The four houses of Hogwarts are a key aspect of academic and social life at the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry within J.K. Rowling's world of Harry Potter. Gryffindor is the house of brave, adventurous, and daring young wizards and witches who are always on the lookout for an opportunity to challenge themselves, even if it means getting into trouble. Hufflepuff is a house of fair, kind, and loyal sorcerers who are always reliable partners for their friends and allies, although the main downside to this is that Hufflepuff wizards sometimes lack a mind of their own. Slytherin is the house of ambitious, cunning, and opportunistic wizards who are always determined to succeed, even if it means engaging in unethical or possibly illegal actions such as joining the death eaters. I admire Gryffindor and Hufflepuff while dreading Slytherin, but I would say that the one house of Hogwarts that I would truly belong to is Ravenclaw — the house of intelligent, knowledgeable, and independent-minded wizards who are always intrigued to learn new things. The curiosity of Ravenclaw wizards and witches is one of the main reasons I would most likely be sorted into that house. In the Harry Potter books, Luna Lovegood is an example of a very curious Ravenclaw witch who usually spends her free time studying various obscure creatures, historical events, and other subjects of interest within the Wizarding World. I too am a highly curious individual who always enjoys using his spare time to learn new things about topics like math, science, history, technology, politics, and economics. For example, I am highly interested in artificial intelligence (AI), so I often surf the Internet to find information about various topics within the field of AI. I have learned a lot about the history of AI, its origins within a few obscure laboratory experiments, and its expanding role in our world during the 21st century. I have also learned about the various methods used to train AI via machine learning, including supervised learning, unsupervised learning, reinforcement learning, and inverse reinforcement learning. In addition, I have acquired a lot of knowledge about the importance of aligning the goals of AI with human interests. I now know that “misaligned” AI models that pursue harmful goals need to be restrained and remedied to protect humanity from their potential consequences. For instance, an AI text generator that regularly produces false information (e.g., claiming that the Earth is flat) needs to be modified by AI trainers so that it would stop pursuing its harmful goals. The individualism and independent-mindedness of Ravenclaw sorcerers is another important reason why I would belong in that house. Luna Lovegood, Cho Chang, and other members of Ravenclaw have their own distinct set of goals and interests, which they constantly pursue throughout their lives. They do not stick to trendy styles and behaviors but, instead, develop authentic interests in the subjects that fascinate them. Ravenclaw wizards and witches also know how to keep their own self-esteem high and not let others make them feel diminished. This reminds me of myself because I am a highly individualistic person who has his own unique set of interests. I rarely bother to adopt fads and cliques; instead, I prefer to cultivate useful skills like computer programming and learn more about useful subjects like machine learning. In conclusion, I would be a Ravenclaw in the Wizarding World. I admire Ravenclaw sorcerers for their curiosity and individualism, traits that also define me and the actions I take in my everyday life.

I was only eight years old when I played Minecraft for the first time in my life, and I fell in love with the game immediately. I marveled at the many wonders of the world within the game, from the animals and monsters to the minerals and buildings. I have continued playing Minecraft in later years so that I could continue experiencing the joy and thrill of the game. I have enjoyed slaying zombies, skeletons, creepers, and other foul creatures in Survival Mode. I have also been delighted by Mini Games like Battle, Glide, and Tumble which allow me to go off on a thrilling virtual adventure in a whole new world. But above all, I have loved to build new structures in Creative Mode since it has enabled me to unleash my imagination. The main reason that Creative Mode is my favorite aspect of Minecraft is that I always have unlimited (virtual) resources that I can use to build whatever I want. I do not have to fear death (unless I fall off the Minecraft world), and I can also fly up and down to reach any place within the world that I want to come to. When I open a new world within Creative Mode, the first thing I normally do is build myself a large, luxurious mansion out of diamond blocks. I usually build each of my mansions in a coastal forest location so that I can enjoy the beauty of both the vast ocean and the towering trees. The framework of any given mansion that I build is shaped like a large rectangular prism. Every floor in the mansion consists of a square tile of diamond blocks. The walls line up vertically and extend through several floors. Within the mansion lie various specialized rooms used for particular purposes. For example, the mansion contains a large library consisting of many bookshelves that surround a book of enchantments that I can use to grant magical powers to my tools and weapons in the game. The mansion also contains a marketplace where villagers of different professions (e.g., butchers, farmers, librarians) can trade with me and with each other. Other rooms in the mansion include an armory, where I can use an anvil to repair and enhance my in-game tools and weapons; a workshop, where I can use a crafting table to make new things; an attic, where I have a collection of chests to store my surplus belongings; a kitchen, where I can cook food or smelt ores; and a bedroom, where I can go to sleep every night in the game. The objects and rooms in my great mansions are largely decorative since I do not need to use them to acquire resources in creative mode. However, the mansion and its many components are products of my imagination, and they are part of what makes Minecraft Creative Mode so fun. I always enjoy envisioning large structures like my mansions, imagining the little details within them, and then bringing those details to life by implementing them in the game. Creating structures like the diamond mansions allows me to practice and sharpen important cognitive abilities like creativity, spatial reasoning, problem-solving, and critical thinking. I take pride and ownership in the many structures I build in Minecraft Creative Mode, and I hope to keep using my imagination to come up with exciting new creations within the game.

The best money lesson I have received in my journey to become financially literate is that earning money is at least as important as saving it. While saving enough money to grow one’s wealth is important, expanding one’s earnings is the key to truly increasing one’s capacity to become financially independent. Saving money does allow people to have some leftover money to invest in financial assets. For example, people can choose to save additional money by cutting their cable TV service, taking fewer vacations, eating more at home rather than at a restaurant, or holding onto durable goods like cars, computers, and phones for more time. People can also try to save money by moving from a big city to a suburb or from a more expensive state (e.g., California, Massachusetts, New York) to one with lower living costs (e.g., Georgia, Tennessee, Texas). The leftover savings can then be invested into a person’s financial portfolio in several ways. For instance, a person’s retirement savings can be deposited into a 401(k) or an individual retirement account (IRA) that contains a mix of stocks and bonds that will form a nest egg once the saver retires. Similarly, prospective homebuyers can try to save enough money to make a down payment for a home they wish to purchase. Despite its importance, saving money does have its limits given the fact that it is impossible to save money without earning it first. Thus, to truly become financially independent, an individual should also seek to maximize their earnings and thus increase their capacity to accumulate wealth. Advancing one’s career is a central aspect of expanding one’s earning capacity. For example, young people can choose to invest in their college education so that they can then pursue a well-paying professional job in fields like law, medicine, finance, engineering, computer science, or business management. People without college degrees can also strive to maximize their earning potential by attending a vocational school where they learn to become plumbers, electricians, auto mechanics, or other individuals with specialized career skills. Once a person completes their university or vocational education and enters the labor force, they should try to find a specific occupation that maximizes their earnings. People searching for employment should compare different job openings in the same area and apply for the option that has the highest salary. Even after landing a well-paying job, people should strive to increase the amount of money they earn. One way for employees to increase their earnings without changing their workplace is to ask for a pay raise or promotion at least once every year. A job whose salary does not increase over time is a job that does not offer too many prospects to an employee concerned with their financial well-being. If an employee believes that they are not earning as much as they should be at a given stage of their career, then they should either talk with their bosses about getting a pay raise or search for new employment at a workplace where salaries are higher. In conclusion, the ability to increase one’s earning potential is an essential aspect of financial literacy. Saving more money is a major aspect of financial literacy because an individual who earns money without saving it will not be able to accumulate wealth or become financially independent over time. However, the ability to earn money is also vital to achieving financial security since it is not possible to earn money without saving it. Thus, I will use my financial literacy skills to advance my career, increase my earnings capacity, and achieve financial independence.

Over the last five years, I have used my STEM skills to give back to the community. I have volunteered for several tech-based nonprofit organizations that help make our world a better place. I have also participated in several school-based organizations that seek to promote STEM education in the local community. I am a volunteer data architect at the Shelter App, a tech-based nonprofit organization with an app that connects homeless and low-income people to food banks, shelters, and other services. Nearly 250,000 individuals have downloaded the app, which provides a quick way for homeless people to access services in their area by allowing them to find all the local resources in one database. I volunteer as a data architect at Shelter App. I write code that increases Shelter App’s coverage of charities in North America. I also validate data to be displayed on the front end of the app, which improves the quality of the app’s data. I am also a volunteer backend developer at the Council Data Project (CDP), a nonprofit organization with a web platform that collects and displays data on city and council governments throughout the United States. At the CDP, I write code that gathers (scrapes) and uploads videos, transcripts, voting records, and other legislative documents from various city and county government websites. I also write code that processes and structures data on the backend before sending it to the front end to make it displayable on the user interface. My code increases the CDP’s coverage of different city and county councils’ legislative histories. It also ensures that the CDP can display richer and more comprehensive data on each local government, featuring voting records, transcripts, and other important documents that provide essential information to the CDP’s users. Furthermore, I am a volunteer math problem writer for Mustang Math, a nonprofit organization run by high school and college students that hosts several math competitions for middle schoolers each year. At Mustang Math, we aim to promote a spirit of collaboration among middle school students and encourage young people to be more curious about math. I am an alumnus of Non-Trivial, a nonprofit organization that empowers young people to pursue projects that address the world’s most pressing problems. I worked with two other alumni at Non-Trivial on a project aimed at ensuring the alignment of artificial intelligence models with human interests. In addition, I promoted STEM education at my former high school through my volunteering experiences as the vice president of two school clubs: the Math Honor Society and the Computer Science Honor Society. I worked with my fellow officers to create club meetings that taught club members interesting theoretical and real-world concepts in math and computer science. As a high school student, I also promoted STEM education at several elementary and middle schools in my local community. I was a volunteer coach for the National Science Bowl program at a local middle school, where I encouraged young students to improve their knowledge of physics, chemistry, life science, and earth science. I was also the chair of the Math Challenge program at a local elementary school, which empowers young children to strengthen their math skills. I will continue to positively impact the world in the future throughout college and beyond. I will begin studying computer science via direct admission at the University of Washington, Seattle, in the fall of 2023. I hope to learn new computer science skills that will allow me to participate in new projects and volunteering activities that use technology to make a positive impact on the community.

