Challenge 29: Effort

131. Salt, government,s beliefs, and celebrity couple are a few examples of things that can be dissolved. You've just been granted the power to dissolve anything: physical, metaphorical, abstract, concrete ... you name it. What do you dissolve, and what solvent do you use? (U of Chicago)

I was a pretty smart kid. I used to score more than 90% in all my subjects in Korea when I was in elementary school. But things changed as I got to a new place, India, where the language, people, and facilities were different. All of these changes was a big influence to me; however, the impact of school studies in the new place influenced me the most. I failed in almost all my subjects except in maths. My world seemed to be a tunnel. I was not able to understand anything in class due to which I was not even aware that homework was given. Every day was a boring life of alien language. I tried to learn English for months and months, yet, my grades did not seem to improve. But I didn't give up. I kept on trying by taking advice from people; watch TV shows in English, read books, and listen to teachers in classes even though the language they speak may not be comprehensible. I spent days in classes, evenings in reading, and nights in memorizing vocabulary.

My works did not seem to be worthless. I could feel improvements in my listening and reading skills in English. I could speak and express more. Teachers in schools commented that I was indeed improving in academics as well as in socializing with English-speaking students. There were times I wanted to just start speaking in Korean, but I learnt to think before I say anything in English. Few months later, soon I realized that I was no more translating Korean to English in my head, instead, I spoke English naturally.

Learning another language in different circumstances is very hard. I failed to adjust due to the insolubility of hard circumstances. However, with better determination and solid effort, I dissolved the blockage of language.

Challenge 28: Choices

165. What confuses you most in life, and why? (University of Virginia)

Making choices is the most confusing experience I face everyday in life. Every second, every moment, there's something that you need to make a choice on.

There are times I make rash decisions and choose wrong paths. A good thing about rash decision is that I don't get stressed out when I make a decision, however, when dealing with consequences due to that rash decision, I realize how stupid I was in making that choice. The consequences are sometimes so hard to deal with; how much ever I regret not studying for my exams but watch TV and surf the net, I cannot change my grades once the report card is out. This regret I feel after consequences due to rash decisions makes me think before making a decision. But to my surprise, thinking before decisions doesn't help me all the time.

I remember that once I made a perfect schedule for my exam studies. I wrote down the timings, the subjects to be studied, the chapters to be revised, and so on, in a sheet of paper. I thought and thought for so long to make that schedule perfect, even calculating time that would be taken for my lunch, dinner, break time, music time, and so on. As soon as I was done, I stuck the schedule sheet on the wall near my desk so that I could study effectively. But well, due to choices my mom made to take me out for dinner, my whole schedule got cancelled for that day. The next day, there was a guest in my house, the following day, my mom's friend. Everyday was a series of choices; spend time and give respect to my mom and her guests, or stick to my schedule no matter what?

Well, I chose to follow my mom's choice, and I don't regret that choice. But I do think sometimes that my grades might have been better if I took that time I spent with my mom to study more. The point here is that whether I made rash decisions or thoughtful decisions, there's some sort of feeling that I could have made a better choice. This makes me confusing all the time when I am to make a decision.

Challenge 27: Smile

19. Write your own essay question and answer it. (Kalamazoo College/93)

What is your weakest yet strongest point? 


People say that smiling is the best cure. But is smiling always the best? It surely helps me to get through days of my life very smoothly with many advantages; people say that they love my smile because it makes them cheerful and enthusiastic. I try to smile always whether I am angry, sad, happy, or discouraged. 


The problem with this is that I've learnt how to be adept in smiling even when I have complaints in my mind. I keep my complaints inside and don't let it out when I need to. This leads to increase in uncomfortable mood around some people I have complaints about, which ultimately makes me stay away from those people. It's horrible how this keeps me away from people who are very important in my lives. And once you are away from a person, it's hard to get back to good relationship. 


Smiling may be good or bad depending on situations. However, I feel that regardless the circumstances, whether they are situations that lead to uncomfortable atmosphere around people or not, if I smile, things will be better because smiling simply is an emotion that expresses happiness and satisfaction. Because, smiling is better than crying.  

