Short Answers
Please tell us more about your cultural background and identity in the space below (100 word limit). If you need more than 100 words, please use the Optional section on Part 2.
I am not fully aware of my cultural background because my mother is adopted. My surname originated in Scotland.
11 a) We know you lead a busy life, full of activities, many of which are required of you. Tell us about something you do simply for the pleasure of it.
What I do for pure enjoyment is clowning. When I participated in my school talent show this past year, with a juggling act, the crowd erupted in laughter! People burst out in applause because my performance was so original. This was the beginning of my amateur clowning career because the talent show gave me the idea to join my local VFW clown unit. We clown at fairs where I hear kids go “WOW” whenever I put on a show. Then I visited a hospital on my own to perform, and the elderly patients loved watching me juggle. Seeing others enjoy themselves helps relieve all of my own worries.
11 b) Although you may not yet know what you want to major in, which department or program at MIT appeals to you and why?
The economics department. MIT is ranked number one in the economics field, and receiving a degree would give me an overwhelming sense of success and accomplishment. Also, the professors have so many crowning achievements of their own. Furthermore, my inquisitive mind is peaked with the concept of money and how it circulates. Why does the treasury produce so much cash if production causes inflation? How can markets across the globe affect the USA? Money makes the world go round, and I want to know why.
12 a) What attribute of your personality are you most proud of, and how has it impacted your life so far? This could be your creativity, effective leadership, sense of humor, integrity, or anything else you’d like to tell us about.
My distinct trait is energy. Time after time teachers thank me for my class participation because I share my ideas with such zeal. Often I am counted on to spark discussions early in the morning while most students are still half asleep. One day my Spanish teacher even had me lead the class in aerobic exercises to help stop the glum, melancholy mood. I don’t have an off switch; I am go go go all the time. I apply this attribute very effectively to my athletics. During every single sprint and every single play, I maximize my effort. In fact, the football staff created a new helmet sticker due to my energy – the “POW” sticker. My team was about to face the most challenging team yet, and all week the coaches stressed the importance of communication and positive attitude. That week I screamed out the scout team’s offenses; I ran from station to station; and I patted my teammates on their backs when they made huge plays. I was a blazing inferno of enthusiasm. In light of my exuberance, when the coach passed out stickers for our accomplishments, he announced how a new sticker had been created. I helped my team not by making a monstrous hit, not by running for a touchdown, but for whooping, hollering, and elevating everybody’s level of play.
12 b) Describe the world you come from; for example, your family, clubs, school, community, city, or town. How has that world shaped your I reside dreams and in aspirations?
[Redacted], a rural town (actually so small it is classified as a village) in Northwest Ohio. My family consists of my loving parents, and my little sister. The one key trait I have learned from my upbringing is confidence. I have always been taught to listen to my thoughts and not to follow the crowd. Confidence is necessary to know who I am. With this skill I have had the privilege of dreaming big. I have dreamed of leaving the village, leaving the county, or even leaving the state. Moving outside of Ohio is almost unheard of in my area; nearly all graduates settle back into [Redacted] or very close by. My parents have never limited me to the norm, though. When I had aspirations of being a lawyer in a huge city, they didn’t tell me to stay grounded. They told me to dream bigger and aim higher. They insisted that I needed to push myself to reach my lofty goals because nothing would be handed to me. So while others didn’t care if they received a B on the test or if they didn’t grasp the material, I strived for perfection. I knew that I had the ability to make an impact on this world with dedication, determination, and some loving support. I learned all these attributes and more from my family.
12 c) Tell us about the most significant challenge you’ve faced or something important that didn’t go according to plan. How did you manage the situation?
The most overwhelming obstacle I have ever faced occurred in third grade. Doctors determined that my Achilles tendons were too short, which made me a “tippie toe” walker. At first my parents and I were not alarmed, but the doctors explained that if I did not undergo surgery, I would be in a wheelchair by age thirty. My parents decided that having surgery as soon as possible would be my best option. Recovering from the surgery was my hardship. I was required to be in a wheelchair with full leg casts for three months, casts to my knees for an additional three months, walking casts for two more months, and hinged leg braces for yet another two months. After this ten-month span I had lost my ability to even walk; I required a walker just to be mobile. After several months of physical therapy, I finally began to run again. I knew then that I wanted to use my legs to their fullest potential. That life event gave me the competitive drive instilled in me today. Thanks to that surgery I have learned commitment and teamwork both on the football field as well as on the track. I continue pushing my body to its limits today due to my little Achilles tendons that could.
Standardized Test Scores:
- ACT Composite: 34
- English: 32
- Math: 35
- Reading: 35
- Science: 36
- Combined Eng/Writing: 26
- Writing: 10
- SAT Subject Tests
- Math 1: 790
- Physics: 790
AP Test Scores:
No AP courses were offered at this student’s high school.
School Record and Class Ranking:
- Cumulative Rank: Not provided/unranked
- Cumulative GPA:
- 4.0 (unweighted)
Student Information:
- No MIT legacy or relations at the school.
- Rural high school in a small village.
- One parent attended a degree granting college.
Extracurriculars, Distinctions and Volunteer Experience:
Activities
- Track and Field (Outdoor/Indoor)
- 9th, 10th, and 11th grade
- 12 hours per week
- 28 weeks per year
- Captain. Team MVP. Top point scorer 7th at Outdoor State for long jump. 7th and 8th at Indoor State for triple jump and high jump. All-Ohio Honors earned.
- Football
- 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grade
- 15 hours per week
- 16 weeks per year
- Captain of my team. Varsity letterman junior year.
- Class Officer and Student Council Member
- 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grade
- 1 hour per week
- 36 weeks per year
- Sophomore Class President. Junior Class Vice-President. Senior Class President. Up to four students in each grade participate in our student council. We help establish fundraisers and solve several key issues in our school system.
- Math club
- 12th grade
- 1 hour per week
- 36 weeks per year
- I founded a math club at my school; the club has roughly 25 members. I am president, and my duties include creating lesson plans, finding math competitions, and teaching chess concepts as well.
- Spanish club
- 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grade
- 1/2 hour per week
- 36 weeks per year
- I am Spanish Club President. Our club discusses Spanish culture and has sponsored underprivileged kids is Spanish countries.
Scholastic Distinctions
- Pre-Calculus Award
- School level
- Honda Math Medal
- Regional level
- All Ohio Scholar Athlete
- State level
- Buckeye Boys State Representative
- State level
- Speech Award
- School level
Non-Scholastic Distinctions
- 7th at Outdoor State for Long Jump
- State level
- 7th at Indoor State for Long Jump
- State level
- Citizenship Award
- Received the past 3 years
- School level
- Conference Leadership Delegate
- Regional level
- Americanism Award
- School level
Work Experience
- Lifeguard at Village Municipal Pool
- Summers of 2014 and 2013
- 25 hours per week
- Lifeguard at The Arc
- Summer of 2014
- 5 hours per week
- Girls’ Games Set Up at [Redacted]
- Basketball Season 2013
- 4 hours per week
Summer Activities
- Clowned at hospitals and with VFW Clown Unit
- Attended Buckeye Boy’s State
- Coached Home-schooled Kids in Track and Field
- 2 hours per week
- Coached Track and Field team
- 1 hour per week
