The prompt is "Describe the world you come from; for example, your family, clubs, school, community, city, or town. How has that world shaped your dreams and aspirations?" This is for MIT admissions and must be 200-250 words. I wrote an essay on the exact same subject for University of California, but I need it shortened.
I grew up as the youngest of three brothers, the baby of the family. My two older brothers are, of course, quite different from one another. Austin, the older of the two, is planning on attending law school after he earns his bachelor's degree next year. I always enjoy talking with him, whether it is about another crazy entrepreneurial idea he came up with or the latest happenings around the world. Josh, on the other hand, is graduating from Bible college this year and plans on earning a degree in psychology. Throughout my childhood, he was always the daunting challenger who beat me in everything from sports to board games. Now I manage to top him in most things that do not require much athleticism, thus fulfilling the ambitions of my younger self.
When I was four years old, my parents decided to start a school, an aspiration that they had for many years before. To fulfill this desire, my parents decided to sell our house and move into a newly acquired school building, which became my home for the next seven years. Growing up literally in a school was a pretty unique experience. I had the privilege to get to know my teachers better than most students as they were at my house early in the morning and after school for several hours. I also had the convenience of sleeping longer as I would not have to get ready in time for a bus. At this school, I also had the advantage of small classes; my class was six students at its largest. The school's close-knit community allowed me to develop strong friendships, becoming my extended family.
As I look back at my life, I see what has really shaped my dreams and me. During the time I lived at my school, I saw the hours the teachers spent preparing and working for us, the students, and it instilled in me a respect that I do not think I would have otherwise. So, when my elementary school teacher, Mrs. Monroe, said to me, "in everything you do, do your very best", I truly wanted to do just that. It delighted me to see her proud of my work, but more importantly the simple, unoriginal saying stuck with me, and ultimately impacted my work ethic.
At Moriah Christian Academy, the idea of dreaming big and impacting the world pervades throughout the faculty and the student body. In addition to academics, my school focuses on changing the world through the arts, particularly drama (theater) and music. However, I am not musically inclined and I am not interested in drama. I have a passion for technology. My school, with its limited size and strong focus on the arts, lacked opportunities for me to learn about or get involved in technology. Since I could not learn about technology at school, I taught myself. As I matured and my technological knowledge expanded, I grew interested in politics and political issues, particularly involving the battle over privacy and technology. I know that I want to impact the world in the realm of technology, with computers as my medium. Yet, there is much more that I need to learn. I am looking forward to the chance to expand my knowledge through university studies, and I dream of pursuing these studies at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Also, if anyone has any advice that could improve my essay in any way, I'd really appreciate it.