Challenge 26: homework

127. Describe a daily routine or tradition of yours that may seem ordinary to others but holds special meaning for you. Why is this practice significant to you? (Barnard)


Doing homework is part of life as a student. I do not know how important this practice is to others, but to me, it is a little special compared to any other daily routines. 


My grandfather is really brilliant. He was so smart at his young age that he was eligible to go to two top universities in Korea of his time: Seoul University and Army Public University. But like it happens to everyone's life, my grandfather's life had a curve due to finance problems. He had to choose Army Public University though Seoul University was a better college because of finance difficulties. He had to walk along the path of a soldier instead of that of his dream job. This gave him a small wound in his heart, and he decided to support in all ways possible for his family's studies. 


And so is he supporting me even though he is now quite old. Knowing this, I cannot not do my best in anything I do. My grandfather helps me financially and mentally; this is the reason why I'm able to keep up with my works. Homework may be just a small thing to do everyday because it is given by teachers, and students are obliged to obey to what teachers tell them. However, to me, it is quite different; homework is a small step that leads me to my dream and my satisfaction of achieving my dream with the help of many people including my grandfather. It is out of my responsibility and gratefulness that I do my homework everyday; that's the only way I can pay off to my grandfather and people who help me. 


Being responsible, being punctual, and being sincere in whatever work I do - even though it may be a small homework - is an importance to me. 

Challenge 25: Travel alone

91. Please write about a life experience that has influenced your intellectual and personal growth. 


Travelling from India to Korea all alone at the age of 11 was a new experience that helped me grow. My mom was busy with her work in India, but I had to go to Korea because of my visa. I was really excited to travel alone but of course was worried a little bit. I had to transfer in Thailand since there were no straight flights from India to Korea. I was a little scared, however, I told my mom that I will be fine. 


And so was my first travel-alone experience. With my mom behind, I went through the door leading to security check-up. I filled up the forms carefully, checking my data in passport and going through the form again and again. Everything was really smooth, but I was worried about the transfer process since I wasn't fluent in English yet. 


To my surprise, transfer process was easier than I thought. I was able to communicate well enough that I even conveyed my preferences for window seats. In the flight from Thailand to Korea, I also made a friend. He was a college student studying in New Zealand and had visited Thailand to meet up with his friend. It was so funny to see his shocked response when I told him that I was in 6th grade. He had thought I was either in high school or in college. He gave me lots of information about colleges and society in New Zealand. 


It was a wonderful experience to travel alone; I learnt to be independent and be confident in situations, I got to know more about other country's culture and society, I gained information about colleges. My mom worried about me, and I worried about myself; but I learnt that until unless I tried, the worries will remain the same. However, once I go through the experience, I'll be confident to do it again as it is proved by me travelling alone everywhere now. 

Challenge 24: MK

23. If you were to write a book, on what theme or subject matter would it be based, and why? (Stanford, 93)

It is one of my goals in life to write a book. I thought of doing so when I read a book about a 16 year old girl who got admission in 10 Ivy League colleges after her studies at Korean high school. In her book, she explains how she studied, worked, and so on. The book really helped me, however, it seemed like many other books suggest almost the same method as the ones she did.

Then I promised myself that one day I would write a book about the kids who are like me, studying outside of Korea as missionaries' kids. Maybe it wasn't our choice to be in particular country due to our parents, yet we can make the most out of it by learning different things in different countries. I want to mention in the book that knowledge comes from different ways, from school, studies, parents, teachers, and specially experiences. There are so many missionaries' kids I've seen who hate to be with their parents in their mission countries. I want to let them know how blessed they are to be kids of people who serve the Lord.

By living in a place where culture and tradition are different from our native countries, missionaries kids usually tend to have a better depth of understanding world and different aspects of people in the world. I feel the need to let the missionaries' kids know that they are very unique and special from other ordinary kids studying in normal circumstances. Because there are times we can't do our work due to ministry, and because there are times our parents are too busy to take care of us, we are more independent and clever in dealing with different situations.