Tom Holland is my favorite “Spider-Man” actor since he was the most engaging and intriguing out of all the movie stars who have played Spider-Man on the big screen. Holland’s character fit well in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) timeline, and Holland himself embodied Spider-Man’s traits with as much effort, passion, and authenticity as he could muster. One reason why I liked Tom Holland’s Spider-Man so much is that Holland himself helped reunite Disney and Sony, thereby saving the MCU. Fans of the MCU were devastated when Disney and Sony cut ties with one another, causing many of them to believe that Spider-Man would be forever removed from the MCU. However, Holland was able to convince Disney and Sony to reconcile and allow Spider-Man to be included in Disney’s MCU movies like Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame. From the takedown of “Giant Man” to the “Mr. Stark, I don’t feel so good” scene associated with the “Thanos snap,” Holland’s Spider-Man was involved in some of the most memorable and iconic events in the MCU. Another reason why I think that Tom Holland was the best on-screen Spider-Man actor is that Holland was always in character throughout every movie in which his character appeared. Holland, who was just 19 when he started playing Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War, was much younger than other Spider-Man actors like Toby McGuire and Andrew Garfield, who were already in their late 20s when their respective Spider-Man movies premiered. Holland’s youth allowed him to be more realistically portrayed as a teenage Peter Parker throughout the MCU movies where Spider-Man appeared. Holland was also much more energetic and passionate than McGuire and Garfield, enabling him to create an immature and reckless persona for Peter Parker that made the MCU Spider-Man movies much more entertaining than the earlier iterations. In addition, Tom Holland was an excellent Spider-Man actor because the movies that he was involved in depicted Peter Parker and Spider-Man much more closely to what the original Marvel comic books had in store. Andrew Garfield played Spider-Man well in The Amazing Spider-Man movies, but his depiction of Peter Parker as a lonely introvert was completely out of line with the comic-book version of the teenager. Conversely, Toby McGuire did portray Peter Parker’s personality well in the Spider-Man trilogy from the 2000s, but his performance of the superhero Spider-Man was not as good, as he neglected to feature the wit and sarcasm of Parker’s alter ego. In comparison, Holland’s Parker was much livelier than Garfield’s, and Holland’s Spider-Man was much wittier than McGuire’s, making Holland the one actor who could best embody the comic-book versions of both Peter Parker and Spider-Man. It was always entertaining to watch Parker and his friends perform funny stunts and pranks whenever Tom Holland was behind the stage. It was also interesting to see Holland’s Spider-Man deliver witty and sarcastic jokes while swinging across a variety of places like New York City; Washington, D.C.; Berlin; London; and Thanos’s homeworld Titan. The Tom Holland Spider-Man movies even included the little details from the comic books; such as the science-oriented nature of Parker’s high school and the homemade suit and webbing that Parker always carries in his backpack. In conclusion, there is no better actor for Spider-Man than Tom Holland. With Holland around, Marvel fans can enjoy an energetic but immature Spider-Man, a witty and powerful Spider-Man, and a thrilling series of web-slinging adventures around the MCU.

My favorite show on Netflix is Alice in Borderland. The show is loosely based on Lewis Carroll’s story Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, but it is set in a 21st-century Japanese environment rather than a 19th-century British environment. In the show, a young man named Arisu (the Japanese name for “Alice”) witnesses the inexplicable disappearance of nearly every resident of Tokyo. Except for a few fellow survivors, nearly every denizen of the Japanese capital has mysteriously vanished. Eventually, Arisu learns that he was transported to an alternate version of Tokyo located in a different world. To survive in this world, Arisu must win a series of dangerous games that each correspond to one of 52 playing cards in a standard deck. The value of a card indicates the difficulty of a game, with higher values representing deadlier and more challenging games. Each suit of cards corresponds to a different skill: Spades correspond to physical strength, diamonds to intellectual capacity, clubs to teamwork, and hearts to emotional stability. Arisu meets Usagi (the Japanese term for “rabbit”), Chishiya (the Japanese term for “Cheshire cat”), and other people transported to the mysterious world. Together, they try to win all the different games in hopes of collecting every card and possibly returning to their home world. The show is very exciting to watch because it deals with important themes like trust, teamwork, betrayal, and interpersonal relations. For example, Arisu is frequently double-crossed by people whom he previously thought he could trust, such as in the scene where Chishiya turns Arisu in for trying to steal playing cards from The Beach, despite Chishiya previously urging Arisu to steal the cards. However, Arisu reluctantly becomes an ally of Chishiya over time as he realizes that they both have more dangerous adversaries in the new world. The games that are played throughout the show also test characters’ abilities to trust or team up with one another. For example, in one game, Arisu is forced to survive by letting three of his friends die, which causes him to feel a massive amount of guilt throughout the rest of the show. Arisu believes he has betrayed his friends, and he repeatedly experiences traumatic memories of them in his head. In another game, the residents of “The Beach,” a former hotel converted into a hideout, are massacred by the administrators of the building who go on a hunt for a “witch” who is supposedly responsible for an alleged murder. Hysteria and distrust engulf the people of The Beach, who turn against one another to avoid being murder suspects. I also like Alice in Borderland because it is a culturally enriching show that introduces viewers to Japanese cinema and literature. In contrast to American and Western European stories that glorify the external achievements of individuals, Alice in Borderland focuses much more on internal growth, which is typical among Japanese stories. The show displays the transformation of Arisu from an ignorant manchild who only likes to play video games to a more emotionally mature adult who understands the gravity of the troubles in the world around him. As Arisu learns whom he should trust, whom he should be wary of, and whom he should stand up against, he becomes stronger internally and ready to rebuild his otherwise turbulent life.

During the pandemic, I sought to use my time to find a way to positively impact my community, which was especially important during those difficult times. I began to volunteer at Shelter App, a tech-based nonprofit organization with an app that connects homeless and low-income people to food banks, shelters, and other services. Nearly 250,000 individuals have downloaded the app, which provides a quick way for homeless people to access services in their area by allowing them to find all the local resources in one database. I volunteer as a data architect at Shelter App. I write code that increases Shelter App’s coverage of charities in North America. I also validate data to be displayed on the front end of the app, which improves the quality of the app’s data. The impact I made volunteering at Shelter App inspired me to search for other nonprofits to join. I became a backend developer at the Council Data Project (CDP), a nonprofit organization with a digital platform that collects and presents municipal and county government records. The CDP exists to address the lack of a database that could systematically store and structure information on many major cities and counties in the United States. At the CDP, I write code that gathers (scrapes) and uploads videos, transcripts, voting records, and other legislative documents from various city and county government websites. I also write code that processes and structures data on the backend before sending it to the front end to make it displayable on the user interface. My code increases the CDP’s coverage of different city and county councils’ legislative histories. It also ensures that the CDP can display richer and more comprehensive data on each local government, featuring voting records, transcripts, and other important documents that provide essential information to the CDP’s users. This summer, I completed a fellowship at Non-Trivial, a nonprofit organization that encourages young people to pursue a research or policy project for eight weeks. I worked with two other fellows on a project aimed at ensuring the alignment of artificial intelligence models with human interests. We collaborated to write a research paper that described how several AI models can collaborate as an automated moral parliament to resolve moral uncertainty and guarantee alignment with human ethics. My experiences have let me recognize the value of connecting with others in my community and being aware of the world around me. They also taught me the value of time management, responsibility, and having a positive impact on the community. I will begin studying computer science through direct admission at the University of Washington, Seattle, in the fall of 2023. My computer science education will allow me to accomplish my goal of using technology to promote social good. In the future, I will keep working on tech-related projects that benefit the community.

Former President of the United States John Quincy Adams once described a leader as someone who can “inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more.” I have demonstrated leadership over the last few years by engaging in activities that make a positive impact on the community. A good leader shows empathy toward their community. Over the last several years, I have demonstrated my empathy for individuals and families in need by volunteering as a data architect at the Shelter App, a nonprofit organization with a web and mobile platform that lets low-income people find resources in their area. I have written programs for Shelter App that collect data on charities and other establishments that help people in need throughout the United States. I also validate data to be displayed on the front end of the app, which improves the quality of the app’s data. A good leader also cares about democracy and civic participation. For the last few years, I have shown my support for civic virtue by volunteering as a backend developer at the Council Data Project (CDP), a nonprofit organization with a web platform that collects and displays data on city and council governments throughout the United States. I have written programs for the CDP that scrape data on local governments from the internet, structure the data into a more readable format, and pass the data through a pipeline for display on the front end. In addition, a good leader encourages the people around him to learn and grow. During high school, I promoted learning and STEM education in my community by volunteering for various clubs at local elementary and middle schools. I was a volunteer coach for the National Science Bowl program at a local middle school, where I encouraged young students to improve their knowledge of physics, chemistry, life science, and earth science. I was also the chair of the Math Challenge program at a local elementary school, which empowers young children to strengthen their math skills. Furthermore, a good leader knows how to express and articulate themselves in a way that positively impacts the community. I now contribute to an online youth-oriented magazine called TheSpearheadMagazine.com, whose mission is to give a voice to young writers. I write articles for the magazine that expound my thoughts on various hot-button topics like facial recognition, plant-based meat, modern healthcare, artificial intelligence, and semiconductor advancements. By articulating ideas about those subjects, I spread awareness of pressing world issues and encourage people to become more involved in activities that promote social good. A strong leader seeks to tackle the most important problems in the world. I am an alumnus of Non-Trivial, a nonprofit organization that encourages young people to pursue a research or policy project for eight weeks. I worked with two other Non-Trivial fellows on a project about reducing existential risks from AI by ensuring that AI models in the real world are aligned with human interests. We wrote a research paper that describes how several AI models can collaborate as an automated moral parliament to resolve moral uncertainty and guarantee alignment with human ethics. We will continue working on this AI alignment project in the future. In conclusion, a good leader is empathic, encouraging, and articulate. A good leader is also someone who fosters civic participation and prioritizes the issues they would like to solve. I have demonstrated my leadership skills through my various writing, volunteering, and research activities. I hope to continue being a good leader who uses his capabilities to make a positive impact on the world around him.

My favorite thing about Disney is the 2018 movie Ralph Breaks the Internet, a sequel to the 2012 movie Wreck-It Ralph. The movie revisits the lives of Ralph, the huge but soft-hearted villain of the arcade game Fix-It Felix, Jr., and his friend Vanellope von Schweetz, the energetic protagonist of another arcade game called Sugar Rush. Ralph Breaks the Internet shows what happens when old collides with new as old-school video arcade characters travel across the Internet. At the beginning of the movie, Litwak Arcade, a video game establishment from the 1980s, shuts down Sugar Rush after the steering wheel needed to play that game breaks. To reclaim her beloved game, Vanellope ventures with Ralph across a Wi-Fi router into the Internet. After reaching the Internet, Ralph and Vanellope win an auction to buy a steering wheel on eBay so that they could repair Sugar Rush. Unfortunately, they offered an extremely expensive price of $27,001 for the wheel, forcing them to think of ways to raise funds so that they would not lose the wheel. Ralph makes viral videos for the video-sharing platform BuzzzTube, which earns him enough money to buy the wheel. However, Vanellope befriends a character named Shank from a modern adrenaline-packed video game called Slaughter Race, causing her to grow distant from Ralph until Ralph tries but fails to convince her to return home. Ralph comes back to Litwak Arcade alone but keeps in touch with Vanellope via video calls. I enjoyed Ralph Breaks the Internet since it provides excellent social commentary on modern Internet culture. Vanellope is a character whom I can relate to because she represents young people like me who have embraced the Internet and stopped using old technologies. As a digital native, I do not watch cable TV or own a landline phone. Instead, I watch movies on streaming services and make phone calls on a modern smartphone. Similarly, Vanellope decided to abandon her 1980s arcade game Sugar Rush and move to the Internet-based video game Slaughter Race, highlighting her embrace of modern technology. Conversely, Ralph represents older people who have generally been more reluctant to let go of 20th-century technologies. Senior citizens are more likely to have cable TV subscriptions and own landline telephones, largely because these were the dominant household communications technologies when they were younger. Similarly, Ralph does not want to abandon his 1980s video arcade despite the many exciting opportunities on the Internet, as Ralph had gotten accustomed to his role as a video game character in Fix-It Felix, Jr. This is not to say that older generations have been disconnected from modern technological developments. Just like how Ralph was able to raise $27,001 on an Internet video-sharing platform, most elderly Americans have been able to thrive on the Internet. By now, 67 percent of Americans aged 65 years or older have an Internet connection, and 61 percent own a smartphone. To me, Ralph Breaks the Internet represents the dynamic nature of the 21st century. Like many other people across the world, I am always excited about the latest trends and developments that shake up the Internet, from new video games to innovative artificial intelligence chatbots. However, I am also aware that many other people continue to rely on cable TV, landline phones, and other old-school technologies that I personally no longer use.

