College essays that made a difference - Princeton Review 2010
Xueyang (Sean) Li
The applicants
Having played the violin for 12 years, Sean has sat concertmaster for numerous orchestras including the Georgia All-State Orchestra, Georgia’s Governor’s Honor Program Orchestra, and the Atlanta Metropolitan Youth Symphony. In addition to this, he also works as a violinist in the Sunrise Quartet, a group formed with some friends that plays weddings, parties, and charity events. In high school he was on the debate team, during which time he and his partner won many awards and tournament championships. His active leadership in the Tutors-in-Action Network (TAN) has allowed him to put his passion for teaching into action, as has his work tutoring at the Kumon Reading and Math Center.
Stats
SAT: 2350 (770 Critical Reading, 780 Math, 800 Writing)
SAT Subject Test(s): 800 Chemistry, 790 Math I, 800 Math II, 800 World History, 790 Chinese
High School GPA: 4.0
High School: Northview High School, Duluth, GA
Hometown: Atlanta, GA
Gender: Male
Race: Asian American
Applied To
Cornell University
Dartmouth College
Duke University
Emory University
Georgia Institute of Technology
Northwestern University
Princeton University
Stanford University
University of Georgia
University of Pennsylvania
Washington University in St. Louis
Yale University
Essay
Sean submitted the following essay to Princeton, Yale, and a modified version to the University of Pennsylvania.
Topic of your choice
Every day, the news is filled with stories of brilliant politicians and gorgeous Hollywood actors. Society chooses to give its million-dollar bills to football players and pop stars, and even my parents want me to jump on the bandwagon of fame and wealth by becoming a lawyer, a neurosurgeon, or a business magnate. Yet somehow, I know I would not feel quite right spending my life as a glamorous celebrity or an affluent doctor, but I hope to be a somebody someday. After all, who doesn’t want to make their mom and dad proud?
Throughout my life, I have always asked myself the question that all adults ask kids, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Back when I was five, I was thrilled with the thought of being a farmer, growing my own food in my own backyard. That quickly changed, however, especially after I realized how cool it would be to own a gas station and whiff that gasoline odor all day. But even something as awesome as that could not interest me forever, and I quickly went through other stages when I decided to become an astronomer, a lawyer, and a marine biologist.
But until now, I never even considered aspiring to be like those who I have had most contact with throughout my life — teachers. Looking back, I can still smell the six-molar ammonia when Dr. Warren stayed after school for two extra hours just so we could finish up our AP Chemistry labs. I can still taste the donuts that Mr. Tomlin bought those Saturday mornings when he drove us to middle school Academic Bowl tournaments. And I can still recall those warm afternoons when my kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Osteen, randomly stopped by my house just to say “hi.” Such are the teachers who have shaped my character these past twelve years in school, and such are the teachers who build the foundations of our communities, guiding the paths of those who become our divas and CEOs. Such are the teachers who are my heroes.
Little boys and girls always say they want to be like their heroes some day, and as a boy still growing up, I hope to be like my heroes one day — not a wealthy NBA player or a distinguished Congressmen, but just an ordinary teacher. I have actually thought about it for quite some time. As a tutor of my school and a past teaching assistant at Kumon Math and Reading Center, I have had my share of teaching, and I know how rewarding it is. Still vivid in my mind is the voice of pure joy when one of my students called to thank me for helping her get a four on the AP Chemistry exam. In the background, I could hear her mom screaming to offer me homemade chocolate chip cookies. Furthermore, I dream of being a teacher because I know how delightful it feels to see those light bulbs pop on. I still remember aiding an algebra student in grasping logarithm concepts one day. Everyone had left school already, and it was just my tutee and I in the classroom. Both of us were dead tired, but I knew I would go home unsatisfied without my tutee understanding the change of base rule. After I explained the concept for the ninth time, he suddenly jumped up and shouted “got’em!” and I knew I would drive back home content that evening.
And finally, those grateful “thank-you’s” and expensive coffee baskets on the last day of the semester — I have had my experiences of those, and I know how gratifying it feels, like you are on top of the world because you have made a difference in someone’s life, that you are not only a teacher but a somebody after all.
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