College Essay Prompts

Cornell University
The primary focus of your college interest essay should be what you intend to study at Cornell.
On the online Common Application Writing Supplement, please respond to the essay question below (maximum of 650 and minimum of 250 words) that corresponds to the undergraduate college(s) or school(s) to which you are applying.
If you are utilizing the Primary/Alternate admission option, you must complete an essay for both colleges/schools; please complete the essays that correspond to your primary and alternate choices.
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences: How have your interests and related experiences influenced the major you have selected in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences?
College of Architecture, Art, and Planning: Why are you excited to pursue your chosen major in AAP? What specifically about AAP and Cornell University will help you fulfill your academic and creative interests and long-term goals?
College of Arts and Sciences: Describe two or three of your current intellectual interests and why they are exciting to you. Why will Cornell’s College of Arts and Sciences be the right environment in which to pursue your interests?
College of Engineering: Tell us about an engineering idea you have, or about your interest in engineering. Describe how your ideas and interests may be realized by—and linked to—specific resources within the College of Engineering. Finally, explain what a Cornell Engineering education will enable you to accomplish.
School of Hotel Administration: Hospitality is the largest industry in the world and includes sectors such as hotel operations, food and beverage management, real estate, finance, marketing, and law. Considering the breadth of our industry, please describe what work and non-work experiences, academic interests, and career goals influenced your decision to study hospitality management? How will these contribute to your success at the School of Hotel Administration?
College of Human Ecology: What do you value about the College of Human Ecology's perspective, and the majors that interest you, as you consider your academic goals and plans for the future?
School of Industrial and Labor Relations: Tell us about your intellectual interests, how they sprung from your course, service, work or life experiences, and what makes them exciting to you. Describe how these interests may be realized and linked to the ILR curriculum. 

UC Berkley
Prompt #1: Describe the world you came from – for example, your family, community or school – and tell us how your world shaped your dreams and aspirations.
Prompt #2: Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplish makes you proud and how does it relate to the person you are.

University of Washington
Choose from either A or B:
A: Discuss how your family's experience or cultural history enriched you or presented you with opportunities or challenges in pursuing your educational goals.
B: Tell us a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it. 

Coming of Age Graphic: Rough Draft

Coming of Age: Final

       Being born and raised in Guangdong, China, my parents made the brave decision to move to America not knowing a word of English, trying to start a new life. Growing up I was at a great disadvantage compared to most kids. I was taught manners, how to walk, speak Chinese, and understand cultural traditions. That was about it. I lacked certain skills that most kids were taught. For example, speaking English. I basically lived my entire life without any guidance. Some people would say it's because they don't care, but I personally think it's because they trusted me to do whatever I felt was right, to fend for myself. Without even knowing it they taught me the most valuable lesson I could ever ask for. On the other hand, I desperately craved guidance. I needed someone to show me the right way of doing things, instead of learning it the hard way. Often times I struggled on an everyday basis, from learning English to just fitting in. The only thing I ever wanted growing up was someone who understood and would support me every step of the way.

      Although my parents weren't always there for me I had two older brothers, Thomas and Wayon, who were there through it all. I developed this unique bond with Thomas that was unlike any other. With Wayon, on the other hand, we were polar opposites. Thomas guided me when no one else could. He taught me and disciplined me. Being a straight-A student and an outstanding athlete, he was definitely a role model. He grew up in the same situation as me. I took advantage of his personal experiences, so I can learn from them and not make the same mistakes. He was the first person I would go to when I needed help with homework or just wanted advice. Often times I would complain to him about how stressful school is or how I just want to give up. He never fails to bring me back to positivity, reminding me that it'll all be worth it or it's going to prepare me for college and life after that. I made me think more about life as a whole rather than useless tasks repeating itself and I couldn't be anymore grateful for that. As cheesy as it sounds, I don't know what I would've ever done without him. The day I have been dreading for years has finally come. The day he begins a new chapter of his life, college.

      I'm sitting in the car, the car we've had for the longest time, unable to be still with all the jitters rushing inside of me. We pull up to a curb which means it is time to get out. With camera in hand I quickly jump out as Thomas and my parents load enormous bags of luggage onto a tiny cart. Thomas and I push the cart to check it in while our parents park the car. It's happening, it's actually happening is all I could think while the large bags are being lifted onto a scale. Once that is taken care of we make our way to a bench and wait patiently as there is time to spare.At this moment feel mixed emotions as this is a bitter-sweet moment for me. I am beyond proud of him because he is the most hard-working person I know and no one deserves it more, but also I am depressed because I will no longer have him to guide, support, and push me through my years of adolescence and especially when I begin high school, when I need him the most.

