Undergraduate / 3 Prompts; learned on my own/ ingredients of meaningful life/sure to uncertain [5]

I am planning to use this essay for a few prompts that are all somewhat related (for different schools)

The questions are: 1.Tell us about something you learned on your own.
2. What are the ingredients to a meaningful life?
3. Discuss a matter you once thought you knew "for sure"-but of which you are no longer certain.

"Try not to become a man of success but rather to become a man of value"- Albert Einstein. I remember contemplating the meaning of this quote written in bold lettering on a poster pinned to the top of my fourth grade teacher's bulletin board. Although I thought long and hard, I could not think of an instance in which I had been successful but not valued. When I wrote a reputable anecdote I received approbation from Mrs. Poirer and was admired by my peers, and when I was appointed first chair in the school orchestra the conductor payed more attention to me. Gazing longingly up at the bulletin board, I was determined that one day, I would uncover the concept of the quote. Like the lustrous Northern Star, it only was unattainable because I was not yet old nor tall enough to reach it.

Growing up for me meant running out of time to discovering the secret to 'being of value'. The cognizance that Einstein's quote is open to interpretation caused me to fathom the distinctive meanings of success versus value, and the perpetual reasoning of my intellect led me to using an analytic approach towards the purport of the saying. The corollaries of success include fame and fortune. In order to attain one or the other, one mustn't please himself, but he must appeal to society. Although success comes from the support of others, value comes from the soul. Having value is not to paint the picture of life as the same happily ever after repeated boundless times, but to create a perspicacious destiny that is fulfilled by no other than oneself. Einstein himself is the epitome of a man whose life was of significance; he was not particularly wealthy, but his pioneering in the field of physics led to the birth of thoughts and theories worth the price of the universe itself.

Almost five years ago, I was certain about a number of things. I was going to attend college, become a lawyer, and raise a family. Doing what so many others had done meant no pain and no gain, but back then, that was a sacrifice I was more than willing to make. With the help of a deceased intellectual genius, I have come to learn that I must make my own morals and prompt my own path, so even if I am not showered in riches, my life will still be worth living. The future is wide open, and I have the decision of shaping it by myself, even if it is in a way that seems legitimate to only me. All is ambiguous and to live is to define the ambiguity, to give it shape and color through words and charcoal pencils, to add background music and therefore create meaning; and to do so, one must follow his true aspirations, rather than ones that society bestows upon him.

I changed a few words here and there, but this is pretty much it.. The thing I am most worried about is the last prompt- I havent gotten to it yet, but I have a feeling that it is going to require more editing than the first two.

This isnt for college- Im 13- its for a private school

Undergraduate / Writing/ Ambition,leadership&consideration/ Math; Short answers [3]

Hey so can someone please take a peek at these? They are some short answers for a few schools I'm applying to. Thanks

1. What do you love to do?

In a land of mountains hovering mid-air, lush thickets of effulgent trees, mystical miladys, swindling charlatans, and charming young dwarves, I am their creator, their puppet master. I tell my characters what to do and how to live, all while making it up along the way. Writing is my life; when I write, I am the one pulling, cutting, and stretching the strings which control people's lives to form anywhere between a short and forthright plot, or one so convoluted that Jane Austen is put to shame. My pen is my champion and with it in hand, I am as omnipotent as God- creator of the universe and superior to all.

2. Three words to describe yourself-

I may be described in many ways. Some days I am energetic and animated, and others, I am austere and wise. Three facets of myself that will never change, though, are my ambition, leadership, and consideration. Almost a lifetime of looking up to my neighbor, Audrey has taught me to be ambitious. Seeing her do homework until ten at night every school day bewildered me greatly. "Why are you doing so much work?" I inquired once, "Because I have debate team and I take very hard classes" she replied. Seeing her desire for academic excellence encouraged me to pursue my own aspirations, despite the many obstructions I encounter. The ability to inspire others is a notion of leadership that is so very difficult to capture, but something that is essential; I am able to convince others to follow a path that can be arduous or uncertain. Knowing all that my parents have sacrificed for my sister and I to follow our dreams and live our lives in comfort teach me consideration. I am forever grateful for what my mother and father have given me and in return, I will be sure to make my mark on the world.

9. Describe one of your talents and how you developed it

"Just one more problem" my mom would say to me. I, having no other choice but to obey her, would sit down and pour over another Algebra problem. Ever since I learned to walk, my parents were stubborn about making me do math that was way above the level of difficulty expected for my age. In second grade I already knew how to multiply fractions, and by the summer of fifth grade, I was solving quadratics. I never particularly liked math when I was younger, I just was decent at it. Although my parents were good at forcing me to do tedious practicing, they never taught me to enjoy math- that I learned on my own. I never came to fully appreciate what math had to offer. It is my language, and I was only starting to notice its virtue; it gives me a sense of structure in my life, as in math, there is always an explanation to why something is. Three times three isn't just nine for no reason; math is absolute, and 100% verifiable. In light of this revelation, I began to see math through a brighter, more optimistic purview.

Undergraduate / Real life examples; What do you like most about yourself [2]

I am really stuck. I want to make my SA very original and stand out from the rest of them that the admissions office receives- I don't know whether to write about my leadership, ambition, or love of helping others. My plan is to start of with a 'real life example' and make it very descriptive and all, and then wrap it up with a few sentences or so. Please help??

Can someone just give me a couple ideas? Im really stuck!!