Biochemistry has the power to unlock key mysteries of the physical world with the potential to improve the quality of life. The close relationship between chemistry, biology, and mathematics fascinates me and I will continue to explore it as a Biochemistry and Molecular Biology major. Following my acceptance to the University of Chicago (UChicago), I have confirmed my commitment to attend. During the course, I will set out to try to understand biology and chemistry leading me to learn more about the correlation between these two subjects. This will help me improve my biological insight with my professors and peers, as I would always seek a way to prove biological findings with my chemical theory. Each collaborative step will help me advance in these subjects. The University of Chicago’s rigorous education will push me to be a deep problem-solver, intellectual risk-taker, and creative thinker. UChicago stood out as a school where I would be able to continue my passion with some of the best professors and resources. This unique curriculum essentially allows me to dive into research and enroll in the courses that interest me. I could for instance read about how scientists and novels keep finding unique and new discoveries to this day, which gives me confidence that I too will use my research and revolutionize the world of biochemistry and medicine. The values and aspirations shaping the future that I desire are informed by experiences in my personal life, coursework, and extracurricular activities. My engagement with different aspects of the health field and insight from various people whose work appealed to me, including many physicians, have led me to conclude that I will likely practice medicine in an urban medical institution that serves inner-city populations. Exploring health and social issues prevalent in urban settings through my coursework as well as working with underserved communities in Pittsburgh and Concord, NH has encouraged my curiosity about inequalities around metropolitans and led to my passion to serve those disadvantaged in such arenas. I anticipate that being in the vicinity of not only numerous colleagues but also with people in arenas like public health, urban planning and government will be invaluable given my desire to address macro-level issues while practicing medicine. At UChicago, I will work to the highest standard and stretch myself as much as I can. I am certain that the UChicago education is perfect for me, especially as I aspire to pursue the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine's Professional Option Program in Medicine. I am drawn to the idea of pursuing medicine in an urban community because of the implications it will have regarding the relational aspect of practicing. The voice afforded to those with whom we communicate directly is extremely informative and powerful, so the links between my superiors, colleagues, patients, other relevant individuals, and myself available to me by being in an urban institution will leave me informed of their unique perspectives. Diversity in others’ life experiences, which is likely to be high in a major city, will allow me to be more knowledgeable about the skillful role I can play as a physician.

The study of mathematics and sciences has intrigued me for many years. The decision to study honors and advanced sciences in both math, biology, chemistry, and physics stemmed from a high-interest level and strong aptitude in these subject areas. This was reflected in the latest transcripts I received last month, March 2022; achieving straight A grades in honors calculus, advanced molecular biology, honors physics, and organic chemistry which have inspired me further in my pursuit of the subjects. My interest has spread to computer science and trying to link them together has played a big part in my life lately. I have taught myself, using books and other available sources, how to program in HTML and this has made it possible for me to take an active role in web design. My other academic interests include medical studies, especially surgical practice, and research areas that link with sections of the computer, math, and science courses. My choice to include a humanities subject at an advanced level was partly encouraged by my need to analyze and evaluate situations, medical studies give me the chance to do this in great detail and I find it therapeutic to get involved in relevant case studies and practice. I am also taking an advanced level in General Studies which is increasing my knowledge of political and cultural issues. The subject also encourages group discussions concerning current affairs and provides me with the opportunity to input my opinions. For the last few years, I have been a member of a St. Paul’s School program running locally within the community. In June 2021 I campaigned for the resident assistant position of the largest dormitory on campus and am now leading my fellow resident assistants. This has given me a lot of experience in teamwork, problem-solving, and maintaining a high level of responsibility. These qualities have been taken on into a successful work experience placement in the summer of 2021 and my part-time job as a sales/management assistant at respectable retail Goodwill and McDonald’s stores. I have enjoyed my time in the sixth form and have taken pleasure from both the academic and extra-curricular activities. I feel that I possess the qualities required to continue computer sciences, sciences, and math to higher levels and combine it with modules that both interest me now and in areas that I hope to build on whilst at university. I am confident that this enthusiasm will combine with my strong determination and motivation, enabling me to succeed in the challenges that university presents.

I began violin lessons at a young age and soon, it became clear that I was naturally talented. Practicing for hours and hours became a part of my regular routine. I have loved every aspect of what it takes to compete and perform. In some of my concerts, I have been somewhat frustrated with my performance, but I always worked as hard as I could, so I took these setbacks in stride. While I have underperformed in concerts in the past, I envisioned them as short-term failures that I could overcome in the future through perseverance. Then, I auditioned for the Three Rivers Young Peoples Orchestras (TRYPO), one of the most prestigious youth orchestras in Pennsylvania. I had practiced for months, spending hours and hours perfecting every bar of the pieces I was asked to play. If I got into TRYPO, I knew that it would be the biggest accomplishment of my life, and I would have been the youngest person to join it. When I practiced alone 10 minutes before the audition, I was playing beautifully, and I was incredibly confident. I entered the room, picked up my violin, looked at the judges in front of me, and instantly became terrified. I started telling myself that the other violinists walking past me surely did better than I could and that it was impossible for me to be accepted into such a prominent orchestra. The moment I put my bow on the violin, I started to sweat, and my hands began to shake. I started to play the first piece and my dozens of hours of practice went out the window. I started to play as if I had not practiced in weeks and when I put my violin down, I knew that I had failed. Three weeks later, just as I thought, I got the email that I was rejected from TRYPO. Because of my intense nervousness, my hard work became useless. I became incredibly disappointed in myself and knew that I had to make it into the orchestra next year to redeem myself. A few months later, I began to prepare for next year’s audition. I recognized that in my last audition, my nervousness led me to underperform, so I looked for opportunities to get out of my comfort zone by performing solo. I played at my school and at various nursing homes, weddings, community functions, memorial services, churches, and family gatherings. I walked into the auditioning room confidently and with a smile on my face. I knew that I had overcome my nervousness and it would never prevent me from achieving my dreams again. This time, when I put my bow on the violin, I was confident and excited to show the judges how much I had improved since my underwhelming performance last year. I proceeded to play both pieces nearly flawlessly and I was sure that I would be asked to join the orchestras. I looked at the judges and they were shocked to see my improvement and even cheered and congratulated me. I was not surprised when three weeks later, I was told that I would be starting in the first violin section in September. My ability to view my failures as opportunities, not obstacles, is what enabled me to accomplish my goal of playing in TRYPO and it has helped me overcome numerous other problems as well. It opened the gateway for me to become TRYPO principal and later my current school orchestra concertmaster. I am confident that learning from mistakes will help me succeed in college and beyond.

The values and aspirations shaping the future that I desire are informed by experiences in my personal life, coursework, and extracurricular activities. My engagement with different aspects of the health field and insight from various people whose work appealed to me, including many physicians, have led me to conclude that I will likely practice medicine in an urban medical institution that serves inner-city populations. Most importantly, the initial encouragement my mother has had on me has laid a solid foundation for my decision to pursue medicine to touch the lives of humanity including the protection of the unborn ones. My interests in technological advancement and translational research in the medical field are part of the reason why I foresee myself in a metropolitan setting. The transfer of knowledge from a laboratory context to a clinical one and then, if appropriate, to non-medical institutions such as schools and public health entities are more conducive in a major city where there are likely to be more opportunities given the sheer number of people and organizations. Another motive for me to be a physician in the context of a city is that I believe it will allow me to advocate for social justice in a distinctive manner. In every geographic setting people’s life, chances are subject to a wide array of uncontrollable determinants that undermine quality, but I sense that the combination of the challenges and resources particular to an urban setting will create a context in which my strengths and efforts could reach their maximum potential. Exploring health and social issues prevalent in urban settings through my coursework as well as working with underserved communities in Pittsburgh, PA, and Concord, NH has encouraged my curiosity about inequalities around metropolitans and led to my passion to serve those disadvantaged in such areas. I anticipate that being in the vicinity of not only numerous colleagues but also with people in arenas like public health, urban planning, and the government will be invaluable given my desire to address macro-level issues while practicing medicine. Last but by no means least, I am drawn to the idea of pursuing medicine in an urban community because of the implications it will have in regard to the relational aspect of practicing. The voice afforded to those with whom we communicate directly is extremely informative and powerful, so the interconnections between my superiors, colleagues, patients, other relevant individuals, and myself available to me by being in an urban institution will leave me thoughtful of their unique perspectives. Diversity in others’ life experiences, which is likely to be high in a major city, will allow me to be more knowledgeable about the informed role I can play as a physician. As touched upon earlier, my desire to connect myself with influential people in both medicine and other relevant fields will be facilitated by being in an urban area where they are more likely to be or frequent. Since my vision is solely that--a vision, I am still open-minded about where I end up, but as of right now the likelihood that I will practice medicine as a surgeon-researcher in an urban setting is high, and to preserve the lives of the unborn ones.

The values and aspirations shaping the future that I desire are informed by experiences in my personal life, coursework, and extracurricular activities. My engagement with different aspects of the health field and insight from various people whose work appealed to me, including many physicians, have led me to conclude that I will likely practice medicine in an urban medical institution that serves inner-city populations. Most importantly, the initial encouragement my mother have had on me has laid a solid foundation for my decision to pursue medicine (practice as a surgeon and a researcher). My interests in technological advancement and translational research in the medical field are part of the reason why I foresee myself in a metropolitan setting. The transfer of knowledge from a laboratory context to a clinical one and then, if appropriate, to non-medical institutions such as schools and public health entities are more conducive in a major city where there are likely to be more opportunities given the sheer number of people and organizations. Another motive for me to be a physician in the context of a city is that I believe it will allow me to advocate for social justice in a distinctive manner. In every geographic setting people’s life, chances are subject to a wide array of uncontrollable determinants that undermine quality, but I sense that the combination of the challenges and resources particular to an urban setting will create a context in which my strengths and efforts could reach their maximum potential. Exploring health and social issues prevalent in urban settings through my coursework as well as working with underserved communities in Pittsburgh, PA, and Concord, NH has encouraged my curiosity about inequalities around metropolitans and led to my passion to serve those disadvantaged in such areas. I anticipate that being in the vicinity of not only numerous colleagues but also with people in arenas like public health, urban planning, and the government will be invaluable given my desire to address macro-level issues while practicing medicine. Last but by no means least, I am drawn to the idea of pursuing medicine in an urban community because of the implications it will have in regard to the relational aspect of practicing. The voice afforded to those with whom we communicate directly is extremely informative and powerful, so the interconnections between my superiors, colleagues, patients, other relevant individuals, and myself available to me by being in an urban institution will leave me thoughtful of their unique perspectives. Diversity in others’ life experiences, which is likely to be high in a major city, will allow me to be more knowledgeable about the informed role I can play as a physician. As touched upon earlier, my desire to connect myself with influential people in both medicine and other relevant fields will be facilitated by being in an urban area where they are more likely to be or frequent. Since my vision is solely that--a vision, I am still open-minded about where I end up, but as of right now the likelihood that I will practice medicine as a surgeon-researcher in an urban setting is high. This will inevitably be true not only because of the enormity of my mom's influence on me but because I am truly determined to touch many lives in my community, society, and across the globe.

The values and aspirations shaping the future that I desire are informed by experiences in my personal life, coursework, and extracurricular activities. My engagement with different aspects of the health field and insight from various people whose work appealed to me, including many physicians, have led me to conclude that I will likely practice medicine in an urban medical institution that serves inner-city populations. My interests in technological advancement and translational research in the medical field are part of the reason why I foresee myself in a metropolitan setting. The transfer of knowledge from a laboratory context to a clinical one and then, if appropriate, to non-medical institutions such as schools and public health entities are more conducive in a major city where there are likely to be more opportunities given the sheer number of people and organizations. Another motive for me to be a physician in the context of a city is that I believe it will allow me to advocate for social justice in a distinctive manner. In every geographic setting people’s life, chances are subject to a wide array of uncontrollable determinants that undermine quality, but I sense that the combination of the challenges and resources particular to an urban setting will create a context in which my strengths and efforts could reach their maximum potential. Exploring health and social issues prevalent in urban settings through my coursework as well as working with underserved communities in Pittsburgh, PA, and Concord, NH has encouraged my curiosity about inequalities around metropolitans and led to my passion to serve those disadvantaged in such areas. I anticipate that being in the vicinity of not only numerous colleagues but also with people in arenas like public health, urban planning, and the government will be invaluable given my desire to address macro-level issues while practicing medicine. Last but by no means least, I am drawn to the idea of pursuing medicine in an urban community because of the implications it will have in regard to the relational aspect of practicing. The voice afforded to those with whom we communicate directly is extremely informative and powerful, so the interconnections between my superiors, colleagues, patients, other relevant individuals, and myself available to me by being in an urban institution will leave me thoughtful of their unique perspectives. Diversity in others’ life experiences, which is likely to be high in a major city, will allow me to be more knowledgeable about the informed role I can play as a physician. As touched upon earlier, my desire to connect myself with influential people in both medicine and other relevant fields will be facilitated by being in an urban area where they are more likely to be or frequent. Since my vision is solely that--a vision, I am still open-minded about where I end up, but as of right now the likelihood that I will practice in an urban setting is high.

I have been among the minority on grounds such as my race, faith, and income on many occasions, but one instance which was particularly significant occurred when I volunteered at a tutoring program in a Latino community. There, my distinctiveness presented a hurdle I needed to overcome for not only myself but also the children I tutored. Only a few people could speak both English and Spanish, so after verifying key phrases and strategies for handing off responsibility when out of my league, I had the opportunity to utilize my learning from past Spanish courses. When I first was introduced, an older man waiting to be seen cracked a joke at my expense in Spanish. He did not know I spoke Spanish well. Yet I was patient enough to allow the man to continue. He was joined by six other members of his community. Rather than getting upset, I too laughed but then intentionally addressed the group in the same tongue to convey the sincerity of my intentions. Most of them were so embarrassed to know how fluently I spoke Spanish. However, my stunningly conciliatory response put them at ease. We exchanged contact information, and we finally became friends. By the time we pulled out of the area, I felt content in knowing that my willingness to be out of my comfort zone and to embrace my individuality allowed me to help deserving people receive access to invaluable literary help while forming lasting friendships in the process. 

