Hi, I intend to apply to Bryn Mawr College in RD. Can you have a look through my supplement essay? Thank you so much!
Topic: The Bryn Mawr Honor Code and Self-Government Association (SGA) affirm the importance of our academic and social communities. In your response please reflect on how you see the Honor Code and/or SGA shaping your experience at Bryn Mawr.
The Honor Code
"Veracity may count against you in this sophisticated society." I have heard many of my relatives saying this, and recounted the stories about the truthfulness being misunderstood on some papers recently. I have once feared whether maintaining the integrity would put me at the disadvantaged position when I myself witnessed cases of my friends cheating and achieving better grades than me. Fortunately my firm belief in the saying "A clean hand wants no washing" has enabled me to continue such laudable quality and adhere to the belief of a society where everybody connects and communicates on the ethics of trust. In the long run, I have not a clue whether this ideal society would come true. Yet in the next four years, I see this image in Bryn Mawr College where the Honor Code places integrity as the primary quality of all students. In this open yet closely-knit environment of sisterhood, I can see myself proudly use integrity as the guiding star for all my course of actions. Moreover, since I choose Economics as my career, Bryn Mawr will act as no better a place to practice the most essential requirement in this field.
Born into a Confucianism-stressed family, I am supposed to follow the predetermined set of rules. Girls like me are required to take care of the family, do housework and not to break out of the norm. My parents, despite wanting me to utilize what modern society has endowed upon me and being faithful in my ability to succeed, is more or less opposed to the image of undaunted, dynamic girl who would never cease to challenge social beliefs. However, last year I have made a decision that went against those regulations, by daring to move to HCMC alone despite rumors from acquaintances. At Bryn Mawr, the self-government association allows me to make more decisions that allow me to explore my maximum potential, to foster feminism in the safe belief that my sisters would be there, respect my choice and encourage my freedom to pave the way for intellectual and social growth. Here the advice I receive through communication and discussion will serve as a means to extend my boundaries, and as a stimulus to push me forward and prepare me for the unexpected. Additionally I will not only shape my college experience at Bryn Mawr but also give a helping hand in others' process of learning as well in that I am simultaneously responsible for my development and my peers', Bryn Mawr's advancement.Holt Educational Consultant - / 14,835 
4783 Phuong, your response is very applicable to the prompt. However, I believe that the reviewer will want to see some solid example of how you will live by the integrity code of the university. Rather than simply stating the story about the cheating that you saw in high school, you should add to that information by saying that thanks to the Honor Code, you know that you will have recourse should one of the student cheat and pass a test which say, you might fail or get a lower score on even though you did your best to prepare for it. Knowing that the honor code is there to support you in doing the right thing is important, specially in situations where you may be asked by your peers to turn a blind eye to what happened.
Now, with regard to the SAG, you seem to have a misunderstanding about what it is all about. The SAG is the student government of Bryn Mawr. As such, the government exists to help the students navigate the constitution of the university that is based upon the honor code. Therefore, they are there to guide you based upon preset rules. The SAG doesn't allow you to just act in any way you wish, which is what you imply in your current essay. Reverse the dialogue. The self-government means that the students govern themselves prior to the school administration taking action. So consider how the student government can help guide you towards becoming a exemplary Bryn Mawr student, don't make the mistake of thinking that the SAG will allow you so much freedom that you will unsupervised. That is not the case. So you may want to reconsider the meaning of that second paragraph before you finalize the essay.
