intlstudent94
Jan 13, 2013
intlstudent94
Jan 13, 2013
Undergraduate / "But why not?"; Lafayette supplement - Why not?MOMENT [3]
Essay prompt:
In 1777, at the age of 19, the Marquis de Lafayette left a life of privilege and prestige in France and sailed to America to fight for the American Revolution. His family motto guided his sense of adventure and reflects an attitude that pervades Lafayette College today: "Cur Non?" ("Why not?). Based on this motto, discuss a "Why not?" moment in your personal, academic, or social life.
"Oh no, it's already 7:25! I need to run!" I said to myself while exiting the subway. Four minutes later, after barely catching the green light, I was in front of the National Aerospace Medical Institute. Was I going to leave with a medical certificate or not, I wasn't sure. All I knew was that it couldn't hurt giving it a try.
As I stepped inside, I found the place to be surprisingly quiet, even though it was quite crowded. At the information desk I was greeted by a tall man in uniform. He gave me the five page long registration form and, in a voice of superiority, said "Please don't be late or you'll get dismissed!"
A little shocked by the strict atmosphere around me, I stepped inside the ophthalmology consulting room. I knew my eyesight was the decisive factor in obtaining the certificate, and I thought I was as ready for failing as I was for passing the test. Quite expectedly, few minutes later I was told squarely that I would never be able to pilot even an ultralight aircraft, let alone a commercial jumbo jet.
My first reaction was to abort the rest of the tests, but then I realized what I had come there for. My curiosity has led me to all of the other consulting rooms, where I have passed all the other medical, aptitude and psychological check-ups. I was asked many times why I was still trying even though I had been already declared inapt, and each time I would just answer "But why not?"
Essay prompt:
In 1777, at the age of 19, the Marquis de Lafayette left a life of privilege and prestige in France and sailed to America to fight for the American Revolution. His family motto guided his sense of adventure and reflects an attitude that pervades Lafayette College today: "Cur Non?" ("Why not?). Based on this motto, discuss a "Why not?" moment in your personal, academic, or social life.
"Oh no, it's already 7:25! I need to run!" I said to myself while exiting the subway. Four minutes later, after barely catching the green light, I was in front of the National Aerospace Medical Institute. Was I going to leave with a medical certificate or not, I wasn't sure. All I knew was that it couldn't hurt giving it a try.
As I stepped inside, I found the place to be surprisingly quiet, even though it was quite crowded. At the information desk I was greeted by a tall man in uniform. He gave me the five page long registration form and, in a voice of superiority, said "Please don't be late or you'll get dismissed!"
A little shocked by the strict atmosphere around me, I stepped inside the ophthalmology consulting room. I knew my eyesight was the decisive factor in obtaining the certificate, and I thought I was as ready for failing as I was for passing the test. Quite expectedly, few minutes later I was told squarely that I would never be able to pilot even an ultralight aircraft, let alone a commercial jumbo jet.
My first reaction was to abort the rest of the tests, but then I realized what I had come there for. My curiosity has led me to all of the other consulting rooms, where I have passed all the other medical, aptitude and psychological check-ups. I was asked many times why I was still trying even though I had been already declared inapt, and each time I would just answer "But why not?"