Over the last five years, I have used my STEM skills to promote social good. I have volunteered for several tech-based nonprofit organizations that help make our world a better place. These volunteering experiences have encouraged me to pursue a degree in a STEM field, specifically in computer science. I began to volunteer at Shelter App, a tech-based nonprofit organization with an app that connects homeless and low-income people to food banks, shelters, and other services. Nearly 250,000 individuals have downloaded the app, which provides a quick way for homeless people to access services in their area by allowing them to find all the local resources in one database. I volunteer as a data architect at Shelter App. I write code that increases Shelter App’s coverage of charities in North America. I also validate data to be displayed on the front end of the app, which improves the quality of the app’s data. The impact I made volunteering at Shelter App inspired me to search for other nonprofits to join. I became a backend developer at the Council Data Project (CDP), a nonprofit organization with a digital platform that collects and presents municipal and county government records. The CDP exists to address the lack of a database that could systematically store and structure information on many major cities and counties in the United States. At the CDP, I write code that gathers (scrapes) and uploads videos, transcripts, voting records, and other legislative documents from various city and county government websites. I also write code that processes and structures data on the backend before sending it to the front end to make it displayable on the user interface. My code increases the CDP’s coverage of different city and county councils’ legislative histories. It also ensures that the CDP can display richer and more comprehensive data on each local government, featuring voting records, transcripts, and other important documents that provide essential information to the CDP’s users. In addition, I am a fellow at Non-Trivial, a nonprofit organization that encourages young people to pursue a research or policy project for eight weeks. I am now working with two other fellows at Non-trivial on a project aimed at ensuring the alignment of artificial intelligence models with human interests. We are collaborating to write a research paper that describes how several AI models can collaborate as an automated moral parliament to resolve moral uncertainty and guarantee alignment with human ethics. Volunteering has let me recognize the value of connecting with others in my community and being aware of the world around me. It has also taught me the virtues of time management, selflessness, and responsibility, all of which make the world a better place. I always strive to positively impact my community and the lives of those around me by helping others grow and cultivate the courage they need to fulfill their goals. My experience volunteering for tech-based nonprofit organizations has inspired me to pursue a degree in computer science in college. I will begin studying computer science through direct admission at the University of Washington, Seattle, in the fall of 2023. I believe that my past, present, and future education will allow me to accomplish my goal of promoting social good by volunteering in ways that benefit society. I hope to learn new computer science skills and use them to continue volunteering in ways that positively impact the community.

The prolific French philosopher Albert Camus once said that during “the middle of winter, I, at last, discovered that there was in me an invincible summer.” Camus described his capacity to find meaning, purpose, and satisfaction within the seemingly grim world of war-stricken Europe in the 1940s. The feeling of hope or contentment, even during ostensibly desperate and depressing times, is essential to maintaining one’s mental health. The role that good mental health plays in maintaining healthy relationships with friends and family members is one reason I believe it is essential to stay mentally healthy. Individuals who are mentally and emotionally stable can be calm, honest, and articulate when communicating with the people they are close to. A healthy mental state also allows people to resolve disputes with their loved ones. The degradation of a person’s mental health can make that person more hostile, aggressive, and antisocial. That person may repeatedly decline to engage in social activities with their friends and family members, causing that person’s relationships to become less amicable. I also care about my mental health because it affects my physical health. Chronic stress and other common mental health problems can weaken people’s immune systems. Elevated stress levels are also associated with an increased probability of developing cancer. In general, extreme stress and other mental health issues lead to sleep deprivation, which can damage the long-term physical health of people suffering from poor mental health. Anxiety, depression, chronic stress, and other common mental health disorders can also make people less inclined to exercise and stay physically active. This lack of exercise may contribute to diabetes, heart attacks, and other cardiovascular diseases. In addition, I strive to maintain my mental health to let myself live a productive, satisfying life. People who experience stress, anxiety, or depression are less motivated to engage in work, study, and other productive activities. They are prone to zoning out during work or school, causing them to complete their tasks more slowly and less effectively. A person’s mental health is also strongly linked to a person’s overall outlook on life. Mentally healthy people tend to have a positive, optimistic outlook on life that allows them to happily reflect upon the past, enjoy the many comforts of the present, and look forward to exciting events in the future. However, people with mental health disorders tend to focus on the negative aspects of life, making it harder for them to be satisfied with their lives. I seek to maintain my mental health by keeping my satisfaction levels high and stress levels low. I perform well academically, volunteer for nonprofit organizations, eat healthy foods, exercise daily, and engage in other positive habits that allow me to be satisfied with my life choices. These habits also let me keep my stress levels low by allowing me to participate in stress-relieving activities. For example, if I feel frustrated or stressed out from a bad day, I usually run outside or engage in another form of exercise to reduce my stress levels. In conclusion, I believe that good mental health is an essential part of my life because it allows me to have positive relationships with my friends and family, keep myself physically healthy, and make my life more productive and satisfying. The habits I utilize to keep myself mentally healthy include eating healthy foods, exercising daily, and volunteering for nonprofits.

Famous American author Ernest Hemingway once declared that “there is no friend as loyal as a book.” Hemingway could not have been more correct, as books are very loyal friends due to how much they can teach people about the world. Books have taught me many fascinating things about science, technology, history, business, economics, and other essential subjects. Simon Sinek’s book Start With Why (2009) describes the importance of inspiration for effective leadership. The book expounds a hierarchy of motivational concerns: At the bottom is a desire for material gain or another tangible goal (i.e., being driven by the “what”). In the middle is motivation through the enjoyment of a method or process (i.e., being driven by the “how”). At the top are inspiration and the desire to fulfill a higher purpose (i.e., being driven by the “why”). To be effective, leaders must inspire their followers to find meaning in a higher goal that may involve changing the world or creating a new community. Start With Why encouraged me to volunteer for organizations that strive to achieve a meaningful purpose. For example, I volunteer for Shelter App, a nonprofit that seeks to solve homelessness by providing homeless people with an app that lets them find resources in their area. I also volunteer for another nonprofit called the Council Data Project, which promotes democracy and government transparency by building a digital platform that stores data on city and council governments throughout the United States. Yuval Noah Harari’s book Sapiens (2011) describes the accelerating rate of human progress throughout history. It begins by explaining how modern humans (Homo sapiens) evolved their high intelligence about 70,000 years ago, which enabled them to build primitive tools, hunt down large animals, and displace the Neanderthal. It then explains the rise of agriculture, civilization, and written language about 5,000 to 10,000 years ago. After that, it details the Scientific Revolution of the 16th century, the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century, and the Digital Revolution of the late 20th century. These three revolutions caused the rate of technological development to accelerate, which led to rising human living standards. However, Harari warned that although technology may make life more convenient, it can also control us by manipulating our psychology (e.g., through recommendation algorithms) and maybe our biology (e.g., through genetic engineering). Sapiens taught me the importance of using technology ethically and prudently. It inspired me to learn more about technology and the many ways we can use it to improve other people’s lives by curing diseases, boosting economic productivity, or making transportation cheaper. However, the book also made me consider the risks associated with technology. I became more aware of how recommendation algorithms manipulate my choices online and almost deprive me of my free will. To prevent technology from being used as a tool for control, I will strive to educate others on the importance of following their hearts rather than blindly listening to an algorithm. I will also advocate for the ethical use of technology in a way that does not hurt people. In conclusion, the books that I have read taught me many essential life lessons. I learned the importance of effective leadership through inspiration and the need to use technology ethically. These lessons have encouraged me to join organizations that utilize technological innovations to benefit others, whether through aiding people in need or informing journalists about local government affairs.

Famous English author Aldous Huxley once predicted a future where people will "adore the technologies that undo their capacities to think." This prediction highlighted an essential aspect of his thought: that technology will allow for the scientific management of every facet of everyday life by authoritarian regimes. I want everyone to read Huxley's famous book Brave New World (1932) to understand his views on the tyranny that technology may enable. The book describes a futuristic society where a totalitarian regime called the World State bioengineers each of its citizens before birth to give them a predetermined level of intelligence, strength, and other physiological and psychological abilities. The World State separates every citizen into one of five castes based on capabilities: Alpha (the highest caste), Beta, Gamma, Delta, or Epsilon (the lowest caste). Instructors working for the World State use hypnopedia, classical conditioning, and other psychological methods to convince children to accept their caste and role under the World State. Even as adults, citizens of the World State live in a state of infantility characterized by a desire to engage in decadent technology-enabled activities. To prevent a rebellion against its rule, the World State forbids its citizens from forming families, moving between castes, writing creative literature, reading the works of dead authors like Shakespeare, or conducting certain forms of theoretical scientific research. The dystopian plot of Brave New World is a cautionary tale about the dark side of technological advancement. While technology may increase living standards and make life more convenient, it can also become a tool for controlling and oppressing people. In the modern world, computer algorithms are making more decisions for internet users about what items to purchase, what movies to watch, and other aspects of everyday life. In the future, these algorithms may start dictating even more central matters in individuals' lives, such as whom a person should befriend or what job a person should work. Genetic engineering is also a tool for oppressive control because it can lead to the rise of human beings scientifically designed for specific purposes. Thus, Brave New World showed that unless people take steps to protect their liberties and freedom of choice, the rise of technology could lead to the end of free will and the erosion of human dignity.

My dream version of my future self is a man who always works hard, has a growth mindset, opens his ears to new ideas, collaborates positively with others, persists until he succeeds at accomplishing challenging tasks, and strives to create innovations that improve others’ lives.

