• Watching my grandmother get progressively weaker; not wanting to believe the doctors' diagnosis of terminal cancer and the prediction that she would live only for another year; separated by thousands of miles from my parents, who had moved to the United States while I stayed in China with my grandmother -- I lived a life so different from that of the average seventeen-year-old. In addition to caring for my grandmother, I was going to school and preparing for my final exams, the equivalent of the SATs. Grandmother died on the day that I took the exam. Of the one million students who took the exam that day, I was ranked thirty-fourth and won the national merit scholarship. And yet I was in a state of complete shock: my grandmother was gone and I felt paralyzed. But eventually my memories of her inspired me to make a genuine difference in the lives of others. I decided to pursue a career in medicine.

• I joined the rest of my family in the U.S. and within six months was enrolled in the honors program at Mississippi State. Since there is no pre-med major, I was able to major in any subject and still complete the pre-med requirements; I was advised to major in Philosophy or Drama to boost my GPA. Instead, I decided to major in Math, a subject I've always enjoyed. Though many people told me I must be crazy and that my background would not have sufficiently prepared me for the difficulty ofthe pre-med classes, I have earned A-plusses in all of the ten math courses I have taken so far, five of which were advanced classes.

• I have concentrated on opportunities that will prepare me for studies in clinical medicine, oncology and geriatrics. I learned of a prestigious research fellowship at ____________ and, although it was open only to upperclassmen, I applied and was accepted. I have taken honors classes in biology and have enjoyed the research work I've done.

• Keeping in mind that my goal is ultimately to help people, I've also devoted a portion of my time to volunteer opportunities: I tutored math for high school students in my neighborhood and recently became a part-time volunteer at Memorial Hospital. It was terribly difficult for me to leave China and create a completely new life after the death of my grandmother. I missed her, and my friends, and my home country. But I would remember my grandmother's saying: "All things are possible to him who believes. They are less difficult to him who hopes. They are more easy to him who loves, and still more to him who perseveres in the practice of the three virtues." I know that I have the love, hope and faith to succeed in anything to which I turn my energies.

¡ó Business

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• My family owned and operated a jewelry business for 8 years, since I was 10 years old. I grew up with this store, among the earrings and ornaments, always surrounded by things made from a unique substance called gold. Gold is a well-known element, atomic number 79; of course, everyone knows of its international monetary value. However, gold also has a deeply personal resonance; and upon closer examination, this material provides an emblematic picture of my past, my future, and what I offer Yale University.

• Gold is a soft, yellow metal. It is extremely ductile, the most malleable metal there is. I exhibit similar qualities, as I also adapt to the demands of my environment. I am Persian, though I was born in Lebanon and later came to the United States; upon arrival here, I had to face the challenge of learning the English language. I had to take a new shape in order to excel in unfamiliar surroundings. In addition, I again transformed by beginning to learn my native Farsi language in order to further mold my cultural identity.

¡ó Mechanical ?

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• Yet gold is not always a shifting, malleable metal; it is hardened by alloying with other metals, increasing its strength. I hope to go through a corresponding process at Yale. I want to become a more solid citizen through exposure to other viewpoints and cultures, and by offering my own. I will mix with new perspectives; I will alloy with my fellow students, with my professors, and with the learning that both groups impart in order to become stronger academically, socially, and culturally.

• Moreover, gold is a corrosion-resistant metal. I feel my past exhibits the characteristics of this material in that I avoided corrosion of my mind and body through active academic and athletic participation. In high school, I was president of the student body and head of the study group division. I became an Eagle Scout and was a member of the school's flag hoisting brigade. I also played tennis competitively, swam, and played racquetball. Through these experiences, I have gained the necessary leadership skills and exhibited unflagging responsibility to ensure a corrosion-free body and spirit.

¡ó Metal

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• Finally, gold parallels my goals for the future. It is one of the most conductive metals, extremely well suited for carrying an electric current. I, too, aim to conduct another kind of electricity--political organization, by pursuing a degree in Political Science at Yale. I have a distinct ambition to learn about this subject, especially in regard to Constitutional Law and parliamentary processes.

• For me, gold's value rests in its qualities and intricacies, in the way its characteristics echo my past accomplishments and represent my ambitions and goals. Adaptability, a willingness to gain new perspectives and knowledge, a corrosion-resisting makeup, and a readiness to excel are all revealed in me though a close look at this seemingly simple element. I hope to bring this gold to Yale University.

¡ó Literature

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• In his poem, The Road Not Taken, Robert Frost wrote, "Two roads diverge in the woods, and I took the one least traveled by/ And that has made all the difference." In this poem, the narrator had a choice of two roads. However, I've discovered that life is a little more complicated. Sometimes the path we embark on is not always the one we choose. Sometimes we are pushed or pulled in certain directions and we have to react to our environment.