Growing up in a South Sudanese, Kenyan, and American family of four with an autistic/ADHD brother, I have aspired to do work both with domestic and international populations from young and adult ages. Taking the personal initiative to encourage these two passions by volunteering at the Medi-Help clinic in Pittsburgh and an Orphanage Center in Nairobi, Kenya for children who lost their parents to AIDS. These opportunities connected me with physicians and the Ministry of Health to learn about HIV prevention in Africa, reaffirmed my desires and showed me the value of being intentional when seeking out opportunities to inform myself. Brown’s assets offer to foster my ambitions in intriguing ways, which will serve to enhance my current understanding and growth. Other subjects that have appealed to me and into which I hope to delve deeper are molecular biology and biochemistry. As an intern at the Medi-Help clinic, one of my projects involved exploring adolescent brain development and the translation of molecular biology research from the bench to the bedside and other arenas when applicable. My research afforded me a deeper appreciation for the medical implications at the molecular level and the related technological innovations. Although not certain of my specialty, I will take advantage of the Brown in research centers, and other initiatives to work together on shared topics in the life sciences. I will pursue a medical program because I know the insights available within that institution will empower me to provide more informed care if I'm to serve pediatric and adult populations. I'm strongly convinced that my education at one of the most selective institutions will make an intentional commitment to transform the traditional dynamics between students and institutions of higher education by encouraging learning to be a two-way street. Doing high-quality, focused education and research will promote my ambition to continually mature and challenge myself as well as allow me to particularly get the support to study the topic that I select. When coupled with the rest of the medical education offers, doing a thesis project will provide me with knowledge and skills that I can leverage to investigate different phenomena and analyze information throughout my career. I am pursuing to eventually study medicine because I am confident that its values and resources will provide a context in which I can become an excellent physician-scientist who can, in turn, serve as a catalyst for better collaborative and cooperative work in the field of medical practice, research, and personal goals I aspire to achieve and serve in the underserved population.

Growing up in a South Sudanese, Kenyan, and American family of four with an autistic/ADHD brother, I have aspired to do work both with domestic and international populations from young and adult ages. Taking the personal initiative to encourage these two passions by volunteering at the Medi-Help clinic in Pittsburgh and an Orphanage Center in Nairobi, Kenya for children who lost their parents to AIDS. These opportunities connected me with physicians and the Ministry of Health to learn about HIV prevention in Africa, reaffirmed my desires and showed me the value of being intentional when seeking out opportunities to inform myself. Brown’s assets offer to foster my ambitions in intriguing ways, which will serve to enhance my current understanding and growth. Other subjects that have appealed to me and into which I hope to delve deeper are molecular biology and biochemistry. As an intern at the Medi-Help clinic, one of my projects involved exploring adolescent brain development and the translation of molecular biology research from the bench to the bedside and other arenas when applicable. My research afforded me a deeper appreciation for the medical implications at the molecular level and the related technological innovations. Although not certain of my specialty, I will take advantage of the Brown in research centers, and other initiatives to work together on shared topics in the life sciences. I will pursue a medical program because I know the insights available within that institution will empower me to provide more informed care if I am to serve pediatric and adult populations. You too can do it. Never underestimate your potential to positively touch the lives of many of our fellow humans. I'm strongly convinced that my education at one of the most selective institutions will make an intentional commitment to transform the traditional dynamics between students and institutions of higher education by encouraging learning to be a two-way street. Doing high-quality, focused education and research will promote my ambition to continually mature and challenge myself as well as allow me to particularly get the support to study the topic that I select. When coupled with the rest of the medical education offers, doing a thesis project will provide me with knowledge and skills that I can leverage to investigate different phenomena and analyze information throughout my career. I am pursuing to eventually study medicine because I am confident that its values and resources will provide a context in which I can become an excellent physician-scientist who can, in turn, serve as a catalyst for better collaborative and cooperative work in the field of medical practice, research, and personal goals I aspire to achieve. If I can do it, you too can do so.

Growing up in a South Sudanese, Kenyan, and American family of four with an autistic/ADHD brother, I have aspired to do work both with domestic and international populations from young and adult ages. Taking the personal initiative to encourage these two passions by volunteering at the Medi-Help clinic in Pittsburgh and an Orphanage Center in Nairobi, Kenya for children who lost their parents to AIDS. These opportunities connected me with physicians and the Ministry of Health to learn about HIV prevention in Africa, reaffirmed my desires and showed me the value of being intentional when seeking out opportunities to inform myself. Brown’s assets offer to foster my ambitions in intriguing ways, which will serve to enhance my current understanding and growth. Other subjects that have appealed to me and into which I hope to delve deeper are molecular biology and biochemistry. As an intern at the Medi-Help clinic, one of my projects involved exploring adolescent brain development and the translation of molecular biology research from the bench to the bedside and other arenas when applicable. My research afforded me a deeper appreciation for the medical implications at the molecular level and the related technological innovations. Although not certain of my specialty, I will take advantage of the Brown in research centers, and other initiatives to work together on shared topics in the life sciences. I will pursue a medical program because I know the insights available within that institution will empower me to provide more informed care if I'm to serve pediatric and adult populations. I'm strongly convinced that my education at one of the most selective institutions will make an intentional commitment to transform the traditional dynamics between students and institutions of higher education by encouraging learning to be a two-way street. Doing high-quality, focused education and research will promote my ambition to continually mature and challenge myself as well as allow me to particularly get the support to study the topic that I select. When coupled with the rest of the medical education offers, doing a thesis project will provide me with knowledge and skills that I can leverage to investigate different phenomena and analyze information throughout my career. I am pursuing to eventually study medicine because I am confident that its values and resources will provide a context in which I can become an excellent physician-scientist who can, in turn, serve as a catalyst for better collaborative and cooperative work in the field of medical practice, research, and personal goals I aspire to achieve.

Growing up in a South Sudanese, Kenyan, and American family of four with an autistic/ADHD brother, I have aspired to do work both with domestic and international populations from young and adult ages. Taking the personal initiative to encourage these two passions by volunteering at the Medi-Help clinic in Pittsburgh and an Orphanage Center in Nairobi, Kenya for children who lost their parents to AIDS. These opportunities connected me with physicians and the Ministry of Health to learn about HIV prevention in Africa, reaffirmed my desires and showed me the value of being intentional when seeking out opportunities to inform myself. Brown’s assets offer to foster my ambitions in intriguing ways, which will serve to enhance my current understanding and growth. Other subjects that have appealed to me and into which I hope to delve deeper are molecular biology and biochemistry. As an intern at the Medi-Help clinic, one of my projects involved exploring adolescent brain development and the translation of molecular biology research from the bench to the bedside and other arenas when applicable. My research afforded me a deeper appreciation for the medical implications at the molecular level and the related technological innovations. Although not certain of my specialty, I will take advantage of the Brown in research centers, and other initiatives to work together on shared topics in the life sciences. I will pursue a medical program because I know the insights available within that institution will empower me to provide more informed care if I'm to serve pediatric and adult populations. I'm strongly convinced that my education at one of the most selective institutions will make an intentional commitment to transform the traditional dynamics between students and institutions of higher education by encouraging learning to be a two-way street. Doing high-quality, focused education and research will promote my ambition to continually mature and challenge myself as well as allow me to particularly get the support to study the topic that I select. When coupled with the rest of the medical education offers, doing a thesis project will provide me with knowledge and skills that I can leverage to investigate different phenomena and analyze information throughout my career. I am pursuing to eventually study medicine because I am confident that its values and resources will provide a context in which I can become an excellent physician-scientist who can, in turn, serve as a catalyst for better collaborative and cooperative work in the field of medical practice, research, and personal goals I aspire to achieve.

Biochemistry has the power to unlock key mysteries of the physical world with the potential to improve the quality of life. The close relationship between chemistry, biology, and mathematics fascinates me and I will continue to explore it as a Biochemistry major. During the course, I will set out to try to understand biology and chemistry leading me to learn more about the correlation between these two subjects. This will help me improve my biological insight with my professors and peers, as I would always seek a way to prove biological findings with my chemical theory. Each collaborative step will help me advance in these subjects. The University of Chicago’s rigorous education will push me to be a deep problem-solver, intellectual risk-taker, and creative thinker. UChicago stood out as a school where I would be able to continue my passion with some of the best professors and resources. This unique curriculum essentially allows me to dive into research and enroll in the courses that interest me. I could for instance read about how scientists and novels keep finding unique and new discoveries to this day, which gives me confidence that I too will use my research and revolutionize the world of biochemistry and medicine. At UChicago, I will work to the highest standard and stretch myself as much as I can. I am certain that the UChicago education is perfect for me, especially as I aspire to pursue the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine's Professional Option Program in Medicine that permits me at undergraduate education upon demonstrating an outstanding potential for success in medicine to begin medical school during my fourth year in the College.

From my standpoint, a family is a group of people who live together as two, three, or more persons. Healthy family relationships help in promoting good habits, cultures, and traditions in the children. In a family of four, I’m the youngest. As the younger child at home, I’ve multiple duties and responsibilities that mirror and support those of my parents. At home, I take care of my older brother and conduct various household chores. I can say that my role is the second mother and father when both parents are away. In general, my role is to help my parents take care of my brother who was diagnosed with autism and ADHD, and conduct household duties. This means taking the role of childcare to some extent. When my parents are busy while I’m not, I must look over my older brother. Nanny duties are second nature to me. At a younger age, I learned to cook, correctly administer medications to my brother in a timely manner, do the laundry, and serve as a good role model to him and my neighborhood. My role in the family is quite challenging but I love it. At the University of Chicago (I’ve been admitted) or Harvard, Princeton, Yale, or Columbia (I’m expecting to be admitted), I will continue to dispense the same services and spirit as I render to my siblings and neighbors. Best of all, my fascination to discover a cure for autism/ADHD will continue as I engage in Stanford's culture of collaboration that drives innovative discoveries in areas vital to our world, our health, and our intellectual life. Healthy family and community relationships help in promoting good habits, cultures, and traditions in every member.

I have many interests outside of the classroom, including sports, community service, and reading, but the most important to me is music. For almost a decade, playing the violin has been my passion. It is a universal language that connects us, regardless of our cultural background. I am eager to join the extraordinarily talented Stanford musicians in harmony to create something more beautiful and powerful than the sounds of anyone violin or piano. Something about the sound of these instruments makes my heart soar.  It helps me to relax and I want to be able to express myself while having fun with my audience whether performing solo or leading an orchestra as my school’s symphony orchestra concertmaster.   I love everything about how the violin makes me feel. I relish the required upright posture whether I am sitting or standing- no hunching allowed! I love gliding the wooden bow across the cold strings on my violin. The feeling of the strings on my left-hand fingers is almost like being in touch with the life pulse of the instrument. The movement of my right arm dragging and pushing the bow back and forth feels like the ebb and flow of life itself—seemingly traveling through my very heart to my audiences.  From my musical experiences, I am set on contributing to college Symphony Orchestra. I look forward to working hand in hand with my fellow musicians to elevating the orchestra to the next level.

I have many interests outside of the classroom, including sports, community service, and reading, but the most important to me is music. For almost a decade, playing the violin has been my passion. It is a universal language that connects us, regardless of our cultural background. I am eager to join the extraordinarily talented Stanford musicians in harmony to create something more beautiful and powerful than the sounds of anyone violin or piano. Something about the sound of these instruments makes my heart soar.  It helps me to relax and I want to be able to express myself while having fun with my audience whether performing solo or leading an orchestra as my school’s symphony orchestra concertmaster.   I love everything about how the violin makes me feel. I relish the required upright posture whether I am sitting or standing- no hunching allowed! I love gliding the wooden bow across the cold strings on my violin. The feeling of the strings on my left-hand fingers is almost like being in touch with the life pulse of the instrument. The movement of my right arm dragging and pushing the bow back and forth feels like the ebb and flow of life itself—seemingly traveling through my very heart to my audiences.  From my musical experiences, I am set on contributing to college Symphony Orchestra. I look forward to working hand in hand with my fellow musicians to elevating the orchestra to the next level.

I have been among the minority on grounds such as my race, faith, and income on many occasions, but one instance which was particularly significant occurred when I volunteered at a tutoring program in a Latino community. There, my distinctiveness presented a hurdle I needed to overcome for not only myself but also the children I tutored. Only a few people could speak both English and Spanish, so after verifying key phrases and strategies for handing off responsibility when out of my league, I had the opportunity to utilize my learning from past Spanish courses. When I first was introduced, an older man waiting to be seen cracked a joke about me in Spanish. He did not know I spoke Spanish well. Yet I was patient enough to allow the man to continue. He was joined by six other members of his community. Rather than getting disconcerted, I too laughed but then intentionally addressed the group in the same tongue to convey the sincerity of my intentions. The man and about a dozen of others were so embarrassed to know how fluently I spoke Spanish. However, my stunningly conciliatory response put them at ease. We exchanged contact information, and we finally became friends. By the time we pulled out from the area, I felt content in knowing that my willingness to be out of my comfort zone and to embrace my individuality allowed me to help deserving people receive access to invaluable literary help.

Playing the violin has been my passion since the first time I picked one up at 7 years old. I love the challenge of spending countless perfecting a piece. Playing the violin surely is the perfect way for me to relax and take care of my mental health. I take my role within the school community seriously. As my dormitory’s residential assistant besides being the school symphony orchestra concertmaster, I have the responsibility of taking part in open evenings, school events and acting as a role model for my peers and younger students. Like many mathematicians and scientists, I also have a real fascination for music as a violinist and pianist. The link among them intrigues me because the way musical melodies and harmonies are meticulously ordered and pieced together is reminiscent of the process of solving complex mathematics or physics problems. I find that music allows me to stretch my creative wings and I am fond of performing with my classmates, orchestra-mates, and friends. I am currently tutoring middle schoolers and have played piano and violin in many charity concerts both in and out of school, actively engaging in these activities effectively helps me relax and take care of my mental health.

I have loved every aspect of what it takes to compete and perform as a violinist. 4 years ago, I auditioned for TRYPO, one of the most prestigious youth orchestras in Pennsylvania. I’d spent hours and hours perfecting every bar of the pieces. As soon as I entered the room with the judges, I became terrified. I started to play, and my hours of practice went out the window. Three weeks later, just as I thought, I got a rejection email. Because of my intense nervousness, my hard work became useless. A few months later, I began to prepare for the next year’s audition. I recognized that in my last audition, my nervousness led me to underperform, so I looked for opportunities to get out of my comfort zone by performing solo. I played at various weddings, churches, and family gatherings. Gradually, my stage fright disappeared, and I started to look forward to performing instead of fearing it. When it was time for me to audition again, I walked into the room confidently, knowing that my nervousness would not prevent me from achieving my dream again. I proceeded to play both pieces nearly flawlessly and when I looked at the judges, they were shocked to see my improvement and even congratulated me. I wasn’t surprised by the TRYPO youngest musician. I love gliding the wooden bow across the cold strings on my violin. The feeling of the strings on my left-hand fingers is almost like being in touch with the life pulse of the instrument. The movement of my right arm dragging and pushing the bow back and forth feels like the ebb and flow of life itself—seemingly traveling through my very heart to my audiences. From my musical experiences, I’m unstoppably set on contributing to school/college Symphony Orchestra.