Famous 19th-century German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche once claimed that there is “more wisdom in your body than in your deepest philosophy.” Nietzsche referred to the importance of living a healthy lifestyle and taking care of the body, which he considered a wiser lifestyle choice than any message hidden in the most profound philosophies in the world. To live a healthy lifestyle, I make sure to eat nutritious food, drink lots of water, get sufficient exercise every day, and sleep well every night. Eating healthy food is an essential habit in my healthy lifestyle. My diet includes many nutritious foods such as whole grains, lean meats, dairy products, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Although I am not a vegetarian, I eat a lot of nuts, eggs, tofu, and other meat alternatives. These foods contain essential nutrients like proteins, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, flavonoids, and unsaturated fats. In addition, I limit my intake of foods rich in sugar, sodium, and trans and saturated fats—including cookies, cakes, and white bread—since these substances are not very healthy. Drinking sufficient amounts of water is also vital to my healthy lifestyle. I always drink a glass of water when I feel dry or sweaty, which occurs when the temperature of my surroundings is high, after I finish exercising outside, or immediately after I eat a hearty meal. Water is essential to maintaining almost every bodily function, from digestion to the lubrication of joints. Thus, it is necessary for me to regularly drink water throughout the day so that I can stay hydrated and healthy. I seldom drink sugary beverages such as soda because the high concentrations of sugar in these beverages make them unhealthy for my heart and other organs. Exercise is another central aspect of my healthy lifestyle. I try to get 30 to 60 minutes of cardiovascular exercise every day. I usually run outside, but when it is hot and sunny, I often prefer to bike across town or swim in a nearby lake. Cardiovascular exercise makes my heart healthier by strengthening its ability to pump and circulate blood efficiently. I also like to perform muscular exercises like push-ups and sit-ups because they keep me physically strong. In addition, I often try to stretch my limbs to maintain my body’s flexibility and prevent my joints from being crammed. To make room for exercise in my schedule, I limit the time I sit in front of a screen and encourage myself to be physically active throughout the week. Getting enough sleep is necessary for my maintenance of a healthy lifestyle. I try to get eight hours of sleep every night, and I can accomplish this by going to bed at a reasonable time rather than staying up late in the middle of the night. While it may seem challenging to get sufficient levels of sleep due to schoolwork and extracurricular activities, I use my time management skills to carve out enough time in my schedule for a good night’s sleep. In conclusion, I strive to maintain a healthy lifestyle by eating nutritious dishes, drinking enough water to stay hydrated, exercising daily, and getting enough sleep every night. My decisions to adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles allow me to be satisfied with my life.

Famous actress Kerry Washington once said that life is “your story and the adventure ahead of you is the journey to fulfill" your purpose and potential. To live a good life of purpose and potential in college, students should pursue their interests while maintaining a healthy mind, body, and soul. I am excited about college this fall because I will learn many intriguing subjects in my classes. I will major in computer science, which is a subject I find fascinating. In college, I expect to learn about algorithms, data structures, programming languages, artificial intelligence, and other aspects of computer science. I hope to use my new knowledge of computer science to find rewarding jobs after I graduate from college, as computer science is an ever-growing field with applications in software development, data analytics, machine learning, and other areas of information technology. I will also seek to utilize my time studying computer science at college to develop my logical reasoning and creative thinking skills. These skills are an essential part of writing computer science programs, and they are also helpful for many jobs in STEM fields like engineering and software development. I will try to maintain my well-being at college by keeping my body healthy using diet and exercise. I will eat nutritious foods such as whole grains, lean meats, dairy products, and fresh fruits and vegetables. These foods contain high concentrations of many nutrients that my body needs to stay healthy, including proteins, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and unsaturated fats. I will drink lots of water to remain hydrated while limiting my intake of high-sugar, high-fat, and high-sodium junk foods such as cookies and cakes. In addition, I will try to get sufficient exercise during my time in college. Although finding time to exercise during college may seem hard due to the busy schedule on campus, it is possible to cultivate strong time management skills and allocate 30 minutes every day for running outside or performing another kind of exercise. I will also strive to maintain a healthy mind at college by getting sufficient sleep. I will try to get eight hours of sleep every night, which is necessary to refresh my mind after a hectic day and allow my brain to function the next morning. Eight hours of sleep may seem difficult due to the busy schedule that characterizes college life. However, I can achieve this goal by completing my homework efficiently and limiting my daily screen time. In addition, I will try to keep my soul healthy by controlling my stress levels. The life of a college student can be stressful due to the difficulty of balancing classes, family, friends, work, and free time together. However, I can make my college life less exhausting and stressful by managing my time wisely. I can build a schedule of when to focus on different aspects of my college life (e.g., when to complete my homework, spend time with family, or hang out with friends). Such a schedule will allow me to live an orderly life in which I can accomplish my academic goals while also having enough time for family, friends, and fun. In conclusion, I am excited to learn new things and encounter new opportunities during my time at college. In addition to learning and growing, I will strive to live a healthy life in college by caring for my body, mind, and soul.

When famous actor and television producer Robert Urich claimed that a “healthy outside starts from the inside,” he referred to the essential role of fresh, healthy foods in promoting our well-being. A low-fat, low-sugar, nutrient-rich diet of dairy, whole grains, lean meats, and fresh fruits and vegetables is vital for healthy living due to its many physical and mental health benefits. Healthy eating habits are central to increasing personal well-being because they allow people like me to maintain their physical health and reduce their chances of catching diseases. Healthy eaters should consume more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to decrease their likelihood of suffering from heart disease. Fat-free and low-fat protein sources—such as fish, poultry, beans, nuts, and skim milk—are another essential part of a heart-healthy diet. Individuals can also keep their hearts healthy by increasing their calcium, potassium, and magnesium consumption while decreasing the amounts of sugar, sodium, and trans and saturated fats they intake. To lower their chances of contracting cancer, individuals should eat more foods rich in antioxidants—including seeds, nuts, berries, carrots, pumpkins, and dark leafy greens. Antioxidants are compounds that protect the human body’s cells from free radicals, which are dangerous chemical species that can accelerate cellular aging and contribute to the onset of cancer. I feel physically better after eating healthy foods like lean meats, whole grains, and fresh fruits and vegetables. I feel stronger, more energetic, and less tired thanks to the healthy foods I eat, and I know that my healthy diet helps ward off diseases and physical disorders that may otherwise affect my body. I also value healthy eating for its positive impact on mental, emotional, and cognitive health. Studies have shown that high-sugar diets consisting of sugary snacks like cookies, cakes, biscuits, and white bread tend to make individuals feel more fatigued. Conversely, a low-sugar diet of whole grains, protein-rich foods, and fresh fruits and vegetables can improve an individual’s mood and emotional health. A healthy diet is also essential for ensuring that cognitive functions such as memory stay strong. A human brain needs a wide range of nutrients to stay healthy—including flavonoids, polyphenols, omega fatty acids, and vitamins C, D, and E. Fruits and vegetables are rich in flavonoids, polyphenols, and vitamin C. Fish are excellent sources of omega fatty acids and vitamin D. Nuts contain high concentrations of vitamin E. Eating healthy foods such as whole grains, lean meat, and fresh fruits and vegetables helps me feel better mentally and emotionally. I become relaxed whenever I enjoy a healthy meal, knowing that what I eat is good for my body and mind. I also feel more alert and focused after eating healthy food, and this alertness stays with me for a few hours until I eat my next meal. Overall, I feel happy, satisfied, and proud of myself for making healthy choices with the food I eat. In conclusion, my healthy eating habits are vital to my life. They contribute to my physical health by keeping me strong, energetic, and active while decreasing my likelihood of catching unpleasant diseases. My healthy eating habits also help me mentally and emotionally by making me happy and satisfied with my choices regarding what to eat.

Famous businesswoman and TV host Oprah Winfrey once described education as the “key to unlocking the world. It is the passport to freedom.” Winfrey was right to highlight the benefits of education. Specifically, a college education in mathematics is an excellent pathway for individuals who wish to learn more about the world around them and gain new career and personal skills. I would choose mathematics as my college major because mathematics is a fascinating subject founded upon a powerful philosophy. The lack of ambiguity is the central aspect of the philosophy that forms the basis of mathematical reasoning. In mathematics, statements are either true or false, allowing mathematicians to articulate complex ideas clearly. Challenging problems and mysterious conjectures can be definitively solved or proven in a logical, orderly manner through the use of mathematics. The definiteness of mathematical ideas makes them timeless and everlasting once mathematicians prove them true. For example, even though the Pythagorean Theorem, which describes the lengths of diagonals, was first articulated thousands of years ago, people still use it in geometry and other mathematical subjects today. I would also decide to pursue a degree in mathematics because it would be essential in many real-world applications. Computer graphics represent a technological innovation made possible by developments in calculus, linear algebra, and other mathematical subjects. Mathematicians and computer scientists use their knowledge of these subjects to render three-dimensional objects on a computer screen in ways that look realistic to the human eye. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are also technological advancements enabled by calculus and linear algebra because these mathematical subjects are vital for training, testing, and developing an AI model. In addition, mathematics is often used extensively in economics, where statisticians and economists develop mathematical theories describing hypothetical economies and then test these theories against real-world economic data. In addition, I would like to pursue a mathematics degree because I want to improve my cognitive and intellectual skills. Learning more about mathematics would encourage me to develop my logical reasoning skills, allowing me to understand the mathematical concepts I will study. For example, I will improve my logic and creative thinking skills to solve and prove challenging problems and theorems. The clarity and unambiguity of problem-solving in mathematics will allow me to understand how to overcome complicated tasks and obstacles in the workplace and my personal life. I will utilize my logical and mathematical thinking to dissect big problems into smaller parts. I will then tackle each section separately until I solve the entire task. In conclusion, I would choose to pursue a degree in mathematics due to its many benefits. Mathematics is an intriguing and thought-provoking subject that espouses a powerful philosophy of clarity, has many real-world applications in technology and business, and gives curious people like me the opportunity to boost their logical reasoning skills.

Famous astrophysicist Neil deGrasse once described math as "the language of the universe. So the more equations you know, the more you can converse with the cosmos." Tyson was right to highlight the importance of math, which is a foundational part of the modern world. I believe math is an essential subject because it allows us to understand many aspects of the natural world. Johannes Kepler, Robert Hooke, Isaac Newton, and other astronomers and physicists of the early 17th and 18th centuries utilized math to formulate several laws that described the motion of planets, springs, falling apples, and other objects. The use of math to explain natural phenomena has continued through modern times when physicists now use mathematical laws to describe events associated with electromagnetism, thermodynamics, relativity, and quantum mechanism. Biologists, chemists, and geologists also use math in their fields of study. For example, a biologist may use algebra and probability to analyze genetic inheritance, a chemist may use algebra and calculus to study the decay of radioactive elements, and a geologist may use mathematical reasoning to calculate the rate of long-term geologic phenomena such as erosion and continental drift. I also love to learn about the use of math within the world of technology. Computer graphics are an example of a technological innovation enabled by the knowledge of several mathematical concepts. An essential aspect of making digital images and videos is to render three-dimensional objects in a way that looks realistic to the eye, which often requires the application of calculus and linear algebra. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are other technological innovations that rely on mathematical concepts like calculus and linear algebra to train and develop a successful AI model. Math is also a vital tool for me to improve my logic and reasoning skills. Solving complicated problems and finding challenging proofs in math is like trying to complete a puzzle, and it often encourages me to think creatively. Thus, math is an excellent way to exercise my brain and improve my cognitive abilities and logical reasoning skills, which I can also use to perform well in other areas of study like physics, economics, and computer science. These fields often involve mathematical calculations and logical thinking strategies that use methods of reasoning similar to what someone may encounter in a math class. In addition, I love learning more about math because I appreciate the philosophy behind mathematical thinking. The lack of ambiguity within math makes it a fascinating subject. While many ideas within math may seem difficult to me at first, they can become simpler to understand once I realize how clear it is to articulate them. In math, something is either true or false rather than ambiguous, enabling mathematicians to communicate even seemingly complex ideas in unequivocal terms. I also appreciate the timelessness of many concepts within math that have endured for millennia and are still helpful tools in the modern world. For example, even though the Pythagorean Theorem, which describes the lengths of diagonals, was first formulated thousands of years ago, people still use it in geometry and other mathematical subjects today. In conclusion, math is a lovely and fascinating subject that I believe is essential to learn. Math allows me to understand the natural world, improve my knowledge of technology, strengthen my logical reasoning skills, and appreciate a powerful philosophy of timelessness and ambiguity that I can apply to many situations.