I hope to write such a book that encourages missionaries' kids to enjoy their lives more with more happiness and excitement.

Challenge 23: Nick Vujicic

32. Sartre said, “Hell is other people,” while Streisand sang, “People who need people are the luckiest people in the world.” With whom do you agree? (Amherst)

Until few years back, I thought people who can manage things own their own are the luckiest people in the world because they show that they have capability and talents to do so. But after learning about an inspiring person's life, my mind changed. The person who earns all my respect and changed my mind is Nick Vujicic. 


Nick Vujicic's testimony was so powerful. I saw it on a CD video and was shocked to see such a person existed. I had no idea that there was a person without limbs living this earth with the most beautiful smile on his face for his whole life. He can't move, jump, eat, play, nor walk freely as we do. He needs people to help him get out of his bed, get dressed, and move around with him the whole day. Yet, he is respected by all around him for his cheerful, enthusiastic, and positive behavior always. The testimony he gives to people inspired so many out in this world; people change after listening to his life. They cry and hug him and say that they are so thankful to him for allowing them realize the importance of life. 


Actually, he is the one who needs more people to help him. But perhaps, he needs them not for help but to spread happiness to our race and generation. He keeps on moving from one place to another to show people how he lives a happy life and challenge them to be inspired by him and be positive. Maybe, if he wasn't a man without four limbs and does not need people to help him, he couldn't possibly be any extraordinarily lively person. I personally think that he is lucky to be in need of people.

Challenge 22: Helpless

124. What outrages you? (Wake Forest)

I can always try to deal with situation by controlling my anger. But there's one thing that I can never stand: seeing my beloved ones hurt. What outrages me is that I cannot do anything when I see my friends and families suffer and know what their problems are.

I've seen my mom cry first time when she told me that life is so hard and heavy. Seeing my hero of life cry and put down, I was shocked at first. I knew what my mom was going through. Of course, I wouldn't have been able to understand her completely, but I knew that she was going through so much of work, taking care of me, earning money, working in office, serving God through ministry, and so much more. The fact I am her daughter and is helpless to make things work out for her made me really angry. I couldn't earn money nor work in office nor work in churches. On top of that, I was the one making trouble, making my mom worry about me all the time.

My mom always helped me grow physically and mentally, providing all the things - experiences, environment, and education - I required in life. She showed her love towards me in all possible ways. Yet, I couldn't do anything for her. It makes me feel as if I am helpless. I felt so dumb that I couldn't do anything for my beloved ones. With years of education to help others, I know that I should help, I am willing to help, but I just "can't." That is the worst thing that outrages me. 

Challenge 21: Telepathy

21. If you had the gift of telepathy, the ability to read other people’s minds, would you use this gift or not? Explain. (Middle East Technical University/93)


Will I use the ability to read other people's minds if I could? Well, duh, definitely, though I would prefer to say that I will use it "wisely." 


One day after coming back to my room from a long day, I had a big fight with my best friend roommate. As soon as I entered the room, I politely asked her if she could cook for me. She responded to me with no words, and I asked her several times after that thinking that she might have not heard me. After three times of asking her this favor, she went out of the room shutting the door really hard. Well, I didn't like the way she responded to me, of course; I became mad at her too.  Our attitude towards each other was really bad. We totally ignored each other; we stopped looking and talking to each other. This continued for three whole days until on the third day, when I realized that I really need to talk to her; I hated how I couldn't share my day with my best friend and be a good friend to her. This was what I did; I wrote a letter to her, apologizing about my attitude in the past three days and explaining what I didn't understand about her attitude. I tried my best to be honest and frank about what I felt during the past three days, whether it may annoy her or not. After reading the letter, she told me frankly as well that she was in a really bad mood that day because she had cooked for other friends during the day while I was gone, and they told her that she isn't good in cooking. She thought I was making fun of her after I heard the story from the others. 


It was ridiculous when I got to know everything; why she was angry with me. But I did not understand why we had fought over such a small thing. Only if we knew what was going on in each other's minds. I wouldn't have gone through three days of not talking to my best friend only if I had the ability to read others' minds. Perhaps, there might be times when it's better not to use such ability, but why not use it and avoid this kind of misunderstanding? After all, it's a "gift."  

