Hello! I would like to hear general criticisms or comments regarding the content and structure of my short responses. I will answer any questions that you have, and will be happy to read yours if you like. Thank you and I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas!
Brown University
Why are you drawn to the area(s) of study you indicated?
Ever since I took the biochemistry class in tenth grade, I became intrigued by the mechanisms of life on a molecular scale and enjoyed undertaking laboratory experiments. As a child, I lived in different countries and grew interested in the cultural and economic relationships among nations.
A distinctive feature of the Brown Curriculum is the opportunity to be the architect of your education. Why does this academic environment appeal to you?
Being the architect of my education is a blessing that I cannot turn away. To me, finding success on an academic and personal scale at Brown is achievable through a curriculum that satisfies my yearning to learn more about who I am and will become. This unique opportunity to discover myself through a personalized education encourages me to embrace new challenges at Brown and enables me to utilize the best resources to construct a strong foundation for my major. This feature also entreats me with various opportunities to explore other interests besides my major at no cost. A Brown education ensures that I can do so much more with the liberty of selecting programs that suits my taste.
Tell us where you have lived-and for how long-since you were born; whether you've always lived in the same place, or perhaps in a variety of places.
I was born in Seoul, South Korea and lived there for ten months. My father's agency transferred him to Lima, Peru, so my family lived there for four years. Due to the same reason, we moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina, and lived there for eight months before permanently moving to Troy, Michigan.
Complete ONE of the following thoughts:
A. If I could do something with no risk of failing, I would...
B. I felt like I truly belonged when...
...travel to villages in third-world countries where I could build windmills to generate electricity, promote education, and set up medical clinics to improve the health of the people.
What is something you created that makes you especially proud, and why?
After hearing that the Detroit Public Schools would cut funds to its fine arts program, my friends and I decided to set up a fundraiser at a local TCBY where we sold artwork and music recordings produced by our volunteers and t-shirts. Our organization, called "Art Saves Kids," raised and donated about $2,600 last summer to the arts program to be used as funds or scholarships to promote arts education in Detroit. Making a small sacrifice in my time and effort to encourage innovation and creativity for those who desperately need the means of success in their lives inspires me to learn about my community's socioeconomic challenges and to find remedies that can make an impact in the community.
We all exist within communities or groups of various sizes, origins, and purposes; pick one and tell us why it is important to you, and how it has shaped you.
I've grown up in a setting that emphasizes the "all is one and one is all" idea. Particularly, as a drummer in marching band, I've noticed that presence and sense of duty are crucial to the outcome of any collaborative task. At every marching rehearsal, my band director would remind the ensemble the importance of being in the moment with everyone. If one instrument is missing, then the chemistry of musicality is unbalanced and there will be an imperfection on the field. I too believe that the success of a marching band is determined by the students' presence during a rehearsal because that determines how motivated they are and how accurate they would be in any performance. His reminder has inspired me to be timely for any meeting and to strive toward being present for the sake of getting something out of it. For every club or team meetings that I attend, I make sure that I am physically and mentally active to make my presence meaningful and effective.
Please respond to one of the following questions: A, B, or C.
A. Why are you going to college?
B. Sculptor Jacques Lipchitz once said, "Cubism is like standing at a certain point on a mountain and looking around. If you go higher, things will look different; if you go lower, again they will look different. It is a point of view." With this in mind, describe a moment when your perspective changed.
C. What question could we ask to gain the most insight into you? What is your answer?
My brother is autistic. It is a fact that I have carried along for most of my life. At times, it was very difficult to be around him. Other times, I enjoyed his company in our childhood adventures. But, no matter how much my family wishes him to be normal, autism is what separates him from the rest of us. Recently, I read The Stranger by Albert Camus, and it leaves me hanging with unfathomable curiosity about the striking resemblance between my brother and Meursault. Of course, the latter may not be autistic, but they both possess bizarre intuition, irrational judgment, and social awkwardness. At least that's what I think from a common perspective. When my brother became a freshman, I was aware that high school would impose new challenges--larger school, crowded halls, and difficult classes--that might overwhelm him. Thus, at my parents' request, the special education department offered to provide an aide or adjustments to his testing schedule. Shockingly, he adamantly refused to receive any help from the school, giving no reason to his decision. On the way to the counseling office, I caught a glimpse of my brother discussing with my counselor, and I eavesdropped. After the conversation, I was dumbfounded by his words. He didn't ask for any help. He didn't want to be labeled as special. He wants to be challenged like everyone else without being unfair to the others and having the notion that he is different. Near the end, I remember him saying, "I want to be a person, not a special person." From that moment on, I realized his yearning to break free from his disability and to risk himself academically and socially despite the odds. At the same time, I also felt the overwhelming sadness that he had endured for being treated differently than his peers. If I remained oblivious to the truth about my brother, I would never realize his potential to become an extraordinary person that he wants to be. To me, he is more than a brother. He is a life-changer.