• My path to a college education has been filled with bumps, potholes, detours and roadblocks. The signs often read "yield" and "do not enter." The path has not always been clear, but I've kept my eyes opened, focused on the road ahead, and the experience has made all the difference.

• During my freshman year in high school, my mother remarried and I had to move from Colorado to Kentucky. One year later, we relocated back to Colorado after they divorced. During my junior year in high school, my mother remarried again and I had to change schools again, although we remained in Colorado. Thus, I did not have a sense of continuity during high school and although I recognized that my path would lead me to college, I was not ready to commit myself to school full time. Instead I went to work full time as a grocery clerk and worked my way up to assistant manager. I then moved into customer service work and finally fell into an advertising manager position. I took several night courses during this period until I was ready to commit to school full time. Although I could have continued with work, I knew that it was not what I wanted to do and once I committed myself to attending school and realized that I wanted to study Sociology, I have proven myself to be an above average student. This past year, I earned all "A"s in my courses.

• Although it took me a bit longer to complete my undergraduate education, I consider it to be my greatest success. I paid for it, I struggled through it, and I gave up a great deal of my life for it. I also realize that my educational path is not complete. I believe that my struggles, perseverance, and triumph through my undergraduate studies qualify me as an excellent Ph.D candidate in your Political Sociology department.

• When I was growing up, whenever the phone would ring, my mother would say, "the doctor is in." I believe that one of my strengths lie in the way I communicate and deal with children. I think that we must become active listeners in order to understand each other. During my internship with the Instititute for Social Justice, I worked with inmates on research for alternative social models of punishment. In order to do the job effectively, I needed to empathize with the inmates so that I could understand their concerns and needs and remedy any self-destructive conduct they exhibit. The work also involved an all out hunt on my part to place these inmates into environments and programs that would prove healthy for them.

• I maintained a working relationship with my friends at the Institute and checked their progress weekly. I believe that the power to empathize, or the ability to put yourself in someone else's place begins with an open mind. When I say that we must become active listeners in order to understand one another, I mean to say that there are subtle movements in our speech, certain words that we use, certain utterances that are not directed towards us, certain circumstances unrevealed to us. We must endeavor to hear all of them. I believe that this skill will help me greatly as a Ph.D candidate in your department.

• In 1997, my mother was diagnosed with lupus. I was enrolled in a full course load but I dropped three classes so that I could spend more time with my mother and comfort her as much as I could. I felt so helpless because I did not know how to help her. I resolved to know more about the disease, I attended Lupus support group meetings and found out about a diet that helps regulate the body's immune system. I also talked to several neurologists and researched several drugs that were FDA approved. Through our collective effort, we found a terrific drug and the disease has stabilized for almost a year. This experience has taught me that even if a subject is miles away from the reach of your contemplation, you can learn much from research and from the knowledge and experience of others.

• And as I offer myself as a Ph.D candidate in your Political Sociology department, I bring to the table years of work experience which includes steady and continuous promotions, an unrelenting pursuit for knowledge, a compassion for children and people, and a belief that anything is possible if we can actively imagine it into existence. Throughout my adult life, I never lost my path and I hope that you will allow me to continue this path at the University of Nebraska.

¡ó Law School

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• Allowing one's personal aspirations to fall victim to life's hardships may be a desirable solution, but also a costly sacrifice. It takes perseverance, drive and passion to rise above difficulties, and a long-term goal always serves as a light at the end of a seemingly never-ending tunnel. My goal is simple: intellectual enrichment and the use of my knowledge to help those in need of a helping hand. My life experiences have helped me to appreciate the value of this goal, and I look forward to reaching it.

• Perhaps it was my father who first inspired my thirst for knowledge. A sharecropper in a small Alabama town, he never ceased to emphasize the value of a good education to his eleven children. Unfortunately, I was his only child to graduate from high school. I enrolled in a small local college and pursued my education in the field of Finance. Affer two years, it became apparent that my family's budget could no longer support my education. My thirst, however, lingered on.

¡ó Law School

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• In order to reach the educational plateaus I desired, I needed to support myself. I relocated to Omaha and was successful in obtaining employment at a finance company. My job afforded me the opportunity to meet many attorneys who inspired me to consider a legal career. I proceeded to enroll in night classes, working toward a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice. My educational pursuits were interrupted once again when marriage crossed my path.

