WHICH UNIVERSITY ARE YOU PLANNING TO ATTEND AND WHAT INFLUENCED YOUR CHOICE?
A large factor in my decision to enroll at Yale is the fact that they have the top humanities program in the United States, which is my current major/career interest. Also, when I visited the campus last summer, the school just seemed to fit me. There was no concrete explanation for it, but between the students I met and the overall feeling of the campus, I could just picture myself as a student there. Sorry if it seems a bit romanticized, but I promise that’s the truth. :D
WAS THERE A PARTICULAR PROGRAM THAT INTERESTED YOU WHEN CHOOSING WHERE TO APPLY?
For Yale, I was mostly focused on their humanities department, so I guess their humanities program as a whole was most enticing to me (specifically English and history). I also applied to Northwestern, and was intrigued by the “Transnationalism and Textual Circulation” program that emphasizes using a global literary canon rather than just studying Western texts. That’s something that I think is emphasized at Concordia, and I hope to continue this global perspective of literature in the future; it’s invaluable.
IN YOUR TIME AT CONCORDIA WHICH CLASSES, PROGRAMS OR SCHOOL RELATED ACTIVITIES HELPED TO SUPPORT YOUR INTEREST IN YOUR MAJOR?
Since I love the humanities, my World Literature, AP World History, AP Lang/Lit courses, and AP US History courses have all played a part in increasing both my interest and my knowledge in humanities related subjects. In terms of activities, National History Day (despite its somewhat daunting reputation) has been crucial to me realizing that I am capable of executing long term historical research projects, and that I actually enjoy doing it. Also, Model United Nations has supported my interest in an English/history related major as well, not necessarily because of the global issues aspect of it, but because it helped me learn to articulate my thoughts and ideas to others in a persuasive way (even when I don’t fully understand what I’m talking about).
IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT MADE YOUR APPLICATION(S) STAND OUT?
The first thing that I believe made me a strong candidate was my personal statement essay. This essay was the culmination of months of writing and rewriting, and extensive introspection to the point where I felt it was the most raw portrayal of myself. I also think that my teacher/counselor evaluations were helpful; I am blessed to have strong relationships with Mrs. Love, Mrs. Beckman, and Ms. Lewis, and I know that they had my best interests in mind while writing my rec. letters. Finally, I think that my transcript was quite strong in terms of consistency and rigor, and it was nice to know that all those late nights of cramming were worth it in the end.
WHAT EXCITES YOU MOST ABOUT COLLEGE LIFE?
I think what excites me most about college is the potential to meet a new and diverse array of people. I love all of my teachers and friends at Concordia, but the prospect of meeting people that will challenge my views and add a new dimension to my ideas is something that I am eagerly anticipating. There was also a coffee truck when I went to visit Yale last summer that had fantastic coffee, so I’m really excited for that too.