Challenge 20: Mind-detecting machine

162. If you could invent something, what would it be, and why? (University of Virginia)


As we live in a society, we experience things we don't want to. Through my lifetime -- though it is short compared to that of adults -- I realized that most of the time my worst experiences come from arguing. I know that in the book "Thank you for arguing," the author Jay Heinrichs suggests that arguments can bring good conclusions if you only know how to argue well. Well, it's true that arguments are good, but usually that's true only if you are rational enough while arguing. And to be honest, I'm not that type of person; I get into arguments depending on my mood. 


People have different opinions, and our community is made up of people. I come across times when I have totally different thoughts with others, and sometimes their opinions annoy me because they don't make any sense to me. I remember once I fought with my friend so badly about behavior towards teachers. My point was that we should sometimes go along with teachers' opinions even if their opinions seem not right to us while my friend's point was that we should not listen to teachers having different opinions from us. I guess I was so rigid about my opinion then when I was having argument with my friend because I knew that she would get into trouble if she kept on with her opinion of behavior towards teachers. I was so determined. Well, I'm not trying to prove here what's right and wrong. Honestly, now I think about it carefully, I feel both opinions have good reasons behind them. And, I should have respected and known these reasons behind my friend's opinion then before having an argument. 


Only if I knew what reasons and experiences are behind others' opinions, I wouldn't get into arguments; I would be able to understand their opinions and minds. If only I could invent a machine that detects other people's logic and reasoning in their minds, that makes one understand other people's moods, life will be much peaceful with more understanding. How I wish to invent such a machine!

Challenge 19: Ship

134. Imagine looking through a window at any environment that is particularly significant to you. Reflect on the scene, paying close attention to the relation between what you are seeing and why it is meaningful to you. (Williams)


I look out the window at the peaceful, calm, blue ocean. It's so wide that it looks like endless sky. I find a ship floating and moving in one straight direction to reach its destination though it looks like there is no end of this ocean. 


One day, I was totally tired out and was sick of all the pressure of life I was going through due to studies, friends, and myself. I hated how I have to make choices in life. My mom saw me panicking with choices in life and gently told me about a ship. 


A ship is navigated by a wheel. Depending on its degrees and rounds, the wheel navigates the ship, ultimately leading to its destination. There is no way to check where the ship is in the middle of the wide ocean. All a navigator can do is to check the angles with the help of a compass, look at a map, and then decide to navigate the ship with the wheel depending on his thoughts and past experiences. Just one degree difference in the wheel would make a big difference in the ship's destination. The ship may end up in the middle of ocean because of one degree difference in the wheel. 


My mom told me that little choices in my life will take me to my destination in life. There is no way I can check if the choice is right or wrong. All I can do is to think again and again about my choice's consequences and be ready with all the results whether they are good or bad. Maybe it is hard to keep on navigating the ship, but I shouldn't forget that I am still moving forward. 


My mom's words gave me an insight to think and make a decision carefully and thoughtfully. The ship I'm looking at right now is also going towards a destination in the wide ocean. No landmark and no notice boards. The ship will be keep on moving till it reaches its destination. 

Challenge 18: Doctor

178. What do you hope to accomplish within the next ten years? Explain.


I walk into different rooms. I find my family resting and sleeping comfortably in beds of these rooms. The colors of room walls are bright, bringing an effect of light and enthusiastic mood. Family members see me and they talk about their day with different emotions: happiness, sadness, excitement, anger, and so on. I listen to them carefully; their stories give me energy when they tell me about happy things and make me feel sad when they tell me about sad things. I give a word of encouragement to each one of them in every room. 


I enter my office. I look around the room and find my graduation picture. I'm smiling with my family in that picture with a background banner on which there is this writing: Medical School. I think about the days at the school and college and my wish to attend a medical school to become a doctor. I try to think back on times I almost gave up because of the stressful studies for years. But I smile because I know that the studying days were the best time of my life; learning and experiencing new things everyday. Continuing to take a moment of flashback, I sit on my chair in front of my desk on which there are a stethoscope, health records of my family I made in this place, and thick books. From the draw, I take out an album. I go through the pictures; they are pictures of my own family and different families I met in this lucky place. As I take time to look through the album, I hear someone knocking at my office door. 


