Undergraduate / Edit my Upenn essay (explore your interest) [9]

How will you explore your intellectual and academic interests at the University of Pennsylvania?

There was silence everywhere. The streets were no longer crowded with traffic. All those cars and motor bikes were motionless, in miles and miles long queue for gasoline. I still had forty more minutes to walk down the empty streets all the way to the school while my bulky bag full of books kept hurting my shoulders. Then suddenly I heard a large crowd of people screaming at the top of their lungs. It made me anxious. I was a naive 16 year old kid who got curious as to what was happening. I knew that I was walking because of this fuel shortage but I never anticipated the scale. As I walked closer to the crowd I saw people chanting;"We need fuel".

One might be wondering if we were back in the soviet communist era. The circumstances seems to resemble that era. India had unofficially created an economic-blockade in Nepal because they were not happy with our recently promulgated constitution, pressuring us to change it. Nepal is a landlocked country with mountains and rocky roads in the north, so we have no choice but to depend on our southern neighbor, India, for our fuel. It seemed so unfair that our trusted neighbor was now attempting to manipulate our country for their benefit.

Ever since that incident, I wanted to understand and explore more about politics and economics. I soon realized that the path to doing so was going to a good university. So, as soon as I finished my A-level, I researched the universities that would best fit my purpose. I found that University of Pennsylvania was exactly what I was looking for.

Early in my high school I realized that this ambition requires diplomatic skills, good understanding about the working principles, lots of research, oratory skills and many more. Hence, I began exploring various Model United Nation (MUN) and would like to continue in Upenn adding to its years of MUN excellence. Regarding my academic interests, I could study Business and Public Policy in the Wharton School with Dr. Katja Seim, one of the chief economist at Federal Communications Commission, and learn more about relationship between public policy and economics.

Furthermore, I could become a part of Polybian Society, Penn's Government and Politics Association committing to debate the political issues. Also, the speeches by famous guest speaker in this community would provide me with a practical view from the eyes of an expert. I could go to the Bloomberg terminal to analyze the market trends and proper government actions. I could debate the burning current affairs in the Penn Parli to understand these issues better and contributing to their long list of achievements. Furthermore, I could go to group study rooms to discuss concepts taught in class with my peers. I could write my research papers for Penn Public Policy Initiative to understand the roles of government better. Upenn has absolutely everything I need.

I can still remember that anxious moment as a 16 year old kid. The crowd's chant still echos in my head. At that moment, I felt the urge to help the people suffering but I unequipped to help them. I want to change that. I strongly feel that Upenn is the best place for me to equip myself with knowledge, skills and tools that I want to acquire.

Undergraduate / Penn allows me to focus on my academic interest in a profound manner. [4]

How will you explore your intellectual and academic interests at the University of Pennsylvania?

My Friday nights are quite unusual. While my friends are enjoying the Premier League matches, I prefer to sit at my study-table, holding my headphones to listen to speeches, read papers and analyze government policies. My interest has crossed my mind, since the day when India had unofficially created an economic blockade in Nepal. Not granting access to the sea for a landlocked country like Nepal was a clear violation of the Statute on Freedom of Transit 1921, Convention on Transit Trade of Landlocked States-1965 and Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982. Also, the irony was that the Gurkha soldiers who once fought on behalf of India were now dying due to a lack of medical supplies from this blockade.

Yet, our politicians stood there either hopelessly or unwilling to solve it. I can still remember that anxious moment as a 16-year-old kid. At that moment, I felt the urge to help the people suffering; I wanted to change that but I was unequipped to help them.

This is when I realized that my competence and interest both lie in leadership and economic policies. And, I could one day lead this nation. Thus, my search for the perfect university began. Then, I came across UPenn -- a perfect match for me.

Penn allows me to focus on my academic interest in a profound manner. Studying core courses such as 'Business Economics and Public Policy', 'Monetary and Fiscal Policies', 'Money and Banking'; and supplement courses such as 'Political Change in the Third World', 'Public Policy Analysis' 'Political Economy of Modern India' would help me fulfill my ambition. In addition, it allows me to design my own curriculum and does not restrict from developing and exploring new interests. This would enable me to explore topics such as 'Geopolitics of Energy', 'Criminology/Criminal Justice', 'East Asian Diplomacy'.

Beyond the classroom, the Bloomberg terminal provides an excellent platform for research on investments, market trends, required government action/regulation to strengthen my market analysis skills. Using the Bloomberg computers to observe the rise and fall in stock market prices, the shift in investment from bonds to gold or gold to bonds with accurate data points to predict the future market. Then later, going to the group study rooms along to discuss reasons for such actions, predicting future market scenario and what government actions would seem appropriate. This serves as an opportunity to learn new perspectives on tackling market problems especially with a community as diverse as UPenn. All of this brings thrills to my nerves with excitement.

I would be doing this while I relate the situation shown on the U.S. market back to my home country in Nepal, aiming to unleash the shackles from excessive economic dependence on Indian economy and diversify our trade to other countries such as China. While encouraging an export-based growth model with access to the two giant neighboring economies.

And, for my intellectual interests, being a part of Penn GPA (Government and Political Association), specifically the Polybian society, would help me understand the current uprising issues, enhance my public speaking/ debating skills. Further, I plan to become a member of the Penn Parli (Penn Parliamentary Debate Society) where I would enhance my skills and contribute to its long list of achievements. Also, being a part of UPMUNC (UPenn Model United Nations Conference) either as a delegate or dias member would help me develop more on research, diplomacy, debate skills.

I strongly feel that UPenn is the best place for me to equip myself with knowledge, skills, and tools that I want to acquire this is why I applied for binding early decision at UPenn.