The values and aspirations shaping the future that I desire are informed by experiences in my personal life, coursework, and extracurricular activities. My engagement with different aspects of the health field and insight from various people whose work appealed to me, including many physicians, have led me to conclude that I will likely practice medicine in an urban medical institution that serves inner-city populations. My interests in technological advancement and translational research in the medical field are part of the reason why I foresee myself in a metropolitan setting. The transfer of knowledge from a laboratory context to a clinical one and then, if appropriate, to non-medical institutions such as schools and public health entities are more conducive in a major city where there are likely to be more opportunities given the sheer number of people and organizations. Another motive for me to be a physician in the context of a city is that I believe it will allow me to advocate for social justice in a distinctive manner. In every geographic setting people’s life, chances are subject to a wide array of uncontrollable determinants that undermine quality, but I sense that the combination of the challenges and resources particular to an urban setting will create a context in which my strengths and efforts could reach their maximum potential. Exploring health and social issues prevalent in urban settings through my coursework as well as working with underserved communities in Pittsburgh, PA, and Concord, NH has encouraged my curiosity about inequalities around metropolitans and led to my passion to serve those disadvantaged in such areas. I anticipate that being in the vicinity of not only numerous colleagues but also with people in arenas like public health, urban planning, and the government will be invaluable given my desire to address macro-level issues while practicing medicine. Last but by no means least, I am drawn to the idea of pursuing medicine in an urban community because of the implications it will have in regard to the relational aspect of practicing. The voice afforded to those with whom we communicate directly is extremely informative and powerful, so the interconnections between my superiors, colleagues, patients, other relevant individuals, and myself available to me by being in an urban institution will leave me thoughtful of their unique perspectives. Diversity in others’ life experiences, which is likely to be high in a major city, will allow me to be more knowledgeable about the informed role I can play as a physician. As touched upon earlier, my desire to connect myself with influential people in both medicine and other relevant fields will be facilitated by being in an urban area where they are more likely to be or to frequent. Since my vision is solely that--a vision, I am still open-minded about where I end up, but as of right now the likelihood that I will practice in an urban setting is high.

I began violin lessons at a young age and soon, it became clear that I was naturally talented. Practicing for hours and hours became a part of my regular routine. I have loved every aspect of what it takes to compete and perform. In some of my concerts, I’ve been somewhat frustrated with my performance, but I always worked as hard as I could, so I took these setbacks in stride. While I have underperformed in concerts in the past, I envisioned them as short-term failures that I could overcome in the future through perseverance. Then, I auditioned for the Three Rivers Young Peoples Orchestras (TRYPO), one of the most prestigious youth orchestras in Pennsylvania. I had practiced for months, spending hours and hours perfecting every bar of the pieces I was asked to play. If I got into TRYPO, I knew that it would be the biggest accomplishment of my life, and I would have been the youngest person to join it. When I practiced alone 10 minutes before the audition, I was playing beautifully, and I was incredibly confident. I entered the room, picked up my violin, looked at the judges in front of me, and instantly became terrified. I started telling myself that the other violinists walking past me surely did better than I could and that it was impossible for me to be accepted into such a prominent orchestra. The moment I put my bow on the violin, I started to sweat, and my hands began to shake. I started to play the first piece and my dozens of hours of practice went out the window. I started to play as if I had not practiced in weeks and when I put my violin down, I knew that I had failed. Three weeks later, just as I thought, I got the email that I was rejected from TRYPO. Because of my intense nervousness, my hard work became useless. I became incredibly disappointed in myself and knew that I had to make it into the orchestra next year to redeem myself. A few months later, I began to prepare for next year’s audition. I recognized that in my last audition, my nervousness led me to underperform, so I looked for opportunities to get out of my comfort zone by performing solo. I played at my school and at various nursing homes, weddings, community functions, memorial services, churches, and family gatherings. Gradually, my stage fright disappeared, and I started to look forward to performing solo instead of fearing it. Later that year, when it was time for me to audition, I walked in the room confidently and with a smile on my face because I knew that I'd overcome my nervousness and it would never prevent me from achieving my dreams again. This time, when I put my bow on the violin, I was confident and excited to show the judges how much I had improved since my underwhelming performance last year. I proceeded to play both pieces nearly flawlessly and I was 100% sure that I would be asked to join the orchestras. I looked at the judges and they were shocked to see my improvement and even cheered and congratulated me. I wasn't surprised when three weeks later, I was accepted. My ability to view my failures as opportunities enabled me to accomplish my goal. It opened the gateway for me to become the assistant principal of my section in TRYPO and my former position at the school orchestra as the concertmaster. I'm confident that learning from mistakes will help me succeed in college and beyond.

This year, I have had the opportunity to take sacred Literature & Ethics, a class where we interrogate and discuss the texts, history, and socio-political contexts of the Hebrew Bible, New Testament, and Qu’ran. Integrating questions of ethics and justice in the exploration of these texts and traditions also illuminates repeating themes. For example, each tradition promotes the concept of monotheism. The one God, seen as the same God, shares many of the same characteristics across the Abrahamic religions, such as omnipotence, omniscience, and omnibenevolence. The Exodus Narrative, the Books of Wisdom, and the Books of the Prophets describe a God that enters covenants with the Nation of Israel and calls on His people to act ethically by treating foreigners, widows, orphans, and other disadvantaged people the way He treats them: with respect and compassion (Exodus 22). The invitation to live into this ethical framework is repeated in the Gospels, where it is written that the ministry of Jesus is built on the Jewish ethics. Luke 4 says “The Spirit of theLord is upon me because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lords favour.” These words written in both the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament are examples of an ethic of care, compassion, and justice that is repeated in the Qu’ran, which was written after centuries after both. The text of the Qu’ranincludes narratives from several prophets in the Hebrew Bible, including Moses, Noah, and Abraham. It emphasizes the importance of worshiping God and adhering to His revealed Word, listening to the teachings of His prophets, and walking the straight path as revealed by God. The repeating themes and messages in these 3religions guide the actions of billions of people, which is why it is important to understand their history and texts. Practicers of these faiths believe in the power of God, someone much bigger than themselves. Prof. Joseph Campbell stated that “when you are no longer attached to your ego existence but see the ego existence as a function of a larger, eternal totality, you favor the larger against the smaller.” This belief inspires people throughout the world to follow His messages and to value peace, compassion, and justice.

I want you to imagine a time when you really, truly felt ashamed of who you are. A moment where the people around you didn’t get it, and more than anything, you wished the earth would open and swallow you whole. My eating disorder has always been the personification of that very feeling. It began around the age of 11, and by the time I was 12, it had turned into something I carried around with me daily. That feeling was constant. It was my biggest, most embarrassing secret. Though I wouldn’t describe it as a literal voice in my head, my eating disorder started with a feeling that I wasn’t good enough. This problem needed to be fixed and controlling what I ate seemed like the perfect solution. I had no idea how easily avoiding certain foods would lead to eliminating them entirely. Though I could not put it into words as I became a teenager, I felt dirty from the inside out. Not eating specific foods turned into skipping meals, followed by days without food, replaced by days where the rules I had created for myself didn’t matter and all I could do was eat until I physically could not anymore. One day, I pushed myself past the point I thought I was capable of. It hurt, but I kept going – until my impulse changed entirely, and suddenly, I knew that I just had to get what I had eaten out of me. Purging became my way of undoing: every mistake I made in class, or even with life in general, it was always something that I knew I could use as an outlet for all of the underlying negativity. I felt more in control with each meal or mistake that I tried to erase. I internalized the idea that something about me wasn’t good enough until that framed the way I saw myself. Being a teenager, a pre-professional dancer, and attending a competitive high school with amazing, intelligent, talented friends should have made me feel empowered. Sometimes it did, but because of my eating disorder, it became too easy to see myself as inadequate. At one point, I realized that I loved certain parts of being a violinist or pianist. Symphony Orchestral classes were always something I enjoyed, and I couldn’t get enough of costumes, makeup, or being on stage. Playing the violin/piano gave me a way to become someone else. The downside of wanting to perform on stage as a career while having an eating disorder was the way that no one around me said anything until I was deep into my illness. For the longest time, my friends and teachers complimented me whenever I lost weight. I noticed that the audition season for summer intensives magnified all of my insecurities. I inevitably was accepted into more pre-professional orchestra programs when I was thinner. There also is no way I can know with complete certainty that I wouldn’t have struggled with an eating disorder had I never played the violin and piano in the first place. After losing performance, it took me a little longer than my friends to finish high school. Education had always been an important aspect of my identity and losing both playing the violin and piano and my high school also meant that I became more and more isolated, wrapped up in my mind. I wound up pushing most of my high school friends away out of shame and guilt. Did everyone just think I was very driven and committed to playing the violin and piano, making it pointless to intervene?

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bAPsEwpGl9enqK64whcCKqM_NbQ-Zya4/view

Music and audio technology are omnipresent in popular culture and daily life as never before, they play an essential role in the world of media that surrounds us. As a violinist up in a time of continuous technological innovation, the relationship between music and technology is something which I find especially interesting, particularly the way in which music is used to manipulate specific moods, feelings, or emotions for the desired purpose such as in the background music of film and advertisements. Performing and creating music is something in which I have been absorbed from a very young age; having a musical family inspired me to take up the violin when I was seven years old, and the fact that I’m still playing today demonstrates my enthusiasm and commitment to it. I achieved grade 7 with a top place on violin this year and I’m currently working towards my college. I have been the concertmaster at St. Paul's School Symphony Orchestra for two years and have performed at numerous events on campus; an experience which not only allowed me to develop and improve as a violinist but also gave me the opportunity to observe the technical aspects of amplifying and recording different ensembles - from rock bands to full classical orchestras. I am looking forward to university life and taking on many new challenges and activities I would otherwise never have the chance to experience. I believe that a degree in music will equip me with the knowledge and skills to pursue a wide variety of paths in areas such as radio, television, and theatre. I’m excited about continuing my studies at university and ultimately going on into the world of work as a qualified, well-rounded person.

I believe that volunteering should be mandatory in schools. For me, I never needed this requirement because this has always been my passion. For others, however, volunteering may just be an activity that needs to be experienced, in order to see the world from a different set of angles. Three years ago, I took a service-learning a presentation that led me to a local refugee camp. It was there that I helped to teach children, some of whom were older than me in grammar and various forms of writing. Going in, I didn’t know what to expect, but I wanted to keep an open mind because I knew that this was an experience of a lifetime. By entering the camp having removed myself from casting judgment, it allowed me to establish relationships from the very beginning. Through listening, I created a trusting relationship and an open channel of communication. I worked with one man, and after only several weeks into the program, he felt comfortable expressing some of his thoughts and hopes in writing of his own. I learned that even though he was in the camp, he was still striving to do something with his life, and he wanted to make a difference. His contribution to the world was his storytelling abilities. In fact, he was a published author (in his local language). While I had every intention of being one of the teachers, I never thought that I would assume the role of a student as well. I came out of those weeks learning more than I helped to contribute. This is precisely why I believe volunteering should be mandatory. It has the power to change lives by unleashing a side of you that you might not have otherwise known. My passion for volunteering has helped to shape who I am. I no longer must question my purpose. Serving others to the greatest of my abilities is a privilege that I am grateful to have. Knowing that I can make a difference in someone else’s life, is the greatest feeling ever. To translate this into my future, it is about continuing the things that I enjoy and maintaining my values. It is about bringing out my best self and encouraging others to live out their lives similarly. In several months, I will be moving into the next stage of my life, transitioning from school to working in the real world, but I have no doubts that I will continue to live out my passions and contribute to the greater good. The ideal world in my mind is one that supports collaboration, relationship building, and open communication. The ideal world in my mind is one in which leaders strive to work towards the betterment of society. Volunteering brings out my best self. It makes me confident knowing that I can make a difference in the world, and I think it can have very similar effects on others just as well. So, go out and do something good for someone today! It’s a chain effect. You’ll feel good about yourself, and others around will follow!

The values and aspirations shaping the future which I desire are informed by experiences in my personal life, coursework, and extracurricular activities. My engagement with different aspects of the health field and insight from various people whose work appealed to me, including many physicians, have led me to conclude that I will likely practice medicine in an urban medical institution that serves inner-city populations. Exploring health and social issues prevalent in urban settings through my coursework as well as working with underserved communities in Pittsburgh and Concord, NH has encouraged my curiosity about inequalities around metropolitans and led to my passion to serve those disadvantaged in such areas. I anticipate that being in the vicinity of not only numerous colleagues but also with people in arenas like public health, urban planning and government will be invaluable given my desire to address macro-level issues while practicing medicine. I am drawn to the idea of pursuing medicine in an urban community because of the implications it’ll have in regard to the relational aspect of practicing. The voice afforded to those with whom we communicate directly is extremely informative and powerful, so the links between my superiors, colleagues, patients, other relevant individuals, and myself available to me by being in an urban institution will leave me informed of their unique perspectives. Diversity in others’ life experiences, which is likely to be high in a major city, will allow me to be more knowledgeable about the skillful role I can play as a physician.

The values and aspirations shaping the future which I desire are informed by experiences in my personal life, coursework, and extracurricular activities. My engagement with different aspects of the health field and insight from various people whose work appealed to me, including many physicians and nurses, have led me to conclude that I will likely practice medicine in an urban medical institution that serves inner-city populations. My interests in technological advancement and translational research in the medical field are part of the reason why I foresee myself in a metropolitan setting. The transfer of knowledge from a laboratory context to a clinical one and then, if appropriate, to non-medical institutions such as schools and public health entities are more conducive in a major city where there are likely to be more opportunities given the sheer number of people and organizations. Another motive for me to be a nurse or even physician in the context of a city is that I believe it will allow me to advocate for social justice in a distinctive manner. In every geographic setting people’s life, chances are subject to a wide array of uncontrollable determinants that undermine quality, but I sense that the combination of the challenges and resources particular to an urban setting will create a context in which my strengths and efforts could reach their maximum potential. Exploring health and social issues prevalent in urban settings through my coursework as well as working with underserved communities in Pittsburgh, PA, and Concord, NH has encouraged my curiosity about inequalities around metropolitans and led to my passion to serve those disadvantaged in such areas. I anticipate that being in the vicinity of not only numerous colleagues but also with people in arenas like public health, urban planning, and the government will be invaluable given my desire to address macro-level issues while practicing medicine. Last but by no means least, I am drawn to the idea of pursuing medicine in an urban community because of the implications it will have in regard to the relational aspect of practicing. The voice afforded to those with whom we communicate directly is extremely informative and powerful, so the interconnections between my superiors, colleagues, patients, other relevant individuals, and myself available to me by being in an urban institution will leave me thoughtful of their unique perspectives. Diversity in others’ life experiences, which is likely to be high in a major city, will allow me to be more knowledgeable about the informed role I can play as a nurse or physician. As touched upon earlier, my desire to connect myself with influential people in both medicine and other relevant fields will be facilitated by being in an urban area where they are more likely to be or to frequent. Since my vision is solely that--a vision, I am still open-minded about where I end up, but as of right now the likelihood that I will practice in an urban setting is high.

