#1 Common Application main essay
prompt: Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence.
My Scattered Thoughts: Our Life.
"I fought, I drank, I smoked, I went to first grade for three years but still didn't know how to write my name." These were the experiences that shaped my father, and the experiences that many would think controlled his future and the contributions he would make. But this man was not only a great son, brother, husband, he was also a great father. He has given me everything including a great life and shown me that a person can always overcome their initial experiences and find greatness - that's my dad.
Until I was seven, I lived in a house, no larger than the size of an ordinary American classroom, on an underdeveloped island in China. But was happy; there was my mom, my brother, and there was my father. Although he was always busy with his business, my father was there for my brother and I when we need him - even protecting us from my mother's wooden whip. It was at this age however that our lives forever changed.
My father had become very successful, more so than anyone else on our island. and rather than simply enjoying his wealth instead paid all of the debt of my grandparents, and he loaned money at no interest to relatives asking for help. But tragically at this time of success my mother died. Rather than start a new family, my father kept working to support not only my brother and I, but my mother's family was well. This is the early example of hard work, responsibility, and generosity that my father instilled in me, that I have hopefully to learned to live by.
From the age of eight until the present time, education became my own and my father's focus for my life. This focus had included my physically dangerous schools, emigration to America, my continuing attempts to learn English, and dozens of opportunity to discover my own strengths. My father was great, but he was till one person. It was hard for him to support a large family and work at the same time, so my brother and I had to be independent.
When I was thirteen, the year we emigrated to American, we started to live on our own. An empty house, some money, and us, that was it. We went to school, sat in classes, and waited until the day ended. After school we would walk to Farm Fresh and buy food. I would spend an hour attempting to make dinner; my brother would do the dishes afterwards. After that we would study on our own, trying to learn English from T.V. That was the first year, no homework, nothing since we didn't know any English. Somehow we learned English, but we had to move a few more times until we finally settled down.
At age seventeen, I went to Glenwood. With two more years until college, I was desperate to improve my English. I have tried several methods such as downloading vocabularies to cell phone and studying in the car (avoid distractions, no T.V., no computer, nothing). But these weren't very successful, nevertheless, I still attempted to learn even if I kept fail.
Now, I'm a senior. I will graduate from Glenwood having successfully taken some of the most demanding courses that school offers in literature, science and mathematics. And I have constructed yet another rigorous self-improvement plan. This time my study place is Barnes and Noble, so even if I get distracted; I will be distracted by books. And no matter what books I ended up reading, I will be improving.
Some might not see a great future for the children who were constantly on the move and lived on their own, similar to those who thought that a boy who drank and smoked and fought and took three years to learn his name might not be a success. But, like my father, I see a great future lay ahead of me if I'm willing to work hard for it. There were times when I get tired and want to give up pursuing the knowledge we longed for; but in spite of the difficulties, I have met the challenges. Even though my dad was rarely with us, he is always an important part of our lives, not only in being there for us, but being an inspiration to us. A famous Chinese proverb says: "Poor is the student who does not exceed his teacher." My ambitious goal is to exceed even the greatness of my teacher - my dad.
#2 common application short answer.
prompt: Prompt: In the space provided below, please elaborate on one of you activities (extracurricular, personal activities, or work experience)(150 words or fewer)
Exactly 150 words
Infinities of Chess.
As a thinker, I've always enjoyed games with the potential to exercise the infinite possibilities of the mind. Yet, chess is among the best. Not only does it challenge the brain, but also builds sportsmanship and friendship. Perhaps it's a universe of its own, with pieces called blacks and whites, battle for the titles of good and evil. But which side is which? Or is it a universe of phenomenon with laws called the rules of game. Nevertheless every game played teaches a lesson. The key to success lies not only in intelligence but also in persistence. Each mistake made serves as a stepping stone toward future success. Even though it's a game, I do take it seriously. But perhaps I'm wrong? Is chess merely a game for fun? Though it matters not, because chess is a part of my soul that I can't live without. Checkmate!
#3 University of Chicago Main Essay.
Prompt: In the spirit of adventurous inquiry, pose a question of your own. If your prompt is original and thoughtful then you should have little trouble writing a great essay. Draw on your best qualities as a writer, thinker, visionary, social critic, sage, citizen of the world, or future citizen of the University of Chicago; take a little risk and have fun.
