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Passion for mathematics (which isn't just a class. It's a philosophy) - Personal Statement


Bold 1 / -  
Dec 29, 2016   #1

Math - philosophy of life



Many people have tasted far reaching success. They know what works and what doesn't. They either have life figured out, or sincerely believe they do. They measure their lives by success and tend to neglect the other experiences of life. To me, knowledge is gained by having many experiences, which we get from the successes and failures alike. Life, without failure, is a life unlived. I learned that the hard way. I failed and it turned me around.

It all started with a D grade. I am naturally competitive and have a strong desire to be superior to others. My classmate and friend, Khatnaa, came to my rescue, and helped to change my failure into success. He is a very talented mathematician, possessing incredible analytical and logical skills, which he utilizes in every branch of the subject. Therefore, he acquires good grades all the time. He had a better grade than I had. However, I have always tried to challenge him beyond the syllabus and explain the ideas and methods that I have learned over the past few years, helping me to develop my ability to communicate mathematically to other people. I take great pleasure in attempting challenging, non-standard problems that require substantial amount of thought and ability. "Mathematics Olympiads" have provided me with a great number of demanding problems that I have enjoyed attempting.

Mathematics has been my academic passion ever since I entered high school. I am especially interested in understanding the language of mathematics, which is a high level of working in a modern world. Despite this, I got a D in mathematics, the class that means so much to me. I was miserable at my grade for a whole day. I didn't study, and I didn't know why I didn't. My unpreparedness was my downfall. I had two options at that point: (a) I could accept that I was a D student and fail; or (b) I could study hard for the next test, and improve my grade. Then I realized something very important: I could have gotten a better grade by pure luck, but I would learn nothing from it. The next time, I might not have been so lucky, and I would still end up with a D.

Subsequently, my failure in mathematics enraged everything inside of me. It was a feeling of extreme defeat that I had never felt before. This feeling motivated me to get a good grade. Then one day, Khatnaa told me, "No worries. I also, have failed before". At time, I understood that failing is the main ingredient to success. I chose to work harder. By getting a D, I learned the importance of studying. Understanding my mistakes wasn't simple, but it was worth it, as my grades drastically improved in the following examinations. The feeling of failure caused me to become more inquisitive about my studies and how I might improve my performance, allowing me to learn what others have experienced. I reached success beyond that of other good grades I used to get. I failed, and that fueled my desire to keep on working and eventually become a better mathematician than everybody else, including my friend Khatnaa.

Mathematics isn't just a class. It's a philosophy; it has taught me that when you fully immerse yourself in something, it pays off. The consequences of almost every move I made in life, has been affected by mathematics. I've learned that, to achieve my personal best, to reach unparalleled heights, to make the impossible possible, you can't fear failure, you must think big, and you must to push yourself to the limits. Primarily, I understood that failure doesn't mean you are a failure. It means you haven't succeeded yet.
si1030 2 / 5 1  
Dec 29, 2016   #2
I only have 2 things to say:

1. I feel like this "learning from a bad grade" essay is really overdone, and although you've written it well, if I were on the admissions board I would see a thousand different essays just like yours. I don't mean to tell you your essay is bad or you need to change it, but you should make it something that stands out.

2. You really downplay this moment of epiphany. You should elaborate more on your thought processes and your thinking as Khatnaa talked to you and you came to this realization. That's the thesis of your essay: you learn from your failures. Make sure you make it the most important, well-explained portion of your writing.

Other than those two things I liked the stylistic elements of your essay. I think it's pretty good. Just make a few fixes and you should be good. Best wishes!
Holt  Educational Consultant - / 14,767 4770  
Dec 29, 2016   #3
Bold, the focus of the essay should be on your ability to pick yourself up from failure. That means you will not have the help of other people to get you over the failed attempt that you had. In this case, the essay focuses more on the role of your friend in picking you up from the failure that you had. You sound morose in this essay and really unable to help yourself get over your failure unless someone helps you do it.

What you need to do is present an essay that focuses on your ability to learn from your failure. This mean you are capable of succeeding in life without help from other people because you know how to direct your life towards success stemming from failure. Perhaps it would be best if you just write a totally new essay instead. One that focuses solely on your ability to recover from failure because of the lessons that you learned from it.
TVLAERE 9 / 24 3  
Dec 29, 2016   #4
This type of essay is overdone. When you say "it started with a D grade", even though you explain later on that you learned out of it, it gives the impression of an overcompettive kid that doens't understand the concept of learning which can be a red flag.

Your writing is good, so i would suggest creating a story about how math affected your decision making and genearl life philosophy. This will tell the reader more about you.

One little tick to do so is to constantly ask yourslef: Why?

Good luck!


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