"The poetry of logical ideas" is a phrase famous physicist Albert Einstein once used to describe mathematics, and this mathematical poetry can be lovely in many ways. I love math because it is a fascinating subject that lets us understand almost every aspect of the world. Math allows us to analyze everything from a rocket's trajectory to the decay of uranium atoms by crunching a given set of numbers. Mathematical analysis is especially vital in the 2020s due to the rise of Big Data, which often consists of complex mathematical structures that can be analyzed using statistical methods. One intriguing attribute of mathematical analysis is the lack of ambiguity: In math, something is either true or false, making math a powerful tool for dissecting and studying reality. For something to be proven true in math, mathematicians must solve an often intricate jigsaw puzzle consisting of axioms and theorems assembled to finish the proof. Another reason I love math is that it consists of timeless and enduring ideas that will always apply no matter what. For example, even though the Pythagorean Theorem, which describes the lengths of diagonals, was first formulated thousands of years ago, people still use it in geometry and other mathematical subjects today. In addition, math is an engaging subject that can always present a new intriguing challenge for the curious. Solving anything from complex integrals to number theory proofs is always intellectually stimulating, and these mathematical problems provide ample opportunities for discovering new ideas and concepts in math. Learning how to solve challenging problems in math allows individuals to develop logical and mathematical thinking skills that they can apply to their careers in fields like science, engineering, programming, finance, and medicine. In conclusion, math is a lovely and fascinating subject due to its many excellent aspects. I love math because it enables people to get a clear, unfiltered look at the universe with virtually no ambiguities, which allows them to analyze everything from the orbits of planets to the patterns on a snowflake. Math empowers individuals by providing them with plenty of timeless, fascinating, and thought-provoking ideas.

During the pandemic, I was forced to stay home and could not go outside. I felt trapped inside one big box—my house—side by side with my family, and the only way to communicate with the outside world was by using a screen. I felt like I was living inside a video game where it was impossible to progress to the next level. I sought to use my time to find a way to positively impact my community, which was especially important during those difficult times. I began to volunteer at Shelter App, a tech-based nonprofit organization with an app that connects homeless and low-income people to food banks, shelters, and other services. Nearly 250,000 individuals have downloaded the app, which provides a quick way for homeless people to access services in their area by allowing them to find all the local resources in one database. I volunteer as a data architect at Shelter App. I write code that increases Shelter App’s coverage of charities in North America. I also validate data to be displayed on the front end of the app, which improves the quality of the app’s data. The impact I made volunteering at Shelter App inspired me to search for other nonprofits to join. I became a backend developer at the Council Data Project (CDP), a nonprofit organization with a digital platform that collects and presents municipal and county government records. The CDP exists to address the lack of a database that could systematically store and structure information on many major cities and counties in the United States. At the CDP, I write code that gathers (scrapes) and uploads videos, transcripts, voting records, and other legislative documents from various city and county government websites. I also write code that processes and structures data on the backend before sending it to the front end to make it displayable on the user interface. My code increases the CDP’s coverage of different city and county councils’ legislative histories. It also ensures that the CDP can display richer and more comprehensive data on each local government, featuring voting records, transcripts, and other important documents that provide essential information to the CDP’s users. Volunteering has let me recognize the value of connecting with others in my community and being aware of the world around me. It has also taught me the virtues of time management, selflessness, and responsibility, all of which make the world a better place. I always strive to positively impact my community and the lives of those around me by helping others grow and cultivate the courage they need to fulfill their goals. My experience volunteering for tech-based nonprofit organizations has inspired me to pursue a degree in computer science in college. I believe that my past, present, and future education will allow me to accomplish my goal of promoting social good by volunteering in ways that benefit society. I hope to learn new computer science skills and use them to continue volunteering in ways that positively impact the community.

I always strive to go above and beyond by working to benefit society. I began to volunteer in my community during middle and high school. As a volunteer, I have promoted math and science education by coaching young learners and developing instructional materials. At my high school, I became the vice president of the Math Honor Society and Computer Science Honor Society, where I encourage my fellow students to enjoy math and computer science. I volunteer for the Math Challenge program at Samantha Smith Elementary School, which motivates children to challenge themselves by solving interesting math problems. Students who participate in the program have the opportunity to strengthen their mathematical foundations, critical thinking abilities, problem-solving skills, and confidence in math. Students can also get involved with their families to have fun and engaging discussions about solving math problems. In addition, I am a volunteer coach at the National Science Bowl (NSB) program at Evergreen Middle School, a secondary school science knowledge competition that motivates students to perform well in math and science. I encourage students to develop a keen interest in science by exposing them to interesting science problems in an exciting and engaging quiz bowl format. Furthermore, I am a problem writer, web developer, and curriculum developer at Mustang Math, a nonprofit organization composed of committed high school and college volunteers. These volunteers work together to host several math competitions every year and provide math competition prep classes for middle schoolers. Mustang Math promotes collaboration among middle school students around the United States and encourages these students to be more curious about mathematics. I also volunteer for two tech-based nonprofit organizations—Shelter App and the Council Data Project (CDP)—where I use technology to promote social good. I am a data architect at Shelter App, a nonprofit organization with an app that connects homeless and low-income people to food banks, shelters, and other services. Nearly 250,000 individuals have downloaded the app, which provides a quick way for homeless people to access services in their area by allowing them to find all the local resources in one database. At Shelter App, I seek to help those experiencing homelessness get the assistance they need and be informed by those who have experienced such hardships. I strive to make the app convenient, helpful, and relevant to homeless and low-income people. I am a backend developer at the CDP, a nonprofit organization with a digital platform that collects, uploads, and presents municipal and county government records. These records are freely available on the CDP’s official website for journalists and activists to access. The CDP exists to address the lack of a database that could systematically store and structure information on many major cities and counties in the United States. At the CDP, I help ensure that everyone—from journalists to activists to politically engaged citizens—is empowered to participate in local government. Volunteering has let me recognize the value of connecting with others in my community and being aware of the world around me. It has also taught me the virtues of time management, selflessness, and responsibility, all of which make the world a better place. I always strive to positively impact my community and the lives of those around me by helping others grow and cultivate the courage they need to fulfill their goals. I believe that my past, present, and future education will allow me to accomplish my goal of promoting social good by volunteering in ways that benefit society.

The American abolitionist Harriet Tubman once said: “Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” My main passion is to use tech to promote social good. Technology has helped private sector companies cut costs, operate more efficiently, and tap into additional financial and human capital resources. There is no doubt that technology will continue to enable private businesses to grow in the future too. Nonprofit organizations that provide social services to people would also benefit from new technologies, but a lack of funding and access often prevents them from doing so. I currently volunteer at nonprofit organizations where I develop technologies to promote social good. For example, I am a volunteer data architect for Shelter App, a nonprofit organization with an app that connects homeless and low-income people to food banks, shelters, and other services. At Shelter App, I seek to help those experiencing homelessness get the assistance they need and be informed by those who have experienced such hardships. I strive to make the app convenient, helpful, and relevant to homeless and low-income people. I am also a backend developer at the CDP, a nonprofit organization with a digital platform that collects, uploads, and presents municipal and county government records. These records are freely available on the CDP’s official website for journalists and activists to access. The CDP exists to address the lack of a database that could systematically store and structure information on many major cities and counties in the United States. At the CDP, I help ensure that everyone—from journalists to activists to politically engaged citizens—is empowered to participate in local government. Volunteering at Shelter App and the CDP was initially challenging since I was unfamiliar with these organizations’ internal dynamics. However, I persevered and pushed myself to become more involved in these organizations. I attended the weekly team meetings, asked for help when necessary, and communicated with other volunteers to coordinate our tasks. Eventually, I became a dedicated member of the two organizations. I immersed myself in Shelter App and the CDP, allowing me to collaborate with my teammates. Together, we worked to implement digital technologies in a way that could allow the nonprofits we volunteered for to expand their impact on the local community. Shelter App used its mobile application to reach out to more homeless people, while the CDP used its platform to inform more civically engaged individuals about local politics. I hope to help other nonprofits utilize technology to enlarge their positive impact on the community. Technology can allow nonprofits to conduct their operations much more efficiently and reach out to more people they could assist. I will continue volunteering for nonprofits by helping them implement technology that will enable them to assist individuals in need in many ways, from feeding the homeless to aiding victims of natural disasters. Volunteering has let me recognize the value of connecting with others in my community and being aware of the world around me. It has also taught me the virtues of time management, selflessness, and responsibility, all of which make the world a better place. I always strive to positively impact my community and the lives of those around me by helping others grow and cultivate the courage they need to fulfill their goals.

The late American psychologist Abraham Maslow once said that “one can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth. Growth must be chosen again and again; fear must be overcome again and again.” I have always enjoyed reading and writing about cultural activities, current events, and social issues that affect our world, but I generally refrained from disseminating thoughts for everyone to see. However, this year, I overcame my reluctance to openly express my ideas by starting to write for online publications. I have managed to grow over the past year by writing content to be published online. My journey of growth and self-discovery began after I finished a research project in AP U.S. History on healthcare affordability in the United States. I decided to take what I learned and write an op-ed about it. The op-ed described various policy reforms that could reign in healthcare costs. I then sent my article to a local digital newspaper, but the editors of the newspaper decided it was not a good fit for their paper. I was dismayed by this rejection, but I continued searching for publications that were open to accepting content written by new authors. I eventually found an online magazine that described itself as a platform that gives a voice to young writers, and my op-ed was published there. I encouraged myself to continue writing about the issues that interest me. The magazine published my later op-eds and articles about housing affordability, facial recognition technology, the student loan crisis, and (on a more cheerful note) winter holidays. My initial successes as a writer inspired me to start contributing articles to an online blog run by a small tech company. My posts focused on travel and tourism in major North American cities like Seattle, Vancouver, San Francisco, New Orleans, Las Vegas, and New York City. I also wrote articles about hiking in U.S. national parks like Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Zion. Writing has let me connect with the topics that have always interested me from a very young age. For example, much of my content published by online blogs covers politics, economics, travel, and other fascinating subjects that have intrigued me in the past and the present. In that sense, writing allows me to remain similar by letting me explore ideas that have always interested me. As an author, writing has allowed me to communicate my thoughts to countless people, spread awareness about pressing issues, and propose innovative solutions to these issues. Writing has also enabled me to express my opinions on enjoyable cultural activities like travel and tourism. I have gained a lot of confidence in my ability to articulate myself due to my writing experiences. I have also felt happy to share my ideas with the rest of the world.

