Freshman Admissions > Essay Prompts

Freshman Admissions > Essay Prompts With this in mind, you should replace lower-level words with higher-level words . You might consider looking up SAT/ACT vocabulary words and working a handful of those into your essay. The concept is to present a few ideas very well, rather than list all your ideas poorly. A narrowly focused essay will be much more effective than a general, vague one. Whatever you feel you can contribute, add that to your list of essay goals. For better or for worse, I decided to finally make my voice heard. I was born with a speech impediment that weakened my mouth muscles. I tried my best to blend in and give the impression I was silent by choice. I joined no clubs in primary school, instead preferring isolation. It took six years of tongue twisters and complicated mouth contortions in special education classes for me to produce the forty-four sounds of the English language. Due to the University of Rochester’s reputation for an extensive use of statistics in political science research, I would make a good addition to your fall class. While attending the University of Rochester, I would like to study international relations or comparative politics while in graduate school. I find the research of Dr.’s Hein Goemans and Gretchen Helmke intriguing and would like the opportunity to learn more about it through the Graduate Visitation program. In college, as I became more politically engaged, my interest began to gravitate more towards political science. And when asked what to eat exclusively for the rest of my life, I will enthusiastically respond “potatoes! Day by day, I began to stand a little taller and talk a little louder both inside and outside of debate. In a few months, my blood no longer froze when I was called on in class. I found I could finally look other people in the eyes when I talked to them without feeling embarrassed. My posture straightened and I stopped fidgeting around strangers. I began to voice my opinions as opposed to keeping my ideas to myself. As my debate rank increased from the triple to single-digits, so too did my standing at school. I don’t have an answer to what exactly it is I want to do for the rest of my life. I love English and political science, but I have yet to find such an all-encompassing response as potatoes. What I’ve realized though, is that I don’t have to sacrifice all for one. From each of my interests I learn things that contribute to who I am and shape how I see the world. And when I do have an answer, I will go forth with the knowledge I’ve gathered from each of my varied interests; and I will never stop learning. I began interacting with my teachers more and leading my peers in clubs. In discussions, I put forward my ideas with every bit as much conviction as my classmates. When seniors began to ask me for advice and teachers recruited me to teach underclassmen, I discovered not only that I had been heard, but that others wanted to listen. Your answer to these questions will help you frame the content of your essay. Bring honor and prestige to the university once they graduate. I consent to the storage of my personal data so that International Student can deliver the monthly newsletter and other relevant emails to me. I agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Statement, which detail my rights to control my personal data under US law, as this is a US-based website, but also consistent with the principles of the EU’s GDPR. My statistical training in psychology orientates me toward a more quantitative graduate experience. At heart, I am still reserved , but in finding my voice, I found a strength I could only dream of when I stood in silence so many years ago. Scanning the school club packet, I searched for my place. But then, I sat in on a debate team practice and was instantly hooked. I was captivated by how confidently the debaters spoke and how easily they commanded attention. I was sick of how confining my quiet nature had become. Again, remember that you are more than just an international student. You have so much more to contribute to the campus social and learning environment than just your home culture. Take a few moments to consider what else you may contribute. The interest in serving and understanding people has never changed, yet I realized I could make a greater difference doing something for which I have a deeper passion, political science. The 4 years I spent in the Army cultivated a deep-seated passion for serving society. While in the Army, I had the great honor to serve with several men and women who, like me, fought to make a difference in the world. During my tour of duty, I witnessed several shipmates suffer from various mental aliments. Driven by a commitment to serve and a desire to understand the foundations of psychological illness, I decided to return to school to study psychology.