2. There are thousands of colleges and universities. Why are you applying to Occidental? What distinguishes it from your other choices?
2. An important aspect of Occidental that appeals to me is its small campus environment. I feel that with this type of atmosphere will help me receive the attention I need to excel in my education. Since Oxy is a small school, I like the sense of community that comes along with it. I want to build relationships not only with my classmates but also with my professors, because I don't want to be a passing face or the girl in the third row. I feel that attending a small liberal school will teach me skills that will help me in my career. Another aspect that lures me to Occidental is its location. It is in southern California, and that means diversity which is something that is very important to me. I like meeting people who come from different cultures and places because I get the opportunity to learn something new. I also like that Oxy is near Los Angeles, my home, without being caught in the hustle and bustle of the city. (938/2000 characters)
3. Choose a book you have read in the last year that most affected you and clarify its effect.
3. In the last year, the Harry Potter franchise has been slowly winding down. Being a fan since childhood, I am both excited and upset by this. I decided to reread the last book in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, again. I remember as a child, I always thought the books were amazing simply because of the magic that the books entailed. When I reread the book, I was able to see things from a different perspective. The bravery and courage that the characters possess is truly inspiring. They leave behind everything, their families and their personal safety to fight evil for the good of the wizard world. This made me reflect on people, like policemen and firemen, who do this every day. In my English class, we learned how to look at the true meaning of stories and poetry. Knowing this, I thought long and hard about the purpose of the books. Then I stumbled upon a quote by Andrew Futral, a musician, who compared Harry Potter and the popular series, Twilight. I agreed with his view on the comparison of the books. "Harry Potter is all about confronting fears, finding inner strength, and doing what is right in the face of adversity. Twilight is about how important it is to have a boyfriend." I may not be trying to save the world from evil forces, but what I have learned from Harry Potter is that if you believe in yourself, you will fulfill your destiny and accomplish great things. (1409/1500 characters)
4. While we realize your interests may change in college, what are your current academic or intellectual curiosities?
4. I have always been a curious person. I always like to learn about different new things. I have realized that when I learn something new, I tend to obsess about it. I obsess about different places in the world and their distinct cultures. Some of the places I have been interested in include England, Canada, India, and Italy to name a few. I read about the places, the way people live, its music, and I am always fascinated by the fact that there is another way of life that is completely different from mine. Also, since I was little girl, my parents made me take a variety of dance classes. I did tap, ballet, hip-hop and jazz. These are considered the basic forms of dance in the US, but I went further. I was always very eager to learn different forms of dance. Thanks to me persistence, I also took belly dancing, Korean fan dancing, folklorico, and some Irish dancing. Learning the traditional dances of other countries was an amazing way to learn about different cultures. Another thing that intrigues me is people and their minds. Why do people act the way they do? This question has always perplexed me. I think about why people respond to situations differently. I try to imagine what goes on through people's heads when they make an important decision. This is the main reason I am interested in psychology. I want to know what makes people tick. (1361/2000 characters)
2. An important aspect of Occidental that appeals to me is its small campus environment. I feel that with this type of atmosphere will help me receive the attention I need to excel in my education. Since Oxy is a small school, I like the sense of community that comes along with it. I want to build relationships not only with my classmates but also with my professors, because I don't want to be a passing face or the girl in the third row. I feel that attending a small liberal school will teach me skills that will help me in my career. Another aspect that lures me to Occidental is its location. It is in southern California, and that means diversity which is something that is very important to me. I like meeting people who come from different cultures and places because I get the opportunity to learn something new. I also like that Oxy is near Los Angeles, my home, without being caught in the hustle and bustle of the city. (938/2000 characters)
3. Choose a book you have read in the last year that most affected you and clarify its effect.
3. In the last year, the Harry Potter franchise has been slowly winding down. Being a fan since childhood, I am both excited and upset by this. I decided to reread the last book in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, again. I remember as a child, I always thought the books were amazing simply because of the magic that the books entailed. When I reread the book, I was able to see things from a different perspective. The bravery and courage that the characters possess is truly inspiring. They leave behind everything, their families and their personal safety to fight evil for the good of the wizard world. This made me reflect on people, like policemen and firemen, who do this every day. In my English class, we learned how to look at the true meaning of stories and poetry. Knowing this, I thought long and hard about the purpose of the books. Then I stumbled upon a quote by Andrew Futral, a musician, who compared Harry Potter and the popular series, Twilight. I agreed with his view on the comparison of the books. "Harry Potter is all about confronting fears, finding inner strength, and doing what is right in the face of adversity. Twilight is about how important it is to have a boyfriend." I may not be trying to save the world from evil forces, but what I have learned from Harry Potter is that if you believe in yourself, you will fulfill your destiny and accomplish great things. (1409/1500 characters)
4. While we realize your interests may change in college, what are your current academic or intellectual curiosities?
4. I have always been a curious person. I always like to learn about different new things. I have realized that when I learn something new, I tend to obsess about it. I obsess about different places in the world and their distinct cultures. Some of the places I have been interested in include England, Canada, India, and Italy to name a few. I read about the places, the way people live, its music, and I am always fascinated by the fact that there is another way of life that is completely different from mine. Also, since I was little girl, my parents made me take a variety of dance classes. I did tap, ballet, hip-hop and jazz. These are considered the basic forms of dance in the US, but I went further. I was always very eager to learn different forms of dance. Thanks to me persistence, I also took belly dancing, Korean fan dancing, folklorico, and some Irish dancing. Learning the traditional dances of other countries was an amazing way to learn about different cultures. Another thing that intrigues me is people and their minds. Why do people act the way they do? This question has always perplexed me. I think about why people respond to situations differently. I try to imagine what goes on through people's heads when they make an important decision. This is the main reason I am interested in psychology. I want to know what makes people tick. (1361/2000 characters)