"Where it all started"
Common app essay for research universities: Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others. PLEASE PROVIDE NECESSARY FEEDBAGS AND NO NEED TO BE POLITICALLY CORRECT. I WILL HELP YOU WITH YOURS.
Since I loved teaching, I volunteered to teach students of settlement areas. We had sharing session after the class where one volunteer questioned, "Why are there less female students?" I was intrigued by the question and instantly remembered my Mathematics classroom-class with almost all empty benches. I checked the data and number it spoke the same-- less students study mathematics. I searched about factors influencing subject selection and the ways the number of mathematics students can be increased, but made no headway. This question made me restless, and the answer continued to elude me. I talked about reason for less Mathematics students to my teachers and Mathematicians but didn't get satisfactory answer. In the meantime, while discussing with my friends, term "Research" popped out. We were excited but none of us had prior research opportunity or knew how it worked. As we thought it is perfect opportunity to learn about research and contribute something to the society-we chose to go that route.
We requested 15 mathematics teachers and 4 university professors to guide us in research. The answer was-"NO" or sometimes "It's not for children, do it as your Doctorate thesis". Though we saw no light forward, we continued. We had studied about research and research methodologies through various books and decided on perception survey. When the time for literature review, I was alone, my friends had backed out.
In the meantime, the battle started within me-should I continue or not? I decided not to give up. Subsequently, my principal, came as a hope, giving me the way to move forward recommending some books and sources. As I had to devote substantial amount of time to learn and prepare drafts, I stepped down from leadership position at Partnership in Education and eventually left it. In the course, I realized, I had stopped debating and missed several school functions. I was trading a great school experience to literally get my hands into cutting-edge research activity. Finally, when track was open, I prepared the questions, administered the survey, and completed the work. My paper titled, "Why less Mathematicians- Increasing the STEM students" provides solution to increase Mathematics students in (country name).
My journey in research world didn't end with completing a paper. I completed several other papers-in Economics, Astrophysics, and presented paper in National Youth Research Competition. Surprisingly, I every other student there was undergraduate, graduate and doctorate student and I was the only high school student. Consequently, I worked in research labs and my proposal for research on "Filtration of smoke: A theoretical Approach" was accepted at National Academy of Science and Technology and Research Academy of Science and Technology of ..X.. University, making me the only high school student to have a proposal selected at both top labs of the country.
This remarkable experience opened path for various opportunities and inspired me to perform better in any task I undertake. I consider it a turning point in my academic life. It has increased my passion for research and my determination to work to improve people's quality of life. I have also become more confident in my research efforts and am able to contact any researcher to pursue a position in their laboratory. Now I can submit my papers for presentation in any forums or submit papers for publication in any research journals. I have realized that there are many opportunities for students like myself to contribute to labs and brainstorm solutions for current problems.
I realized, a slow and gradual change had occurred in me. In the course, I grew more matured, and I learned to face difficulties boldly. Moreover I realized something important. In various conditions of one's life, there are many roads which have to be travelled alone and many moves that have to be made even though we see no light of success. The only thing we should have on our mind is hope. Running to complete the research, I learned to learn. Now I am all set to run the road of my life.