Undergraduate / The club ignited the fire in me to embrace my individuality - COMMON APP ESSAY REVIEW [9]

COMMON APP PROMPT-Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?

With a racing heart and a nervous smile, I finally made the confession. I had been contemplating ways to do it and all of a sudden, it just happened.

I still get a strange rush of emotion when I remember that moment. The day was about to end and I could sense an unsettling air hovering around the place. My parents were quietly enjoying the solitude of dusk, drinking tea, but upon hearing me, their expressions turned hopeless.

My father calmly, but with a bit of an annoyance retorted, "Why do you keep changing your mind? You are very hard working; you will definitely crack your medical entrance exam." My mother, on the other hand, let out a long breath.

This was enough for me to realise that my decision to leave the traditional route after high school was going to bring upon many challenges.

Growing up, society and a little bit of naivety on my part, convinced me to think that when I grow up I could either become a doctor, engineer, banker or a teacher. Among these set professions, I chose to be a doctor because which little child would not want to wear that white coat?

Everywhere I went, I would proudly announce my ultimate goal. I was happy to have a coveted answer to the society's signature question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" I already had a sense of accomplishment for setting a goal that was widely accepted in the society. After all, I had the approval of everyone around me and in a society where I've been raised, that is all you need.

Things, however, took a turn once I began to observe things beyond assignments and marks. I was part of a club my teacher had initiated in school. We had to survey students, find out problems they faced, discover solutions to it and make presentations. I gradually began to enjoy the process of interacting and finding solutions to social issues. This is when I learnt I was truly interested in problem solving and in depth analysis of social issues. It gave me a sense of true satisfaction, one learning about the human body and scientific formulas did not.

I was gradually convinced that dissecting frogs, performing titration and finding out the magnetic fields were not for me but I still struggled to convince my parents. Every time, the faint subject about it came up, there were eyebrows raised and hesitations shown. Throughout high school, I felt like I was in a perpetual state of confusion and societal compliance.

My parents were skeptical about subjects other than science but they always encouraged gaining experiences outside academics and textbooks. This is how I got a short term exposure to the world of writing, reporting and simply put, having enough self-confidence to project myself.

The basic principle of journalism is freedom and getting involved with it gave me the much needed push to be assertive about my decision. The liberation I felt from writing and being around seniors who overcame the stereotype of a typical Nepal society, encouraged me to take a stand and be direct with my approach.

I overcame the skepticism I had over my decision and learnt to communicate directly about my opinions and plans to my parents. I am still confused whether my parents fully approve of my faded inclination with science but they are definitely convinced by the surety I have shown in not choosing the traditional path.

The club I was involved in at school made me realize what I actually wanted in life and getting into writing ignited the fire in me to embrace my individuality and not submit to the stereotypical beliefs of the society.

Now when I am confronted by my relatives about my future plans, I no longer show any apprehension about my decision or get flustered by their judgments. I simply put forth my reasons, smile back and say, "I want to bring change in the society but just not in a way the society wants me to."

Undergraduate / Ever since I was small, I have been intrigued by discussions (SUA Essay Prompt) [3]

In today's world, what is your purpose in seeking a liberal arts education? Among the many fine colleges and universities you might attend, how do you think SUA could help you fulfill that purpose?

Ever since I was small, I have been intrigued by discussions. Discussions about everything and anything, be it about a heavy political issue or a light-hearted topic. More than the sharing of ideas, varied opinions of people and the heat of the moment, I am fascinated by individuals who can hold it.

There is a peculiar aura about different parties involved in it; their analysis and dissection of the issue and the power to project their objective ideas has always inspired me.

Having studied in a traditional educational environment, I was mostly assigned to learn what was important for exams. Therefore, from a small age I hardly cultivated the habit of getting past the superficial view of any topic.I learnt about mathematical formulas, scientific findings and social issues inside classrooms, but I could never dig in deep and look at them through my own perspective.

