Undergraduate / 'Understanding other people's worldview' - Common Application Essay 'Diversity' [5]

Please Help me with Grammer and Content!
Any Comments are welcome.

Understanding other people's worldview and different culture was hard for me. I used to be a narrow-minded Korean who only appreciated Korean culture. But throughout the two years of American life, I gradually gained an understanding of the American culture and learned to appreciate the diversity.

"We have good news for you. We found you a host family in America." After going to a unique Christian dormitory school in Korea, I came to America as a diligent exchange student hoping to achieve a dream. I was placed in Chattanooga, a small southern town in Tennessee, with a conservative southern white family. Since I've never been to America, I was not aware of American culture. With much culture shock, I began to encounter American culture.

The family would tell me their views on many different issues: Anti-gay rights, Pro-life, Small government and de-regulation. They even brought me to a gun range and let me shoot different kinds of guns. As a person coming from a country where possession of firearm is prohibited, I was anxious to live in a country where people are allowed to have guns. I asked them "Is the right to bear arms more important than preventing possible murder?" They replied adamantly "If government takes gun away from people, we couldn't defend ourselves when a dictatorial government takes over America." I was surprised to hear such reply from Americans whose democratic government was so profoundly established.

Next year, I moved in to a southern African-American family. I attended a 100% African American church where people sung without any musical instruments. Even though I lived in America for a year, I realized that there are much more to discover.

However, I discovered differences in mindset between myself and the family. I was an overly motivated perfectionist, and they were laid-back southern people. On one weekend, the father of the family asked me to mow the lawn. Since I have never mowed the lawn, I went outside thinking it would be a quick job. I not only learned how to mow the grass, but spent over two hours cutting the grass. I knew it was important to do family chores, but I was upset because mowing the lawn took away my studying time for test next week.

After watching my perfectionist characteristics, the father of the family told me that I will have a breakdown and become depressed because nobody is perfect. He also told me to enjoy the life and not be upset by making a poor grade on an English test. Although I did not completely agree with his worldview, I realized that I might become very depressed when I fail to achieve something important. I've also seen myself always in hurry and too serious, so I have been rarely happy. After living with this laid-back family, I have learned to balance my seriousness with happiness.

After living with different American families, I've learned to respect diversity. As a citizen of a world that encompasses countless different cultures, I have to be open-minded towards people with different perspectives, different ethnicity and different social backgrounds. I want to bring my unique perspectives and experiences to college and learn and accept diversity other students bring in order to become a well-rounded person who can work with different people in different environment.

Undergraduate / Brown Essay "What is an academic experience, project, class or book that h" [3]

Please help me edit.
Any comments are welcome.

What is an academic experience, project, class or book that has influenced or inspired you?

Humans have long searched for methods of communicating efficiently and persuading reasonably. Without convincing evidence that is demonstrated in fixed data, logical communication was difficult. Statistics have been found to reduce the uncertainty of valid presentation and eventually, predict outcomes based on statistical analysis. This interesting origin of statistics helped me to see the other side of the issue.

People tend to make generalization and enjoy simplicity it brings. But I have noticed when a generalization carries some kind of statistics, the generalization becomes a fact. I took a statistics class last year and I was surprised by the power statistics can carry. Statistics is a useful area of study which allows us to communicate more reasonably by estimating many aspects of the world. Statistics are consistently used in business negotiations, scientific seminars, and even sports analysis. But the fact that statistics can only estimate, not demonstrate, those aspects, makes statistics partially unreliable.

Statistics can be used as political propaganda and manipulate people's mind by exaggerating a part of data. Concept of model minority is a good example that uses statistics to identify an ethnic group in a particular sense. We find this phenomenon in sports as well. Basketball players are judged based on their records of points per game and quarterbacks are judged on their QB ratings.