I woke up from a monotone alarm that rings like a ticking clock. I look around; I am on my bed in my dorm room. I realize that all the things that happened were a dream. But I still smile because I'm happy that I have such a dream and a goal to strive towards. 

Challenge 17: Parent

183. Do you think that you have the qualifications of a good parent? Discuss.


One of my favorite acting games I used to play when I was in kindergarten was "family-game." It's a game where you act as either a mother, a father, a son, or a daughter. I remember I used to argue with my friends to play the mother role; I believe I did so because I never knew how a daughter should be like but was aware of what work a good mother does: cooking, feeding, caring, and so on. 


Of course, this knowledge about mothers would probably have come from watching many Disney or kids movies such as Cinderella and Snow White. I remember once I cried watching Snow White because of such evil doing of Snow White's step-mom; she was so vicious, trying to kill Snow White! Same thing with step-mother of Cinderella. Whenever I watched Cinderella I would exclaim, "Oh, poor Cinderella. Her step-mother is so evil; how can she not allow pretty little Cinderella to attend the party?" Watching these evil doings of mothers, promised myself to be a good mother 


I certainly do not know if I have the qualifications of a good parent of not. But I know one thing for sure: I will enjoy and love to be a mother, taking care of the family, though now I realize that sometimes it may be really hard. But I've seen what my mom has done good things to me. She is not perfect; I've seen her laugh, cry, angry, forgetful, careless, caring, and so on. Yet, I feel my mom has been the best parent to me in this world. So, why wouldn't I be eligible to be a parent? 

Challenge 16: Fantasie-Impromtu

136. Share with us a few of your favorite books, poems, authors, films, plays, pieces of music, musicians, performers, paintings, artists, blogs, magazines, or newspapers. Feel free to touch on one, some, or all of the categories listed, or add a category of your own. (U of Chicago)


Once, a friend showed me the music sheet and said that the technique and expression required for the piece are just amazing. That is how I got to know about the piece that lives with me since grade 7: Fatasie-Impromtu by Chopin. 


Born in a musical family, I always looked for a piece that would make me think that the piece is for me; and one day, when I was going through the collection of Chopin's pieces, I was attracted to this piece, Fatasie-Impromtu, full of clashing yet harmonizing music notes. Captivated by the sound that started to ring in my head, I found the history about the piece; it was written by Chopin and was the piece hated by Chopin because he had to submit the piece to the Queen of his time and play it whenever she wanted. 


This little story of Chopin's feeling added to my expression while playing the piece. With different rhythms of melodies played by right hand and left hand, the technique of the piece was very difficult. Yet, it took me very little time to learn as I was so motivated to play the piece. Soon, I played the piece everyday, every time I wanted to calm myself down or express happy or sad feelings. And surprisingly, every time I played the piece, it really helped me control myself. As I play the piece, sometimes I think about what Chopin must have felt while he was forced to play the piece in front of the Queen whenever he was called, and sometimes I think about how beautiful the piece was made by Chopin with different sounds of clashing notes become harmony. 


Music certainly lives in me. And here is one piece that helps me to survive through days: Fantasie-Impromtu. 

Challenge 15: Generation gap

87. Do you believe there's a generation gap? Describe the differences between your generation and others. (Denison University)

Once was a time I sat on granny’s lap,

Thinking of taking a sweet little nap,

Until she woke me up to drink a sap,

That tasted almost like a crap;

She saw my face and started to yap

That that was the best in her generation.

Some time later was the period of rap;

My grandpa said that it should never recap

For those noisy rappers would never shut their trap;

I told him my ears listening to them would flap,

And wondered why his hands went up to his ears to wrap;

He gently said that there was no such music in his generation.