      Looking back, Thomas played a vital role in shaping me into the person I am today. As early as I could remember, I was a selfish, inconsiderate little girl too worried about everything that had to deal with me. If someone were to tell me about the hardships they're going through, I had that, "Well, that's their problem, not mine" attitude. The more time I spent with Thomas the more I transformed into a different person. I constantly witnessed him doing good deeds. For example, he would kindly offer help to those who seemed to be struggling with grocery bags, or simply hold the door for others before closing it completely. He was the kind of person my parents were ecstatically proud to call their son. Instead of feeling downgraded by their feelings towards him, I used it as motivation to improve who I am as a person. Being around him for such a long period of my life is what definitely influenced me to be a "modified" version of him. I gradually removed that childish attitude and replaced it with kindness. I saw Thomas as a role model. Most of the time he didn't directly teach me how to behave, but instead, I observed and caught on. It might seem as if he was the kindest person ever, but that was not the case. As brother and sister we had our fair share of fights and stupid arguments, but the part that makes us so close is that we can overcome any obstacle and realize that, in the end, we're still family.

      Close friends and relatives come to greet and congratulate him on everything he has achieved, not forgetting to wish him the best of luck at the University of Washington. He turns his wrist to take a quick glimpse at his watch and soon enough, he says, "Well, I should start heading to security check." The feeling of anxiety fills my entire body as I can't bear to see him leave. We walk with him until retractable belts form barriers signaling that this is the farthest we could go. He is on his own from here on out. I turn to him and spread my arms out on both sides of my body to give him a big hug. A tear rushed out of my eyes and down my face. Not wanting him to see me cry, I quickly wiped it away with the sleeve of my shirt. This was the turning point for me. From this point on I'm not going to have someone to make sure I do well in school and make good decisions. He is moving on to bigger and better things and so should I. He has guided me well all these years, now it's time to put everything he taught me to good use. To be successful in life I can no longer rely on him or anyone else to do the thinking for me. I like to believe everything happens for a reason. This particular event was specifically designed to help me come to realization, to become a mature adult worthy to take on this new change.

      We said our last goodbyes and before we knew it he was waiting in line, occasionally looking back at us as if he didn't want to leave. Each step he took made me more and more anxious for him and for myself. Thinking about what our futures would be like as we drift our separate ways. Would he be so busy he forgot he had a little sister? Will I crumble without his guidance? Will he still treat me the same when he gets back? All these questions gather in my head like a swarm of bees, but only time will reveal the answers. Almost near the front of the line, he waved at us and I was quick enough to snap a picture. This is a picture I will always cherish. It reminds me of what I had realized that day. His smile showed he was ready to take on this next chapter of his life. As my role model and brother, if he was ready then so was I. 

Blog Revision

      For my header I chose the phrase, "Paradise is where you make it." It reminds me that it if I'm ever in a bad situation it can always turn around depending on what I do with it. I used a beach sunset because, to me, that resembles paradise. The header shows I can effectively use the magnetic lasso and eraser tools to remove the background, leaving only the subject. I changed the color of my text and background to match the header. My posts from freshman year are organized in it's own section on the side of my blog for easy access. My blog as a whole is arranged from year, to month, then by post.

Coming of Age: Rough Draft

      As a kid I was never raised like the stereotypical asian child. My parents made the brave decision to move here from Guandong, China, not knowing a word of English, trying to start a new life. Growing up I was at a great disadvantage compared to most kids. I was taught manners, how to walk, speak Chinese, and understand cultural traditions. That was about it. I know what you're thinking. "What about English?" I had no choice but to learn on my own, through TV and hearing it everywhere I go. I basically lived my entire life without any guidance. What do I mean by that? Take this example. When I got home from school as an elementary student my parents wouldn't ask me "what did you do today?" or tell me "don't forget to do any homework you have!" They were never on my case about grades or extracurriculars. Instead, they let me do whatever I needed to do. Some people would say it's because they don't care, but I personally think it's because they trusted me to do whatever I felt was right, to fend for myself. It taught me to learn and become an independent person. Without even knowing it they taught me the most valuable lesson I could ever ask for.