Since I was in elementary school, I have known that I want to spend my life in medicine as a physician-scientist. Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics are fascinating to me and this career will be an excellent way for me to transform the lives of so many people. During the course, I will set out to try to understand biology, physics, and chemistry leading me to learn more about the correlation between these two subjects. This will help me improve my biological insight with my professors and peers, as I would always seek a way to prove biological findings with my chemical theory. Each collaborative step will help me advance in these subjects. MIT, Harvard, UChicago, Stanford, Yale or Columbia’s rigorous curriculum education coupled with research opportunities will push me to be a deeply analytical person, intellectual risk-taker, and creative thinker. One of these institutions stood out as a school where I would be able to continue my passion under the guidance of the best professors and resources. This unique curriculum allows me to dive into research and enroll in the courses that interest me. I could for instance read about how scientists and novels keep finding unique and new discoveries to this day, which gives me confidence that I too will use my research and revolutionize the world of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics as well as medicine. At UChicago, for instance, I know that I will be given numerous opportunities to pursue my lifelong dream while also participating in other activities that I love, such as my passions of playing the violin in the University Symphony Orchestra, serving the community, and playing basketball and soccer. UChicago’s world-renowned resources and faculty have led to the discoveries of the mathematical theory of black holes, Carbon-14 dating, and the first self-sustaining nuclear reaction. I have always wanted to make significant contributions to the field of medicine, and the resources I need to do so will be available at UChicago. An MIT, Harvard, UChicago, Stanford, Yale or Columbia education will have so many benefits for me, and I also want to contribute to its community. At my school, I serve other students by leading them as a prefect in my dorm or as concertmaster of the orchestra, tutoring students who are taking classes that I have already taken, and most importantly, driving discussions during classes. I will continue to promote my classmates’ learning and success through college so that I can give back to the community that will give so much to me. At One of these institutions, I will work to the highest standard and stretch myself as much as I can. I am looking forward to seizing the opportunity to join the University of Chicago Pritzker School, Harvard Medical School, Stanford School of Medicine, Yale School of Medicine or Columbia Vegalos College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Since I was in elementary school, I've known that I want to spend my life in medicine as a physician-scientist. Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics are fascinating to me, and this career will be an excellent way for me to transform the lives of so many people. During the course, I'll set out to try to understand biology, physics, and chemistry leading me to learn more about the correlation between these two subjects. Yale, Harvard, UChicago, MIT or Stanford’s rigorous curriculum education coupled with research opportunities will push me to be a deeply analytical person, intellectual risk-taker, and creative thinker. Yale, Harvard, UChicago, MIT or Stanford stood out as a school where I would be able to continue my passion under the guidance of the best professors and resources. I could for instance read about how scientists and novels keep finding unique and new discoveries to this day, which gives me confidence that I too will use my research and revolutionize the world of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics as well as medicine. A Yale, Harvard, UChicago, MIT or Stanford education will have so many benefits for me, and I also want to contribute to its community. At my school, I serve other students by leading them as a prefect in my dorm or as concertmaster of the orchestra, tutoring students who are taking classes that I've already taken, and most importantly, driving discussions during classes. I'll continue to promote my classmates’ learning and success through college so that I can give back to the community that'll give so much to me. For instance, at UChicago, I'll work to the highest standard and stretch myself as much as I can. I'm looking forward to seizing the opportunity to join the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine's Professional Option Program in Medicine.

Since I was in elementary school, I've known that I want to spend my life in medicine as a physician-scientist. Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics are fascinating to me, and this career will be an excellent way for me to transform the lives of so many people. During the course, I'll set out to try to understand biology, physics, and chemistry leading me to learn more about the correlation between these three subjects. Yale, Harvard, UChicago, MIT or Stanford’s rigorous curriculum education coupled with research opportunities will push me to be a deeply analytical person, intellectual risk-taker, and creative thinker. Yale, Harvard, UChicago, MIT or Stanford stood out as a school where I would be able to continue my passion under the guidance of the best professors and resources. I could for instance read about how scientists and novels keep finding unique and new discoveries to this day, which gives me confidence that I too will use my research and revolutionize the world of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics as well as medicine. A Yale, Harvard, UChicago, MIT or Stanford education will have so many benefits for me, and I want to contribute to its community. At my school, I serve other students by leading them as a prefect in my dorm or as concertmaster of the orchestra, tutoring students who are taking classes that I've already taken, and most importantly, driving discussions during classes. I'll continue to promote my classmates’ learning and success through college so that I can give back to the community that will give so much to me. For instance, at UChicago, I'll work to the highest standard and stretch myself as much as I can. I'm looking forward to seizing the opportunity to join the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine's Professional Option Program in Medicine.

Since I was in elementary school, I have known that I want to spend my life in medicine as a physician-scientist. Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics are fascinating to me, and this career will be an excellent way for me to transform the lives of so many people. During the course, I will set out to try to understand biology, physics, and chemistry leading me to learn more about the correlation between these two subjects. This will help me improve my biological insight with my professors and peers, as I would always seek a way to prove biological findings with my chemical theory. Each collaborative step will help me advance in these subjects. Yale, Harvard, UChicago, MIT or Stanford’s rigorous curriculum education coupled with research opportunities will push me to be a deeply analytical person, intellectual risk-taker, and creative thinker. Yale, Harvard, UChicago, MIT or Stanford stood out as a school where I would be able to continue my passion under the guidance of the best professors and resources. This unique curriculum allows me to dive into research and enroll in the courses that interest me. I could for instance read about how scientists and novels keep finding unique and new discoveries to this day, which gives me confidence that I too will use my research and revolutionize the world of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics as well as medicine. At Yale, Harvard, UChicago, MIT or Stanford, I know that I will be given numerous opportunities to pursue my lifelong dream while also participating in other activities that I love, such as my passions of playing the violin in the University Symphony Orchestra, serving the community, and playing basketball and soccer. For example, UChicago’s world-renowned resources and faculty have led to the discoveries of the mathematical theory of black holes, Carbon-14 dating, and the first self-sustaining nuclear reaction. I have always wanted to make significant contributions to the field of medicine, and the resources I need to do so will be available at Yale, Harvard, UChicago, MIT or Stanford. A Yale, Harvard, UChicago, MIT or Stanford education will have so many benefits for me, and I also want to contribute to its community. At my school, I serve other students by leading them as a prefect in my dorm or as concertmaster of the orchestra, tutoring students who are taking classes that I have already taken, and most importantly, driving discussions during classes. I will continue to promote my classmates’ learning and success through college so that I can give back to the community that will give so much to me. For instance, at UChicago, I will work to the highest standard and stretch myself as much as I can. I am looking forward to seizing the opportunity to join the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine's Professional Option Program in Medicine.

I began violin lessons at a young age and soon, it became clear that I was naturally talented. I’ve loved every aspect of what it takes to compete and perform. In some of my concerts, I’ve been somewhat frustrated with my performance, but I always worked as hard as I could, so I took these setbacks in stride. While I’ve underperformed in concerts in the past, I envisioned them as short-term failures that I could overcome through perseverance. Then, I auditioned for the Three Rivers Young Peoples Orchestras (TRYPO), one of the most prestigious youth orchestras in Pennsylvania. I’d practiced for months, spending hours and hours perfecting every bar of the pieces I was asked to play. If I got into TRYPO, I knew that it would be the biggest accomplishment of my life, and I would have been the youngest person to join it. When I practiced alone 10 minutes before the audition, I was playing beautifully, and I was incredibly confident. I entered the room, looked at the judges in front of me, and instantly became terrified. I started telling myself that the other violinists walking past me surely did better than I could and that it was impossible for me to be accepted into such a prominent orchestra. The moment I put my bow on the violin, I started to sweat, and my hands began to shake. I started to play the first piece and my dozens of hours of practice went out the window. I started to play as if I hadn’t practiced in weeks and when I put my violin down, I knew that I’d failed. Three weeks later, I got the email that I was rejected from TRYPO. Because of my intense nervousness, my hard work became useless. I became incredibly disappointed in myself and knew that I had to make it into the orchestra next year to redeem myself. A few months later, I began to prepare for next year’s audition. I recognized that in my last audition, my nervousness led me to underperform, so I looked for opportunities to get out of my comfort zone by performing solo. I played at my school and at various nursing homes, weddings, community functions, memorial services, churches, etc. Gradually, my stage fright disappeared, and I started to look forward to performing solo instead of fearing it. Later that year, when it was time for me to audition, I walked in the room confidently and with a smile on my face because I knew that I’d overcome my nervousness and it would never prevent me from achieving my dreams again. This time, when I put my bow on the violin, I was confident and excited to show the judges how much I’d improved since my underwhelming performance last year. I proceeded to play both pieces nearly flawlessly and I was 100% sure that I would be asked to join the orchestras. I looked at the judges and they were shocked to see my improvement and even cheered and congratulated me. I wasn’t surprised when three weeks later, I was told that I would be starting in the first violin section in September. My ability to view my failures as opportunities, not obstacles, is what enabled me to accomplish my goal of playing in TRYPO and it has helped me overcome numerous other problems as well. It opened the gateway for me to become the assistant principal of my section in TRYPO and my former position at the school orchestra as the concertmaster. I’m confident that learning from mistakes will help me succeed in college and beyond.

Since I was in elementary school, I have known that I want to spend my life in medicine as a physician-scientist. Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics are fascinating to me, and this career will be an excellent way for me to transform the lives of so many people. During the course, I will set out to try to understand biology, physics, and chemistry leading me to learn more about the correlation between these two subjects. This will help me improve my biological insight with my professors and peers, as I would always seek a way to prove biological findings with my chemical theory. Each collaborative step will help me advance in these subjects. Yale, Harvard, UChicago, MIT or Stanford’s rigorous curriculum education coupled with research opportunities will push me to be a deeply analytical person, intellectual risk-taker, and creative thinker. Yale, Harvard, UChicago, MIT or Stanford stood out as a school where I would be able to continue my passion under the guidance of the best professors and resources. This unique curriculum allows me to dive into research and enroll in the courses that interest me. I could for instance read about how scientists and novels keep finding unique and new discoveries to this day, which gives me confidence that I too will use my research and revolutionize the world of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics as well as medicine. At Yale, Harvard, UChicago, MIT or Stanford, I know that I will be given numerous opportunities to pursue my lifelong dream while also participating in other activities that I love, such as my passions of playing the violin in the University Symphony Orchestra, serving the community, and playing basketball and soccer. For example, UChicago’s world-renowned resources and faculty have led to the discoveries of the mathematical theory of black holes, Carbon-14 dating, and the first self-sustaining nuclear reaction. I have always wanted to make significant contributions to the field of medicine, and the resources I need to do so will be available at Yale, Harvard, UChicago, MIT or Stanford. A Yale, Harvard, UChicago, MIT or Stanford education will have so many benefits for me, and I also want to contribute to its community. At my school, I serve other students by leading them as a prefect in my dorm or as concertmaster of the orchestra, tutoring students who are taking classes that I have already taken, and most importantly, driving discussions during classes. I will continue to promote my classmates’ learning and success through college so that I can give back to the community that will give so much to me. For instance, at UChicago, I will work to the highest standard and stretch myself as much as I can. I am looking forward to seizing the opportunity to join the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine's Professional Option Program in Medicine.

I began violin lessons at a young age and soon, it became clear that I was naturally talented. I’ve loved every aspect of what it takes to compete and perform. In some of my concerts, I’ve been somewhat frustrated with my performance, but I always worked as hard as I could, so I took these setbacks in stride. While I’ve underperformed in concerts in the past, I envisioned them as short-term failures that I could overcome through perseverance. Then, I auditioned for the Three Rivers Young Peoples Orchestras (TRYPO), one of the most prestigious youth orchestras in Pennsylvania. I’d practiced for months, spending hours and hours perfecting every bar of the pieces I was asked to play. If I got into TRYPO, I knew that it would be the biggest accomplishment of my life, and I would have been the youngest person to join it. When I practiced alone 10 minutes before the audition, I was playing beautifully, and I was incredibly confident. I entered the room, looked at the judges in front of me, and instantly became terrified. I started telling myself that the other violinists walking past me surely did better than I could and that it was impossible for me to be accepted into such a prominent orchestra. The moment I put my bow on the violin, I started to sweat, and my hands began to shake. I started to play the first piece and my dozens of hours of practice went out the window. I started to play as if I hadn’t practiced in weeks and when I put my violin down, I knew that I’d failed. Three weeks later, I got the email that I was rejected from TRYPO. Because of my intense nervousness, my hard work became useless. I became incredibly disappointed in myself and knew that I had to make it into the orchestra next year to redeem myself. A few months later, I began to prepare for next year’s audition. I recognized that in my last audition, my nervousness led me to underperform, so I looked for opportunities to get out of my comfort zone by performing solo. I played at my school and at various nursing homes, weddings, community functions, memorial services, churches, etc. Gradually, my stage fright disappeared, and I started to look forward to performing solo instead of fearing it. Later that year, when it was time for me to audition, I walked in the room confidently and with a smile on my face because I knew that I’d overcome my nervousness and it would never prevent me from achieving my dreams again. This time, when I put my bow on the violin, I was confident and excited to show the judges how much I’d improved since my underwhelming performance last year. I proceeded to play both pieces nearly flawlessly and I was 100% sure that I would be asked to join the orchestras. I looked at the judges and they were shocked to see my improvement and even cheered and congratulated me. I wasn’t surprised when three weeks later, I was told that I would be starting in the first violin section in September. My ability to view my failures as opportunities, not obstacles, is what enabled me to accomplish my goal of playing in TRYPO and it has helped me overcome numerous other problems as well. It opened the gateway for me to become the assistant principal of my section in TRYPO and my former position at the school orchestra as the concertmaster. I’m confident that learning from mistakes will help me succeed in college and beyond.