I understand the essence of critical thinking and want to master it for myself. I read books pertaining to different issues and try to form my own opinion and think rationally about the topic. However, to further my quest to develop analytical skills and cater to my inquisitive nature, the most suited way I see is pursuing liberal arts education.

Having developed interest in international affairs, I aim to do something in that field. It is crucial for me to not only know the socio-cultural, political and economic scenario of various countries, but be able to understand it from a higher dimension. I believe liberal arts education will enable me to do just that. Along with gaining knowledge and expertise on my area of interest, it will allow me to put it in proper use for the good of the society.

We live in a world where the literacy rate is gradually rising but the problems are still stagnant. Today, gaining knowledge is not difficult due to readily available resources. The main challenge lies in implementing what we learn and liberal art guarantees that.

Therefore, I don't want to solely pile up knowledge but be able to take a meaningful essence out of it. I want to master the art of communicating my ideas well, execute what I learn and nurture my critical thinking skills. For this purpose, I see no better way than taking the liberal arts route.

After extensive research, reviews and conversations with current Soka Lions, I have a fair picture of what SUA has to offer. Along with its commitment to impart quality liberal arts education, it also aims to bring knowledge to life.

A wide range of unique learning programs such as Alternative Spring Break, Learning Cluster and Campus Recycling Program are evidence to SUA's pragmatic approach to teaching. By reading reports of the participants of Learning Cluster program, I've gained a precise concept of how SUA provides the opportunity to link classroom education with real life situations. Such practical exposure will give me the freedom to effectively imply what I learn. All of this will eventually cumulate into a mind that not only receives knowledge but knows how to perceive it as well.

Further, its emphasis on study abroad is another medium that complements my pursuit to study liberal arts. As already stated, I want to shape my thoughts and actions based on observation and thorough understanding. I believe Soka's rigorous study abroad requirement for graduation will help me push myself and learn problem solving skills.

The institution truly embodies its literal meaning of creating values. It not only adheres to provide quality education but also engages students to put their education into use. Therefore, my purpose for pursuing liberal arts education is to be capable of seeing beyond and above what is presented to me. I am assertive that Soka University of America's rigorous academics topped with hands-on experiences will help me achieve it.

Undergraduate / I have a dual personality. What would it mean to you to call yourself an AU Eagle? [5]

Based on your knowledge of American University, what would it mean to you to call yourself an AU Eagle? (100 Words)

I have a dual personality. Some days, I can be outgoing and other times I struggle to even believe in my potential. Of course, the days when the timid self of me comes out, I hate it and want to bring out the stronger self in me. The way I see to develop enough confidence is by challenging myself with a competitive and engaging learning environment. Hence, calling myself an AU eagle would mean experiencing an environment just as that, which will help me not to dwell on my weakness but constantly dare me to improve myself.

Undergraduate / I gradually felt a big part missing from me. [9]

Describe an obstacle or challenge you have faced in your life. How have you overcome this challenge and grown from this experience? (250 words)

My below average performance in grade 10 midterms convinced me that I could not multi-task. That year I had responsibilities as the School Captain and on top of that I could not let go of my interest in public speaking competitions as well. All of this eventually compiled in my academic results and I vowed to myself that I would solely focus on academics in coming years.

I actually stuck to my promise and did not get involved with outside classroom activities in grade 11. I went to school, paid attention in class, came back home, revised my lessons and repeated the same routine the next day.

It was less hectic and I had huge amount of time to focus on my academics. However, since I was always in the habit of taking responsibilities, I gradually felt a big part missing from me. My school was always lively with events happening now and then. I observed my seniors whole-heartedly involved with everything and staying after-school to devote time for other activities.

This hit me hard and made me realize that there is always a way out if you are passionate about something. I learnt from my seniors that balancing extracurricular and academics were always the trick of time management.

Hence, I registered my name for Student Council in my last year of high school. It was an enriching experience because my learning took place beyond classroom and I learnt to put my time management skills into practice.