Undergraduate / 'waiting for the outcome of the game show' - WHARTON ESSAY [3]

Considering both the specific undergraduate school to which you are applying and the unique aspects of the University of
Pennsylvania, what do you hope to learn from and contribute to the Penn community? (Please answer in onepage, approximately 500 words)
Actual Word Count - 526

Word Count - 0.

I had dedicated this morning to one thing, and one thing only - the Penn essay.
Unfortunately, even Red Bull couldn't give me the wings to explain how I would "learn
from and contribute to the Penn community." Before surrendering once more, a bright
light flared from my computer screen, even more blinding than the blank Microsoft Word
document splayed across the monitor.

"THIS. IS. APPLY OR DENY! The only gameshow where wannabe Whartonites have
the chance to win a four year trip to University City! Let's introduce today's players."

"Hi! I'm Mary!"

"Salutations. I am James."

The host expectantly turned to face me, waiting for a response. But, where was I? What
happened to my room? And most importantly, who says salutations anymore? After
taking a deep breath, I decided to play along.

"Hello, I'm Arthur."
"Outstanding! Okay kids, first question. What extracurricular activity has influenced you
the most?"

I started to reminisce about my journey through debate: growing more extroverted,
admiring the art of rhetoric, gaining insight on global issues, and becoming captain.

Suddenly, Mary slammed her buzzer. "I've led Voice International, a nonprofit
organization that I started in 5th grade!"

"How marvelous, Mary! Next Question! Who is your role model?"

No worries, I thought. I can answer this one.

But this time, James buzzed in. "Ben Franklin is indubitably the most quintessential role
model one can emulate." He grinned at his response. I groaned at his obsequiousness.

However, I couldn't help but feel my heart sink. The other contestants seemed so poised,
so prepared, so perfect.

"How articulate, James! Next question, for everyone: What can you contribute and learn
from the Penn community?"

"I want to join every club Penn has to offer, like Wharton Women, Wharton Accounting
Society, Wharton Management Club, and Cohorts Dollar, Dinar, Yen, and Yuan!", said
Mary.

BZZ! "Commendable, but not quite possible. James?"

"As an aspiring CEO, I will nurture my potential to become the best businessman in the
21st century. To accomplish this long-held dream, I plan on earning all 18 concentrations
offered by Wharton."

BZZ! "Admirable, but a tad bit unrealistic! Dry, too! Arthur?"

"It's been my dream to come to Penn ever since taking my first few steps on Locust
Walk. Penn lies in the heart of a bustling metropolis of culture and academia. Everything
about it, from Wharton's illustrious alumni such as Sehoon Lee and John Sculley to
the unique learning lab simulations intrigues me. Most importantly, it's the special
things that cannot be found anywhere else, like Wharton providing unparalleled
opportunities to work on Wall Street. Like going to the oldest business school in the
nation, and contributing to its legacy. Like the emphasis on true interdisciplinary study
that encourages becoming diversified. And as a diverse person with broad horizons, I
believe that I should come to a university that dreams just as big as I do. I am assiduous,
ambitious, and tenacious. And if my resume doesn't reflect that, let me show you in
person."

As the window closed, I was back in my room with a sense of longing anxiety - waiting
for the outcome of the game show. I'll have to wait until December.

Undergraduate / 'market dynamics and math modeling' - Management and Technology Essay [2]

Discuss your interest in combining management and technology. How might Penn's coordinated dual-degree program in business and engineering help you meet your goals? Please be sure to address the nature and extent of your interests in both business and engineering. (Please answer in one page, approximately 500 words.)

As I sluggishly plod into the bathroom on Monday morning, I feel a weird sensation. After rubbing my bleary eyes, I notice two small figures on my left and right shoulders. The one on the left donned sharp Western Business Attire with a matching tie and polished shoes. The one on the left sported a sleek calculator and a strangely colored turtleneck.

And I come to a realization: No more Nutella before bed.

"Null hypothesis: Teenage boys function properly with 4 hours of sleep. Parameter of measurement: Brain Activity." says the turtlenecked man. He vigorously punches in data into his calculator in a flurry of movements. "P-value of 0.028173. Reject null hypothesis."

I blinked again, but they were still there. "Carl, at least introduce yourself," remarks the one the left, rolling his eyes. "My name is Kevin. We came here today to help you resolve a decision, between Wharton..."

"..and Penn Engineering." Carl finishes.

Kevin continues, "So tell me, Arthur, what are some of your experiences in business?"

His words conjure up several memories: manning my lemonade stand at a block party. Dominating middle school stock market simulations. Selling origami at a cultural festival.

"This isn't little league, Arthur. What else?" an apparently telepathic Kevin retorts.

In high school, my passion for business grows tremendously. I reminisce about discussing the future agenda of Investment Club with my club sponsor and presenting lessons to fellow club members on financial market theory. Then, I'm managing thousands of dollars as treasurer of the two of the largest clubs in school - Model UN and Club Asia. Finally, I'm at my last stop as a marketing intern in Evergreen Enterprises, a multinational corporation. Each of these experiences has established a strong interest in this field.

Carl prodded me with his calculator, prompting me to move on to consider my endeavors in engineering and technology. As a high school student, I preside over the first meeting of Future Problem Solvers, eventually winning several Gold Medals in the process of battling sensory overload. Then, I'm working power tools to craft a model water filtration system for municipalities in AEM's Construction Challenge. Suddenly, I'm in front of a computer, running several mathematical models learned from my time as a Virginia Aerospace Science and Technology Scholar to beat out the competition in a math modeling contest. And before I know it, I'm shaking my bosses hand at Genworth Financial as a paid associate in the Virginia Technology Internship Program.

And by the end, I do not know which field to commit to. Kevin and Carl likely picked up on this, since they started to assume combative martial art stances. But I realize something that Kevin and Carl did not - management and technology are intertwined. Selling an ingenious crew exploration vehicle design as a Lockheed Martin employee to acquire a NASA contract requires the strong communication skills of a businessman and the innovative mindset of an engineer. Leading a technical firm dealing with sensory overload depends on excellent management skill and understanding of scientific jargon. Serving as a risk management director for Genworth demands both the knowledge of market dynamics and math modeling.

Upon my revelation, Kevin and Carl stopped their fight to the death, only to sigh and say, "This one's another Jerome Fisher kid." I can't agree more.