• Raising a family became a very demanding task, but I continued to pursue my studies. Before long, however, my status changed to a single mother. Following the divorce, I had to work full-time to support my two sons. I still managed to make time for classes. I was also involved in community service, serving the African American community by participating in the _______________ Scholarship Pageant as a recruiter/mentor and in the Black Women's Network as a member and co-chair of the honoree selection committee. While I excelled in my job, eventually becoming a Mortgage Counselor, I was not satisfied. Every time I fully dedicated myself to my studies, something had stopped me. I remained thirsty, and more willing than ever to finish what I had started long ago. Last year, I was finally able to obtain a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology.

¡ó Law School

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• Now is the time. My sons have grown up and are able to support themselves. I am ready to embark on the final, and perhaps most difficult part of my long journey: Law School. My initial perseverance and drive has evolved with every barrier I overcame. I can confidently say that Law School will be a welcome challenge, one which I plan to face with my arsenal of experience, passion, dedication, and discipline. My experience as a single working mother has provided me with a sense of responsibility which every lawyer must possess. Passion and desire are the internal instincts that have brought me this far in life, and are the core characteristics that I rely on to carry me through Law School. Similarly, I have displayed my dedication in many different areas, including motherhood, employment, community service, and education. Finally, all my experiences have taught me that discipline is necessary to get to the next level.

• I am Janet Smith. I believe myself to be a strong candidate for admission to Law School. The well of knowledge that Law School offers is the goal I have pursued all my life. It has taken me many years, but I have finally arrived. I am ready. I am willing. I am still thirsty.

¡ó Law School

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• "The business of the law is to make sense of the confusion of what we call human life¡Xto reduce it to order but at the same time to give it possibility, scope, even dignity."

• In 1972, the American poet Archibald MacLeish wrote these words in the Harvard Law Review. In 1997, I read these words. At that point, the challenge and lure of the law crystallized before me, and I now see the ideals of MacLeish¡¦s vision as my own.

• MacLeish envisions the law as providing a sense of possibility, or hope, and I identify with this. Coming from a financially disadvantaged childhood, I had to put forth serious effort in overcoming financial and personal adversity and focusing on the importance of family and education. Without a sense of the unlimited possibilities ahead of me, my goals would never have been taken seriously¡Xby myself or by others¡Xand I would not have followed them to completion. Through my sense of possibility, I took my place on the Honor Rolls for fall 1996 and 1997 at the University of Maryland at Baltimore. I also served as vice president for the Pre-Law Club at the University. In addition, the ability to attack my goals with a sense of hope, rather than with trepidation, led me to found and preside over the Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law chapter at UMD, giving me the chance to demonstrate my skills in recruiting, presentation, and organization.

¡ó Law School

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• "The business of the law is to make sense of the confusion of what we call human life¡Xto reduce it to order but at the same time to give it possibility, scope, even dignity."

• In 1972, the American poet Archibald MacLeish wrote these words in the Harvard Law Review. In 1997, I read these words. At that point, the challenge and lure of the law crystallized before me, and I now see the ideals of MacLeish¡¦s vision as my own.

• MacLeish envisions the law as providing a sense of possibility, or hope, and I identify with this. Coming from a financially disadvantaged childhood, I had to put forth serious effort in overcoming financial and personal adversity and focusing on the importance of family and education. Without a sense of the unlimited possibilities ahead of me, my goals would never have been taken seriously¡Xby myself or by others¡Xand I would not have followed them to completion. Through my sense of possibility, I took my place on the Honor Rolls for fall 1996 and 1997 at the University of Maryland at Baltimore. I also served as vice president for the Pre-Law Club at the University. In addition, the ability to attack my goals with a sense of hope, rather than with trepidation, led me to found and preside over the Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law chapter at UMD, giving me the chance to demonstrate my skills in recruiting, presentation, and organization.

¡ó Graduate School

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• Well, perhaps Mr. Twain didn't see the beauty of numbers the way that I do. Because ever since grade school, mathematics has been my favorite subject. And once I was in college and could focus on many areas of math, I realized that I had a genuine interest to applying mathematical and statistical theories to real-world concerns. Hey, even Twain the skeptic realized the importance of balancing the cargo on shallow, difficult-to-navigate riverboats so that the port and starboardsides were equally laden -- he even advised the captains to part their hair down the middle so that the weight was perfectly distributed!

• I find a similar pleasure in seeing the numbers "come out right." When I first entered the work force, starting out in the actuarial area, the areas of my day-to-day work that I most enjoyed were researching and analyzing data so that I could logically apply the information to the business opportunity at hand. Consequently, I realized that the most prudent path to accomplishing this would be to further my education in the advanced studies of statistics and I have been preparing myself by taking a year of higher-level math and statistics courses at Ohio State. I've maintained a 4.0 GPA, and am confident that pursuing a Ph.D. and later entering a career in statistical consulting or teaching is the right step for me.