"Under Pressure" by Queen and David Bowie is the song that has the most important message for me. The lyrics declare that although many factors cause pressure, stress, and hardship for countless individuals, people can make themselves strong enough to overcome their woes. The lyrics initially describe how the pressure of living permeates every aspect of our world and can have drastic consequences. For example, families can break apart, and individuals can end up on the streets because of the pressure they face. People find it very frustrating to watch themselves, their friends, or other individuals they know suffer from stress. Sometimes, it seems that the best you can do to deal with your woes is to hope or pray that you will be luckier tomorrow. However, the lyrics gradually adopt a cautiously optimistic tone and outline the actions people can take to overcome all sorts of pressure. In particular, the song argues that self-love and self-care can save us from the hardships that afflict us. By loving ourselves, taking care of ourselves, and giving ourselves another chance whenever things go wrong, we can alleviate the pressure we experience and become better off. In conclusion, the pressures in our lives can seem overwhelming, and it would be very disappointing to lose the people and things you care about the most due to those pressures. However, if we agree to love ourselves, we can mitigate the effects of this pressure that affects us all and improve our lives.

My favorite Disney character is Simba from The Lion King. We can learn many life lessons from Simba, including courage, humility, and responsibility. At the heart of the story in The Lion King is the ability to forgive ourselves for the mistakes we made in the past and the things we have no power to change. The story also encouraged us to look to the future to understand that we should be proud of the accomplishments we have already attained and that we have much more to learn and see as time goes on. One of the most insightful statements Simba uttered in The Lion King is that “as you go through life, you will see that there is so much that we don’t understand. And the only thing we know is things don’t always go the way we plan.” This quote highlights Simba’s emergence from the youthful ignorance he indulged himself in for much of his life. After Simba’s father, Mufasa, died, Simba lived in exile far away from his homeland, constantly gratifying himself with all sorts of trivialities to forget his painful memories and create a world that made sense to him. Things began to change after Simba met his childhood friend, Nala. Simba began to realize that sometimes the world does not make sense. Sometimes, unexpected events like the death of a family member can upend our lives, and we have to learn to deal with it the best way we can. However, we must have the humility to acknowledge that we cannot always make sense of or accurately predict the world around us. In addition, Simba successfully developed the courage he needed to overcome the trauma of his father’s death. When Simba looked at the lake, he could see a reflection of his father, the late king Mufasa. Looking at this reflection, Simba realizes that Mufasa’s death was not his fault; it was the work of his uncle Scar, the usurper who killed Mufasa and illegally took over the kingdom. With this realization, Simba can free himself from his past trauma and gain the courage to confront and depose Scar. Simba is an inspiring character whose journey from childlike self-gratification to pride and power highlights the importance of courage, humility, and responsibility.

I will double major in computer science and mathematics and am already working to earn college credits for these degrees. I have already taken several STEM-related courses that will allow me to receive college credits. These courses included AP Physics 1, AP Physics 2, AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, AP Computer Science P, and AP Computer Science A. This year, I am taking AP Statistics, AP Chemistry, and AP Environmental Science. I also enrolled in a Running Start dual-credit program in which I take Multivariable Calculus and Linear Algebra at a local community college along with my high school courses. I want to learn computer science and mathematics to use them for social good in my career. I am already a volunteer at two tech-based nonprofit organizations: Shelter App and the Council Data Project (CDP). Shelter App is a nonprofit with a web and mobile app that allows the homeless to find food banks, shelters, and other charities in their areas. I write scrapers for Shelter App that collect data on charities throughout the United States and upload this data for users to access on the front end. The CDP is a nonprofit with an app that lets journalists and activists monitor the legislative records of city and county governments throughout the United States. I write digital pipelines for the CDP that gather, process, and upload local government records to a publicly accessible database. I chose a double major in computer science and mathematics to develop a solid foundation for both subjects. Both degrees will allow me to build a rewarding career in the field of information technology by providing me with the technical and professional skills I would need for such a career. I also hope to use the computer science and mathematics skills I will cultivate to participate in causes and projects that seek to advance social good. In conclusion, I chose to learn STEM-related fields in college because I will have the chance to work in an exciting professional field, cultivate a diverse array of beneficial skills, and positively impact the world around me. In particular, I want to double major in computer science and mathematics because I am highly interested in these subjects. I am confident I can use my skills in these fields to promote social good.

When the famous Roman poet Virgil said that “the greatest wealth is health,” he could not have been more correct. No matter how much money or possessions someone owns, they will never live a satisfying and fulfilling life if they do not strive to be healthy. Thus, I have taken steps to live a lifestyle that would improve my physical, social, mental, and emotional health. I have sought to improve my physical health by making lifestyle choices to satisfy my basic needs regarding food, exercise, and other aspects of physical well-being. I brush and floss daily to prevent diseases that could compromise my teeth and gums. I eat healthy, well-balanced meals that include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, grass-fed meat, and dairy products. I also get at least 30 minutes of exercise—usually a mix of running, push-ups, and sit-ups—every day. These everyday actions will allow me to live a longer and healthier life, keep diseases at bay, and have a lower risk of early mortality. I have also strived to improve my mental and emotional health by making better decisions about how to spend my time during the day and night. Eating nutritious meals and exercising for at least 30 minutes during the daytime are both essential for my mental and emotional health. At night, I try to get at least eight hours of sleep to relieve my stress and refresh my brain. In addition, I tell myself to have a positive attitude throughout the day. I constantly remind myself to look at life as if the glass is half-full, and I always believe in myself and tell myself that I can do anything if I dedicate my mind to it. These lifestyle choices allow me to keep my self-esteem high, which is integral to maintaining my mental and emotional health. Finally, I have taken steps to boost my social health by interacting positively with others and developing healthy, meaningful relationships. Maintaining a positive attitude makes me a pleasant person to be around; this enables me to connect and become acquainted with the people I meet. I smile and laugh out loud regularly every day, and my positivity inspires others to improve their attitudes. These everyday actions allow me to keep and maintain healthy friendships, which lets me enjoy a thriving social life. In conclusion, my physical, social, mental, and emotional health are essential to me. I eat healthy foods, get regular exercise, get sufficient sleep, maintain a positive attitude, smile and laugh regularly, and perform other actions that allow me to live a healthy, well-rounded life. I hope my efforts will allow me to improve and maintain my physical, social, mental, and emotional health throughout my life.

I am planning to double major in computer science and mathematics. I completed AP Calculus AB and AP Calculus BC in high school. I am currently studying AP Statistics. In addition, I am a Running Start student who is already working toward a mathematics degree by studying multivariable calculus and linear algebra. Mathematics is a valuable subject, and learning mathematics allows people to develop analytical skills and an analytical attitude. There are several areas of study within mathematics, each of which provides students with valuable professional and intellectual skills. Applied mathematics lets students understand how to apply theoretical concepts and frameworks in mathematics in the real world. Mathematical models enable students to represent data and information in a visual, understandable manner using mathematical models like charts and graphs. Taking a mathematics major also lets students cultivate essential career readiness skills such as analytical thinking and quantitative prowess. With analytical skills, mathematics majors learn to identify trends in data and information to determine probabilities and patterns. As students develop more analytical thinking skills, they strengthen their problem-solving abilities that they can later use in their careers and life. With quantitative prowess, mathematics majors sharpen their ability to manipulate numbers and datasets, which is instrumental for developing the technical skills needed to thrive in a STEM-related workplace. In addition, a degree in mathematics has plenty of real-world uses. Many private companies consult or hire mathematicians to analyze data and statistics and formulate a business plan that will allow the companies to grow. Many companies and organizations have begun to use data science, cloud storage, and machine learning to harness the power of big data—all of which can only be possible with the help of experts in mathematics. Many mathematicians and data scientists help companies and organizations with big data by storing and tracking this data. Big data is a valuable resource for making decisions, predicting trends, and boosting efficiency. In conclusion, I will choose a mathematics degree because it will allow me to study interest areas within mathematics, develop essential professional skills, and use my knowledge of mathematics in real-world situations. For these reasons, I believe that a degree in mathematics will enable me to enjoy a more enriching and satisfying education and career.

Henry Ford once said, “anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young.” Ford could not have been more right. Learning is a lifelong process that people of all demographic groups, from young children to senior citizens, constantly undergo. Learning is vital for me since it provides a way to grow personally, professionally, and intellectually. I must consistently find new things to learn to remain relevant. The methods, skills, and tools used to perform all sorts of tasks constantly change, so I strive to learn new things to keep myself updated. For example, I volunteer for several tech-based nonprofits that use Python as a programming language for their software. Since the Python language always sees new libraries, APIs, and toolkits added to its environment, I always strive to keep my skills sharp by being open to learning about these updates. Learning is also a way for me to boost my self-confidence. When I learn new things, my faith in my abilities grows, and I feel more ready to tackle challenging tasks. For example, I have participated in various math competitions since middle school. Some of the problems in these competitions can be highly challenging, so I dedicate a lot of time to learning the concepts I need to solve. It can be somewhat tiring to sit for extended sessions trying to understand new theorems and techniques in algebra, geometry, probability, and number theory. However, I know it will all be worth it in the end due to my increased confidence in my ability to solve the most challenging problems in the math competitions I take. In addition, learning allows me to be happier about myself. I volunteer for various tech-based nonprofits that provide services like a charity navigator for homeless people, a database on local government records for journalists and activists, and math competitions for middle schoolers. I have used many languages, libraries, and frameworks such as Python, Numpy, JavaScript, React, and Node.js during my volunteer experiences. I invested hours of my time learning these programming concepts, enabling me to volunteer for those organizations. My volunteering experiences have been rewarding, and I have strongly felt that my willingness to learn new things has allowed me to make a positive impact on the community. Learning has been instrumental to my personal, professional, and intellectual development. I constantly learn new things to make my life more interesting, exciting, enriching, and enjoyable. My ability to learn has allowed me to volunteer for multiple nonprofits and positively impact the community. I believe that my choice to learn new things has improved my life and the lives of others in immeasurable ways. I plan to continue my incredible learning journey by attending college, reading books and research articles, taking online courses, and engaging in hands-on activities. Learning will never stop at any point in my life. I will always be willing to search for, gather, and reflect on any knowledge I found helpful and intriguing.

