1.Who or what influenced you to apply to Syracuse University?
My first interest in Syracuse University came about while I was doing college search a few months ago. When I selected all of my preferences: Private, New York, Diverse student body, sufficient financial aids, and offers Education and Psychology majors; Syracuse University showed up on my screen as one of the few limited results that fulfills everything I have asked for. After having conducted further detailed research, I found Syracuse University as a school of opportunities and academic and personal growth. With a diverse student body, myriad organizations and clubs, and quality education, this academically prestigious school provides a sociable yet challenging learning environment, which seems to fit my personalities and goals perfectly. I am now fully convinced that I have found my ideal school.
2. Who is the person you dream of becoming and how do you believe Syracuse University can help you achieve this?
This answer may seem trite; however, the person that I admire and dream of becoming is my beloved mother- Jeanne Liu. Her job, for as long as I could remember, had been a professor at ChengChi University in Taiwan. I remember always seeing students coming in and out of her office, sometimes to discuss about work, but most of the time, just to chat and that was because she was not only a teacher, but a friend to her students. Her humorous, affable, and ingenious personality earned her the "Most Popular Teacher" award for many consecutive years. But even that could not keep her to stay at her job; when I was nine, my mom quit her job which she loved doing in order to take my sisters and me to America in hopes of providing a better-rounded learning environment for us and reuniting with my dad who had immigrated to the United States four years earlier. Thinking about my mom's sacrifice still gets me emotional sometimes. It astounds me that she gave up her well-paid and highly respected job for her children and husband and started life here as a housewife who buys grocery, cleans the house, and takes the dog on walks every day; the adjustment must have been tough. She followed through with what she believed was the best thing to do. However, her influence on her students as a teacher and a friend was not put to an end. Even till this day, her students, now CEO's and VP's of top companies, come visit and stay over when they are on business trips. She never stopped being a friend. My mom's influence on the people around her inspired me to do the same. I believe College of Arts and Sciences at Syracuse University would provide me with the education that I need to get a degree in Psychology as well as pioneer opportunities for me to further explore this field. My goal is turn my passion for children into productive use by becoming a teacher, a children therapist, or a children counselor.
3. If you have had work experience, what skills and/or knowledge did you gain?
I have been working as a self-employed piano teacher since August of 2011. My job is to teach piano and music theory to beginners from age four to ten. Aside from my paid job, I'm also actively involved in community service; every Saturday I volunteer at a local soup kitchen where I, along with five other volunteers, prepare and serve dinner to the homeless in downtown San Jose. Moreover, on Sundays, I help out at my church's Daycare Center by babysitting children from age three to eight. My fervor for children and the less fortunate have taught me leadership, communication, and patience. It takes an immense amount of patience, as well as communication skills to work with kids and the homeless. Often their point of view may differ from mine, which requires me be tolerant, and to put myself in their shoes to understand where they're coming from. On the other hand, teaching piano and steering my students towards improvement takes leadership. As a teacher, I do not solely give out instructions, but also act as an example to which my students look up to; I do my best to always maintain a positive attitude and strive for progress.
4. Our mission of Scholarship in Action, education for the world in the world, extends beyond the classroom to include engagement opportunities with our campus community, the City of Syracuse, and locations across the globe. Based on your interests, tell us what real-world experiences you might pursue during your education at Syracuse as part of this mission.
I've always preferred to learn through experience in addition to textbooks and notes. During my education at Syracuse, I would love to participate in extensive volunteer work in the psychology field. I'm open to any opportunities that give me a chance to help people with mental issues to become healthier emotionally, especially with children. Orphanages, hospitals, schools, rehabilitation centers and crisis hotlines are various places I would love to volunteer at and offer assistance and help to the best of my ability. By volunteering, I would not only gain rewarding experiences but also reflect on as to why I truly want to go into the psychology field. I have faith that Syracuse University will provide me with the resources and education needed to pursue my interest in helping children with mental and emotion needs.
The short answer that shows the most concern, to me, is the first. I will summarize your response in less eloquent wording:
'I chose Syracuse because I did a college search of what I wanted and you guys popped up. Then I looked at your website and you were even more appealing in the most general ways.'
I'm sorry if that was mean, but when you tell a college what attracts you to their institution, you want to tell them specifics about that drew you to them over every other collegiate institution; say, if you are going there to be a biochemist, and they have great extracurriculars, exchange programs, and internships available for biochemistry, then you could definitely comment on that.
Just saying that they have a good educational environment and could challenge you is much too general. Though these are good foundations, you need to elaborate. Then, your short answer will be superb, and it is certainly on its way.
