Undergraduate / Chapter in Geography - expanding MIT essay. Critique and commentary. [3]

Tell us about the most significant challenge you've faced or something important that didn't go according to plan. How did you manage the situation? (*) (200-250 words)

In my sophomore year, I was completing a test over the chapter in Geography. Afterwards, the teacher talked with me privately, stating he was going to give me a zero on the test for talking during the test. This was a shock to me as I was certain I did not talk during the test, and my stubborn self did not wish to make amends with the teacher. While obstinacy may be useful in some circumstances, this was not one of those circumstances. My academic record was flawless up until this point, and my own pride was holding me back from continuing this feat. I overcame myself and spoke with my teacher, attempting to find a compromise. We had reached an agreement; I would prepare and perform a presentation over a country's culture and geography for my classmates. I did exactly that and made amends with my teacher and my report card, restoring my grade. This experience taught me how necessary humility and diplomacy is to succeeding in life, as I am sure many other trials and upheavals will require the same.

The essay is 182 words and the minimum is 200. This has been by far the most difficult essay for me to write and I am out of ideas. Any feedback or thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Undergraduate / D&D (Dungeons and Dragons) / PSAT test - MIT essays [8]

Please tell us more about your cultural background and identity in the space below (100 word limit). If you need more than 100 words, please use the Optional section on Part 2. I know this short paragraph isn't much, but it is as much as I could write about the topic. If anyone has any advice on expanding it, I'd appreciate it.

I was born and raised in suburban Oklahoma where my family has grown for five generations. While my heritage is a mixture of European nationalities, I am primarily Scottish. Being raised in the 'Bible Belt', I am surrounded by a religious culture, which has played an important role in my life. (51 words)

We know you lead a busy life, full of activities, many of which are required of you. Tell us about something you do for the pleasure of it. (*)(100 words or fewer)

Over the past year, I started to play Dungeons and Dragons, often referred to as D&D. It is a role-playing game set in a medieval fantasy world where the player creates a hero who travels the realms, fulfilling his or her ambitions, whatever they may be. To perform well in the game, the players must be well versed in the extensive handbooks and use their creativity and teamwork to conquer the challenges set out before them. The game is a wonderful social activity, as it normally requires a minimum of five players, who are oftentimes good friends. (97 words)

Although you may not yet know what you want to major in, which department or program at MIT appeals to you and why? (*) (100 words or fewer)

At the age of eight, I started to modify HTML and CSS templates for my pets' pages on a game called Neopets, thus birthing my interest in programming. Once I was competent, I began designing my own templates and layouts for other friends on the game. When I was thirteen, not long after the release of the iPhone App Store, I grinned as I made "Hello World!" appear on the phone's screen. MIT's Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department appeals to me because I have an immense interest in computer science and hope to pursue a career in the field. (100 words)

What attribute of your personality are you most proud of, and how has it impacted your life so far? This could be your creativity, effective leadership, sense of humor, integrity, or anything else you'd like to tell us about. (*) (200-250 words) I know I need to tie in my two examples with the prompt, but I'm not sure how. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I am proud of my determination and self-motivation. Without such attributes, I would not have the willpower to achieve the goals I have accomplished thus far.

There were three weeks until the PSAT test day, and I was sitting in a workshop hoping to learn how to improve my score. I left that workshop knowing that improving my score would be difficult, but not impossible. I dedicated the next three weeks to achieving the goal of qualifying as a National Merit Scholar Semifinalist. My days consisted of simply attending school and studying for the PSAT. Those three weeks came and went, and as I woke up on the day of the test, I knew that I had done my best to prepare. Two months later I received my scores, and if one saw the grin on my face as I stared at that piece of paper, then they would know I had accomplished my objective.

Simply desiring to further my knowledge, I decided to enroll in Introduction to Computer Science and Programming offered by MITx via edX. The coursework was much more difficult and time consuming than any of my high school classes, but I had set out to complete the course, and I intended on doing so. Week after week, I finished the homework assignments and exams, always nervous when submitting my work, hoping that my program solved the problem appropriately. I finished the course, attaining the grade I set out to score. (244 words)

Advice and criticism on the above essays would be appreciated. I am still brainstorming on the "Tell us about the most significant challenge you've faced or something important that didn't go according to plan. How did you manage the situation?" prompt. The only challenge I can think about thus far is the lack of opportunity to pursue my academic interests at my school as made me work independently, teaching myself and pursuing resources elsewhere. If I did this, would it be alright to reuse the example used in the previous essay where I enrolled in an online course to pursue my interests? Any thoughts or suggestions would be helpful.