Undergraduate / common app short answer ("the smallest player on the court") [4]

In the space provided below, please elaborate on one of your activities (extracurricular, personal activities, or work experience)(150 words or fewer).

Being four foot eleven and always the smallest player on the court the odds have always been against me. As a sixth grader, I had high hopes of being a part of my first school basketball team; due to my height I didn't even make it past first cuts. At first I was discouraged, but I realized that my love for this sport was not something I could let someone take away from me. I now play as a Mustang for the Walnut High School girls' varsity team. Although being cut seemed like the biggest let down of my life, I realize now that this did me a favor, making me push myself and go against the odds. Basketball has instilled in me a determination in which I could not have learned from anything else. I now apply this to all aspects of my life, not letting people's judgments keep me from going for what I want.

Undergraduate / 'Good education and hard work ' - my grandma, a significant person [5]

is this OK?

It is January 1st and we are celebrating the New Year in traditional Japanese fashion. My whole family and I settle around the table to enjoy New Year delicacies at my grandmother's home. My grandma continues to scurry around the house making sure everyone is comfortable and everything is perfect. Many know this to be the typical ways of a grandma, always putting everyone before themselves, but this does not even begin to describe the sacrifices my grandmother has made for our family.

During World War II, my grandma and her family were ripped away from their family business and home in Pismo Beach, California. Overnight, they were ordered to abandon life as they once knew it, to join others of Japanese descent in one of many internment camps located across the country; theirs being in Poston, Arizona. During the later days of my grandma's internment, her mother had an aneurysm and died. Being the only girl of five children, she was now in charge of caring for her four brothers and father. She cooked, cleaned, and assumed the role of the maternal figure at the early age of thirteen. My grandma's experiences have instilled a strength and a will to achieve any goals that I set for myself. When I encounter an obstacle, I simply compare my small hurdle to the substantial difficulties my grandmother had to endure. In today's society, the medical field is considered to be one of the toughest programs that one can pursue, but I am determined to achieve my lifelong dream no matter how difficult the journey. With my grandma's character in mind I know I will succeed.

In addition, upon being let out of the internment camp, their family did not have any money and there was no way for my grandmother to continue her education beyond high school. It was always her dream to attend college and I want to make sure that I achieve that goal in her spirit. She has always held a good education of the highest importance, working hard to make sure her children could attend college and pursue a successful career. My grandmother's hardships have made me realize how fortunate I am to have the education that I do. I jump at any opportunity to learn and better myself as a person, never taking for granted what life has to offer. Through my grandmother's insight I will become that doctor I have always aspired to be.

Undergraduate / why BU? ("born and raised in Walnut, California") [10]

I need to cut down around 200 characters. but i'm not too sure as to which parts to take out. also did i follow the directions, does it get the point acrosss?

Students consider many different factors when applying to college. Briefly discuss who or what influenced your decision to apply to Boston University:

I was born and raised in Walnut, California; which is simply a minute extension of Los Angeles. As much as I have grown to love this tiny suburban city, I am ready to start college and Boston University is the perfect place for me to begin this new chapter in my life. Being one of the largest private universities in the heart of cultural diversity and medical innovation, I cannot think of a better university to fulfill my college experience.

In a nutshell, Walnut is the smallest city in Los Angeles County consisting of 32,000 people, sixty percent of the community being of Asian background. The day's activities usually consist of hanging out at the local yogurt bar or shooting hoops at the teen center. After a while every day seems like a broken record, repeating itself over and over again. Boston University would provide me with much needed freedom with its diverse atmosphere and fast lane lifestyle. Boston's reputation as the Athens of America attracts young high school graduates from all over the country, which creates an environment that I can see myself excelling in as a student as well as growing as a person. I am ready to take my first ride on the "T," adopt the Boston Celtics as my home basketball team, and take my place as a Bostonian.

From an academic standpoint, Boston University is the right place for me to pursue my medical career. Boston would allow me to have the medical industry at my fingertips with numerous opportunities for internships and the chance to carry out my dream of becoming a physician. The curriculum for fulfilling the requirements for the pre-med program is flexible enough to let me choose the courses that will benefit me most rather than follow a strict curriculum. Boston University guides you through the process of obtaining your degree, setting up meetings with their students to steer them toward success. Although there are many other colleges in Boston, I believe BU is the only one which accommodates their undergraduates in such a caring and nurturing way, helping them find their niche in all the hustle and bustle of college. I cannot wait to call this college my home away from home.