Since I was in elementary school, I have known that I want to spend my life in medicine as a physician-scientist. Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics are fascinating to me and this career will be an excellent way for me to transform the lives of so many people. During the course, I will set out to try to understand biology, physics, and chemistry leading me to learn more about the correlation between these two subjects. This will help me improve my biological insight with my professors and peers, as I would always seek a way to prove biological findings with my chemical theory. Each collaborative step will help me advance in these subjects. Yale, Harvard, UChicago, MIT or Stanford’s rigorous curriculum education coupled with research opportunities will push me to be a deeply analytical person, intellectual risk-taker, and creative thinker. Yale, Harvard, UChicago, MIT or Stanford stood out as a school where I would be able to continue my passion under the guidance of the best professors and resources. This unique curriculum allows me to dive into research and enroll in the courses that interest me. I could for instance read about how scientists and novels keep finding unique and new discoveries to this day, which gives me confidence that I too will use my research and revolutionize the world of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics as well as medicine. At Yale, Harvard, UChicago, MIT or Stanford, I know that I will be given numerous opportunities to pursue my lifelong dream while also participating in other activities that I love, such as my passions of playing the violin in the University Symphony Orchestra, serving the community, and playing basketball and soccer. For example, UChicago’s world-renowned resources and faculty have led to the discoveries of the mathematical theory of black holes, Carbon-14 dating, and the first self-sustaining nuclear reaction. I have always wanted to make significant contributions to the field of medicine, and the resources I need to do so will be available at Yale, Harvard, UChicago, MIT or Stanford. A Yale, Harvard, UChicago, MIT or Stanford education will have so many benefits for me, and I also want to contribute to its community. At my school, I serve other students by leading them as a prefect in my dorm or as concertmaster of the orchestra, tutoring students who are taking classes that I have already taken, and most importantly, driving discussions during classes. I will continue to promote my classmates’ learning and success through college so that I can give back to the community that will give so much to me. For instance, at UChicago, I will work to the highest standard and stretch myself as much as I can. I am looking forward to seizing the opportunity to join the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine's Professional Option Program in Medicine.

Since I was in elementary school, I have known that I want to spend my life in medicine as a physician-scientist. Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics are fascinating to me and this career will be an excellent way for me to transform the lives of so many people. During the course, I will set out to try to understand biology, physics, and chemistry leading me to learn more about the correlation between these two subjects. This will help me improve my biological insight with my professors and peers, as I would always seek a way to prove biological findings with my chemical theory. Each collaborative step will help me advance in these subjects. Yale, Harvard, UChicago, MIT or Stanford’s rigorous curriculum education coupled with research opportunities will push me to be a deeply analytical person, intellectual risk-taker, and creative thinker. Yale, Harvard, UChicago, MIT or Stanford stood out as a school where I would be able to continue my passion under the guidance of the best professors and resources. This unique curriculum allows me to dive into research and enroll in the courses that interest me. I could for instance read about how scientists and novels keep finding unique and new discoveries to this day, which gives me confidence that I too will use my research and revolutionize the world of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics as well as medicine. At Yale, Harvard, UChicago, MIT or Stanford, I know that I will be given numerous opportunities to pursue my lifelong dream while also participating in other activities that I love, such as my passions of playing the violin in the University Symphony Orchestra, serving the community, and playing basketball and soccer. For example, UChicago’s world-renowned resources and faculty have led to the discoveries of the mathematical theory of black holes, Carbon-14 dating, and the first self-sustaining nuclear reaction. I have always wanted to make significant contributions to the field of medicine, and the resources I need to do so will be available at Yale, Harvard, UChicago, MIT or Stanford. A Yale, Harvard, UChicago, MIT or Stanford education will have so many benefits for me, and I also want to contribute to its community. At my school, I serve other students by leading them as a prefect in my dorm or as concertmaster of the orchestra, tutoring students who are taking classes that I have already taken, and most importantly, driving discussions during classes. I will continue to promote my classmates’ learning and success through college so that I can give back to the community that will give so much to me. For instance, at UChicago, I will work to the highest standard and stretch myself as much as I can. I am looking forward to seizing the opportunity to join the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine's Professional Option Program in Medicine.

I began violin lessons at a young age and soon, it became clear that I was naturally talented. I’ve loved every aspect of what it takes to compete and perform. In some of my concerts, I’ve been somewhat frustrated with my performance, but I always worked as hard as I could, so I took these setbacks in stride. While I’ve underperformed in concerts in the past, I envisioned them as short-term failures that I could overcome through perseverance. Then, I auditioned for the Three Rivers Young Peoples Orchestras (TRYPO), one of the most prestigious youth orchestras in Pennsylvania. I’d practiced for months, spending hours and hours perfecting every bar of the pieces I was asked to play. If I got into TRYPO, I knew that it would be the biggest accomplishment of my life, and I would have been the youngest person to join it. When I practiced alone 10 minutes before the audition, I was playing beautifully, and I was incredibly confident. I entered the room, looked at the judges in front of me, and instantly became terrified. I started telling myself that the other violinists walking past me surely did better than I could and that it was impossible for me to be accepted into such a prominent orchestra. The moment I put my bow on the violin, I started to sweat, and my hands began to shake. I started to play the first piece and my dozens of hours of practice went out the window. I started to play as if I hadn’t practiced in weeks and when I put my violin down, I knew that I’d failed. Three weeks later, I got the email that I was rejected from TRYPO. Because of my intense nervousness, my hard work became useless. I became incredibly disappointed in myself and knew that I had to make it into the orchestra next year to redeem myself. A few months later, I began to prepare for next year’s audition. I recognized that in my last audition, my nervousness led me to underperform, so I looked for opportunities to get out of my comfort zone by performing solo. I played at my school and at various nursing homes, weddings, community functions, memorial services, churches, etc. Gradually, my stage fright disappeared, and I started to look forward to performing solo instead of fearing it. Later that year, when it was time for me to audition, I walked in the room confidently and with a smile on my face because I knew that I’d overcome my nervousness and it would never prevent me from achieving my dreams again. This time, when I put my bow on the violin, I was confident and excited to show the judges how much I’d improved since my underwhelming performance last year. I proceeded to play both pieces nearly flawlessly and I was 100% sure that I would be asked to join the orchestras. I looked at the judges and they were shocked to see my improvement and even cheered and congratulated me. I wasn’t surprised when three weeks later, I was told that I would be starting in the first violin section in September. My ability to view my failures as opportunities, not obstacles, is what enabled me to accomplish my goal of playing in TRYPO and it has helped me overcome numerous other problems as well. It opened the gateway for me to become the assistant principal of my section in TRYPO and my former position at the school orchestra as the concertmaster. I’m confident that learning from mistakes will help me succeed in college and beyond.

I began violin lessons at a young age and soon, it became clear that I was naturally talented. I've loved every aspect of what it takes to compete and perform. In some of my concerts, I have been somewhat frustrated with my performance, but I always worked as hard as I could, so I took these setbacks in stride. While I've underperformed in concerts in the past, I envisioned them as short-term failures that I could overcome in the future through perseverance. Then, I auditioned for the Three Rivers Young Peoples Orchestras (TRYPO), one of the most prestigious youth orchestras in Pennsylvania. I'd practiced for months, spending hours and hours perfecting every bar of the pieces I was asked to play. If I got into TRYPO, I knew that it would be the biggest accomplishment of my life, and I'd have been the youngest person to join it. When I practiced alone 10 minutes before the audition, I was playing beautifully, and I was incredibly confident. I entered the room, looked at the judges in front of me, and instantly became terrified. I started telling myself that the other violinists walking past me surely did better than I could and that it was impossible for me to be accepted into such a prominent orchestra. The moment I put my bow on the violin, I started to sweat, and my hands began to shake. I started to play the first piece and my dozens of hours of practice went out the window. I started to play as if I hadn't practiced in weeks and when I put my violin down, I knew that I'd failed. Three weeks later, I got the email that I was rejected from TRYPO. Because of my intense nervousness, my hard work became useless. I became incredibly disappointed in myself and knew that I'd to make it into the orchestra next year to redeem myself. A few months later, I began to prepare for next year’s audition. I recognized that in my last audition, my nervousness led me to underperform, so I looked for opportunities to get out of my comfort zone by performing solo. I played at my school and at various nursing homes, weddings, memorial services, churches, etc. Gradually, my stage fright disappeared, and I started to look forward to performing solo instead of fearing it. Later that year, when it was time for me to audition, I walked in the room confidently and with a smile on my face because I knew that I'd overcome my nervousness and it would never prevent me from achieving my dreams again. This time, when I put my bow on the violin, I was confident and excited to show the judges how much I had improved since my underwhelming performance last year. I proceeded to play both pieces nearly flawlessly and I was 100% sure that I'd be asked to join the orchestras. I looked at the judges and they were shocked to see my improvement and even cheered and congratulated me. I was not surprised when three weeks later, I was told that I'd be starting in the first violin section in September. My ability to view my failures as opportunities, not obstacles, is what enabled me to accomplish my goal of playing in TRYPO and it has helped me overcome numerous other problems as well. It opened the gateway for me to become the assistant principal of my section in TRYPO and my former position at the school orchestra as the concertmaster. I'm confident that learning from mistakes will help me succeed in college and beyond.

I began violin lessons at a young age and soon, it became clear that I was naturally talented. In some of my concerts, I have been somewhat frustrated with my performance, but I always worked as hard as I could, so I took these setbacks in stride. While I've underperformed in concerts in the past, I envisioned them as short-term failures that I could overcome in the future through perseverance. Then, I auditioned for the Three Rivers Young Peoples Orchestras (TRYPO), one of the most prestigious youth orchestras in Pennsylvania. I'd practiced for months, spending hours and hours perfecting every bar of the pieces I was asked to play. If I got into TRYPO, I knew that it would be the biggest accomplishment of my life, and I'd have been the youngest person to join it. When I practiced alone 10 minutes before the audition, I was playing beautifully and I was incredibly confident. I entered the room, looked at the judges in front of me, and instantly became terrified. I started telling myself that the other violinists walking past me surely did better than I could and that it was impossible for me to be accepted into such a prominent orchestra. The moment I put my bow on the violin, I started to sweat and my hands began to shake. I started to play the first piece and my dozens of hours of practice went out the window. I started to play as if I had not practiced in weeks and when I put my violin down, I knew that I'd failed. Three weeks later, just as I thought, I got the email that I was rejected from TRYPO. Because of my intense nervousness, my hard work became useless. I became incredibly disappointed in myself and knew that I'd to make it into the orchestra next year to redeem myself. A few months later, I began to prepare for next year’s audition. I recognized that in my last audition, my nervousness led me to underperform, so I looked for opportunities to get out of my comfort zone by performing solo. I played at my school and at various nursing homes, weddings, community functions, memorial services, churches, and family gatherings. Gradually, my stage fright disappeared, and I started to look forward to performing solo instead of fearing it. Later that year, when it was time for me to audition, I walked in the room confidently and with a smile on my face because I knew that I'd overcome my nervousness and it would never prevent me from achieving my dreams again. This time, when I put my bow on the violin, I was confident and excited to show the judges how much I had improved since my underwhelming performance last year. I proceeded to play both pieces nearly flawlessly and I was 100% sure that I would be asked to join the orchestras. I looked at the judges and they were shocked to see my improvement and even cheered and congratulated me. I was not surprised when three weeks later, I was told that I would be starting in the first violin section in September. My ability to view my failures as opportunities, not obstacles, is what enabled me to accomplish my goal of playing in TRYPO and it has helped me overcome numerous other problems as well. It opened the gateway for me to become the assistant principal of my section in TRYPO and my former position at the school orchestra as the concertmaster. I am confident that learning from mistakes will help me succeed in college and beyond.

The family is the most important basic unit of society where each member has a vital role to play in successfully raising productive, law-abiding citizens. In a family of two siblings, I am the younger one. At home, I have multiple duties and responsibilities that mirror and support those of my parents. I am the one who stays at home to take care of my autistic/ADHD older brother and conducts various household chores. I can say that my role is the third parent when both parents are away at work. In general, my role is to help my parents take care of my brother, conduct household duties, and become a good model to him, my peers, and other kids in my neighborhood. Needless to say, juggling my various duties did have an adverse effect on my sophomore grades. Nonetheless, I rebounded in my next school year and maintained my academic excellence. This means taking the role of childcare to some extent. When my parents are busy while I am not, I must look over my brother. For instance, when my mother is doing the laundry, I should make sure that I can take care of my brother. Usually, we stay in one room either to do our schoolwork, play our violin, piano, recreational activities like watching movies the television or doing art projects. Nanny duties are second nature to me. At nine years old, I became a skillful cook, do and fold the laundry; and also serve as a good role model to my brother, peers, and kids in my neighborhood. My role in the family is quite challenging and I love it. I am like two parents with household responsibilities when they are either away or too busy to attend to us. My curiosity for getting involved in research for a cure started when my brother first developed the symptoms and was diagnosed with autism and ADHD. His doctor prescribed drugs such as Concerta, Vyvanse, Risperidone, and Adderall, as he had pronounced symptoms of the diseases. This treatment was aimed at relieving the symptoms of autism and ADHD rather than curing them. Hours later, he seemed somewhat normal. This fascinated me and I wondered how these drugs had worked so quickly. But the urge for me to get involved in the search for a cure instead of relief intensified. Through example and upbringing, my family instilled in me the importance of being involved in all levels of life. Their dedication to living a full life kept my grandparents participating in family and worldly matters, active and vigorous well into their eighties. My parents are also lifelong students and give of themselves in many ways to their family and community. My parents, alongside my academic advisor and teachers, are my resourceful guidance in various ways but with common interests for me to be successful. They all emphasize education and are all concerned about the well-being of all people. As a patient myself, as the son of immigrant parents, as a hospital volunteer, and as an extern of orthopedic and ophthalmology surgeons, much of my active life has been involved with healthcare. Having been exposed to both the research and clinical aspects of medicine, I have decided that I prefer the clinical interaction with people and research, and look forward to becoming a physician-scientist. I would like to help people as a physician-scientist knowledgeable about the medical and personal needs of my patients while enjoying the intellectual and emotional rewards that such a career provides. If I win this scholarship, it will lead to the attainment of my goal, M.D./Ph.D.

Ever since I could talk, all I wanted to be someone great. I would run around pretending to be a superhero or a famous actress; but little did I know, in a few years, I would end up becoming something just as superior. I became myself- a soccer player, (no not a professional, at least not yet). I realized that, honestly, I do not have to be imminent or have a lot of money to impact lives. Just me doing what I love (which is playing the beautiful sport) and being myself has already helped so many people and made lives greater, including mine. To me, soccer is more than just a hobby, it is a lifestyle that affects every part of my life. Now personally, I felt like my passion sprouted from when I first laid my foot on a soccer ball. To my astonishment, I was “supposed” to be a dancer and cheerleader. Everyone thought that too, well at least until my mom spent 20 minutes trying to drag me off the field with me screaming and crying after the first session. My mom mentioned to me it was so bad, that people thought I was being kidnapped. Whoops. But from there, my soccer career started, and my life path sprouted. I’m glad that I can say I made a whole second family from soccer. They are the people I can go to with any problem or issue and they always have my back. Take my best friend, Grace, for example, we honestly probably wouldn't have ever been friends if it weren’t for soccer and wouldn't have the amazing relationship we have today. I remember when we were on rival teams, but when we played middle school soccer together and got to know each other more and realized we had so much in common. It led us to now, with me being able to proudly say she’s my teammate on my club team BFA (International Boys Futbol Association). Soccer has given me so many opportunities to work with and experience different types of people. It also gave me my best friends. Soccer is no doubt is a part of my plans. I work so hard and have put in so much effort that I can't just stop being involved with it. My plans with soccer aren’t even that far away either. My first goal is to make high school varsity, my first year. The second goal and the one I’m most focused on is getting a scholarship for soccer in college. One day I even may coach my children on their soccer teams. Honestly, all the decisions I'm making right now are because of my future goals for soccer. I'm so passionate about soccer because it is the answer to why I am who I am today. Not only does soccer make me feel more secure, but it also relieves me. Anytime I'm stressed or don't want to think of something, futbol is the answer. I think of it as a person that I can go to for anything to get my mind off something, except it can't talk back, and it's not an actual human being. It's taught me life lessons only a few people have the chance to realize. The smashing sport gave me grit and the reason to strive for something great. For me, soccer is like my heart and my soul, I can't live without it.

