Undergraduate / Butterfly metamorphosis, Biographical Questbridge college Essay [5]

Prompt:
We are interested in learning more about you and the context in which you have grown up, formed your aspirations and accomplished your academic successes. Please describe the factors and challenges that have most shaped your personal life and aspirations. How have these factors caused you to grow? (800 word limit)

Life is a daily metamorphosis. I was born in a diverse town with many different cultures and religions. Where I grew up, white was the minority and ethnicities such as Arab and African were the major population. I grew up in an environment of diverse culture. The kids at my elementary school came from different religious backgrounds and ethnicities. As for me, I was a mix of both. My mother was born a white Christian American and my father was born an Islamic Bosnian. I was exposed to many different ways and ideas of life.

This, my father did not like. He had his set ways and beliefs, my new and different ideas scared him. My independent thought, however, did not scare him as much as the Bosnian war. We would get calls from his mother, excited about getting a can of beans for the day, there would be gun shots firing in the background. On top of that the area we lived in began to get worse. News of robbery, stabbings, and gangs made it clear we were not safe. The feeling of guilt, anxiety and worry made my dad sick. And our financial predicament did not ease his troubles. He took out his frustrations on his family. I was too young to understand.

Though we moved to a more safe rural area, the financial troubles and abuse carried over. I was not an egg anymore. I grew into a caterpillar. My mind matured and I began to speak out. My sisters and I were kicked out of the house often. It got to the point where my mother and sisters had to stay in a shelter. I never had a feeling of belonging, never to any religious group, ethnic group nor family base. But this I found myself with friends from many different groups.

I couldn't run from myself. At some point you realize there's no more running. Changes needed to happen. If I couldn't change the things outside of me, I would transform myself. So I put myself into a cocoon. For too long was I living my life on auto pilot. I put up many walls and had many strategies to avoid the discomfort and emptiness I felt. But by shoving it further and further down would not get rid of the problem. When everything fell apart I was left in nothing but what I was trying to avoid, my feelings of self-rejection, confusion, hopelessness and loss.

Give energy to receive energy
I didn't believe in anything-- anything except myself, my potential, and my dreams. I feel curious about my inner purpose in the world. Whether it was playing sports with the boys, making clothes for my dolls, or being a finalist in my schools spelling bee, I always found talent in the things I did. As I grow up I find that my focus is still expansive. While much of my thoughts are abstract, theoretical, and philosophical, I also seek the concrete knowledge and the scientific laws that so silently run our lives. You have to know the rules to break them, and that is how new ideas form, and we have evolution.

When faced with adversity I know what it takes. You don't complain and wonder why. You use your mind, your talents, your gifts. When I couldn't afford nice clothes, I made them. When I couldn't get a job and needed money, I sold my hand-knitted hats. I have learned to be resourceful and to make the most with what I have. For having lost everything, I had a lot.

I see the big picture, and understand the little details and steps it takes to get there. I believe in my dreams. My every day is a step toward self-mastery, understanding, improvement of myself and my environment. I know to improve a society, you improve yourself first. After much introspection, long walks, and self-exploration, I was able to understand myself. By understanding myself, it enabled me to understand others. It took a long time, but I now understand and respect my father. I am over joyed to say that we now live togetherïas a family.

I jumped into the icy watersïalone and by myself. I will forever continue to search my mind and soul, diving into new avenues, testing what this life could be. I know there is a divine will working, guiding, me to new beauty, challenges and destinations.

Undergraduate / 'What I do is more than just a job' QB Achievement essay. [2]

Prompt:
- Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you. (500 word limit)
- Since the essay is to illustrate an accomplishment you made, should I stick to one thing? Like perhaps the just accomplishment of teaching a kid to swim. Or, the big step I made in being able to communicate diversley. Would it make my essay stronger to stick to one theme? Or is this a good balance?

One-Two-Three-Four-The baby raises its head from the water.
Twenty persistent parental judging eyes were watching me from behind a glass. The eighteen-month olds' hands held a firm grip around my thumbs.
"Okay, eyes in, on three." I said in simple child language.
A child changes when they are in water. They are in an uncomfortable environment where they sense they are not safe. Even at a young age they can understand, this could kill me. With me as their swim coach, I am their life line.

The most rewarding part of my role as a teacher is witnessing the moment that the student finally performs the instruction. From the kid who was screaming in anxiety for his mom, to watching him successfully glide through the water, I find accomplishment. Feeling his quick heart beat, and watching him look to meet his mothers eyes is fulfilling. Sharing that moment, however brief, always boosts my enthusiasm, and continues to provide the motivation to push myself to become a better coach.

In the entire process of teaching and learning, I believe that I am learning more than the student. The dynamics of communicating with the nervous child in the water and then the ever watchful parent challenge my interpersonal interaction skills. For me, from the girl who couldn't even ask to borrow a pencil, to being able to conduct a lesson and then give genuine constructive feedback to an adult, is a huge step.

