Undergraduate / Beloit, the place that has raised me, Northwestern Supplement Essay- Third Draft [5]

What are the unique qualities of Northwestern - and of the specific undergraduate school to which you are applying - that make you want to attend the University? In what ways do you hope to take advantage of the qualities you have identified?

The perspective I carry in life was largely provided by the place that has raised me. Beloit is a city of 37,000 with both big problems and big hearts. Issues that arise here are more typical of larger cities. Despite this, readily available are many of the qualities small Midwestern towns provide. These conflicting attributes have offered me a unique perspective of the world. I love this place and work every day to make it better.

A long term goal of mine is to return to Beloit, using my education to help solve the problems plaguing this struggling Midwestern town. Alleviating an unemployment rate of 17 percent requires big ideas and new ways to think. Stretching may be a cause for discomfort, but it enables growth in the greatest way. For me, this would occur at Northwestern.

I confess that going to school in Evanston near the bustle of Chicago is tantalizing for this Wisconsinite, as I have long sought the amenities of an urban lifestyle. However, on a visit to campus I witnessed something far more appealing, an observation that still fuels my desire for the University. Noting the worldly atmosphere around me as a world away from my home, I realized I had found exactly the experience I want, and need, in the coming years. In reaching beyond what is familiar in my life, I will gain the most comprehensive perspective I can attain.

The start of college signals a new stage in life, one filled with uncertainty and set on an unfamiliar path. I pride myself on being adaptable to such circumstances, prepared for years of growth reaching beyond lessons learned in lecture halls. The Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences prepares students for tomorrow by stressing the changing times of today. In accomplishing my goals I will need to be successful at adapting and growing with the world.

Northwestern recognizes that learning is rarely confined to the walls of a classroom. The Northwestern Immersion Experience offers an engaging supplement to a traditional academic experience. For me, this would mean a challenge to apply all that I've learned to the things I care about most. This opportunity partners desire with resources, ensuring growth.

My perspective has shaped my future plans. With these, I seek a path that will help bring my goals to fruition. What Northwestern and Weinberg can offer me goes beyond a focused undergraduate education with superb faculty and resources. Alive in everyone on campus and in myself is a desire for growth and a belief in humanity to overcome any problem. I am ready to be challenged in ways I never thought possible. I am ready for Northwestern.

Undergraduate / "your future roommate to know about you" - Stanford Essay [4]

Virtually all of Stanford's undergraduates live on campus. What would you want your future roommate to know about you? Tell us something about you that will help your future roommate -- and us -- know you better.

People are the products of their environments. The figurative pair of eyes a person has develops their character and the way they understand the world around them. Understanding personal perspective provides the foundation for any successful relationship.

The lenses I carry with me were largely provided by the place that has raised me. Beloit is a city of 37,000 with both big problems and big hearts. Issues that arise here are more typical of larger cities. Despite this, readily available are many of the qualities small Midwestern towns provide. These conflicting attributes have offered me a unique perspective of the world. I love this place and work every day to make it better.

While I am very active politically I have a greater appreciation for general participation than I do static sympathy for my causes. I admire action over apathy. Though I will rarely tune into the words of Bill O'Reilly, having a roommate with a conservative perspective would no doubt provide for engaging discussions.

To some, music provides a means of connection. I value any music that isn't negative in nature. If I really feel for a song I may be inclined to sing it, but I always do my best to care for the ears of others.

I find greater happiness in doing things than watching them get done. In situations I feel unproductive I make every effort to reposition myself in a way that I can make a difference. As part of my perspective I am very outgoing in accomplishing my goals.

I imagine we would all be better off if we could briefly see the world through someone else's eyes. The whole of my perspective has been shaped in various ways, most importantly by a city of contradictions. Knowing this, paired with innate aspects of who I am, should enable anyone to understand me better.

Undergraduate / "ushering people in from sub-zero temperatures" - Stanford Essay [4]

Stanford students are widely known to possess a sense of intellectual vitality. Tell us about an idea or an experience you have had that you find intellectually engaging.

If there's one problem with shaving your head in the middle of a Wisconsin winter it's that without hair the body loses heat very quickly. This isn't something a swimmer ponders near the end of a season in mid-February, since most sensible Wisconsinites spend their time inside.

For me, this routine changed rather quickly when news came that Barack Obama would be speaking in my hometown on the eve of the state's primary. Given my activity in local politics I was asked to volunteer. My job involved ushering people in from sub-zero temperatures to the warmth of a sports arena. Needless to say it was cold.

Once everyone was inside I gained a spot within talking distance of the Senator. At that time I was sure I had experienced the greatest night of my life. The best, however, was yet to come. Six months later my hair had grown back and the weather in Denver was fine. I was waiting in a line miles long to enter the final night of my party's convention.

The experience inside the venue can be compared with nothing else in my life. Exhilarating as it was however, I had an even more meaningful experience prior to entering. Standing in a line that stretched forever gave me the chance to talk with people who held vastly different perspectives and opinions for several hours. Buoyed by my own political inclinations, and the fact I have taken nearly every social science course offered at my school, I was able to gain from the experience. Despite our varied views we avoided rhetoric and expressed real sentiments in what was an incredibly stimulating afternoon. I was more intellectually engaged than I could ever have imagined. There is a literal warmth gained when you grow as a person, and this day, because of events like this, hair would've never been necessary.