Undergraduate / Quest to Find Wisdom!; Common App [10]

Quest to Find Wisdom!

Certain words cannot clearly be defined, due to their ambiguous nature. As a result, the way people define certain words evolves as they mature, and an example of such would be the word "wisdom." I once thought for one to be referred to as wise, he or she should possess an immense amount of knowledge that is superior and embodies a very educated being. Because of this misconception I thought there were very few wise people in the world and I would never have the opportunity to meet one. However, after putting myself in new environments, I have discovered a newer definition of this word. Wisdom is more than just knowledge; it's the culmination of one's life experiences, understanding, insight and common sense. Wisdom is gained over time and is seen from different viewpoints alongside with the footprints they leave on their life journey.

On my quest to find the meaning of wisdom, I met Dr. Cordi, a professor at Ohio Dominican University, and his storytelling class. Each student talked about a person that they have encountered and made a great impact on them; someone who embodied a sense of knowledge and experience. These individuals were referred to as "wisdom keeper." Each wisdom keeper was distinctly unique and sufficiently proved that wisdom was more than intellect. For instance, one presenter talked about her great-uncle who raised her from childhood. He went through a great deal of hardship in his lifetime, including face death head on; however, despite the horrific ordeal, he remained humble and loving. After listening to the various stories I realized the common thread between them was the main character's ability to captivate and inspire the audience. Although they did so in different ways, their end results were all the same; to spread wisdom to the world.

In continuation with this quest, I reflected on my collegiate experience. As a dual-enrollment student, I have been in college setting for 3 years and discovered that the purpose of attending college was not to acquire knowledge, instead to gain wisdom. Every class I have been in has contributed to a new component to my perception of the world. I was taught to view topics and ideas from a creative and philosophical perspective. With this template, I could later on use it to solve everyday problems articulately. Additionally, I learned the importance of being open-minded and realizing I did not know everything. Being open-minded showed me different approach could yield the same result, and how to view situations from others point-of-view. Furthermore it allowed me to seek help when needed. There were several occasions where I was in need of help and afraid of seeking it because would be viewed as 'dumb'. Once I accepted that my approach was not useful and I should use a different method, I started to thrive in classes. My quest for wisdom was only started with my early-college experience and I have faith that it will carry me on to newer and brighter paths in my future.

The part in bold do you think it is necessary for my point? Also I wanted my third paragraph to talk about the wisdom I have gain and what I plan on obtaining, do you think I have clearly done that? Also check for grammatical and clarity errors, and I will do yours in return.

Undergraduate / I am six foot tall; Height and U Chicago [9]

How has my height affect me?
Can you tell me if my essay flows wells and any grammatical errors?

I am six-foot tall, and I have a love-hate relationship with my height. The difficulty in accepting my height derives from earlier experiences in middle school and high school; they were vital times where appearance played huge a role in social relationships. It wasn't always a pleasant experience, as there were times when I didn't feel quite as "girly" as my female classmates. To make matters worse, I was frequently ostracized by my peers for being the tallest person in my grade. More times than less, I was referred to as a 'tall tree' or a 'giraffe.' The criticism from my peers at the time created a low sense-of-self within me and began to weigh down on my security and confidence. My peers' criticism about my height caused me to have low self-esteem. I would often cry myself to sleep, wondering why God made me so tall.

I soon found the answer to this question during an incident that occurred in the eleventh grade which led me to accept my height. My peers were in the lounge room, in my school for the dual-enrollment students, and I stumble upon their conversation. They were making fun of several of the teachers at my school, and I did not think much of their conversation, so I sat down in one of the nearby chairs. The environment was warming and inviting, filled with joy and laughter. However, that all changed when I heard about a text message my peers created about me. They said, "Mariame looks like a combination of a flamingo and giraffe lost in our world. She needs to go back where she came from." When I heard this, my heart dropped and an overwhelming feeling of sadness covered me like a blanket and began to suffocate me. It reminded me of similar situations that occurred in middle school, which I did not want to relive in high school. The presences of my friends and family helped me gain my confidence back. They reassured me that my peers' attitude and action towards me were done out of spite and envy, which clouded their better judgment towards taller individuals. At that point, I vowed to nurture my confidence with my height and used it to overcome people's spiteful attitudes and progress to a happy place in life.

