Please let me know if this is a correct response to the prompt! Or do I have to change so it focuses more on what I will do at Rice...Any criticism is welcome..thank you
A. The quality of Rice's academic life and the Residential College System are heavily influenced by the unique life experiences and cultural traditions each student brings. What perspective do you feel that you will contribute to life at Rice? (Most applicants are able to respond successfully in two to three double-spaced pages.)
The lavish malls, the tallest building in the world and the man-made islands on the sea-Dubai-this is where I live now. The evergreen trees, the stable environment and the friendly community- Central New Jersey- this is where I lived before. The heart of culture, the crazy roads and the birthplace of flavor-India-this is where I was born.
Living in Dubai now, I realize the woman I want to be. Sitting in the mall, I see maids carrying and chasing after children while the parents walk ahead. I see women who leave their children in the care of their maids so much so the child is practically raised by them. I realize that I'd never want to be that kind of mother. In the same city, I see the first Emirati woman to have reached the North Pole and another is the first to become a pilot. I realize that even in this developing nation, women empowerment is possible. My goal as a woman is defined by the observations I've made here-I want to become an educated woman who not only achieves great things but is also an involved mother.
I think back to when I was younger and I notice how my father inspired me. My family and I lived in Central New Jersey where I remember my dad waking up early every morning to take the train to New York for work. I wouldn't see him again until late at night leaving me with little time to interact with him. As I look back now, I realize hard work he put in as a father to support us. He even moved alone to a completely different continent only to be able to provide us with a better life. Eventually we moved to be with him, and I still see his unwavering effort. I hope to be just as hardworking and inspiring to my family as my father is to me.
When I visit my birthplace, India, during summer breaks, I see the value of education. I visit my great-aunt's house and I see her daughter-in-law struggling to provide the proper education for her autistic son. She never made it past the 11th grade and consequently doesn't have the schooling to find work. But then I also see my own mother, born in the same town and family, but in much more fortunate conditions. I see how education has helped her become a strong independent woman and given her opportunities her cousin's wife didn't have. I know that my university education will provide me with opportunities that I hope will enable me to become a role model for my family and my nation.
During my community service trip to Tanzania this summer I came to truly understand the importance of gratefulness. I worked with a group of soon-to-be-seniors that came from Nice, Helsinki and Dubai to paint and build foundations of schools. While working at the school sites, the local children were amazed with the gloves we used and the sneakers we wore. To us, these items are of no significance, but when we gave them out to the children I realized that to them gloves and sneakers were objects to treasure. When we passed out pencils children crowded around me in hopes of being one of the lucky kids to receive one. I thought of the countless pencils that lay all over my house unsharpened and uncared for-that was the true moment when the idea to 'never take anything for granted' was imprinted within me. I hope that in my future I will continue to be thankful and humble.
I compare the lifestyles I see around me with my own. Some are characterized by struggling to make ends meet while some are the picture of luxury. I realize to be grateful for the opportunities I have. I see my family members, their accomplishments, weaknesses and characteristics and I realize the importance of perseverance, education and my parent's hard work. As I further pursue my education I hope to incorporate this recent awareness in all my actions- incorporate it to make me a better student, person and global citizen.
A. The quality of Rice's academic life and the Residential College System are heavily influenced by the unique life experiences and cultural traditions each student brings. What perspective do you feel that you will contribute to life at Rice? (Most applicants are able to respond successfully in two to three double-spaced pages.)
The lavish malls, the tallest building in the world and the man-made islands on the sea-Dubai-this is where I live now. The evergreen trees, the stable environment and the friendly community- Central New Jersey- this is where I lived before. The heart of culture, the crazy roads and the birthplace of flavor-India-this is where I was born.
Living in Dubai now, I realize the woman I want to be. Sitting in the mall, I see maids carrying and chasing after children while the parents walk ahead. I see women who leave their children in the care of their maids so much so the child is practically raised by them. I realize that I'd never want to be that kind of mother. In the same city, I see the first Emirati woman to have reached the North Pole and another is the first to become a pilot. I realize that even in this developing nation, women empowerment is possible. My goal as a woman is defined by the observations I've made here-I want to become an educated woman who not only achieves great things but is also an involved mother.
I think back to when I was younger and I notice how my father inspired me. My family and I lived in Central New Jersey where I remember my dad waking up early every morning to take the train to New York for work. I wouldn't see him again until late at night leaving me with little time to interact with him. As I look back now, I realize hard work he put in as a father to support us. He even moved alone to a completely different continent only to be able to provide us with a better life. Eventually we moved to be with him, and I still see his unwavering effort. I hope to be just as hardworking and inspiring to my family as my father is to me.
When I visit my birthplace, India, during summer breaks, I see the value of education. I visit my great-aunt's house and I see her daughter-in-law struggling to provide the proper education for her autistic son. She never made it past the 11th grade and consequently doesn't have the schooling to find work. But then I also see my own mother, born in the same town and family, but in much more fortunate conditions. I see how education has helped her become a strong independent woman and given her opportunities her cousin's wife didn't have. I know that my university education will provide me with opportunities that I hope will enable me to become a role model for my family and my nation.
During my community service trip to Tanzania this summer I came to truly understand the importance of gratefulness. I worked with a group of soon-to-be-seniors that came from Nice, Helsinki and Dubai to paint and build foundations of schools. While working at the school sites, the local children were amazed with the gloves we used and the sneakers we wore. To us, these items are of no significance, but when we gave them out to the children I realized that to them gloves and sneakers were objects to treasure. When we passed out pencils children crowded around me in hopes of being one of the lucky kids to receive one. I thought of the countless pencils that lay all over my house unsharpened and uncared for-that was the true moment when the idea to 'never take anything for granted' was imprinted within me. I hope that in my future I will continue to be thankful and humble.
I compare the lifestyles I see around me with my own. Some are characterized by struggling to make ends meet while some are the picture of luxury. I realize to be grateful for the opportunities I have. I see my family members, their accomplishments, weaknesses and characteristics and I realize the importance of perseverance, education and my parent's hard work. As I further pursue my education I hope to incorporate this recent awareness in all my actions- incorporate it to make me a better student, person and global citizen.
