All constructive criticism, whether good or bad, is welcome! thanks :D!
Considering both the specific undergraduate school or program to which you are applying and the broader University of Pennsylvania community, what academic, research, and/or extracurricular paths do you see yourself exploring at Penn? (Please answer in one typed page, approximately 500 words.)
"I have no idea what I'll do with my life; I'll just apply to the College of Arts and Sciences." To many, this college is synonymous to indecisiveness. Not to me. I'm not indecisive-I'm unwilling; unwilling to be predisposed to a single career, unwilling to follow the exact path someone else has previously followed, unwilling to sit through a class that does not leave me restless and desperate for more. I am inclined to explore a possible major in Health and Society, specifically Disease and Society. However, I'm definitely minoring in Nutrition; as the Penn Nutrition website states, my deepest desire is to "cross academic disciplines and break traditional academic boundaries." To me, the academic possibilities at Penn are endless, and I intend to use each day there as an opportunity to explore them.
Even though having a "typical" day at Penn is an oxymoron, this is what one would consist of: I'd wake up in Stouffer/Mayer Hall; if I'm not in the mood to eat breakfast at the Dining Hall, I'd just grab an Amaranth bar. No one in my dorm would judge my "strange" eating habits because they'd all be just as fascinated by the concept of healthy living as I am. Then, I'd stroll through Locust Walk on my way to one of the myriad of classes I intend to take; maybe it'll be Complementary/Alternative Medicine, Nutritional Anthropology, or Law and Medicine.
In my Complementary/Alternative Medicine class, I'll bug my professor to review Volume 10 #4 issue of Penn's "Issue Brief", highlighting where it states that "The safety and efficacy of most CAM (Complementary Alternative Medicine) therapies remains unknown". I'd try ardently to convince my professor that more research is imperative to prove the effectiveness of Alternative Medicine and to remove its fallacious methods that are loitering among its effective methods. This would halt people from thinking CAM practitioners are synonymous to charlatans; it'll make CAM more than a last resort for low-income households (which according to the research presented in the article, is how it's currently viewed). I'd continue my point in my Law and Medicine class, where I'd rally classmates to help me brainstorm different methods of making it lawful for "tried & proved" CAMs to be able to claim that they can cure diseases, just as conventional medicines can. Then supplements like Red Yeast Rice, which lowers LDL-Cholesterol, could gain their deserved credibility.
After this, I'd help the "UNI". In high school, I've taught my community about the benefits of organic food while offering samples of my homemade organic goodies and food an organic restaurant donated. I'd continue this trend in college by petitioning to add UPenn-sponsored informational organic food stands to local festivals and fairs; I'd attend to the stands myself. After my active day, I'd head to the Class of 1920 dining commons, where I'd hope that Chef Donald properly duplicated my mom's mouthwatering garlic-butter pasta.
A day like this would be the norm for me at Penn. I am simmering with ideas and dehydrating from the thirst for knowledge; Penn will help me thrive.
Hello Arianna,
As many know, I am a UPenn graduate. Your essay is great. I enjoyed reading it and it shows the admissions committee that you have really researched Penn. You talk about many aspects of Penn that are nostalgic to me such as eating in 1920 commons. Again a very well done job! Good Luck -admissions essay advice