My height has allowed me the opportunity to not be the 'average' girl and to gain confidence within myself in all aspects of life such as academics. With my new-found confidence, I could open many closed doors. I realized people tend to connect with age; therefore, they gave me more respect than a shorter counterpart. Needless to say, I used this observation to my advantage, and began to take on more leadership roles. With this platform, I allowed not only my opinions to be heard, but also others who need a voice. My height has also allowed me to be a socialite, in the sense that I am better seen; therefore, I am approached by people more often.

As I have grown taller, I have evolved from a girl facing nothing but emptiness to a woman who has blossomed and overcome the struggle that people rarely see or feel. This evolution has designed a persona within me that is more iridescent and welcoming, which lead me to become more courageous in the world.

Undergraduate / Certain words cannot clearly be defined; Common app essay on wisdom [3]

It has a 500 word cap
Certain words cannot clearly be defined, due to their ambiguous nature. As a result, the definition for these words evolves as we become older. An example is the word wisdom. I thought to be wise meant to know all the information in the world and have the answers for every question. I believed that there were very few wise people in the world, and I would never have the opportunity to meet one.

However, on December 10, 2012, I was in for a wake-up call. I meet for the first-time Dr. Cordi, a storyteller and professor at Ohio Dominican University, and his storytelling class. He was very friendly and allowed me to watch his class. When class started, Dr. Cordi said a few things allowed his students to present their projects. The project was focused on people who were viewed as wisdom keepers. I was pretty intrigued with the subject.

The first presenter talked about her 84-years-old grandfather. She showed a short video of her grandfather telling a story. Despite her grandfather's appearance, he was very energetic and humorous. Whenever he made a joke, it was very keen and had an amazing message behind it. The second presenter talked about her great-uncle who raised her from childhood. He went through a lot in his lifetime, including face death head on. Despite that ordeal, he remained happy and loving. He told his niece many inspiring quotes and stories. After these presentations, Dr. Cordi told a story about a poor elderly man whose family was fed up with him.

The common thread between these stories was the main character's ability to captivate and inspire the audience. Each character presented a unique and admirable trait, that influence me to reflect on what wisdom truly is. Wisdom comes in many different shapes and sizes and varies from person to person. A person's wisdom should not be solely based off of someone's intellect level. Instead, it should be reflective of culmination things, which include: personality, life experiences, advice and many more. The first presenter believed her grandfather was wise because he was humble. When I heard this, I thought why be modest when you pose such a great gift. The second presenter believed her great-uncle was wise because of his life experiences. Although they might have been horrific, they altered and influenced his in a manner in which he would not change for the world. In Dr. Cordi's story, he believed the elderly man was wise. Despite the resentment and belittlement, his family presented him; he still fought to tell his truth.

I honestly believe that each presenter alongside their wisdom keeper is wise, and I am honored to have met them. They showed me a glimpse of themselves; with that I could alter and develop my definition of wisdom. Wisdom is one's ability to influence and advise others based off of experiences, conversation and views on life. To be wise, one does not have to be arrogant or wealthy; one needs to be humble and appreciative.

Undergraduate / 'Frank Ocean's Bad Religion' - My fav song. Essay for UChicago [4]

Share with us a few of your favorite books, poems, authors, films, plays, pieces of music, musicians, performers, paintings, artists, blogs, magazines, or newspapers. Feel free to touch on one, some, or all of the categories listed, or add a category of your own.

My favorite song thus far is Frank Ocean's Bad Religion. I believe this is an excellent song that forces the listener to 'read' between the lines. On the surface, a listener may think that this song is an attack on the religion of Islam because of the references made within it; however, this song is actually referring to sexual identity.

When the song begins, Frank Ocean is in a taxi with a Muslim driver. Frank Ocean is weighed down by his secret and starts to confine in the driver. Frank Ocean wants to tell the driver everything that he has been running away from and suggests to the driver to drive on the streets to give him ample amount of time to do so. Before Frank Ocean, is done telling the driver his story, the driver says, "allahu akbar" which is Arabic for God is great. The driver says this phrase to perhaps, stop Frank Ocean from continuing on with his story. The driver probably had a notion of what Frank's story was and did not know any better way of helping him. Frank Ocean responses to him by saying, "Don't curse me." He may have said this because he did not understand the meaning behind the phrase; alternatively, the phrase reminded him of pain and agony he feels inside. The innocent taxi driver tells Frank "boy you need prayer" believing that any problem Frank Ocean has, can be overcome if he devotes himself to God.

