I can contribute to the diverse culture of the University more than other typical Korean-Americans

Directions
Choose one of the following two topics and write a short essay.(Maximum length 300 words)

The University of Washington seeks to create a community of students richly diverse in cultural backgrounds, experiences, and viewpoints. How would you contribute to this community?Describe an experience of cultural difference, positive or negative, you have had or observed. What did you learn from it?

I am a Korean American. However I can contribute to the diverse culture of the University of Washington more than other typical Korean-Americans. From the moment I was born, I lived experiencing two different cultures in my life, but about 2 years ago a third party was added into the mix. My parents decided to become long-term missionaries in China. I had no choice but to follow them here. At first, I had such a hard time adjusting because everything was so different. Nobody could understand me and I could not understand others; so I studied Chinese for a year to be able to communicate and understand this culture better. I was extremely lonely and felt that I was going nowhere with my life because I was in a situation where I could not even go to school. There were a few international schools where I lived but because my parents were missionaries, they were not able to pay for the tuitions. After much discussion, my parents and I decided to have me study at an international school in Beijing that used a homeschooling program. While currently studying in Beijing, I am staying in a three-room apartment with 10 Chinese girls and sharing a room with a Korean teacher. In the beginning, living with strangers with such different backgrounds and cultures was more difficult than living apart from my parents. We all had to get used to the diverse backgrounds everyone brought into the dormitory. From the way we ate to the way we cleaned, we were completely different. Having already experienced this difficulty of getting used to a foreign environment and learning a new culture, I am sure that I can contribute more to the University of Washington than the previous or next Korean-American who has applied.

Joy, your essay is good but it can be made even better. Try to discuss more about the cultural differences that you have with your roommates and how 10 different personalities and varying cultures makes for a great living environment. Explain to us what you have learned about these various cultures and how their influence has helped you become a better version of your previous self. I really think that it will not only help enhance the content of the paper, but it will also prove to be an interesting and informative read for the admissions officer who is eager to get to know you through this essay prompt.

Nice essay. Beginning needs some working on. I would also suggest adding how you managed to get along in the end and how you made new friends to show that you are able to adapt. Focus more on the commun. difficulties rather than those of choosing schools.