Undergraduate / "i need to get out of this bubble"...MSU undergrad essay [4]

PLEASE all suggestions are helpful!

prompt: Describe the environment you come from - for example, your family, community, or school - and how this environment has affected or influenced your plans for the future.

Culture is described as the behaviors, ideas, attitudes, values, and traditions shared by a group of people that have been passed down from one generation to the next. Culture is then divided in to two groups, individualism and collectivism.

In America statistics show that it is an individualistic type of culture, meaning that people focus on the responsibility for themselves, they follow their conscience, and are primarily independent. This is the type of culture that I have observed among my peers in school and at work. However despite that I have lived in America since birth I cannot say that this is the culture I was raised in. You see my parents are both from Jordan and no more than eighteen years ago they came to America in hopes of a better life for themselves and their children. Yet despite my parents' new surroundings of individualism they still remained to their cultural ways of collectivism. As collectivists they focus on the responsibility they have to a group in this case the family, they focus on obedience, and are more interdependent.

Being that my parents brought me up and instilled that type of culture within myself and my siblings I have always found it difficult to find a balance between the expectations of my family and what it is that I expect from myself. For example on nights when I come home from work and have hours of studying ahead of me, my parents would expect I sit down and help my siblings with their homework or help prepare dinner, and when I refuse informing them that I need to study I earn myself the title of being selfish. To my parents my needs come second to what the needs of the family, and because my culture tells me to obey I do what it is that I am told abandoning my personal beliefs and opinions.

It is my family's type of mindset that has encouraged my yearning for a college education. Although I love my culture and my family I feel that I have sacrificed many opportunities in order to meet the requirements of being a good Jordanian girl. College is an opportunity for me to break out of the bubble I have been raised in and to expand my learning and understanding of the world around me, it is a place where I can focus on my needs and form my own opinions and ideas. It is because of Michigan State University's large and diverse campus that attract me to it and give me the feeling that I will be blessed with the opportunity of meeting people from all cultures while still receiving an education that will prepare for my future.

Undergraduate / "A Major set back" - undergraduate essay.... [10]

This is for the university of michigan please let me know what you think and any suggestions inorder to improve quality.

Prompt:Describe a setback that you have faced. How did you resolve it? How did the outcome affect you? If something similar happened in the future, how would you react?

I was in Mr.Mason's fourth grade class memorizing the states and their capitals for the test at the end of the week. My class was quiet with each of the students in their own solemnity focusing hard on the fact the Dover was the capital of Delaware. Then an announcement broke the silence, it was our principal saying that there is an import message that all teachers need to receive and if they could send a student down to the office to retrieve it. My entire class suddenly jumped up in excitement each of us raising a hand hoping Mr.Mason would choose us. However Mr.Mason rejected us all and said that he would go down and retrieve this "urgent message" during the break. As my classmates and I all mumbled our discontent we reluctantly returned back to our studies. Upon my classes entrance I saw that the principal, vice principal, and the priest Father Dennis. After several moments Father Dennis stepped forward and said, "There has been a terrible accident and we have gathered you here today because we feel that you are old enough and mature enough to know." He paused for a moment, swallowed hardly and continued with, "Two planes have crashed into the twin towers in New York City, and many people are hurt. If you all could please stand up and join me in prayer." Returning back to class it was all the students could talk about, questions about who and why were circulating as we all were unaware of how such a horrible thing could happen.

Later that day I went home and there my aunt, uncle, and parents were gathered around the TV as the talk about these attacks continued. I saw the pain in their eyes but at that moment I was unaware of why it was there. Several days later that it was revealed that the attacks were the results of a small extremist Islamic group in the Middle East and it was then that my world was flipped upside down. That day my individuality as a Jordan Christian was now transformed to a Muslim terrorist. It was that day that my neighbor came to my home in drunken state yelling words of hate at my father and my family as I stood behind my father in tears the men standing behind my neighbor remained unmoved with their heads in what I hope was shame. That moment I grew ashamed of my culture and became very reserved unwilling to share my opinion, it was as if a part of me was afraid to come out.

Unfortunately I cannot remove racism from the world but rather do my best to educate people that not all Arabs are Muslims and Muslims are not terrorists. After years of blaming myself for not being what other people accepted I began to read and learn about different religions and cultures and the racism they overcame. I grew hungry for information about religion, culture, and an education. University of Michigan's diverse campus will surround me in an environment where people are willing to learn about my culture and religion and also willing to teach about theirs because the more understanding in the world the less hate there will be.

Undergraduate / "to become the best dentist possible" - U OF M SHORT ANSWER [7]

heres the prompt: College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA) What led you to
choose the area(s) of academic interest that you have listed in your
application to the University of Michigan? If you are undecided, what
areas are you most interested in, and why?

At the very beginning of your educational your parents and teachers will ask you what it is that you want to become. As a child your answerers vary from doctor to astronaut to princess. For me, every time someone asked me what it is I wanted to become I stare them straight in the eye, flash them my gapping smile, and shout "Dentist!" My parents' initial response was one of support, after all, parents want the best for their children and well dentistry does provide for a pretty well off life. However as much as my parents wanted to believe that I would become a dentist they did realize that seven year olds tend to be a bit indecisive and maybe they should not get their hopes to high.

Seven years later and here I am writing a college entrance exam about how I wish to go pursue a career in dentistry. I found that the older I grew and the more I learned about the field of dentistry the more I fell in love with my goal. Dentistry allows me to work and help people which is one major characteristic that I look for in a career. Furthermore dentistry is an excellent segway into owning my own business giving me the privilege of becoming my own boss, which is an opportunity not many have. The flexibility of work hours is also another factor that attracts to the field of dentistry, as one day I aspire to settle down and start a family I feel it is important that I have the ability to be at home when needed.

Now I am sure that if you are reading this essay you are aware that University of Michigan is one of only two schools in Michigan that have a school of dentistry, and I feel that with its large diverse campus U of M is the school that will help prepare me to become the best dentist possible.