      Although my parents weren't always there for me I had two older brothers, Thomas and Wayon, who were there through it all. I developed this unique bond with Thomas that was unlike any other. With Wayon, on the other hand, we were polar opposites. Thomas guided me when no one else could. He taught me and disciplined me. Being a straight-A student and an outstanding athlete, he was definitely a role model. He was the first person I would go to when I need help with homework or I wanted to figure out my future. Often times I complain to him about how stressful school is or how I just want to give up. He never fails to bring me back to positivity, reminding me that it'll all be worth it or it's going to prepare me for college and life after that. As cheesy as it sounds, I don't know what I would've ever done without him. The day I have been dreading for years has finally come. The day he begins a new chapter of his life, college.

      With camera in hand I hop out of the car quickly as Thomas and my parents load enormous bags of luggage onto a cart. Thomas and I push the cart to check it in while our parents park the car. It's happening, it's actually happening is all I could think while the large bags are being lifted onto a scale. Once that is all done we make our way to a bench and wait patiently as there is time to spare. I feel mixed emotions as this is a bitter-sweet moment for me. Proud because he is the most hard-working person I know and no one deserves it more, but also depressed because I will no longer have him to guide me when I soon begin high school, when I need him the most.

       Close friends and relatives come to greet and congratulate him on everything he has achieved, not forgetting to wish him the best of luck at the University of Washington. He turns his wrist to take a quick glimpse at his watch and soon enough, he says, "well I should start heading to security check." The feeling of anxiety fills my entire body as I don't want to see him leave. We walk with him until retractable belts form barriers signaling that this is the farthest we could go. He is on his own from here on out. I spread my arms out on both sides of my body and gave him a big hug. A tear rushed out of my eyes and down my face. Not wanting him to see me cry, I quickly wiped it away with the sleeve of my shirt. From this point on I'm not going to have someone to make sure I do well in school and make the right decisions. It made me realize I have to take initiative if I want to be successful on my own.

      We said our last goodbyes and before we knew it he was waiting in line, occasionally looking back at us as if he didn't want to leave. Each step he took made me more and more anxious for him and for myself. Thinking about what our futures would be like as we drift our separate ways. Would he be so busy he forgot he had a little sister? Will I crumble without his guidance? Will he still treat me the same when he gets back? All these questions gather in my head, but only time will reveal the answers. Almost near the front of the line, he waved at us and I was quick enough to snap a picture. His smile showed he was ready to take on this journey. As my role model and brother, if he was ready then so was I. 

Responsibility of Visitor Safety

       Many visitors on this island plan exciting excursions in hopes to experience what nature has to offer. Little do they know the dangers they may face along the way. The island of Hawaii is constantly having to deal with accidents on our most popular attractions. Some say the visitor is to blame, and others, the location. I, on the other hand, would have to blame the property owner because they are responsible for installing warning signs, taking care of the land, and putting restrictions on the property.

       Keeping up with the property's maintenance needs is the first step to ensure the safety of all visitors. The County of Maui apologized for the lack of warning signs after David Potts' death from being striked by a large wave. The property owner should be the most familiar with the location and what it is capable of. Therefore, they should warn visitors of any hazards that might jeopardize their safety. Taking care of the land is another task the property owner should be aware of. Something as simple as keeping the area free from litter will prevent injury. Paula Ramirez and Elizabeth Brem both died after walking off an area of a cliff hidden by vegetation.  Fences can only be built with the authorization of the property owner. Restrictions are needed to alert the visitors of where they are allowed to be and where they should stay away from. Property owners have a great deal of responsibility when it comes to protecting everyone that steps foot onto their land.

       The property owner is responsible for the safety of all visitors because they are in charge of installing warning signs, taking care of the land, and putting restrictions where needed. It's hard to put the blame on the property because the outdoors can be very unpredictable. Weather can also add on to the list of hazards. The people should use their common sense where ever they go. They need to understand the possible dangers before even entering the property. The visitors can't be fully blamed because they can make careless mistakes just like everyone else. As you can see, the property owner, location, and visitors all have some part in causing an accident, but the property owner should have complete responsibility because it is their land after all.

Group Positions

1. Visitors should be responsible for their own safety
2. The location is responsible for the visitors' safety
3. The Government or owner of property is responsible for any accidents