Undergraduate / Common App: "Sign Up - Student Council President" [7]

Please feel free to be as honest as you want!

"Sign Up"

The student reclined on his rocking chair and typed diligently on his laptop with his index fingers. His wrinkled face was illuminated by the screen's glow as he scanned his story for errors. The student was my grandfather: at 82-years-old, he had learned how to use a computer.

My grandfather was a lifelong learner. He hated the "comfort zone". After graduating university, he volunteered to take a position in as an engineer in the underdeveloped northeastern China. My grandfather grew up on a farm in the temperate south, but instead of working in Nanking, where opportunities were abundant and the winters were warm, he packed his bags for Harbin, the city infamous for its bitterly cold winters. My grandfather, instead of being a fish out of the water, seemed to have found his home. The experience of learning a new dialect and adapting to a new way of life excited him. He signed up for lengthy business trips to France, Denmark, and Russia to bring new technologies back to China, and as a result, he became fluent in French and Russian. His curiosity never diminished with age - as soon as he retired, he enrolled in art college and began writing his first novel.

"Whatever scares you - sign up for it," he told me over the phone in his warm, southern-Chinese accent. I could hear his words reverberating through my mind when I decided to run for Student Council President. The thought of having my face on posters plastered around the school was intimidating, but I knew that if I were to grow as a person, I would have to overcome my fear. When I discovered I was the runner-up, I felt hardly any disappointment. I had unlocked an achievement that I could have forsaked. As a result of my experiences in campaigning and public speaking, I successfully ran for President of my Junior Achievement Company and began leading a student-run company of over 40 high-school students.

I thought about my grandfather's decision to live in the brutal cold to build character as I decided to begin skateboarding. With every scrape and bloodied knee, I became more hand-eye coordinated and alert.

I thought about my grandfather's decision to expand his horizons and live in France for a year by himself as I decided to take equestrian lessons. Horseback riding taught me to maintain composure and control - even when my horse suddenly bursts into an uncontrollable cantor.

My grandfather influenced me by showing me that the most important part of living is to sign up for every opportunity to experience life.

Undergraduate / 'a sweet tooth for the independent life' -Describe One Activity [10]

Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences in the space below (1000 character maximum).

The sweater was so itchy. I wanted to scold myself for wearing the cursed garment to my first job interview, but I smiled and tried to emulate Grace Kelly, Princess of Monaco, even though I was Grace Wei, pubescent 10th grader. It was precisely my teenage ambition for independence in the form of a part-time job at at a workplace that compelled me to send over 100 resumes in person and online. Despite my sweater plight, I was hired for a job at Cinnabon Bakery. I became the first out of my same-age peers that had a workplace to go to. At first, I was responsible for serving customers and washing dishes, but after witnessing my smooth interaction with customers, my manager placed me at the storefront permanently. Somewhere between rolling dough and selling cinnamon buns, an awkward teenager bloomed into a confident student who bantered with businessmen and models who stopped for coffee. Somewhere after my 23rd free chocolate cupcake, I developed a sweet tooth for the independent life.

Thanks everyone for the help :)

Undergraduate / 'he was blind' + 'Nobel Prize winners' + 'The crisp Vancouver' - NYUs [3]

Hey everyone! I'm new here and I'm planning on submitting this as soon as possible! I would love to take a look at yours back if you take the time to help me out. Thanks!

Why NYU?
I had no idea he was blind until the moment he casually extracted his retractable walking stick from his pocket. The dapper gentleman who had made small talk with me in the coffee shop gracefully walked out the doors onto the crowded street. Before the feeling of astonishment could escape me, I scribbled illegibly in my diary a reminder to face the unpredictability of life with poise and optimism. Then I noticed the slender blond woman on the other side of the room, comfortably reclined on the aubergine couch. She radiated confidence as her hands drew an invisible map in the air like the conductor of a symphony, articulating her trip to Morocco to her friend across from her. The room fell silent when she spoke, and everyone was compelled to listen as she took the patrons on an imaginary journey to the land of sand and spice. What an incredible story-teller, I thought, as I wrote down another life lesson learned at the cafe: clear, articulate communication and genuine enthusiasm is integral for a captivating leader.

New York City is like a coffee shop: people come and go swiftly and leave me only an hour or so to capture their essence and learn from them. I savour every lesson learned from everyday strangers like rich Arabian coffee and allow it to enrich my character. The eclectic conglomeration of students and professors in New York University will inspire me to refine my character into a "bold" leader of tomorrow.

What intrigues you? Tell us about one work of art, scientific achievement, piece of literature, method of communication, or place in the world (a film, book, performance, website, event, location, etc.), and explain its significance to you.

The crisp Vancouver air smelled like fresh pine of the Rocky Mountains and sea salt from the Pacific ocean. As I walked along the cobblestone street, flanked by Victorian street lamps adorned with summer flowers, of the West Coast metropolis, I felt more in touch with my culture than anywhere else. British Columbia was where the first wave of Chinese settlers arrived in Canada by boat across the vast Pacific to participate in the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush. They built most of the Canadian Pacific Railway in British Columbia that stretched across the continent and unified the country. In the city, multiculturalism was everywhere: interracial lovebirds strolled by me, and Chinese-Canadian designer boutiques caught my eye. However, it was the 12 foot mosaic by the pier that compelled me to stop in my tracks. It was composed of square paintings, each depicting a different culture in Canada. Immediately, I noticed the square depicting me. It showed a Chinese family by the pier with their boat, their faces stern but hopeful as they gazed into their new homeland. Standing beneath the hulking mosaic by the ocean, I as if I was looking into a portal into my identity. I think back on the Chinese-Canadians who've endured prejudice and hardship, but stayed in Canada to leave invaluable contributions and pave the way for my generation. I walked away from the mosaic with my head held high and the wind on my back, hopeful that their indefatigable spirit is in me as well.