I believe that if you do an activity that challenges you as you are learning it, you will have a more positive attitude in the future. One thing I enjoy learning is playing my violin. This is one of my absolute favorite things to do. When I play it makes me feel very happy. Sometimes I go from having a dreadful day, but then, when I play the ninth period, in a small, cramped room with many others who share my passion, my day seems to become brightened. I have been playing for seven years, so I am exceptionally good at it. If I wasn’t, then it would not be an interest to me. When I tell other people that I play, they usually say either “boring” or “weird”, which bothers me because this is something that I enjoy doing and their first impression is rude. The first pieces that I started playing were very simple, such as “Hot Cross Buns”. Each year, the songs kept increasing in difficulty, but I could keep up with them. When I entered high school, I took one look at sheet music and saw such pieces by composers Mozart and Beethoven. I thought they looked very difficult and I did not think I could ever play them. After much perseverance, I surprised myself and have mastered them. I practiced whenever I could, and in-class I would always pay attention to the teacher. The only reason that I know how to play these difficult pieces is that I challenge myself to learn them. Getting to this level tested my endurance to the limits. Yet I persevere the hurdles. No wonder few people can sustain or rather avoid the rigor of playing the violin, let alone being a noted pianist. Ever since then, I have never stopped listening to and performing music. No matter what I’m going through, I can always rely on music to remind me of the true beauty in life. Music has always been able to comfort and calm me in times of trouble; I would consider music to be more than passion, it's more like a never-failing friend. One thing I love about playing the violin is the way it sounds. It flows very gently and it is majestic sounding. When the notes come together to make a melody, there is a richness of sound that you cannot get from any other instrument. When I am playing in a concert, I hear how my violin mixes with other violas and cellos and it sounds beautiful. They all have different pitches and when they come together, they sound wonderful. I know that if I had never taken the time to practice, then it would not sound this pleasant. From the time I started playing the violin in third grade to right now, my love of the violin has made my life wonderful. Though I am my school’s Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster, ironically being a doctor is, for me, the ultimate opportunity to help others. Though a lot of hurdles are to be overcome, I stand ready to triumph. As a surgeon, I can have an immediate positive impact on the care of patients with diseases such as cancer, kidney transplant like in my grandfather’s situation. Working towards improved disease treatments with my colleagues will provide ongoing hope and optimism that the diseases we are studying may one day be cured.

I believe that if you do an activity that challenges you as you are learning it, you will have a more positive attitude in the future. One thing I enjoy learning is playing my violin. This is one of my absolute favorite things to do. When I play it makes me feel very happy. Sometimes I go from having a dreadful day, but then, when I play the ninth period, in a small, cramped room with many others who share my passion, my day seems to become brightened. I have been playing for seven years, so I am exceptionally good at it. If I wasn’t, then it would not be an interest to me. When I tell other people that I play, they usually say either “boring” or “weird”, which bothers me because this is something that I enjoy doing and their first impression is rude. The first pieces that I started playing were very simple, such as “Hot Cross Buns”. Each year, the songs kept increasing in difficulty, but I could keep up with them. When I entered high school, I took one look at sheet music and saw such pieces by composers Mozart and Beethoven. I thought they looked very difficult and I did not think I could ever play them. After much perseverance, I surprised myself and have mastered them. I practiced whenever I could, and in-class I would always pay attention to the teacher. The only reason that I know how to play these difficult pieces is that I challenge myself to learn them. Getting to this level tested my endurance to the limits. Yet I persevere the hurdles. No wonder few people can sustain or rather avoid the rigor of playing the violin, let alone being a noted pianist. Ever since then, I have never stopped listening to and performing music. No matter what I’m going through, I can always rely on music to remind me of the true beauty in life. Music has always been able to comfort and calm me in times of trouble; I would consider music to be more than passion, it's more like a never-failing friend. One thing I love about playing the violin is the way it sounds. It flows very gently and it is majestic sounding. When the notes come together to make a melody, there is a richness of sound that you cannot get from any other instrument. When I am playing in a concert, I hear how my violin mixes with other violas and cellos and it sounds beautiful. They all have different pitches and when they come together, they sound wonderful. I know that if I had never taken the time to practice, then it would not sound this pleasant. From the time I started playing the violin in third grade to right now, my love of the violin has made my life wonderful. Though I am my school’s Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster, ironically being a doctor is, for me, the ultimate opportunity to help others. Though a lot of hurdles are to be overcome, I stand ready to triumph. As a surgeon, I can have an immediate positive impact on the care of patients with diseases such as cancer, kidney transplant like in my grandfather’s situation. Working towards improved disease treatments with my colleagues will provide ongoing hope and optimism that the diseases we are studying may one day be cured.

I believe that if you do an activity that challenges you as you are learning it, you will have a more positive attitude in the future. One thing I enjoy learning is playing my violin. This is one of my absolute favorite things to do. When I play it makes me feel very happy. Sometimes I go from having a dreadful day, but then, when I play the ninth period, in a small, cramped room with many others who share my passion, my day seems to become brightened. I have been playing for seven years, so I am exceptionally good at it. If I wasn’t, then it would not be an interest to me. When I tell other people that I play, they usually say either “boring” or “weird”, which bothers me because this is something that I enjoy doing and their first impression is rude. The first pieces that I started playing were very simple, such as “Hot Cross Buns”. Each year, the songs kept increasing in difficulty, but I could keep up with them. When I entered high school, I took one look at sheet music and saw such pieces by composers Mozart and Beethoven. I thought they looked very difficult and I did not think I could ever play them. After much perseverance, I surprised myself and have mastered them. I practiced whenever I could, and in-class I would always pay attention to the teacher. The only reason that I know how to play these difficult pieces is that I challenge myself to learn them. Getting to this level tested my endurance to the limits. Yet I persevere the hurdles. No wonder few people can sustain or rather avoid the rigor of playing the violin, let alone being a noted pianist. Ever since then, I have never stopped listening to and performing music. No matter what I’m going through, I can always rely on music to remind me of the true beauty in life. Music has always been able to comfort and calm me in times of trouble; I would consider music to be more than passion, it's more like a never-failing friend. One thing I love about playing the violin is the way it sounds. It flows very gently and it is majestic sounding. When the notes come together to make a melody, there is a richness of sound that you cannot get from any other instrument. When I am playing in a concert, I hear how my violin mixes with other violas and cellos and it sounds beautiful. They all have different pitches and when they come together, they sound wonderful. I know that if I had never taken the time to practice, then it would not sound this pleasant. From the time I started playing the violin in third grade to right now, my love of the violin has made my life wonderful. Though I am my school’s Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster, ironically being a doctor is, for me, the ultimate opportunity to help others. Though a lot of hurdles are to be overcome, I stand ready to triumph. As a surgeon, I can have an immediate positive impact on the care of patients with diseases such as cancer, kidney transplant like in my grandfather’s situation. Working towards improved disease treatments with my colleagues will provide ongoing hope and optimism that the diseases we are studying may one day be cured.

I believe that if you do an activity that challenges you as you are learning it, you will have a more positive attitude in the future. One thing I enjoy learning is playing my violin. This is one of my absolute favorite things to do. When I play it makes me feel very happy. Sometimes I go from having a dreadful day, but then, when I play the ninth period, in a small, cramped room with many others who share my passion, my day seems to become brightened. I have been playing for seven years, so I am exceptionally good at it. If I wasn’t, then it would not be an interest to me. When I tell other people that I play, they usually say either “boring” or “weird”, which bothers me because this is something that I enjoy doing and their first impression is rude. The first pieces that I started playing were very simple, such as “Hot Cross Buns”. Each year, the songs kept increasing in difficulty, but I could keep up with them. When I entered high school, I took one look at sheet music and saw such pieces by composers Mozart and Beethoven. I thought they looked very difficult and I did not think I could ever play them. After much perseverance, I surprised myself and have mastered them. I practiced whenever I could, and in-class I would always pay attention to the teacher. The only reason that I know how to play these difficult pieces is that I challenge myself to learn them. Getting to this level tested my endurance to the limits. Yet I persevere the hurdles. No wonder few people can sustain or rather avoid the rigor of playing the violin, let alone being a noted pianist. Ever since then, I have never stopped listening to and performing music. No matter what I’m going through, I can always rely on music to remind me of the true beauty in life. Music has always been able to comfort and calm me in times of trouble; I would consider music to be more than passion, it's more like a never-failing friend. One thing I love about playing the violin is the way it sounds. It flows very gently and it is majestic sounding. When the notes come together to make a melody, there is a richness of sound that you cannot get from any other instrument. When I am playing in a concert, I hear how my violin mixes with other violas and cellos and it sounds beautiful. They all have different pitches and when they come together, they sound wonderful. I know that if I had never taken the time to practice, then it would not sound this pleasant. From the time I started playing the violin in third grade to right now, my love of the violin has made my life wonderful. Though I am my school’s Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster, ironically being a doctor is, for me, the ultimate opportunity to help others. Though a lot of hurdles are to be overcome, I stand ready to triumph. As a surgeon, I can have an immediate positive impact on the care of patients with diseases such as cancer, kidney transplant like in my grandfather’s situation. Working towards improved disease treatments with my colleagues will provide ongoing hope and optimism that the diseases we are studying may one day be cured.

I believe that if you do an activity that challenges you as you are learning it, you will have a more positive attitude in the future. One thing I enjoy learning is playing my violin. This is one of my absolute favorite things to do. When I play it makes me feel very happy. Sometimes I go from having a dreadful day, but then, when I play the ninth period, in a small, cramped room with many others who share my passion, my day seems to become brightened. I have been playing for seven years, so I am exceptionally good at it. If I wasn’t, then it would not be an interest to me. When I tell other people that I play, they usually say either “boring” or “weird”, which bothers me because this is something that I enjoy doing and their first impression is rude. The first pieces that I started playing were very simple, such as “Hot Cross Buns”. Each year, the songs kept increasing in difficulty, but I could keep up with them. When I entered high school, I took one look at sheet music and saw such pieces by composers Mozart and Beethoven. I thought they looked very difficult and I did not think I could ever play them. After much perseverance, I surprised myself and have mastered them. I practiced whenever I could, and in-class I would always pay attention to the teacher. The only reason that I know how to play these difficult pieces is that I challenge myself to learn them. Getting to this level tested my endurance to the limits. Yet I persevere the hurdles. Ever since then, I have never stopped listening to and performing music. No matter what I’m going through, I can always rely on music to remind me of the true beauty in life. Music has always been able to comfort and calm me in times of trouble; I would consider music to be more than passion, it's more like a never-failing friend. One thing I love about playing the violin is the way it sounds. It flows very gently and it is majestic sounding. When the notes come together to make a melody, there is a richness of sound that you cannot get from any other instrument. When I am playing in a concert, I hear how my violin mixes with other violas and cellos and it sounds beautiful. They all have different pitches and when they come together, they sound wonderful. I know that if I had never taken the time to practice, then it would not sound this pleasant. From the time I started playing the violin in third grade to right now, my love of the violin has made my life wonderful. Though I am my school’s Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster, ironically being a doctor is, for me, the ultimate opportunity to help others. Though a lot of hurdles are to be overcome, I stand ready to triumph. As a surgeon, I can have an immediate positive impact on the care of patients with diseases such as cancer, kidney transplant like in my grandfather’s situation. Working towards improved disease treatments with my colleagues will provide ongoing hope and optimism that the diseases we are studying may one day be cured.

I believe that if you do an activity that challenges you as you are learning it, you’ll have a more positive attitude in the future. One thing I enjoy learning is playing my violin. This is one of my absolute favorite things to do. When I play it makes me feel very happy. Sometimes I go from having a dreadful day, but then, when I play the ninth period, in a small, cramped room with many others who share my passion, my day seems to become brightened. I’ve been playing for seven years, so I am exceptionally good at it. When I tell other people that I play, they usually say either “boring” or “weird”, which bothers me because this is something that I enjoy doing and their first impression is rude. The first pieces that I started playing were very simple, such as “Hot Cross Buns”. Each year, the songs kept increasing in difficulty, but I could keep up with them. When I entered high school, I took one look at sheet music and saw such pieces by composers Mozart and Beethoven. I thought they looked very difficult and I didn’t think I could ever play them. After much perseverance, I surprised myself and have mastered them. I practiced whenever I could, and in-class I would always pay attention to the teacher. The only reason that I know how to play these difficult pieces is that I challenge myself to learn them. Ever since then, I’ve never stopped listening to and performing music. No matter what I’m going through, I can always rely on music to remind me of the true beauty in life. Music has always been able to comfort and calm me in times of trouble; I would consider music to be more than passion, it's more like a never-failing friend. One thing I love about playing the violin is the way it sounds. It flows very gently and it’s majestic sounding. When the notes come together to make a melody, there is a richness of sound that you cannot get from any other instrument. When I’m playing in a concert, I hear how my violin mixes with other violas and cellos and it sounds beautiful. They all have different pitches and when they come together, they sound wonderful. I know that if I had never taken the time to practice, then it would not sound this pleasant. From the time I started playing the violin in third grade to right now, my love of the violin has made my life wonderful. As my school’s Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster, ironically being a doctor is, for me, the ultimate opportunity to help others. As a surgeon, I can have an immediate positive impact on the care of patients with diseases such as cancer, kidney transplant like in my grandfather’s situation. Working towards improved disease treatments with my colleagues will provide ongoing hope and optimism that the diseases we are studying may one day be cured.

