<p>Hello everyone! i am an international transfer applicant applying to go the top IVY Leagues schools. My intended major is International studies or East asian studies. In one of the essay questions i have encountered, which asks me what has shaped my life most, I am still in a dilemma to choose from the following options: btw i am a first year transfer</p>
<p>1) My mother's death when I was 12 as a result of Lung Cancer
2) My international Exposure: I have studied in UK (2 yrs), Singapore(4 yrs), Beijing(1 yr), Australia(2 yrs), Korea(2 yrs), Vancouver(1 yrs), Hong Kong (5 yrs), Victoria(1 yr), and Ontario(1 yr)
3) One of my volunteer experiences: I volunteered in a program to help out the reconstruction of an orphange in an extremely poverty stricken area.
4) Winning the national championship in Waterpolo in 2001 (HIGH SCH NATIONALS)</p>
<p>If i use 1), i can talk about how independent I am, but i don't think i can go on for >500 words but i m sure i can earn some sympathy points</p>
<p>If i choose 2), I can talk about my internaional background and my independence, and i m sure that schs like Harvard will appreciate</p>
<p>for 3), I can talk about how this touched me and motivated me... I mean I know Admission officials like to hear motivational stuff...</p>
<p>and for 4), I know this is such a strong point BUT IT OCCURED FREAKING 6 YRS ago and my friends told me not to write on this... </p>
<p>So which options do you think i should use?</p>
<p>I would say 1 should reveal the most about you.
2-cliche, but depends on wording
3-cliche, but depends on wording
4-Depends on how you word it but there are endless possibilities with the topic, so you should be fine.</p>
<p>Don't try to get sympathy from the admissions officers lol, i don't think its going to work. Thousands of people are applying each with his/her own story which he tried to achieve sympathy with. They are all good, but as haru07 said, it depends on the wording. I wrote an essay about war and desperate housewives and i compared them to each other hahah. Be creative with what you write, its the most important thing. Good luck!</p>
<p>I'd say #1 could be good if you talk about how it changed you as a person, kind of... maybe if it got you involved in volunteering for a lung cancer prevention organization? Something along those lines. XD</p>
<h1>2 could be interesting if you could tell a good story about a time you were living in one of those countries.</h1>
<h1>3 could be okay, but... it's a bit iffy since a lot of people have done volunteering like that.</h1>
<h1>4 might be hard just because, as you said, it was six years ago. You've changed as a person since then.</h1>
<p>i'd go with number 2, simply because i know that being internationally diverse such as yourself is a HUGE plus point. you'd probably be better off leaving number 4 alone.number 3 can be a dangerous topic, simply because it's cliched. get someone else to mention it instead.</p>
<p>number 1 is a good topic if you are able to write impressionably and engagingly without fishing for sympathy votes (a big no-no). i was able to write my story without sounding whiny and without being seen as canvassing for brownie points, but i don't think i'd be able to write your story the same way i did with mine. so i'd go with #2.</p>