Polish mathematician Stefan Banach once described mathematics as “the most beautiful and most powerful creation of the human spirit.” Banach could not have been more right. Mathematics is the tool that allows us to appreciate art, beauty, and abstractness while also enabling us to enjoy plenty of fun activities. One of the things I love about mathematics is the intricate artwork and patterns behind the concepts it conveys. Intuition is the foundation of mathematics. Mathematicians take concrete objects and turn them into abstract figures used to produce beautiful artwork. For example, the Golden Ratio—a common name for the reciprocal of the square root of 2—has been used by many artists throughout the centuries to draw everything from abstract shapes to proportionally accurate human figures. I also really like fractal art created by drawing repeating geometric patterns. In addition, I love to engage in plenty of math-related activities in my life. I have participated in a diverse array of math competitions. These competitions have always allowed me to challenge myself to complete intriguing and thought-provoking math puzzles from many different topics, including algebra, geometry, probability, and number theory. The competitions are also an excellent opportunity for me to improve my critical thinking and reasoning skills. My love of math has inspired me to volunteer to promote math education in my community. For example, I am the leading volunteer of the Math Challenge program at a local elementary school, where I encourage elementary schoolers to enrich their math knowledge by completing challenging math activities. I am also the vice president of the Math Honor Society club, where I create, design, organize, and run meetings to encourage club members to develop a love of math. In addition, I am a volunteer for Mustang Math, a student-run nonprofit that provides middle schoolers with interesting, engaging, and challenging math competitions and resources. Math is a significant part of my life. My love of math has allowed me to appreciate the beauty, abstraction, and wonders of math while also giving me plenty of opportunities for fun math competitions and rewarding volunteering experiences.

When William Shakespeare said that “our bodies are our gardens—our wills are our gardeners,” he could not have been more right. If we want to keep our bodies healthy and flourishing like a garden, we need to harness our minds to make a conscious effort to live healthier. Still, there are some challenges we must overcome in our lives to become healthier. For example, young people often identify their school as a primary source of stress that afflicts them physically and mentally. However, there are some steps that young people like me can take to improve their health during their school years. The first step in my strategy to maintain my health in school is to tackle my nutritional needs. Eating healthy foods is very important for maintaining a strong body and sharp mind, so I enjoy a breakfast of yogurt and berries after I wake up. My breakfast gives me the energy I need to have a productive morning in school. Later in the day, I eat meat and potatoes for lunch. These foods are excellent sources of proteins, B vitamins, potassium, and other vital nutrients. For dinner, I munch on nuts, eggs, and vegetables, which contain lots of minerals, vitamins, and other nutrients. Maintaining my physical health is also vital for my journey through school. Staying hydrated is essential for keeping my body healthy, so I always carry a water bottle to school and fill it up when it gets low. I also strive to get sufficient sleep by turning off the lights early, as good sleep is vital for my long-term health. Exercise is another one of my necessities since it keeps my body strong, so I run for at least 30 minutes daily. In addition, being mentally healthy is essential for my experience in school. In many ways, my mental health overlaps with my physical and nutritional health. Eating nutritious foods, staying hydrated, getting sufficient sleep, and running outside are all habits that benefit my physical health. These habits also improve my mental health by reducing my stress levels, boosting my self-confidence, and sharpening my mind. There are also some other strategies for improving my mental health. I always plan my school and homework schedules by writing down my tasks and formulating plans to complete them on time. Planning lets me keep up with the pace of my classes; this makes me less stressed and more confident about school in general. Maintaining my nutritional, physical, and mental health is integral to my journey through school. Eating healthily, staying hydrated, getting good sleep, exercising, and planning my schedule are all strategies I utilize to improve my health and have a more wholesome experience in school.

When Benjamin Franklin said that “an investment in knowledge pays the best interest,” he could not have been more right. Investing time, energy, and resources into one’s higher education is one of the wisest moves an individual can make. College will be an excellent opportunity for me to learn to live a more rewarding life and grow intellectually, emotionally, and socially. In college, I can learn to be more independent and disciplined, become a better critical thinker, and create a network of connections with like-minded individuals. However, adjusting to college life can be somewhat rough for some students. Many freshmen lose sleep, eat less healthily, exercise less often, perform worse in class, and feel more stress during their transition to university life. Fortunately, there are steps that students can take to live a healthier, more wholesome life in college that involves paying close attention to one’s mind, body, and soul. My first step to living healthily on campus involves tackling my basic physical needs. I will ditch the ramen noodles and stick to a healthier, nutrient-rich diet consisting of dairy, whole grains, unprocessed meat, and fresh fruits and vegetables. A full stomach and a more nutritious diet are vital for maintaining a sharp mind and healthy body. Water is just as important as food for everyone, including college students. I will carry a water bottle with me wherever I go. Keeping myself hydrated will be essential for my plan to live a healthy life on campus. Exercise is also a must for students, who spend much of their day sitting down and listening to a professor. I will try to get at least 30 minutes of exercise right after my classes to rejuvenate my mind and keep my body strong. And, of course, sleep is essential for college students. It can be challenging for students to get sufficient sleep if they have a heavy workload. However, I will remember that turning off the lights at bedtime is vital for maintaining my learning abilities. I will avoid studying after midnight since it is almost always counterproductive. Maintaining my mental health will be another aspect of my plan to live healthily on campus. To manage my time and feel less stressed, I will keep a written schedule to ensure I complete all my assignments, goals, and tasks on time. I will also try to keep my stress levels low by writing a personal journal containing my thoughts and feelings and by surrounding myself with friends who also seek to live a more wholesome, less stressful life. Getting involved in school clubs that interest me, will also be an excellent way to live a more enjoyable life on campus while allowing me to form new connections with fascinating individuals. Keeping my mind, body, and soul healthy will be a vital part of my college life. A healthy diet, regular exercise, sufficient sleep, and a vibrant social life will keep my mind sharp, my body strong, my soul relaxed, and my stress levels low.

My best back-to-school tip is to take notes on everything you learn in class. Notes are essential for succeeding in school. Taking notes allows you to permanently record the class material you go over every day in school, making your notebook an excellent study tool for any quiz, test, or exam. Remember that YOU have the freedom to decide how to format your notes. Thus, you can also use your notebook to create graphics or visuals that systematically organize your notes and improve your learning abilities. In addition, writing down notes boosts your retention of the material you learn in class, enabling you to understand the content you need to succeed in your classes. Using a piece of paper for jotting notes is even more effective than using a computer. Although it might feel a little time-consuming to write down the things you want to remember on a piece of paper, the time you invest in this activity will pay off since you will more quickly and effectively get a good grasp of the material you need to learn. Instagram: @sragoler

An old proverb says, “when [the] diet is wrong, medicine is of no use. When diet is correct, medicine is of no need.” This proverb could not have been more correct: Doctors and other medical experts have concluded that a healthy diet is one of the most effective ways to live a longer, healthier, happier, and more satisfying life. I know how eating healthy foods has made me physically and mentally better off. The healthy foods I eat improve my physical health in many ways. I usually eat a delicious and nutritious meal consisting of yogurt, berries, and hard-boiled eggs during breakfast. The yogurt is rich in proteins, calcium, and B vitamins; the berries contain plenty of fiber and antioxidants; and the hard-boiled eggs are an excellent source of zinc and calcium. Later in the day, I enjoy savory chicken, salmon, or beef as the main dish and mouth-watering potatoes on the side for lunch. The meat is an excellent source of protein, vitamin D, and essential minerals, and the potatoes provide me with vitamin C and potassium. And for dinner, I munch a carrot, a tomato, and a handful of nuts. The carrot is rich in vitamin A, beta-carotene, and vitamin K; the tomato contains high levels of vitamin C, folate, and potassium; and the nuts are an excellent source of proteins, vitamin E, and magnesium. A healthy diet is also beneficial for my mental health and cognitive performance. My decision to eat healthily has made me feel happier and less stressed. Much of this is because my daily intakes of sugar, sodium, and saturated fats are low, but eating healthy has also made me feel confident about my ability to take care of myself. In addition, the foods I eat are rich in proteins, complex carbohydrates, and unsaturated fats—all of which boost my brain power and allow me to think more clearly. Learning healthy eating has also taught me an essential life skill—mindfulness. By consciously selecting the foods I know will improve my long-term health, I have improved my decision-making skills in other areas of my life; this will let me live a happier, healthier, and more satisfying future. Overall, healthy eating is an essential part of my life. Eating a diet rich in proteins, unsaturated fats, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients provides me with all the energy I need to stay productive throughout the day. I feel much more motivated to tackle my tasks and goals after eating a hearty meal of whole grains, unprocessed meat, fresh fruits, and vegetables. I also feel much happier, more satisfied, and less stressed due to my decision to munch on healthy foods every meal of the day.

Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. once said that a “man’s mind, stretched by new ideas, may never return to its original dimensions.” This statement holds for higher education: Once a student enters an institution of higher education, their mind will open up to a plethora of new knowledge they will never forget. Higher education is essential to me since it will open new doors to new pathways of learning and opportunity for me. College is excellent for personal growth and development. College students consistently state that the higher education experience is very enriching, and the evidence for this is clear: At college, students gain new skills like writing, time-management, teamwork, and communication. Cultivating these skills improves an individual’s sense of self-esteem. It also empowers individuals to be more civically engaged with their communities by voting, volunteering, joining community groups, donating to charities, and participating in activities promoting education. It is vital to keep the public civically engaged if we are to confront problems such as global poverty and climate change. Education can help us create a more civically engaged society by making people more aware of these issues and encouraging them to act on society’s behalf. College can also make a graduate’s career a lot more satisfying. Some of the most personally rewarding careers on the job market—teachers, pediatricians, chief executives—are often reserved for college graduates; this explains why college graduates tend to agree that their higher education has boosted their career satisfaction. Attending college also lets individuals form student and alumnus networks that they can later tap into in order to secure a more rewarding occupation. A college degree can make an individual mentally and socially healthier. The life skills learned during college allow college graduates to reduce their stress levels, especially job-related stress. Similarly, the student and alumnus networks that college graduates form can make their social lives much livelier. For these reasons, a college education will allow an individual to live a longer, healthier, and happier life. And, of course, higher education has substantial material benefits. College students who choose majors such as computer software, engineering, and medicine can expect to enter career fields with high salaries and rapid job growth. Thus, college graduates tend to be more employable and have higher lifetime earnings; this explains why obtaining a higher education makes someone more likely to achieve economic and financial stability. Understanding the personal, social, health-related, and career-related benefits of college has encouraged me to drive myself toward obtaining an enriching higher education. I want to learn how I can become more civically engaged, enjoy a more rewarding career, and acquire essential new life skills. I believe that attending a university would allow me to accomplish these goals and much, much more.