¡ó Graduate School

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• I'd like to focus on two qualities that I know will help me to succeed in graduate school and in my chosen field. First, I go after what I want and don't stop until I get it. And second, I quite genuinely find research and analysis fascinating and enjoy doing that kind of work. My strategy in attaining success is to identify my goal, figure out the best way to attain it, and then do it. When I was an undergraduate, I wanted to start my own business. I assessed my skills and founded CalcWizards, a mathematics tutorial service. I developed and marketed the service to other students and taught all disciplines of mathematics, from beginning through advanced. Not only was my business a financial success, but I really enjoyed the time I spent teaching others. This go-get-it attitude served me well in my career at Cigna Life Insurance as well.

• Looking back, I am proud of the many professional successes I've enjoyed: the marketing packages I developed were used by all members of the Pensions sales force; key clients who were going to leave Cigna decided to stay because of the efforts I made to provide them with the best service and information; the company created the position of __________ specifically for me because of my mastery of both the financial and personal communication aspects of the job. My efforts were both recognized and appreciated, and I was rapidly promoted because I consistently went above and beyond the traditional responsibilities and expectations of my job. Most significantly, I received the Above and Beyond Quality Award, which is given to, at most, one person per year -- three times in five years. But the most important aspect of my job at Cigna was the research and training that I did. The vast majority of my time was spent researching and analyzing pension fund information and then presenting this data to our sales directors and clients. I also used the results of my research to create marketing packages, such as the one mentioned above, which was used by our sales force, and a package used by our Diversified Portfolio Management product and included equity, real estate, fixed-income and short term-funds.

• I am eager to start the work that will bring me my Ph.D. in statistics. I am also looking forward to continuing my investigation of how I can apply mathematical theories in the real world. Mark Twain may despair of my chosen career, but I agree with Thomas Carlyle, who said, "Blessed is he who has found his work; let him ask no other blessedness."

¡ó Law School

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• "The business of the law is to make sense of the confusion of what we call human life¡Xto reduce it to order but at the same time to give it possibility, scope, even dignity."

• In 1972, the American poet Archibald MacLeish wrote these words in the Harvard Law Review. In 1997, I read these words. At that point, the challenge and lure of the law crystallized before me, and I now see the ideals of MacLeish¡¦s vision as my own.

• MacLeish envisions the law as providing a sense of possibility, or hope, and I identify with this. Coming from a financially disadvantaged childhood, I had to put forth serious effort in overcoming financial and personal adversity and focusing on the importance of family and education. Without a sense of the unlimited possibilities ahead of me, my goals would never have been taken seriously¡Xby myself or by others¡Xand I would not have followed them to completion. Through my sense of possibility, I took my place on the Honor Rolls for fall 1996 and 1997 at the University of Maryland at Baltimore. I also served as vice president for the Pre-Law Club at the University. In addition, the ability to attack my goals with a sense of hope, rather than with trepidation, led me to found and preside over the Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law chapter at UMD, giving me the chance to demonstrate my skills in recruiting, presentation, and organization.

¡ó International

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• My education in New York has allowed me to find so many new aspects of my self, my cultures (my two cultures of East and West), and my languages. My time here has also allowed me to see how each of these aspects relates to the others. Because of the rewards I have already gained, I hope to continue my education here. I am particularly drawn to Vassar College for a number of reasons. I want to stay in New York, near my guardian and younger brother. I also feel that Vassar¡¦s size is ideal. Your student-faculty ratio of 12 to 1 is a very important advantage for me, and I think I would benefit immensely from such focused academic study.

• Finally, an undergraduate place at Vassar would allow me to experience a true liberal arts education in arts and sciences, because I think the undergraduate years should be spent on a broad amount of subject matter. I am currently enrolled in AP physics and AP computer science courses, and I hope to continue to pursue study in the natural sciences and in computer science (which is very important wherever you are in the world today). In addition, study at Vassar will allow my interest in languages and communication to flourish and grow. I want to learn more in the field of foreign language, especially Chinese and Japanese. I am also interested in Vassar¡¦s B.A. in Communication program, and I am particularly interested in the areas of Public Relations and/or Speech Communication. I would love to take courses through this department, for example, courses like Interpersonal Communications, Intercultural Communications, and Communications Theory. I may want to explore communication as it relates to computer science and technology as well.

• Vassar University has all the opportunities I am looking for in continuing my education, developing my identity, and contributing culturally and academically. I hope the language here, the written words of English of this essay, have enough power to communicate my desire and readiness to attend Vassar and excel there.