Prompt: Why (or why not)? Perhaps the key question is "Why in between?" Inspired by personal experiences and University of Chicago's booklets and its prompts - especially option 1: " How did you get caught? (Or not caught, as the case may be.)"
"Crescat scientia; vita excolatur"
"1 plus 1 equals two"
"Why"
"Why what"
"Why is 1 plus 1 equal to two, not 11?" my seven-year old cousin asked me with both her index fingers up.
"..." (unnaturally long pause here).
"Good question. I can't answer you."
"Why?"
I chose not to answer my cousin, but then I was absorbed into my own thoughts. Indeed, it's just a simple word composed of three letters. Coincidentally it formed three unanswerable question in my head: Why? Why not? Why in between? These questions have shaped the foundation of my life and possibly the foundation of humanity.
Why? This was probably the most common question. But do you know it has a sibling, who is perhaps the most gorgeous "answer" in existence? "I don't know." Indeed, you are right. It could be the only one who is capable of stopping "why" without going into a rampage of questions. For centuries, we had constantly asked about "why" things happened, things were already in existence, and anything the human mind can possibly imagine- IDEAS, ideas that had transformed the world, shaped who we are today.
"Why not?" A loner by itself, can be both a question and an answer. It can be interpreted in many ways. Why did John Wilkes Booth assassinate President Lincoln? Why not? Most people would approach the question by asking why? By asking "why not," it might sound as if President Lincoln deserved to die, but an in-depth thinking might allow historians to stand in John Booth's shoes, allowing them to figure out more about the motivation(another form of idea) behind the assassination. The "why not" approach might be illogical but, nevertheless, it could work wonders.
"Why in between?" Perhaps it's the most uncommon question or maybe not a question at all, but to me it's the question that has the most potential of discovering the "truth" of humanity, if it's even possible to comprehend humanity fully. It could be the key (or lock) to most questions of our civilization. Throughout history, both extremes of ideas, thoughts, and decisions were taken care of by "why" and "why not," but these were the small portion of humanity. The larger portion was clouded to the human eyes since most of us could only see the beauty or the grotesque. They were as obscure as the idea of good and evil. What is good? What is evil? Only a small portion of humanity was categorized by these two terms, so why are we so obsessed by them? Have we looked between? Indeed, we have. For centuries we have sought compromises, peaces, anything that could come in between the things we don't like. But why were we not used to questioning ourselves of the "in between" decision. Perhaps we did subconsciously?
There is a saying by Socrates that goes "true knowledge exists in knowing that you know nothing." Then does true knowledge exist? Is it possible to obtain the state of true knowledge? Could it be that everything we understood was merely an illusion of knowledge? Perhaps by asking the "right" question we could make the world into a better place. To me, how did I get caught(or not caught, as the case might be) was not a question. We had always been caught in the whirlpool of ideas. But one might ask "are we slaves to ideas? Or seekers of truth?" Perhaps we seek cause we want to escape? Or perhaps it is not the truth we "seek" but "ideas" we create. Even though we created the idea, but it was too much for us to control. So we remain slaves of idea or "truth" one might say.
#4 How does the University of Chicago, as you know it now, satisfy your desire for a particular kind of learning, community, and future? Please address with some specificity your own wishes and how they relate to Chicago.
Think. Transform. Thrive. These words grace the booklet sent to prospective students. "The university of Chicago was founded to challenge accepted ideas," said Theodore A. O'Neill, Dean of Admissions. As a person who approaches problems, tasks, and ideas in illogical ways, I was drawn to this sentence. I was tempted to challenge the accepted ideas, though more tempted to challenge the ideas of University of Chicago or perhaps challenged by its ideas. This is it, the ideal place for my ideas to come to life.
With the University's focus on Socratic teaching, I will be more engaged to think with others, rather than wander off in my little world. This along with its core curriculum would provide me with a broad academic experiences I never had before. With the rigorous academic works of the university, not only will I be engaged in the life of mind, but also better prepared for the future. I like its study abroad program and on campus hospital, but I would choose University of Chicago for its creativity. University of Chicago, as I know it now, satisfy my desire of a learning environment engaged in ideas; ideas will change the world. I'm sure the Chicago education will be a life-changing experience. Also with its perfect campus location, I can easily visit Chinatown and once again experience my Chinese Culture.
please tell me what you think, and if you see any errors tell me. Thank you.
IQNEHC
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