What I do is more than just a job. Everything---the parents' expectations, the lesson, the children's life, and my life ---are in my hands. Parents are trusting me with their most prized possessionï their child. My intelligence and creativity are challenged every moment to help students. I can say that I, Leyla Puskar, am making a worthy contribution to the world. Everyday is an achievement for me as everyday I see the fruits of my efforts in the accomplishment of the kids I teach.

Undergraduate / Experiences and concepts that make you intellectually excited - Earthship QB Essay [3]

Prompt: Tell us about an experience you have had or a concept you have learned about that intellectually excites you. Why does it interest you, and what does this tell us about you?

It was while researching ways for me to be more eco-friendly and reduce my carbon footprint that I discovered something great.
Imagine paying no mortgage and little to no utility bills every month. Imagine the weight of waste was off the world. Where all our short comings of natural resources were no more, and self-sustainability was daily. Where famines do not exist and no one went to sleep cold. Sounds like only a dream. What if it could be reality?

The reality could be an Earthship. An Earthship is the epitome of eco friendly. It is a house made of natural and recycled materials. Families are already living in the resourceful architecture designed and built by Michael Reynolds. People experience all the normal amenities such as electricity, hot running water, heating, cooling, and sewage. The house is made up of genius systems that work together. These houses are detached from any infrastructural support service. With minimized reliance on public utilities, there is little to no costs for supporting the structure. It is sustained by the design of the home itself.

Now imagine people owning these houses all around the world. These are self-running machines. They harness what we already have-- earths power. The world supplies all that we need. Instead of wasting, Reynolds discovered a way to redirect what was harming us-- waste. He transformed this harmful energy into one that functions, and works for us. The potential this has for our world excites me. I cannot help but think of the new seas Earthships will take us on.

Undergraduate / The power of Creativity common app essay [4]

A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community, or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you. (250-500 word limit)

Is it fitting to the prompt? Any other suggestions are very welcome, it is a rough draft.

To me it is my passion, others say it is my calling. My brain has always been building, creating, constructing, and inventing. As a child, hours were spent making clothes for my dolls rather than actually playing with them. Constructing buildings and towers out of cardboard boxes and Popsicle sticks is a warm memory from my childhood, and don't even get me started on the Play Dough. I guess it has always been making something out of nothing that I loved, that from a basic subject you can make something beautiful.

When I was sixteen, I wouldn't be playing anymore. I had to make something out of nothing to change my reality. I lost a secure income, I lost my home, I lost my family. Instinctively, perhaps, the gears in my head started turning. I would not just sit and accept this downfall. I made a decision: I would turn this emptiness into a masterpiece. I was not totally alone, my family was there. Physically, but not mentally. Mentally, emotionally, they were gone. I had to learn to be dependent on myself. I began to create, because with creativity I knew that anything is possible. I found yarn that was tucked away, and it clicked. I would make hats and sell them for money. And I did. In the middle of the year I wanted new clothes, and my creativity couldn't be helped, so I learned to make my own clothes. Five people living in a tiny two bedroom apartment meant I didn't have space, so I made space. With the help of my friends, I constructed a secret hut in the patch of woods by my apartment. Finally I had found security and kinship. It was here that I found something more; I found that I could reinvent my reality, because I did. It was here that my appreciation and understanding of the power of creativity grew, for without it I would be lost.

For having lost everything, I have a lot. I learned that with the right eye, even in the most doubtful places, abundance can be found. With inspiration as my eyes, vision as my brain, and drive as my guide, I will continue to create.

Undergraduate / Why you, Why me Beloit app essay [4]

prompt: what should the Admissions Committee look for in you, beyond your transcript and scores, and why is Beloit among your college choices?

The Beloit college and I seem to be a perfect pair. Every need I have, the college can fulfill, and every demand the college has, I can respond. You attract what you are and my searching led me to Beloit. I see myself at Beloit for three main reasons, The environment, the variety of academics, and the academic challenge it presents.

Though I grew up in Chicago Illinois, Wisconsin has been a second home for me. My grandparents built a cabin on a lake in Wisconsin where my family would go to to

get away. My fondest memories lay in Wisconsin. When people think of a getaway they'll think of a tropical place, but I think of the woods, the cliffs, the outdoor serene that Wisconsin holds, that Beloit has.

However, I also believe it is crucial to leave your comfort zone in order to grow. The fact that Beloit offers over thirty international programs is one of the most attractive offers. Being able to travel to get an education is a testing and a perspective changing experience, that I long for. The international programs is just a piece of the wide variety of academics the college offers. I love that I would be able to take a French class and Arabic class and then classes in architecture and theater later in the day. Beloit will feed my curiosity and quench my desires, giving me the ability to learn so much more.

Along with an expansive focus, I have an inner drive to challenge myself. I need a place where i can truly invest and harness my gifts. Beloit has that keen academic rigor and variety I seek in order to test my potential and expand my horizons.

My aim is to grow and to learn, not to just get that degree, to get that job. I believe Beloit will give me true knowledge and true experience that i feel is key to a quality life. I am excited to attend Beloit.

