You have already told us about yourself in the Common Application, with its list of activities, the Short Answer, and the Personal Essay. While we leave the topic of your second essay entirely up to you, try telling us something about yourself that you believe we cannot learn elsewhere in your application. Please limit yourself to fewer than 500 words.
Some of my friends call me a music snob. I prefer the term "aficionado." However, you are more apt to notice times when I listen to music that normally I would mock. These "impurities" within my music collection have their appointed occasion. When I am plowing through a tedious calculus assignment or a copious amount of reading for lit - and I feel my eyelids drooping -nothing energizes me more than listening to a little bit of Latin pop. In my iTunes library, between the legendary Pete Seeger and eclectic Paul Simon, lies the electrifying Paulina Rubio. Around eight o'clock each night, she moves to the front of the queue. Be warned: I am not a passive listener. When I put on Dylan or The Boss, my feet respond to the rhythm. When I listen to Latin pop, I am compelled to dance. For a few exhilarating minutes, my body breaks loose from its usual rigid form -- my extremities flowing freely, albeit not exactly gracefully. I am like a marionette controlled by the puppet master of the raw, primitive beat. My hips don't lie. With spatula microphone in hand, and my socks sliding along the kitchen floor, I sing along to the music. What my voice lacks in talent, it makes up for in volume. When the song ends, my alter ego regresses to its previous calm, studious state - with only the sweat on my brow hinting at the moment of Jekyll and Hyde transformation. As my heart rate finally begins to slow, and the reverberations in my ears begin to fade, I return to my homework. The adrenaline and endorphins provide clarity of mind, renewing my concentration on the task at hand. And they say Mozart makes you smarter...
It only 300 words (200 words short of the limit). I think it answers the prompt well. They definitely would not see this side of me in the rest of the application. What do you think?
you are more apt to notice times - avoid the use of "you"
amount of reading for lit - a bit informal, spell out lit, remember you audience. (they are most likely ivy graduate with an english degree, and middle aged)
Simon, lies - no need for comma
My hips don't lie. - I get your goal, but try to incorporate that in the previous sentence. It's awkward since you directly move to singing.
I sing along to the music - take out "to", or "along". yea, take out along since you used it in the last segment.
like your JH reference
Mozart as well.
Length? no worry, it's an extra essay anyway, it embodies your "specialty"
