII (a war which her husband was a Major in). She had an interesting story about watching the soldiers march back from battle that I was planning on writing about. She was also (I believe) the last living survivor of the Battle of Columbus (Pancho Villa). She told me how her dad came and picked her up from school and they ran back to their house ducking inside buildings to avoid gunshots.</p>

<p>Experience with technology: I'm not sure if I'm going to write about this or not. I guess it depends if I still need to fill in space. The only story I really remember is about her first experience with a radio (I believe it she was either 4 or 6 at the time).</p>

<p>I think it was a significant experience for me, personally, seeing as I want to major in history and she was considered a primary source.</p>

<p>Edit:
Prompt #1: I was home schooled, so I was planning on writing about my experience with this. In particular, the fact that I had to travel so far and often. However, this gave me the opportunity to explore my true passion, which is history. I always took advantage of the countries we were in, getting out of the pages of a book and physically going to monuments and museums. </p>

<p>Now here's my question, should I write about a particular incident (i.e. the State Hermitage in Saint Petersburg, Russia, which is one of the world's oldest museums) or should I write about my traveling in general (i.e. discuss the places in general I was able to visit and how this reflects my home schooling experience and interests)?</p>

<p>Edit2: (Prompt #2) I could also mention a story about her great-grandfather who was a confederate general during the U.S. Civil War. I don't think it would tie in with my topic about interviewing a primary source, though.</p>

<p>Let me know what you guy's think.</p>

2

<p>I would not talk about the lady’s stories because those are not your experiences.</p>

3

<p>@Rebelution90: My mom said the same thing, but I’m writing about me (sort of) interviewing her. It was a once in a life time experience to interview someone who experienced so much. Do you think that that would be fine?</p>

4

<p>If you really felt close to your neighbor and the time spent with her has fundamentally changed you in, and you can write about it effectively, I think it can be the main event in the 2nd prompt. </p>

<p>However, I think it might fit better in the 1st prompt. You can show how you have grown passionate about history when you learned history from a primary source.</p>

5

<p>@Montnix: I’ve really been interested in history for quite some time (dating back to when I was in elementary school). Over the years it’s just kind of grown, and traveling with my parents has really boosted my interest. Could I possibly write about (for my first prompt) the evolution of my interest? That way I could write about attending lectures when I was younger, traveling with my parents, and listening to my neighbor? </p>

<p>I also thought of another topic to write about for the second prompt. I was going to write about my first significant account (I say significant because I had previously attended my great aunt’s funeral, but I never really knew her so I didn’t really grasp the concept of death) of death. It’s about this turtle that my friend and I found that had been ran over by a car and was suffering. We did everything we could to try and save it, but sadly, it perished. It kind of changed my perspective on life and death. </p>

<p>^ Do you think that would be good/okay to write about for the second prompt, or does it sound too cheesy? It’s a pretty significant experience, I think.</p>

6

<p>@OperationIvy. I still think your trying to coast of her experiences by interviewing her. Overall, does this experience make you proud? How does this experience relate to who you are?</p>

7

<p>@operationivy. Colleges want to read about experiences that have happened in your high school career. The reason being because no one knows who they are at the age of 10. When your in high school, you start to explore your identity. So if this event happened before your high school career I wouldn’t right about it. If it did happen in during your high school career the essay would come out as a clich</p>

8

<p>@operationivy. My second comment was for the turtle. What you are talking about now how you are interested in history is a good starting place.</p>

9

<p>@Rebelution90: The prompt is, “Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud, and how does it relate to the person you are?”</p>

<p>The way I interpreted it is that if you’re writing about a personal quality or accomplishment then how does it make you proud, and how dies it to relate to who you are. </p>

<p>If you’re not writing about either of those two then you don’t have to write about how it makes you proud or relate to who you are.</p>

<p>Maybe I interpreted it wrong. Either way, read my post above yours (#5). I’m just kind of brainstorming here. Would it be better to write about the evolution of my interest in history? And by evolution, I mean writing about how I’ve attended historical lectures from a young age, the different museums and monuments in different countries that I’ve been to on account of my parent’s jobs and me being home schooled, and interviewing my neighbor?</p>

<p>Also, I’m not trying to ride her coattails. It was truly a significant experience for me. Like Montnix said, it was completely different interviewing a primary source, someone who witnessed all of these events. Anyways, just tell me what you think of my revisions, and if I’m misinterpreting the prompt</p>

<p>Edit: Your two new posts appeared after I submitted this. Could you explain your third comment (post #8) better, please?</p>

10

<p>@operationivy. K. I am aware that you do know about the 2 prompt for the UC’s(your world and your personal quality…) the evolution of the interest of history for you goes very well for essay prompt #1, which is about your world. Basically if it were not your parents you mostly likely would not have liked history. You can start your essay off as how your parents took you places, etc… then go into interviewing the women. Finally, talk about how this interest you so much and why you pursue a career in it. In the essay do not forget to talk about how you viewed history, since it seems to be your world. Alright to the next question. What I was trying to say in comment #8 in respect to #7, was that college admissions want to read topics that occurred in your high school career because you have a better understanding of your identity in high school than if you were 10 years olds. Overall, writing about the suffering turtle is a clich</p>

11

<p>All right, thank you very much for clearing that up for me. Another question, do you think that I should talk about (for the first prompt) attending lectures at an early age? There was one lecture in particular at the age of 10 that really sparked my interest. So it’s kind of a beginning ground and then go onto the traveling and the old lady’s stories. Or, do you think that I should leave it out and just focus on only things that happened in high school (which I know is what’s supposed to be done, I just want to know if it would be okay to add in something prior to my high school experience)?</p>

12

<p>@Operationivy. For prompt #1 it is ok to talk about your childhood because your world was not formed in a matter of 3-4 years. Sorry for not saying that. That rule only applies to prompt #2, again sorry for not clearing that up. So I would definitely add that lecture at the age of 10 years old.</p>

13

<p>Thank you very much, this has been very informative and a great brainstorming session ^.^.</p>

14

<p>Writing about the how your love of history has evolved is a stronger essay for prompt 1.
For the second prompt, here are some things to keep in mind. First, this is a bragging essay so highlight your accomplishments more than an emotional feeling. Second, try to keep a communicate clearly what you want the reader to know about you. Third, this essay has to show your unique color and character, so it involves soul searching. After this, the writing will come more naturally.</p>

15

<p>Thanks for the advice, I really appreciate it. It’s going to be difficult finding some achievement/accomplishment to write about. Being home schooled and traveling all of the time, it was hard to find time to join clubs or sports. I might end up just having to write about an experience. The only sort of major accomplishment of mine has been convincing this historical author to take a trip with me down to Ecuador in search of certain Inca artifacts. We haven’t taken the trip yet, though, and the story so far is pretty bland.</p>

<p>Edit: Also, most of the story takes place before high school. We have been in distant contact since I was 10 when I first pitched the idea to him.</p>

16

<p>@OperationIvy. Maybe for the second essay, write about how you were homeschooled. Like having to literally doing everything yourself. Maybe talk about how it has taught you to be more independent. It probably makes your proud to do be able to do thing on your own since many kids your age always depend on teacher and parents to help.</p>

17

<p>@Reblution90: Thanks, it’s kind of an obvious idea, but I hadn’t thought about it. It was difficult having to self motivate.</p>

<p>Edit: And it explains a lot to admissions about who I am.</p>