<p>II. REQUIRED SHORT ESSAYS (200 words)
1. There is a Quaker saying: Let your life speak. Describe the environment in which you were raisedyour family, home, neighborhood or communityand how it influenced the person you are today.</p>
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<li>Self-identity and personal expression take many forms. Use the richness of your life to give us insight: Who are you? </li>
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<p>I am little confused, aren't these two essays very similar?</p>
<p>That was last year’s prompts. This year’s aren’t so different, but I think the distinction between the topics is a little clearer.
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<p>Preface: Part of what I love about our applicants are not just the myriad of ways they choose to answer these questions, but the differences in their very interpretations of the questions. Our supplement is open ended because we want you to feel comfortable pushing the meaning of the questions and, thus, the meaning of your answers. Do NOT restrict yourself to my interpretation.</p>
<p>Here’s how I think of the questions. Learning, and social interaction, is a two way process: you absorb the world around you, but you also reflect yourself back into the world. Those questions provide an understanding of both of those directions. Number 1 encourages you to think about how the world around you contributes to your sense of self. Number 2 guides you towards thinking about what your identity and perspective contribute back into the world. </p>
<p>Reiteration of Preface: define the questions. Don’t let the questions define you.</p>
<p>I get it. Great thanks for your detailed answer,D!</p>