I had not thought extremely hard about how much soccer has impacted my life until a few weeks ago when I was asked: “What is your passion?” The answer came to me automatically and without much thought, soccer. That question was followed by “Why?” What I thought was an obvious answer came to my mind because I love it. I could not expand my answer any more than that. I did not think that I needed to. I assumed that those four words completely expressed my thoughts on the matter. Thinking back to how simply I answered those two questions, I began to ponder the deeper meaning behind those words. Why am I so passionate about soccer? The answer to this question came to me accidentally this past week in a class discussion about reminiscing childhood. Soccer has been a part of my life since I was four or five years old. I remember playing for a recreational league in the summer and looking forward to Mondays and Wednesdays because those were the days that I had a game. I would put on my soccer shorts which were so long, they went down well past my knees, and wrap my shin guard straps around three or four times because my legs were so small. At that age, the game consisted of ten boys and girls from both teams all clumped together running up and down the 25-yard field trying to score a goal in 3-foot nets. During the game, children on the other team became your enemies, but as soon as the game ended you were all best friends again. That was my childhood. As I aged, the attitude and stress surrounding the game became more intense and people began asking me about where I wanted to play in high school, and then soon in college. None of that affected me very much. When I feel the stress getting to me, I think back to the simple days when it didn't matter how well I played or who was watching. I held on to those memories because I didn't want to let go of the past and the many precious memories that came along with it. That is the reason that I still play to this day. Every time I am out on that field, I play with the same attitude that I have since I was a little boy. It keeps me somehow connected to my youth. Whenever the word soccer even enters my mind, I feel happy. It has always been there and serves as an escape from the real world. Soccer to me is an escape to the stress and burdens of my everyday life. When I step on the field, I get to briefly revisit the simplicity of my childhood only if for 80 minutes. I now know that the reason that I love soccer so much, is not simply because of the game itself, but because of the connection, it has with my community, school, childhood, and peers. Soccer to me is like a time machine, with every game comes a trip back in time to again experience the happiness that I did as a child.

My passion for social change began when I was 13 years old and moved across the country to go to boarding school in New England. I was still discovering my passions and figured that the best way to find things I liked to do would be to try new things. During my first fall at school, I joined the Model United Nations program. Since I’ve always enjoyed history, politics, sciences, and current events, it seemed like it might be a good fit. I decided to stick with it, and, in turn, I hope to attend the Ivy League Model United Nations Conference after high school. Model UN did inspire my interest in civil and international relations — but it also sparked an even deeper passion for activism even. Learning about civil and international problems involving inequity became such a passion, in fact, that I plan to dedicate my career to fighting for justice and equality. By my sophomore year of high school, while in my hometown of Pittsburgh I became the co-head of my church’s Social Awareness program. Fueled by my passions for fighting for social equality and social justice, I plan to apply early decision to Harvard, MIT, Yale, or Stanford and I hope to be one of the most fortunate ones to be accepted. At the same time, I will be taking a civil rights course and learning about the school-to-prison-pipeline. In consultation with my teachers/professors, I also plan to seek out opportunities in an educational nonprofit that supports underfunded school districts by providing mentoring and tutoring services to students. It will feel like a wonderful opportunity to pursue my passions, so I will apply to City or other relevant institutions and hope to get accepted. I am certain that my peers will support my decision by allowing me to best use my summertime following admission. For now, I am getting to live my passion for advocating for positive change in communities. It’s hard work; I will have put in around 60 hours a week for an entire summer before I resume college, all for an incredibly low stipend, but it will be worthwhile beyond my wildest dreams. I know I will make a difference to the kids in my care this coming year, serving as a role model for them to pursue their own passions one day. My passion for activism was sparked by one program, yet it has grown and changed the course of my young life completely. Through my senior year and college, I will continue to pursue service. The colleges I am targeting have a special residential and academic program for those committed to such service, and, via a competitive application process, I hope to gain admission to it each year. I look forward to sharing my passions for service and for fighting for social justice and equality at an all-new level in the next chapter of my life, in my senior year, college, and beyond.

My passion for social change began when I was 13 years old and moved across the country to go to boarding school in New England. I was still discovering my passions and figured that the best way to find things I liked to do would be to try new things. During my first fall at school, I joined the Model United Nations program. Since I’ve always enjoyed history, politics, sciences, and current events, it seemed like it might be a good fit. I decided to stick with it, and, in turn, I hope to attend the Ivy League Model United Nations Conference after high school. Model UN did inspire my interest in civil and international relations — but it also sparked an even deeper passion for activism even. Learning about civil and international problems involving inequity became such a passion, in fact, that I plan to dedicate my career to fighting for justice and equality. By my sophomore year of high school, while in my hometown of Pittsburgh I became the co-head of my church’s Social Awareness program. Fueled by my passions for fighting for social equality and social justice, I plan to apply early decision to Harvard, MIT, Yale, or Stanford and I hope to be one of the most fortunate ones to be accepted. At the same time, I will be taking a civil rights course and learning about the school-to-prison-pipeline. In consultation with my teachers/professors, I also plan to seek out opportunities in an educational nonprofit that supports underfunded school districts by providing mentoring and tutoring services to students. It will feel like a wonderful opportunity to pursue my passions, so I will apply to City or other relevant institutions and hope to get accepted. I am certain that my peers will support my decision by allowing me to best use my summertime following admission. For now, I am getting to live my passion for advocating for positive change in communities. It’s hard work; I will have put in around 60 hours a week for an entire summer before I resume college, all for an incredibly low stipend, but it will be worthwhile beyond my wildest dreams. I know I will make a difference to the kids in my care this coming year, serving as a role model for them to pursue their own passions one day. My passion for activism was sparked by one program, yet it has grown and changed the course of my young life completely. Through my senior year and college, I will continue to pursue service. The colleges I am targeting have a special residential and academic program for those committed to such service, and, via a competitive application process, I hope to gain admission to it each year. I look forward to sharing my passions for service and for fighting for social justice and equality at an all-new level in the next chapter of my life, in my senior year, college, and beyond.

My passion for social change began when I was 13 years old and moved across the country to go to boarding school in New England. I was still discovering my passions and figured that the best way to find things I liked to do would be to try new things. During my first fall at school, I joined the Model United Nations program. Since I’ve always enjoyed history, politics, sciences, and current events, it seemed like it might be a good fit. I decided to stick with it, and, in turn, I hope to attend the Ivy League Model United Nations Conference after high school. Model UN did inspire my interest in civil and international relations — but it also sparked an even deeper passion for activism even. Learning about civil and international problems involving inequity became such a passion, in fact, that I plan to dedicate my career to fighting for justice and equality. By my sophomore year of high school, while in my hometown of Pittsburgh I became the co-head of my church’s Social Awareness program. Fueled by my passions for fighting for social equality and social justice, I plan to apply early decision to Harvard, MIT, Yale, or Stanford and I hope to be one of the most fortunate ones to be accepted. At the same time, I will be taking a civil rights course and learning about the school-to-prison-pipeline. In consultation with my teachers/professors, I also plan to seek out opportunities in an educational nonprofit that supports underfunded school districts by providing mentoring and tutoring services to students. It will feel like a wonderful opportunity to pursue my passions, so I will apply to City or other relevant institutions and hope to get accepted. I am certain that my peers will support my decision by allowing me to best use my summertime following admission. For now, I am getting to live my passion for advocating for positive change in communities. It’s hard work; I will have put in around 60 hours a week for an entire summer before I resume college, all for an incredibly low stipend, but it will be worthwhile beyond my wildest dreams. I know I will make a difference to the kids in my care this coming year, serving as a role model for them to pursue their own passions one day. My passion for activism was sparked by one program, yet it has grown and changed the course of my young life completely. Through my senior year and college, I will continue to pursue service. The colleges I am targeting have a special residential and academic program for those committed to such service, and, via a competitive application process, I hope to gain admission to it each year. I look forward to sharing my passions for service and for fighting for social justice and equality at an all-new level in the next chapter of my life, in my senior year, college, and beyond.

MUSIC HAS SHAPED MY PERSONAL AND intellectual life in many ways. Music is a common language that connects me to others who share my enthusiasm for creating it. Furthermore, I learn about my own preferences and personality through the pieces that intrigue me. As I expose myself to a wider array of styles and eras, my musical tastes grow more complex. Through music, I welcome opportunities to expand my friendships as well as my instrumental horizons. I began studying piano at age six. For the next five years, my mother lived vicariously through my musical education, which her family had not been able to afford. In fifth grade, as I was becoming an earnest piano student, I was selected to commence violin lessons and play in my elementary school orchestra. From that day on, I saw life from a violinist’s point of view. Although I am a seasoned pianist, an ambitious solo violinist, and a fledgling cellist, I am, above all, a passionate chamber musician. My experience in a chamber quartet has had a strong impact on my character. When I was the second violinist, I simply enjoyed making music with my friends. Only after I became the first violinist did I feel the responsibility of leadership settling uncomfortably on my shoulders. However, the burden soon became a part of me and transformed into enthusiasm. now, as the quartet leader, I use the small group setting to channel each of our individual creative instincts. Each member of the quartet shares their musical interests, bringing their favorite repertoire to the table so that we each participate in the learning and playing experience. The quartet is also an outlet for my musical fancy. Ever since I discovered the Finale music writing software, I have delighted in arranging works for our quartet to play and perform. This year, my goal is to arrange and perform the Ferrante and Teichert version of the love theme from The Godfather for a piano duet and orchestra. Though I am currently the concertmaster of St. Paul’s School, my aspirations grow, I aim to arrange music for a greater variety of instruments and to explore jazz, pop, and other styles of music on the piano. I desire to join others with similar talent and passion at college. However, before I leave high school, I hope my appreciation for music will leave a mark on my community.

My passion for social change began when I was 13 years old and moved across the country to go to boarding school in New England. I was still discovering my passions and figured that the best way to find things I liked to do would be to try new things. During my first fall at school, I joined the Model United Nations program. Since I’ve always enjoyed history, politics, sciences, and current events, it seemed like it might be a good fit. I decided to stick with it, and, in turn, I hope to attend the Ivy League Model United Nations Conference after high school. Model UN did inspire my interest in civil and international relations — but it also sparked an even deeper passion for activism even. Learning about civil and international problems involving inequity became such a passion, in fact, that I plan to dedicate my career to fighting for justice and equality. By my sophomore year of high school, while in my hometown of Pittsburgh I became the co-head of my church’s Social Awareness program. Fueled by my passions for fighting for social equality and social justice, I plan to apply early decision to Harvard, MIT, Yale, or Stanford and I hope to be one of the most fortunate ones to be accepted. At the same time, I will be taking a civil rights course and learning about the school-to-prison-pipeline. In consultation with my teachers/professors, I also plan to seek out opportunities in an educational nonprofit that supports underfunded school districts by providing mentoring and tutoring services to students. It will feel like a wonderful opportunity to pursue my passions, so I will apply to City or other relevant institutions and hope to get accepted. I am certain that my peers will support my decision by allowing me to best use my summertime following admission. For now, I am getting to live my passion for advocating for positive change in communities. It’s hard work; I will have put in around 60 hours a week for an entire summer before I resume college, all for an incredibly low stipend, but it will be worthwhile beyond my wildest dreams. I know I will make a difference to the kids in my care this coming year, serving as a role model for them to pursue their own passions one day. My passion for activism was sparked by one program, yet it has grown and changed the course of my young life completely. Through my senior year and college, I will continue to pursue service. The colleges I am targeting have a special residential and academic program for those committed to such service, and, via a competitive application process, I hope to gain admission to it each year. I look forward to sharing my passions for service and for fighting for social justice and equality at an all-new level in the next chapter of my life, in my senior year, college, and beyond.

I looked up at my opponent over the maple and mahogany battlefield covered with kings, queens, and knights after half an hour of silent contemplation. Fallen soldiers – discarded in the heat of battle – were strewn across the sides of the table. Staring back at me was the most experience strategist in my home state – a man who had dedicated his very life to a war whose culminating battle was unfolding before me. I glanced at the board one more time, searching for an escape, but my valiant warriors were too ensnared to retreat. I first fell in love with the game of chess when I was ten; my Kenyan grandfather offered to teach me the game when the incessant rain imprisoned us indoors for most of his two-week visit. I accepted his offer only to be polite – I had seen plenty of others stooping over their chess sets for hours on end, and I had no interest in wasting my time with something I deemed so boring. My interest, however, skyrocketed from the moment we began our first game. As an inexperienced player, I had no idea how to coordinate my pieces, and I could only watch in horror as my grandfather overran my defenses and crushed me within twenty moves. Naturally competitive, I asked for a rematch, then for another. Granddad always graciously accepted, and in the days that followed, we must have played over 100 games of chess. With each game, I gained a little understanding, but despite my best efforts, I didn’t win a single one. Before I returned to the USA, my grandfather instilled a dream in me when I said goodbye to him with the words. “Give it everything, and you will triumph.” In the past six years, I have tried to do just that. After bidding my grandfather farewell, upon arrival in Pennsylvania, and upon my request, my parents purchased a beginner’s chess manual that outlined the basic strategies of the game. That evening – and many evenings thereafter – I spent hours poring over that book. Later, I amassed many chess books specific to many different aspects of the game-opening advances, middlegame tactics, endgame strategies – and devoured them all with enthusiasm. As my love for the game increased, I joined numerous online chess servers, and when they didn’t satiate my enormous appetite for the game, I founded a chess club at a local school and entered numerous chess tournaments. I improved rapidly.

My passion for social change began when I was 13 years old and moved across the country to go to boarding school in New England. I was still discovering my passions and figured that the best way to find things I liked to do would be to try new things. During my first fall at school, I joined the Model United Nations program. Since I’ve always enjoyed history, politics, sciences, and current events, it seemed like it might be a good fit. I decided to stick with it, and, in turn, I hope to attend the Ivy League Model United Nations Conference after high school. Model UN did inspire my interest in civil and international relations — but it also sparked an even deeper passion for activism even. Learning about civil and international problems involving inequity became such a passion, in fact, that I plan to dedicate my career to fighting for justice and equality. By my sophomore year of high school, while in my hometown of Pittsburgh I became the co-head of my church’s Social Awareness program. Fueled by my passions for fighting for social equality and social justice, I plan to apply early decision to Harvard, MIT, Yale, or Stanford and I hope to be one of the most fortunate ones to be accepted. At the same time, I will be taking a civil rights course and learning about the school-to-prison-pipeline. In consultation with my teachers/professors, I also plan to seek out opportunities in an educational nonprofit that supports underfunded school districts by providing mentoring and tutoring services to students. It will feel like a wonderful opportunity to pursue my passions, so I will apply to City or other relevant institutions and hope to get accepted. I am certain that my peers will support my decision by allowing me to best use my summertime following admission. For now, I am getting to live my passion for advocating for positive change in communities. It’s hard work; I will have put in around 60 hours a week for an entire summer before I resume college, all for an incredibly low stipend, but it will be worthwhile beyond my wildest dreams. I know I will make a difference to the kids in my care this coming year, serving as a role model for them to pursue their own passions one day. My passion for activism was sparked by one program, yet it has grown and changed the course of my young life completely. Through my senior year and college, I will continue to pursue service. The colleges I am targeting have a special residential and academic program for those committed to such service, and, via a competitive application process, I hope to gain admission to it each year. I look forward to sharing my passions for service and for fighting for social justice and equality at an all-new level in the next chapter of my life, in my senior year, college, and beyond.