The most powerful part of the song was when Frank Ocean responses to the taxi driver suggestion with, "If it brings me to my knees. It's a bad religion." These lines are essence of the song. Frank Ocean cleverly uses the action of kneeling as a symbolic correlation to religion. In most organized religions, this action is used to talk to God in some fashion. By using this analogy, he avoids attacking a single religion. His statement that is a 'bad religion' is in reference to how he is expected to beg God for forgiveness for his sin, but the sin he has performed is pulling him apart from God to begin with. None of the popular religions accept or acknowledge homosexuals. Frank Ocean begging to God will bring about unbearable pain and anger to himself because he would not be able to love thing the way he wants to. These lines bring up the question 'what is the point to praising God, if he does not recognize and accept your devotion to him because of you who you fell in love with?'

This question bothered me for a while, until I came up with my answer. We are using old customs to solve a modern problem. We all products of a sinful world, and should not stop or limited ourselves based on societal norms. If we do not love our true self, how can we expect anyone else to, nonetheless, God too?

Frank Ocean magnificently used a forum in which comfortable to express what he and others like him were feeling. Very rarely do I see or hear art that is genuine and relatable to me. He did not care about the public's opinion when he expressed his truth, and I condemn him for that. He did something noble and courageous, and I aspire to do something similar to him. Although I am not homosexual, after listening and analyzing this song, I gained a whole new perspective on life. This song allowed me see the turmoil homosexuals face; the internal conflict they face with in themselves. A conflict in which no one can solve and something we can all relate to.

Undergraduate / 'academic endeavors' - Northwestern provides a wide assortment of programs [8]

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?

I believe I am well-equip to become an excellent member of Northwestern's community. Once there, I will contribute not only the dedication and persistency expected of their students for success, but also a diverse perspective that my peers may not have. I am able to contribute these items due to the culmination of my academic and life experiences. I believe this institution will provide me the necessary tools to blossom and achieve my goal in life of becoming an Obstetrician/ Gynecologist. Acceptance into this university will give the peace of mind of being accepted into prestigious institution and allow me to focus on concepts that will make me a better doctor and well-rounded person.

With an interest in biological sciences, I will take every available opportunity seriously to pursue the major. I want to surround myself in the wide assortment of programs that Northwestern provides. The Weinberg College of Art and Science offers several interesting programs that I would love to participate in such as; undergraduate research, study abroad and internships. These programs, along with others, will hopefully provide me the necessary skills to be successful academically and socially. Needless to say, they will also place me in nurturing environment where I can receive the help and advice I need, while interacting with others who have the same or similar goals as me.

Additionally, I love Northwestern's diverse student body. I grew up surrounded by various cultures, and I believe myriad of cultures add a unique value to the learning experience in any institution. I am thrilled at the idea of being able to interact with students coming from all over the world and would want to learn more about them and their cultures. These individuals would bring a unique trait that will broaden my perspective of life. I hope that I will benefit from such a culturally prosperous environment at Northwestern, and I am eager to contribute to the diverse study body as an American born Guinean student.

I am also drawn to the various extra-curricular activities Northwestern provides. I believe there is more to an institution than its academics. In my ideal college, I would receive the best education in and outside of the classroom setting. Groups such as; 85 broads, Americans for Informed Democracy, Applied Medical Society, all interest me; furthermore, drawing me to this institution. I am also fascinated by the sorority life. As a little girl, I always pictured myself pledging to a sorority and I excited that Northwestern has an assortment of chapters for me to choose from. All of these extra-curricular activities will allow me the opportunity to provide community service while gaining leadership skills. Henceforth, these experiences will sculpt me into a well-round individual.

Ranging from its academics to diversity, I believe that Northwestern University has a lot of things to offer me. Once enrolled at this school, I pledge to do my best in my academic endeavors and to make the most out of my experience.