Hippocrates once advised his followers to “let food be thy medicine, thy medicine shall be thy food.” Nowadays, scientists know that Hippocrates was right to point out the health benefits of good food. Healthy foods, especially superfoods, contain plenty of valuable life-sustaining nutrients from magnesium to B vitamins to antioxidants. I love superfoods because they are an excellent way to make myself healthier while enjoying a delicious meal or snack. I strive to put more superfoods on my plate every time my belly rumbles. In the morning, I usually enjoy Greek yogurt with cinnamon and eggs for breakfast. The Greek yogurt is rich in protein, vitamin B12, calcium, and other nutrients needed to keep my body strong. The cinnamon lowers my blood pressure and blood sugar levels while adding a rich, savory flavor to my yogurt. The eggs contain high-density cholesterol (the “good” kind), which makes my cardiovascular system healthier; they are also quite tasty to eat when they are warm. At noon, I eat salmon or grass-fed ground beef as my main dish for lunch. Both the salmon and beef have a nice, juicy flavor and are rich in protein and omega-3 fatty acid, a vital nutrient that lowers your risk of heart disease and stroke. To complement my main dish, I also add a few vegetable side dishes such as beans, spinach, cabbage, or tomatoes to my plate. Although some people view vegetables with disgust, I actually find vegetables to be both healthy and tasty. Beans and spinach are rich in protein, while tomatoes and cabbage are rich in a diverse array of essential nutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin K, and potassium. In the evening, my dinner consists of lentils, almonds, pistachios, and walnuts, all of which are rich in fiber and beneficial for my digestive system. Eating my lentils warm is very satisfying after a long day, and it is also an excellent way of obtaining nutrients like potassium, folate, and iron. Meanwhile, nuts like almonds, pistachios, and walnuts are crunchy and delicious. These nuts contain large amounts of protein and antioxidants. They also provide nutrients that make my cardiovascular system healthier. And throughout the day, I like to snack on sweet fruits and berries—including apples, blueberries, kiwis, strawberries, and watermelons—loaded with all sorts of vital nutrients. These fruits brighten up my day with their natural sugary flavor. They also contain many essential nutrients such as antioxidants, fibers, and vitamin C. Eating and learning to enjoy superfoods is a choice we can all make in our quest to live healthier. Superfoods are rich in flavor and nutrients, making them enjoyable, unique, and almost a miracle for anyone who has eaten them.

Thomas Edison once said that “the doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will instruct his patients in care of the human frame, in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease.” Edison could not have been more right when he uttered this statement. Years of experience have taught me that the key to living a healthy life is not consuming a lot of medicines. Instead, to improve their health, people should exercise more and watch what they eat. To maintain a healthy lifestyle, I exercise daily. I always do sit-ups and push-ups to keep my muscles strong. To burn calories, make my heart healthier, and get cardio/aerobic exercise, I run 4 miles outside on a daily basis. When the weather is hot and the sun is shining, I also bike or swim in the lake. In addition, I make sure to eat healthy and nutritious food such as fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, dairy, unprocessed meat, eggs, and nuts. Consuming sufficient amounts of essential proteins, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients is essential for remaining healthy. I try to minimize my intake of junk foods rich in sugar, salt, and unsaturated fats. Sleep is also an integral part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and I always ensure that I get 8 hours of sleep each night by not staying up late. There are many benefits of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Eating more fresh fruits and whole grains reduces someone's likelihood of catching illnesses such as inflammation, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. In general, eating healthier and exercising more improves people's mood, and having such a positive attitude helps people form meaningful relationships and be more productive at work. Healthy living extends beyond simply physical wellness (e.g., food, sleep, and exercise). To truly be healthy, one must satisfy their social and emotional needs too. For example, I strive to connect with my community by volunteering for various nonprofit organizations and local school programs. Volunteering and community service make me feel satisfied with myself because I know that my actions have had a positive impact on the world around me. Forgiveness, love, and compassion are all vital when it comes to forming and preserving meaningful relationships that contribute to the maintenance of a healthy lifestyle. They are also closely tied to notions of a positive self-image, as an individual who makes a positive impact on the lives of others naturally views himself or herself in a positive light. Healthy living—which includes exercise, nutritional food, sufficient sleep, meaningful relationships, and emotional satisfaction—is a choice that we can all make to improve the lives of ourselves and those around us. I am very grateful that I continue to make smart choices every day to maintain a healthy lifestyle, and I can truly see how this decision to live healthy has benefited myself and my community.

My favorite scientific discovery is Nicolaus Copernicus’s discovery that Earth is not the center of the universe. When Copernicus wrote of his hypothesis in the early 16th century, he rejected the geocentric views held by Europeans for almost fifteen centuries. Copernicus’s heliocentric model that put the Sun at the center of the solar system implied that Earth had no special position in the universe, an idea that I find humbling and awe-inspiring. What I strongly like about Copernicus’s discovery is that it has inspired many scientists and science enthusiasts to be much more open-minded about the world and universe around them. The scientific rejection of anthropocentrism has only grown throughout the ages. For example, biologists now know that humans are distant relatives of all the other species that inhabit the planet Earth, from tiny E. coli bacteria to massive redwood trees. Astronomers know that the universe is almost entirely homogeneous on an intergalactic scale, with only minute variations within local regions. Astrophysicists know that the “ordinary” atomic matter that constitutes the world around us accounts for just 4 percent of the universe’s mass. These later discoveries in biology and astronomy indicate that humans are not inherently privileged beings, and they all hearken back to the Copernican repudiation of the geocentric model of the universe. Though some people may be disappointed to learn that the world and universe do not revolve around them, I actually find it fascinating that way. Knowing that there is a lot more to learn out there than meets the eye has inspired me to constantly research and acquire more knowledge about different areas of science such as physics, chemistry, geology, biology, and astronomy.

The German classical musician Johann Wolfgang von Goethe once defined courage as "the commitment to begin without the guarantee of success.” I like to live by this mantra, constantly searching for new things to try even if I do not know the outcome ahead of time. Although I do not always fulfill my goal of trying out new things, I believe that bravery is all about venturing ahead with little to no knowledge of the outcome. In 2020, I became trapped inside my house due to the pandemic-related lockdowns. Although I was disappointed to be within the confines of my home for so long, I soon overcame my frustrations by learning how to be brave. After school opened virtually in the fall of 2020, I decided to continue being a member of various clubs I had joined during in-person learning the year before. I was skeptical about how online clubs could function, but I still gave them a chance. I wanted to do something with my time and positively impact the local community, which would be especially great during the hard times of the pandemic. Thus, I became a member of two groups within the clubs I was a member of: the Math Council and the Computer Science Council. These student councils promoted math and computer science education among local elementary and middle schoolers, but unlike previous years, everything was online now. Despite my initial skepticism, the councils were a huge success. I helped organize online hackathons, hour-of-code sessions, and math nights for elementary and middle schoolers. These younger students showed great enthusiasm for all the activities we offered them. I felt my willingness to try new things without knowing the outcome in advance had paid off. Thus, bravery made my community and me better off.

My favorite piece of art is the painting Guernica by Pablo Picasso. I learned about Guernica in Spanish Class during our unit on beauty and aesthetics, and I included this painting in my presentation on 20th-century Spanish art. I was mesmerized by Picasso’s use of surreal imagery consisting of human and animal bodies and faces arranged in an illogical context, which helps portray the chaos and senselessness of war. I was fascinated to learn how Picasso wove different elements together to tell a tragic story in Guernica. For example, Picasso said that the bull and the horse in his artwork represented how the invading Germans and Italians disregarded the lives of Spanish civilians during the Spanish Civil War (1936–39). Picasso accused the invading soldiers of treating the Spaniards like animals. When Picasso painted Guernica in 1904, he had already been living in France for over 30 years, yet his heart had never left his native Spain. Picasso was very sympathetic to the Republican cause during the Spanish Civil War, and he painted Guernica as part of a campaign to raise funds for Spanish war refugees. Picasso was horrified when the Nationalists took over Spain and destroyed the fledgling democracy that had begun to take root in his home country, so he sent Guernica to the United States. Picasso believed that Guernica should only be allowed to return to Spain once his home country would become democratic again, a dream fulfilled in the late 1970s. Guernica is a painting that promotes peace, freedom, and democracy, essential values that have helped many countries like Spain, the United States, and others flourish.

It is commonly said that “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” Well, neither is your stock portfolio. While some people learn this lesson after losing most of their net worth, I was lucky enough to understand it after making a few mistakes on an investment simulator. Shortly after I began high school, I developed a strong interest in the stock market. I wanted to know its dynamics, why some stocks rise while others fall, and how I could use it to make as much money as possible. After reading a few news articles that told me that experience is the best way to learn about investing, I decided to open an account on Investopedia’s stock market simulator and see how well I could manage a fake stock portfolio. Being arrogant and relatively inexperienced, I believed I could make a quick buck by looking at short-term fluctuations in stock prices and extrapolating future trends based on what I saw. I purchased a few fake stocks that I believed would rise in value within a few days. Most of them rose, so I sold them once I started to worry that their prices would fall, only to feel humiliated within two weeks when I saw that their prices continued to climb, making me lose a lot in fake opportunity costs. This experience taught me the importance of patience and long-term investment instead of speculation. Gone were the days of believing I could build my stock portfolio in a day. From then on, I only purchased fake stocks after evaluating their companies’ financial statistics (e.g., profit margins, liquidity ratios). I held these fake stocks for a few years rather than buying and selling them on a whim.

In March 2020, my life changed forever with the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated school closures. Like my friends and classmates, I was forced to stay home and could not go outside. I felt trapped inside one big box—my house—side by side with my family, and the only way to communicate with the outside world was by using a screen. I felt like I was living inside a video game where it was impossible to progress to the next level. However, life gradually started to improve. School came back online, which meant I could see my classmates, friends, and teachers, albeit only in front of a screen. Still, I could do projects with my classmates and meet friends to talk about school and life. Despite this, I still had a lot of spare time during the pandemic, and I wanted to find a way to use this time to accomplish something meaningful. I sought to find a way to make the world a better place, which was especially important during these difficult times. I joined a nonprofit organization called Shelter App, which helps the homeless and low-income find charities in their area. I learned how people can become unhoused and that homelessness is often just a matter of bad luck. I met inspiring people who were once homeless for various reasons, but their courage allowed them to persevere and eventually become relatively well-off again. I learned the value of using my technology skills to help others, which has inspired me to join other nonprofit organizations that promote civic values like democracy, education, and good citizenship.

Community service has taught me the virtues of time management, selflessness, and responsibility, all of which make the world a better place. I always strive to positively impact my community and the lives of those around me. I am vice president of my high school's Math Honor Society and Computer Science Honor Society. I help create monthly meetings to inspire members to enjoy STEM-related activities, and I also help prepare members for math competitions. In addition, I help organize STEM-related events for elementary and middle schoolers like math competitions, hackathons, etc. In my local community, I am the leading volunteer for the Math Challenge enrichment program for elementary schoolers, which promotes excellence in math in an enjoyable context. I am also a volunteer coach for the National Science Bowl, where I help prepare middle schoolers for science competitions. In addition, I am part of Mustang Math, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting math education among middle schoolers. In the broader community, I am a volunteer data architect for Shelter App, a nonprofit organization with a mobile app that helps homeless and low-income people find services. I have written software that collects, processes, and stores data on resources for homeless people throughout the United States and Canada. I have also started helping to develop an offshoot app called Outreach App that will allow charity organizations to pinpoint and communicate with homeless people on the street. I am also a volunteer backend developer for the Council Data Project (CDP), an online nonprofit organization dedicated to creating tools that let journalists and activists view the legislative history of local governments. I have helped build CDP's scrapers and write code that processes and uploads video data from the recordings of local government meetings.