Undergraduate / My cousin was diagonozed with Cervical cancer; Cornell Supplement [2]

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences: How have your interests and related experiences influenced the major you have selected in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences?

My cousin was 22 years old when she discovered her roadblock in life. It wasn't going through a break-up or losing a pet. It was her first pap smear and as if she wasn't already afraid, the results traumatized her. She found out she had cervical cancer and would be unable to produce children in her future. The news struck everyone painfully; even the doctor was flabbergasted at the results. Cervical cancer is rare amongst women younger than 40, but not impossible. I was 8 years old back then, not understanding what just happened, I kept questioning my mother about the situation; she just said she was sick. As my cousin went through radiation therapy and Chemotherapy, she lost her hair and underwent surgeries as I sat by her side, hoping she would feel better.

Eight years later, she waltzes into the living room, screaming: "I'm getting married!", as she flaunts her engagement ring. Tears welled up in my eyes as I see her now, a healthy and successful surgeon at Boston, engaged with her loved one. She had decided to become a surgeon to help other women with the same condition she had because no one should deserve that pain. She knew how it had felt to be in that position and she wanted to provide them comfort and ease by relating herself with her patients.

I took that determination and placed it in my own heart, going after my goals. I dedicated my volunteer time to children, working at a library to help dyslexic and illiterate kids from the ages of 6-10, helping them increase their reading levels. In CPC Beacon IS 220, I supervised over a class of first to third graders; I learned more from them than I thought I could. I began to understand their expressions and communicate with them more liberally. I took my first AP classes in junior year of high school; it was challenging but interesting. I enjoyed the science courses the most, whether it's Living Environment, Chemistry, Physics AB or Biology. I loved the hands-on experiments that we get to perform in labs, it helped me understand the scientific theories and apply them to society. When I was in the Junior Intel research program, I proceeded to join a lab at Brooklyn College. I assisted the professor in experiments and recorded the data in my lab log, feeling like a true scientist.

Getting admitted into Cornell University is one of my dream goals. I want to major in Biology and Society in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences to pursue my dream career. I want to improve society's health and provide my assistance to those in need. Planning my life ahead, I decided to look for a great medical school after I graduate. The Weill Cornell Medical College assured my decision to apply to this prestigious University. After I graduate, I would want to get my Master's degree in Health Science in order to become a physician's assistant. I want to give everyone a second chance in life, because everyone deserves it.

Undergraduate / Determination to provide my family - Common app [5]

The alarm rings at 6 AM every morning, lethargically getting out of bed; she prepares breakfast for me and my sister. After we eat and leave for school, she would sleep for another two hours before repeating this process again, for herself. She comes home every night at 8 PM, but doesn't rest. She goes straight into cooking rice and making dinner for the family. After a tiring day, she faces the hot stove top and serves us the food without any complaints. After eating, she washes the dishes and cleans the table before finally resting to read her newspaper. She lets everyone shower before her, but by the time she goes, the hot water is all gone. Going to bed at 12 AM, she sleeps and repeats the routine again the next day. This is my mother, the most hardworking and caring person I've ever met.

My family immigrated to America from China twenty years ago but unfortunately, my mother was over-aged and wasn't allowed to immigrate with them. The next opportunity was in 10 years, so she stayed behind to watch over the house, and waited. My mother never graduated from grade school; she was always being counted on by the family because she was the oldest. She took care of her four younger siblings while her parents worked in the fields, trying to earn money. She did all she could to provide for her family, from cooking to cleaning to part time jobs. Thinking she would have a better life in America, she still struggled in this economy. Working 12 hours shifts as a seamstress and earning less than minimum wage, she never showed weakness. Her overprotective nature overshadowed the harsh reality before me; it wasn't until I got my first job that I learned how hard it was to make a living. I got her a knitted scarf for her birthday, her reaction was gleaming joy. When she didn't wear the scarf, I questioned her. She told me that she wanted to treasure my first gift to her and didn't want to ruin it.

From that moment, I knew that I will have to do everything possible to get into a great college and have a phenomenal career to provide my mom the great life that she never had. I promised her a condominium and my dad, a sports car. She became my influence for the motto: "You work hard to play hard." She has already shown her light down the road for me as far as she can; now it's my turn to light myself down the path of my future.

With the same determination my mother had, I will learn from my experiences and utilize them to achieve my goals. Planning my life ahead, I will graduate from a prestigious college and earn my Master's degree in Health Science to further build my career path in the Medical field. My desire to provide for my mother serves as my tenacity for success.

Undergraduate / U PENN supp- ALL ELEMENTS UNITE! [2]

I believe that everyone is immovable, movable and moves; it is the subject of how and what one portrays themselves as. Even nature has three matters of solid, liquid and gas to form what it is. In my perspective, these three classes are like the building blocks to achieving success. Benjamin Franklin, a powerful and intelligent man, used these blocks to step up to his goal and prove his points. He was determined to find out about electricity from lightning and decided to conduct the experiment using a kite and a Leyden jar to collect the electrical charge. He then received a shock! (Pun intended) He touched the key that was used to insulate the charge and it traveled through his body when contact was made. However, this shock showed that he can transfer these electric impulses through other objects, supporting his hypothesis. You can classify yourself as one of these classes, but why not combine them and use them to amplify its purpose for greater use. I intend to use these same building blocks and put myself into Benjamin Franklin's shoes. I am immovable because I will stand and trust in my beliefs. I will not waver to anyone else's opinions because I would stay true to myself and follow what I believe. In this case, I believed that I want to major in the medical field. I am movable because I learn to face adjustments and adapt to the changes. I wanted to work in the medical field, but now I have to be specific and follow my path. I changed majors many times from wanting to be an anesthetic nurse to a psychologist to now, a pediatrician. I learn to accept what is necessary and become flexible to my choices. I take initiative in my life and after all the immovable and movable classes; I move in order to reach my dream. I started to take AP science classes to broaden my science knowledge, participated in science programs, volunteered in labs and assisted professors. Now, my next move would be to attend the University of Pennsylvania so that I can get closer to reaching onto my goal, instead of only dreaming about it.

PROMPT: Ben Franklin once said, 'All mankind is divided into three classes: those that are immovable, those that are movable, and those that move.' Which are you?