There are many reasons I wish to attend George Washington University, not the least of which being my commitment to a good education and to attending a diverse university. Given my intercultural experience, I feel I would be a very good fit for the George Washington University community. Being from South Korea, and living there most of my life until very recently, I have a great deal of knowledge regarding this unique and vibrant culture. I would consider it a great honor to offer this information and knowledge about my culture to those who would be interested, furthering the collective understanding of those who attend the university. In addition to that, I would consider myself very open to learning about both American culture and the traditions of other international students. In this way, I would make myself useful in a variety of situations and locations, allowing myself the opportunity to build character and understanding that I can carry with me in other aspects of my life.
I have a great deal of experience with volunteerism and unique extracurricular activities in my native country of South Korea, which I can apply to the same extracurriculars at George Washington University. This perspective may prove useful to others doing the same, and could further greater understanding of the world as a whole. For example, one of my proudest achievements in volunteerism is helping to clean up after the Hebei Spirit oil spill, one of the biggest manmade marine disasters in Korean history. Seeing that level of dedication in my fellow man, especially after such a devastating tragedy, helped inspire me to display that same commitment in my actions. The scope of both the disaster and the relief effort moved me greatly, and I would love to relay that sense of awe and activism in my fellow student.
I have many high hopes for my college experience, which I am confident George Washington University can fulfill for me. In addition to the aforementioned cultural experience and volunteer perspective, I would like to have the experience of a larger, more prominent university. Having a college experience of the caliber displayed at your university would help me gain a greater perspective on American culture and education. I feel the campus would expose me to a greater number of unique, diverse and knowledgeable individuals, all of whom could teach me many new things. What's more, the quality of the education one receives at George Washington University is something I am very excited to experience and dedicate myself to.
In conclusion, there are many things I wish to contribute to the community of George Washington University, and a great deal I can learn from it. My presence could greatly benefit the school's emphasis on diversity and intercultural studies, and my volunteer work has given me fresh perspective on many unique issues, including environmentalism and religion. With this in mind, I would love to become part of the unique family of students who attend this university.
1.
When I was a sophomore in high school, I was vice president of the Korean Club, an organization which sought to bring together Korean students, as well as educate others in Korean culture. The club was created in 2009 by myself and my friend, who acted as the president. While participating and running this club, I organized several activities to introduce Korean culture to the rest of my school and community. I taught basic Korean expressions and the Korean alphabet to my classmates and teachers. What's more, I served my fellow classmates traditional Korean foods, like Kim-Chi and Topokki. The club proved very popular with the students of my school, in no small part due to the enjoyable activities we provided, and the welcoming atmosphere I and my fellow members tried to cultivate. In my time at the club, I found many exciting relationships, and I had a lot of fun participating and organizing activities there. Throughout the school, interest in Korean culture was successfully expanded among the non-Korean members of the student body; I was glad to share my love for Korea with the people I had come to know well in high school.
2. My closest friend while attending high school was a native Korean as well; both of us being in America, far from our homes, we found a great deal in common. The two of us got along famously, sharing a lot of our experiences in Korea and helping ourselves acclimate to American culture. Often, we would talk to each other whenever we felt homesick, or wanted to discuss something about our homeland. Alternatively, we would also ask each other for advice about what to do in an awkward social situation stemming from a lack of understanding about American culture. He was a bit more knowledgeable than I in that regard, and so I learned a lot from him. We would spend a lot of time together, and formed our own circle of friends. Through these interactions, I found myself having a lot of fun, both with him and with our American friends; he helped to bridge the gap between my unfamiliarity with American culture and what made me essentially Korean. In this respect, he kept me tied to home and the familiar, while allowing me to branch out and find new things about myself in the West.