Essays / A New Era, a New State of Mind: Requirements to Coexist [2]

Prompt:What are the requirements to build an atmosphere for cultures to peacefully coexist?

Life is diverse. Harmonious, diversity is a united portrait of flowing colors, shades and hues. Divided, diversity is a chaotic discordant mess. The human race itself is diverse. We are a collection of different beliefs, customs and traditions. These differences in views can cause disagreement and conflict between people. It seems since the beginnings of time humans have fought against each other over power and religion. There are the oppressed and the oppressors. In todays world it can appear that not much has changed. However, we see that now more than ever people are learning that to live peacefully we must coexist with each other. Like the patterns of nature, what is together must fall apart, and what is apart must come together. People today are taking action to not only live cohesively with other cultures and people with other beliefs, but to understand each other and live together with no divide. To reach this mind-frame would be a landmark in human evolution. Like what Michael Novak said, "Unity in diversity is the highest possible attainment of a civilization, a testimony to the most noble possibilities of the human race." I believe we are in the cusp of a new era. One where we leave our differences behind. No more inequality, no more injustice and no more hostility. In order to create a peaceful atmosphere where cultures can peacefully coexist there needs to be understanding, respect, equality and trust for each other and each others different beliefs.

What I think is necessary for a strong and peaceful society of diversity is to focus on what brings us together, not on what separates us. If we only look at what makes us different, that is all we will see. We will only see things that we disagree with, things we do not understand and distance us from our neighbors. No matter how different we think our religions and cultures are from one another, we are much more alike than we think. Underlying the different belief systems we each carry is the same current, the same needs that make us kin. We have the need for love, friends, security, resources, spirituality; the needs to survive. When we look at it this way, we can see that we are all very similar and see the way we each live our lives is to satisfy those needs. If we can focus on the common values that are held in our religions and in our lifestyles and see each other as equals, we could have a culture of harmonious diversity. Instead of fighting against each other, we could work together as a community, as a species, as a whole to survive and overcome the challenges of today. With this direction of thinking, our united society could move past the distractions of fighting with each other and move on to focusing on greater things. That cannot happen until we can learn to accept each other and see each other as equals. Abraham Lincoln stated that, "A house divided against itself cannot stand." If the house cannot stand, how can life begin to flourish in it?

Every movement has to start somewhere. Ideas are exponential, especially in todays world where information travels so fast. From one mind to the next an idea will spread, rapidly. When the mass accepts the idea, it becomes what we call, a movement and can turn into a new reality. All it takes is someone with the drive and sincerity behind an idea. Individuals make up the whole and it is these individuals that collectively create the reality. Perhaps one small step in the direction of coexistence would be to give each other respect. Regardless of our disagreements. Respect is something we all desire and if we feel we are being ridiculed, feelings such as anger rise and we create enemies in this way. When someone shows you respect, you feel gratified, uplifted, and friendly towards that person. To get respect you have to give respect. It may start with one person to lead the trend, but as more and more people are affected, there is a chance for a new accepted reality. Jeff Skoll, Founder and Chairman of the Skoll Foundation remarked that, "Human progress has always been led by visionary individuals who seek a better future and dedicate their lives to realizing that promise." It takes one person to start a movement of peace and coexistence. If enough of the mass were to join the movement, others could not stand to not be apart. It is with this growth of new thinking that this movement, can form into a new reality. A pebble thrown into a still pond, causes many ripples.

Learning to empathize with other people who have different backgrounds and perspectives other than our own will help create understanding and trust between each other. If we can fulfill having understanding and trust for one another, there will be support and alliance. While still having our own opinions and beliefs we can find common truths that parallel us with others who have different views. These ties are what will bring us together in our diversity. Having this trust in a community is what helps people work together on a common problem. Without trust, no challenging problem would be solved because without it no one would stand together. Trusting each other is what pulls us together. If we feel secure and trustful then equality can be given. A society cannot flourish without equality. Unequal divides only add fuel to the turmoil and distance between cultures. We must grow and become observant and introspective. In order to form understanding before jumping to conclusions we must first observe actions of people and unveil the need behind the behavior before assuming and discrediting someone. Only then can trust begin to form. Only then will equality take place with ease.

Although there are many different ways of life, however different, it seems all of our understanding leads to one spot. The sooner we can recognize that despite our differences we are one and the same, the sooner we can live peacefully. It is going to take reorganization of what we know, and redirection to change the course of our lives. In this world where there is so much discord and confusion among people, it is crucial to take the first step. It is just as important to look at all the good growing, especially when there is so much to be troubled with. In these times, hope is our strongest ally. Although we may be very different, we are all connected. The many religions of the world all share the same teachings for peace. To be tolerant, to show love, to care, to respect and to trust. Those teachings are built in all of us. Just one individual action can awaken these innate desires in all of us and affect the world. Together, we will redirect our reality, find peace amongst each other and coexist.