My passion for social change began when I was 13 years old and moved across the country to go to boarding school in New England. I was still discovering my passions and figured that the best way to find things I liked to do would be to try new things. During my first fall at school, I joined the Model United Nations program. Since I’ve always enjoyed history, politics, sciences, and current events, it seemed like it might be a good fit. I decided to stick with it, and, in turn, I hope to attend the Ivy League Model United Nations Conference after high school. Model UN did inspire my interest in civil and international relations — but it also sparked an even deeper passion for activism even. Learning about civil and international problems involving inequity became such a passion, in fact, that I plan to dedicate my career to fighting for justice and equality. By my sophomore year of high school, while in my hometown of Pittsburgh I became the co-head of my church’s Social Awareness program. Fueled by my passions for fighting for social equality and social justice, I plan to apply early decision to Harvard, MIT, Yale, or Stanford and I hope to be one of the most fortunate ones to be accepted. At the same time, I will be taking a civil rights course and learning about the school-to-prison-pipeline. In consultation with my teachers/professors, I also plan to seek out opportunities in an educational nonprofit that supports underfunded school districts by providing mentoring and tutoring services to students. It will feel like a wonderful opportunity to pursue my passions, so I will apply to City or other relevant institutions and hope to get accepted. I am certain that my peers will support my decision by allowing me to best use my summertime following admission. For now, I am getting to live my passion for advocating for positive change in communities. It’s hard work; I will have put in around 60 hours a week for an entire summer before I resume college, all for an incredibly low stipend, but it will be worthwhile beyond my wildest dreams. I know I will make a difference to the kids in my care this coming year, serving as a role model for them to pursue their own passions one day. My passion for activism was sparked by one program, yet it has grown and changed the course of my young life completely. Through my senior year and college, I will continue to pursue service. The colleges I am targeting have a special residential and academic program for those committed to such service, and, via a competitive application process, I hope to gain admission to it each year. I look forward to sharing my passions for service and for fighting for social justice and equality at an all-new level in the next chapter of my life, in my senior year, college, and beyond.

My passion for social change began when I was 13 years old and moved across the country to go to boarding school in New England. I was still discovering my passions and figured that the best way to find things I liked to do would be to try new things. During my first fall at school, I joined the Model United Nations program. Since I’ve always enjoyed history, politics, sciences, and current events, it seemed like it might be a good fit. I decided to stick with it, and, in turn, I hope to attend the Ivy League Model United Nations Conference after high school. Model UN did inspire my interest in civil and international relations — but it also sparked an even deeper passion for activism even. Learning about civil and international problems involving inequity became such a passion, in fact, that I plan to dedicate my career to fighting for justice and equality. By my sophomore year of high school, while in my hometown of Pittsburgh I became the co-head of my church’s Social Awareness program. Fueled by my passions for fighting for social equality and social justice, I plan to apply early decision to Harvard, MIT, Yale, Princeton, or Stanford and I hope to be one of the most fortunate ones to be accepted. At the same time, I will be taking a civil rights course and learning about the school-to-prison-pipeline. In consultation with my teachers/professors, I also plan to seek out for opportunities in educational nonprofit that supports underfunded school districts by providing mentoring and tutoring services to students. It will feel like a wonderful opportunity to pursue my passions, so I will apply to City or other relevant institutions and hope to get accepted. I am certain that my college will support my decision by allowing me to best use my summertime following admission. For now, I am getting to live my passion for advocating for positive change in communities. It’s hard work; I will have put in around 60 hours a week for an entire summer before I resume college, all for an incredibly low stipend, but it will be worthwhile beyond my wildest dreams. I know I will make a difference to the kids in my care this coming year, serving as a role model for them to pursue their own passions one day. My passion for activism was sparked by one program, yet it has grown and changed the course of my young life completely. Through my senior year and college, I will continue to pursue service. The colleges I am targeting have a special residential and academic program for those committed to such service, and, via a competitive application process, I hope to gain admission to it each year. I look forward to sharing my passions for service and for fighting for social justice and equality at an all-new level in the next chapter of my life, in my senior year, college, and beyond.

Some pre-medical students have known that they would become doctors ever since they picked up their first toy stethoscope. Others have had a singular tragic event that changed their career goals forever. The origins of my own desire to become a physician have been less dramatic, but equally sound. As a child, whenever someone asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I answered with a rainbow of possibilities, including fireman, army officer, musician, and of course, doctor. Being a doctor appealed to me because doctors seemed smart, responsible, helpful, and — in some vague sense I could not quite define — “cool.” They cured the sick and fended off nasty diseases. They discovered new treatments and dispensed old remedies. They eased the dying process, even occasionally pulling patients back from almost death. It seemed like they could do just about anything. As I grew older, I gained experience that shaped this childhood assessment of a doctor’s job into a more realistic perspective; the more I learned about research and clinical work, the more confident I became that I want to be a physician. As currently in high school, I discovered that I excelled in the sciences and mathematics. My aptitude and interest grew simultaneously, fueling each other in a sort of feedback loop. I am thrilled to realize that the biology, chemistry, physics, and math classes I enjoy so much are fundamentally related to medicine; I could both satisfy my love for the basic sciences while helping individual patients as a “cool” doctor. I decided that I wanted to be a physician who also does basic science research. Later, when in college, I am certain to reaffirm my affinity for research in the field of chemistry. Not only do I find the subject matter fascinating, but the process itself also captivates me. I liked setting my own schedule, learning at my own pace, and designing my own experiments. Some of my electives are and will help me to consolidate my interests: my biology class, for example, has given me an exhilarating introduction to the vast and ever-changing body of knowledge. In order to cover a wide spectrum of information, the class was taught by the head of the science department, she has an incredible passion for sciences. I found this class especially rewarding because it allowed me to understand the ways in which my own body works, which I can apply to the diagnosis and treatment of specific diseases. Throughout high school and college, I will keep strengthening and satisfying my interest in clinical work by volunteering in a hospital. Despite my rigorous academic schedule, I will look forward to the few hours to spend each week in the adult or pediatric emergency department, helping the staff in any way I could. I will spend time with patients who are awaiting treatment and observe physicians as they constantly make important decisions and direct other staff members. I will greatly value this personal interaction with staff and patients, and this chance to catch a first-hand glimpse of the unique responsibilities of physicians. I will have the opportunity to gain additional perspective on the doctor/patient relationship during Christmas break when I fell sick with a pounding headache. I was rushed to the emergency room, where a doctor treated me. Before my maternal grandfather died, I witnessed his battle with kidney and kidney transplant, and the incredible ingenuity his physicians had exerted. My paternal grandfather on the other hand, after a long battle with pancreatic cancer, died how passionately his doctors worked to save his life. My compassion for patients, especially the chronically ill and disabled, has increased exponentially. These experiences were also a clear illustration of the value of good medical care; I was very thankful for the availability and expertise of my grandparents as much as my doctor. I cannot pinpoint my determination to become a doctor to an epiphany at sixteen, but the steady string of experiences I have accumulated so far leads me to believe that the most solid decision is that which is based on both gut feeling and careful deliberation. I believe there are three ways to gain insight into the field of medicine: as an observer, a patient, or a doctor. I have had experiences as the first two; now I am ready and eager to achieve the final one, a competent and passionate doctor.

When I think about the converging waves of the notes I play, the standing waves being created by plucking a string, and the physics behind the air pockets being forged that eventually find a listening ear whenever I stand up or sit down to play my violin. In this way, my passions for music and math alliance become more together than they could ever be apart. I started thinking about this when a Carson Scholar Fund staff approached me one afternoon and asked if I could lead my fellow scholars at the Carson Scholars Fund Award ceremony. Being a member of the Carson Scholars society and recounting the memorable induction presentation given the year prior at my own induction, I agreed. I decided on the topic of music and math because I play violin 1 in the Pittsburgh Three Rivers Young Peoples Orchestra before my current school, St. Paul’s Orchestra as the concertmaster, and being a math, history, and science enthusiast, it was impossible for me not to see the mathematics, history, and science present in the music. At music's root, mathematics is present in the tempo and rhythm of a piece, with the time mark being represented as a fraction and the tempo being represented by a number value in beats per minute. The relationship between the two gets, even more, arousing curiosity when applied to actual notes being played. The best sounding music is that which uses flawless mathematics. It is common knowledge that each note has a letter name—A through G—but also has a number value, measured in Hertz. An A4, for example, is 440 Hertz. In Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata," there exist triads in triplet form. These triads are made up of D, F#, and A. Since sound is vibrational energy, notes can be graphed as sine functions. When the triad notes are graphed, they intersect at their starting point and at the point 0.042. At this point, the D has gone through two full cycles, the F# two and a half, and the A three. This results in an agreement, something that sounds naturally pleasant to the ear. Thinking about this opened my attention to all the aspects of my life with which I utilize math to advance. My desire to touch the lives of others was in the play while visiting my ailing grandparents in Kenya. It’s when I volunteered at an orphanage that has a lasting effect on my life during one of my visits. Most of the children at the orphanage had lost both parents to AIDS/HIV while other parents died due to poor living conditions and bad health, leaving their children behind to care for themselves and each other. The response to playing the violin to this community was the peak of my joy. If I’m fortunate enough to win this scholarship, it’ll certainly help me to purchase a better quality violin. I need it not only to bring joy to others but also to continuously sharpen my musical skills.

Some pre-medical students have known that they would become doctors ever since they picked up their first toy stethoscope. Others have had a singular tragic event that changed their career goals forever. The origins of my own desire to become a physician have been less dramatic, but equally sound. As a child, whenever someone asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I answered with a rainbow of possibilities, including fireman, army officer, musician, and of course, doctor. Being a doctor appealed to me because doctors seemed smart, responsible, helpful, and — in some vague sense I could not quite define — “cool.” They cured the sick and fended off nasty diseases. They discovered new treatments and dispensed old remedies. They eased the dying process, even occasionally pulling patients back from almost death. It seemed like they could do just about anything. As I grew older, I gained experience that shaped this childhood assessment of a doctor’s job into a more realistic perspective; the more I learned about research and clinical work, the more confident I became that I want to be a physician. As currently in high school, I discovered that I excelled in the sciences and mathematics. My aptitude and interest grew simultaneously, fueling each other in a sort of feedback loop. I am thrilled to realize that the biology, chemistry, physics, and math classes I enjoy so much are fundamentally related to medicine; I could both satisfy my love for the basic sciences while helping individual patients as a “cool” doctor. I decided that I wanted to be a physician who also does basic science research. Later, when in college, I am certain to reaffirm my affinity for research in the field of chemistry. Not only do I find the subject matter fascinating, but the process itself also captivates me. I liked setting my own schedule, learning at my own pace, and designing my own experiments. Some of my electives are and will help me to consolidate my interests: my biology class, for example, has given me an exhilarating introduction to the vast and ever-changing body of knowledge. In order to cover a wide spectrum of information, the class was taught by the head of the science department, she has an incredible passion for sciences. I found this class especially rewarding because it allowed me to understand the ways in which my own body works, which I can apply to the diagnosis and treatment of specific diseases. Throughout high school and college, I will keep strengthening and satisfying my interest in clinical work by volunteering in a hospital. Despite my rigorous academic schedule, I will look forward to the few hours to spend each week in the adult or pediatric emergency department, helping the staff in any way I could. I will spend time with patients who are awaiting treatment and observe physicians as they constantly make important decisions and direct other staff members. I will greatly value this personal interaction with staff and patients, and this chance to catch a first-hand glimpse of the unique responsibilities of physicians. I will have the opportunity to gain additional perspective on the doctor/patient relationship during Christmas break when I fell sick with a pounding headache. I was rushed to the emergency room, where a doctor treated me. Before my maternal grandfather died, I witnessed his battle with kidney and kidney transplant, and the incredible ingenuity his physicians had exerted. My paternal grandfather on the other hand, after a long battle with pancreatic cancer, died how passionately his doctors worked to save his life. My compassion for patients, especially the chronically ill and disabled, has increased exponentially. These experiences were also a clear illustration of the value of good medical care; I was very thankful for the availability and expertise of my grandparents as much as my doctor. I cannot pinpoint my determination to become a doctor to an epiphany at sixteen, but the steady string of experiences I have accumulated so far leads me to believe that the most solid decision is that which is based on both gut feeling and careful deliberation. I believe there are three ways to gain insight into the field of medicine: as an observer, a patient, or a doctor. I have had experiences as the first two; now I am ready and eager to achieve the final one, a competent and passionate doctor.

The grass wads up between my fingers. My phalanges are crimson with clotting blood, and I know there's only more pain ahead of me. I hear the snap of the ball, and then it's the cacophony of bodies hitting one another. An opposing striker barrels into me, and I fall to the earth, my bones rattling with the impact. Behind me, I can hear the opposing winger being taken down, hammered to the ground again. I struggle to rise, but I do. I glance at the scoreboard and remind myself that this is not just a loss. It's a historic loss, and I feel every yard in my aching body. We never had a chance against them. While our team isn't bad, these are the reigning state champs, and most people who speculate on those things believe they will be playing at state again. We were nothing more than a bump in the road for them. A very painful bump in the road, as my punished body can attest. We didn't go in thinking we were going to lose. We never prepared to get trashed. The coach had a game plan: my team was to protect me, the Midfielders, and use a passing offense. Their central defender, known for his speed, would not be able to keep up. All they needed was the left defender line, including me, to dig in and delay them. It was a good idea in theory, but the theory is sometimes not easily translated into reality. The defensive line plowed through us like we were made of tissue paper. My role in the plan was an utter failure. No matter what I did, what reserves of strength I tried to draw upon, they weren't enough. I was not big enough. I was not fast enough. I was not good enough. In short, I failed, and our team suffered for it. For an entire game, I was flattened repeatedly by players that were larger, stronger, and better than I was though I was faster. After the game, I had never felt worse. It wasn't just the physical aspects, though my aches, pains, and cuts exacerbated my feelings. It was the sense of failure, of personal failure. Had better use my tiger-like speed as I was supposed to, we would have won. There was no way around it. The coach said something afterward that completely changed my feelings. He told me he was proud of the way we had played. We were knocked down, he said, but we never stayed down. There was no shame in failure. There was only shame in never trying. Had we won that day; I never would have learned anything. Had I somehow been able to modify my speedy response as I was intended to, I would still be the same person. By failing, I was able to grow. I could not stop them from coming through the lines on every play, but I didn't stop trying. This was the most important aspect of what happened. To a person who has never experienced failure, a single setback can be crippling. Failure, though, taught me how to persevere in the face of adversity. My experience was painful, but because of it, I can apply it to other physical, academic, and social areas of my life. Because of what I did, and how Coach made me understand its importance, I know that getting knocked down isn't important. Getting back up is what counts.