Because of these characteristics of statistics, my statistics teacher taught us to be careful when making any kind of judgments based on data. I was challenged to think how power of statistics can be minimized. But what I eventually ended up was that judgments are made by humans, therefore humans have to change their perception towards statistics. Statistics will continue to exist, but reasonable interpretations can be made to fairly utilize the benefits of statistics.

Since my interesting finding of manipulative nature of statistics, I was influenced not to make any kind of judgment when looking at a statistics. Although probabilities made out of statistics often prove to be true, like the weather forecast and election results, I was influenced to think there are always extraordinary cases that cannot be explained with statistics; therefore, we should not totally believe judgments that are supported by statistics or give special credit to arguments that are supported by statistics.

Undergraduate / Cornell Essay - interests in economics [3]

Please Help me edit the essay.
Please say whatever U like or dislike about the essay
Thank You.

Describe your intellectual interests, their evolution, and what makes them exciting to you. Tell us how you will utilize the academic programs in the College of Arts and Sciences to further explore your interests, intended major, or field of study. (500 Words)

Why is currency changing every day? How is price of our house changes every month? These were the questions I had growing up. I have always been unconsciously interested in economics. I've had many questions from simple marketing and tax laws of government's economic policy to insurance and investment. I found many economic activities around me interesting: Coupons fast food restaurants give out, election debates between Barack Obama and John McCain about new tax rules and solution for failing economy, my dad's insurance money from his cancer, and my parents fund investments. After learning economics in school, I developed my knowledge in the area of economics and I was pleased to have my questions answered.

The coupons or rebate any store releases supposed to attract more customer to maximize the store's profit. The arguments of economics in politics are the representations of conflicts between adamant ideologies. The moneys insurance company gives out are calculated with actuarial science to maximize the company's profit while managing the risk involved in insurance business. My parent's investment on foreign funds supply capital to foreign companies so that they could develop and maintain their business and my parents can benefit from the company's increasing revenue.

Since I accumulated some knowledge in economics, I began to habitually notice economic applications in the real world. I gathered my knowledge of economics from discussions in classes, issues in newspaper, and in my daily life. The excitement of knowing parts of economics that I had not known made me to read economics section before the sports section when reading the newspaper.

These interests in economics led me to work for a financial company last summer. While working there, I had chance to talk to a head manager of department. I asked, using my modicum knowledge of economics, what economical government policy works best, comparing Reaganomics and great society programs. The manager replied smiling, "There is no such perfect economic policy; policy is modified to bring best impact at a given situation." I was shocked by his answer. I have always thought economic policy was mere political preference, and there were not much complicated applications adapted to the area of economics. But I found out the area of economics had no limits. Since that day, I have determined to major in economics and become a practical and broad-minded economist who can think innovatively to overcome the challenges of the unpredictable economical situation.

Cornell's undergraduate liberal arts program is perfect program for me. I can utilize the broad range of economic courses Cornell offers, and involved in various extracurricular activities such as Cornell's economic society and its forums. I would also utilize Cornell's vibrant research environment to educate myself as an innovative economist. Also, I would greatly benefit from diverse student body in Cornell by communicating with students with different background and learning unique worlds each student brings. Last of all, I want to be challenged through Cornell's renowned liberal arts education and develop successful career and unique character.

Undergraduate / "Small tasks" - Common App work experience essay [2]

please help me edit the essay

"Small tasks as moving boxes or packing documents are as important as other works that are being done in this building" It was the first comment manager made when I've received an internship at Mirae Asset. I could not understand his comment at the time, but after spending first hour at the company, I realized that I will be moving heavy boxes and packing insurance documents. I was little disappointed that I was ordered to do such meaningless tasks because I expected something more complex such as organizing files or working on computer. Although I was going to do whatever manager ordered me to do, I wished to obtain experience in Insurance. It was manager's comment "In order to be an important person who does important tasks, you have to do smaller tasks" that motivated me to work passionately. Now, I understand seemingly trivial tasks are necessary for the success.