For Freshman Applicants only: Describe the courses of study and the unique characteristics of the University of Pennsylvania that most interest you. Why do these interests make you a good match for Penn?
"To not know what happened before you were born is to live forever as a child!" This quote by the great Roman orator Cicero sums up my philosophy towards history. I know many people find the subject mundane and pointless, but I believe that only by understanding the past can we understand the present. People will always be influenced by the past; that much is certain.
My passion for history stems from the fact that it is one of the few subjects which allow, indeed encourages, debate amongst its participants. This factor makes it stand out amongst nearly every other subject. In Mathematics, for example: there is no question about the validity that one and one is two. Mathematically it can be proven and it cannot be disputed. Some people prefer this method of proof when faced with a question to answer. However, I personally prefer a subject where I can hear both sides of an argument before drawing a conclusion and making a judgment. The beauty of history is that it provides for this methodology. The analysis of historical facts, in an attempt to answer the why of anything, is always debatable. Historians are very rarely impartial to a historical event, and so any conclusion a historian may come up with is nearly always followed by a lengthy and fiery debate about its validity. Only the facts remain relatively certain; however even the same facts can be presented in a different light to favour a different argument.
Being an aspiring history student, I was first attracted to UPenn due to its role in shaping the history of the United States and its own tradition as one of the top schools in the world whilst researching for prospective universities at the end of last year. As the fourth oldest institution of higher education in the US, I found out that Benjamin Franklin founded Penn to provide a secular and practical education for young people. This was a revolutionary idea at the time, as the other four colleges in existence at the time were all schools for educating clergy. The United States is unique as a country, as it has remained a democratic and relatively stable country since its founding. How many countries can you say that about? The chance that the US would have fallen to authoritarianism or disintegrated entirely was huge; the role Benjamin Franklin played in keeping America free for its people was enormous. He was also successful in establishing the ideals which many Americans hold dear even now - a love for freedom, hard work, opposition to authoritarianism and community spirit. These are ideals that I can identify with greatly and I hope to be part of a community founded on these principles. Thus, I believe that I will thrive in a community like Penn's.
UPenn's particular emphasis on diversity also struck me as unique. As a Chinese Canadian living in the international metropolis of Hong Kong, I believe I understand more then most the importance of cultural diversity. As Penn has an exceptionally large international student body, I believe I will not only fit in easier, but have more opportunities to expose myself to different cultures and races. We live in an increasingly globalized society, with the advent of the internet and rapid development of transport. As a history student, I know that prejudice and discrimination would inevitably lead to hatred and conflict. Despite the progress we have made towards a more broad minded and accepting society, racism is still rampant throughout much of the world. Being part of a diverse university will allow me to understand better the different cultures of the world, and subsequently their history. Seeing historical events through their eyes will allow me to gain a different perspective. I wish for this opportunity to gain knowledge in an effort to enlighten the world.
"To not know what happened before you were born is to live forever as a child!" This quote by the great Roman orator Cicero sums up my philosophy towards history. I know many people find the subject mundane and pointless, but I believe that only by understanding the past can we understand the present. People will always be influenced by the past; that much is certain.
My passion for history stems from the fact that it is one of the few subjects which allow, indeed encourages, debate amongst its participants. This factor makes it stand out amongst nearly every other subject. In Mathematics, for example: there is no question about the validity that one and one is two. Mathematically it can be proven and it cannot be disputed. Some people prefer this method of proof when faced with a question to answer. However, I personally prefer a subject where I can hear both sides of an argument before drawing a conclusion and making a judgment. The beauty of history is that it provides for this methodology. The analysis of historical facts, in an attempt to answer the why of anything, is always debatable. Historians are very rarely impartial to a historical event, and so any conclusion a historian may come up with is nearly always followed by a lengthy and fiery debate about its validity. Only the facts remain relatively certain; however even the same facts can be presented in a different light to favour a different argument.
Being an aspiring history student, I was first attracted to UPenn due to its role in shaping the history of the United States and its own tradition as one of the top schools in the world whilst researching for prospective universities at the end of last year. As the fourth oldest institution of higher education in the US, I found out that Benjamin Franklin founded Penn to provide a secular and practical education for young people. This was a revolutionary idea at the time, as the other four colleges in existence at the time were all schools for educating clergy. The United States is unique as a country, as it has remained a democratic and relatively stable country since its founding. How many countries can you say that about? The chance that the US would have fallen to authoritarianism or disintegrated entirely was huge; the role Benjamin Franklin played in keeping America free for its people was enormous. He was also successful in establishing the ideals which many Americans hold dear even now - a love for freedom, hard work, opposition to authoritarianism and community spirit. These are ideals that I can identify with greatly and I hope to be part of a community founded on these principles. Thus, I believe that I will thrive in a community like Penn's.
UPenn's particular emphasis on diversity also struck me as unique. As a Chinese Canadian living in the international metropolis of Hong Kong, I believe I understand more then most the importance of cultural diversity. As Penn has an exceptionally large international student body, I believe I will not only fit in easier, but have more opportunities to expose myself to different cultures and races. We live in an increasingly globalized society, with the advent of the internet and rapid development of transport. As a history student, I know that prejudice and discrimination would inevitably lead to hatred and conflict. Despite the progress we have made towards a more broad minded and accepting society, racism is still rampant throughout much of the world. Being part of a diverse university will allow me to understand better the different cultures of the world, and subsequently their history. Seeing historical events through their eyes will allow me to gain a different perspective. I wish for this opportunity to gain knowledge in an effort to enlighten the world.