3. One of the most intriguing and eye-opening events in my life was my time performing community service on a beach in Taean. It was only a few years ago, but experiencing the horror and courage I saw there is something that I will remember for the rest of my life. In 2007, the Korean oil tanker Hebei Spirit had an accident, spilling thousands of gallons of oil all over Daesan Port; as a volunteer, I spent 10 hours of community service cleaning up the beach, sifting through oil-soaked sand and finding animals killed or harmed by the oil. The devastation I saw there was absolutely heartbreaking, and for a time I did not know at all what to do. I did not have much experience cleaning up something of this magnitude; to be fair, few did, as it was one of the most devastating environmental disasters in Korean history. Seeing it with my own eyes, I witnessed just how quickly people took responsibility and acted in the best interests of their community. By putting my hat in the ring and helping as well, I helped to cultivate my own sense of responsibility for the world in which I live.
4. There are many unique and interesting songs I have heard throughout my life that I feel would fit my life at the time. Given that I am expanding my life in America quite dramatically today, my theme song would likely be "Coming to America" by Neil Diamond. The song is about the possibilities that America brings to those who come to it. Whether rich or poor, sick or healthy, the song is a triumphant tune that perfectly encapsulates the joy I felt at setting foot there for the first time. While the song itself implies a destitute life and an escape from one's home, I carry a great deal of affection for my native Korea; however, as the lyrics say, I still "got a dream to take [me] there." The song, both in tone and in message, sums up how I feel about coming to America, and the warm reception I received upon getting here.
ESSAY A
Given my intercultural experience, I feel I would be a very good fit for the University of Colorado - Boulder's philosophy of diversity in its community. Being from South Korea, and living there most of my life until very recently, I have a great deal of knowledge regarding this unique and vibrant culture. I would consider it a great honor to offer this information and knowledge about my culture to those who would be interested, furthering the collective understanding of those who attend the university. In addition to that, I would consider myself very open to learning about both American culture and the traditions of other international students. In this way, I would make myself useful in a variety of situations and locations, allowing myself the opportunity to build character and understanding that I can carry with me in other aspects of my life.
I have a great deal of experience with volunteerism and unique extracurricular activities in my native country of South Korea, which I can apply to the same extracurriculars at the University of Colorado - Boulder. This perspective may prove useful to others doing the same, and could further greater understanding of the world as a whole. For example, one of my proudest achievements in volunteerism is helping to clean up after the Hebei Spirit oil spill, one of the biggest manmade marine disasters in Korean history. Seeing that level of dedication in my fellow man, especially after such a devastating tragedy, helped inspire me to display that same commitment in my actions. The scope of both the disaster and the relief effort moved me greatly, and I would love to relay that sense of awe and activism in my fellow student.
I have many high hopes for my college experience, which I am confident the University of Colorado - Boulder can fulfill for me. In addition to the aforementioned cultural experience and volunteer perspective, I would like to have the experience of a larger, more prominent university. Having a college experience of the caliber displayed at your university would help me gain a greater perspective on American culture and education. I feel the campus would expose me to a greater number of unique, diverse and knowledgeable individuals, all of whom could teach me many new things. What's more, the quality of the education one receives at the University of Colorado - Boulder is something I am very excited to experience and dedicate myself to.
In conclusion, there are many things I wish to contribute to the community of the University of Colorado - Boulder, and a great deal I can learn from it. My presence could greatly benefit the school's emphasis on diversity and intercultural studies, and my volunteer work has given me fresh perspective on many unique issues, including environmentalism and religion. With this in mind, I would love to become part of the unique family of students who attend this university.
ESSAY B
Growing up in Korea, my family did not have a lot of money. My father was a policeman, and was very good at his job, but we still had to struggle to make ends meet. As a result, we often made sure to never waste anything, and never take anything for granted - aspects of my personality I carry with me to this day. My father taught me the values of hard work and perseverance; I also learned patience and compassion for my fellow man from him. I also vowed to work as hard as I could to make a better life for myself, and to try the best that I could at whatever I set my mind to.
In addition to my father, my friends at school were a great influence on me. As one of the few Koreans at the high school I attend in America, my other close friend (also from Korea) has provided me with a great deal of advice and help concerning how to integrate into American society. We both eventually cofounded a Korean club at our high school, where we started to show our American classmates aspects of Korean culture, such as our food and music. This permitted me to find new ways to adapt to new cultures and situations, and my close friend allowed me to bridge the gap between societies easily.