Few years later when my mom had her knee with a bad chap,

I took her to a hospital to get a kneecap;

The doctor was young and fashionable whitecap

But my mom thought he only looked like a snowcap;

I comforted her saying that the doctor would heal her knee ASAP,

She did say nothing but only sit and snap;

When we were back home I found her wiretap

About the meaning of ASAP;

As she shyly told me that she certainly did not know what ASAP meant in her generation,
I realized that indeed there surely  is a generation gap

Challenge 14: Recognition

36. Select any issue that is of importance to you and discuss your views. (New College of University of South Florida)

With increasing competition for colleges, jobs, or popularity in the world, people want to be more recognized by others at some point or the other in their lives. I, too, wanted to be recognized by people at one point of my school life when I was in 7^th grade.

There was a musical, Sleeping Beauty, to be presented in our school for the school festival show. I somehow became the music director of the show since I’ve had experiences in music and drama; I was asked to direct all the music parts of the show including the songs sung by different characters and the cues for when which dance should begin. I remember that I was really excited in helping out the show as a music director. However, it wasn’t as interested and exciting as I thought it would be. It was a very hard job; students were not extremely good in singing nor acting as this show was a first time experience to them, and once I realized that I’ll be not on stage the whole show but will be playing piano beside the show the whole time, I was really discouraged to do my best. Yet, I found small improvements in my friends’ works everyday. Slowly, they learnt how to move and act according to the cues, their voices produced much better sounds for songs, and on top of everything, they enjoyed their practice sessions. Their attitude towards the production changed my mind. What if no one recognized me from the audience? I wanted this production to be a real good one.

So I did try to do my best with heart and soul really put into the production. And it did pay me off on the day of the show. We had more than a thousand people as our audience. Of course, the main casts got the most applause. Perhaps, the audience wasn’t even aware that an eighth grader was sitting and playing the piano for the music beside the stage. But the casts recognized me in front of that thousand people by calling me onto the stage at the end of the show; they screamed out my name and clapped so loudly that I thought I was in the middle of rain and thunder.

Walking a path without any initial popularity is hard. But sometimes, I think that’s how you earn respect and recognition.  

Challenge 13: Community service

75. Community service can be a valuable part of the college experience. If you were to devote one year of service to a volunteer project, what would it be, and what would you hope to accomplish? (Goucher)


There was once a time when I volunteered to teach Tae Kwon Do, a Korean martial art, to poor children in a village. At first, I thought Tae Kwon Do wouldn’t be appealing to children since it requires lots of practices. But to my surprise, the first day of class, around 100 children attended to know and learn what Tae Kwon Do is. Their curiosity and passion to learn new things were more than I could have imagined in my dreams. With this astonishment, I became close to these children as I taught them for two weeks. I was even more surprised when I found out that these children learnt faster than any other people I’ve ever taught in my life. They were more curious and eager to learn, more hard-working and patient, and more questioning to explore Tae Kwon Do even more. But two weeks was so short. I didn’t have enough time to answer all of their amazing and clever questions. I could only teach them the basic moves of Tae Kwon Do. 


When I left that place, I told myself that one day, I would come back to that very village to teach more things to the children. I hope I would be able to let them know more things about the world, Tae Kwon Do, music, and any other thing that I know of. I wish I could get closer to them and talk to them about random things happening around them and me because I felt that warmth in my heart when I spent two weeks with them. One year is a short yet long time. Within that period of time, I will do my best to help them get a step closer to their dreams by teaching either Tae Kwon Do which requires patience and hard working or any other possible thing I can do. That will bring me a step closer to my dream as well because becoming a helpful person to our society is the shared goal of every citizen of this world. 

Challenge 12: 1948

2. Imagine that you have the opportunity to travel back through time. At what point in history would you like to stop and why? (Swarthmore)

If I can travel back through time, I would like to stop in 1948, the year in which Korea got its independence. It maybe a horrible thing to stay in such a time period where there’s brutality and struggles. Ruled by Japan, Koreans were oppressed and were ignored of their rights. Yet, it was the time Korea was still one, fighting for one nation. Koreans had the fire growing in them to achieve their only goal: independence.

I’ve grown up in India, studying Indian history and learning Indian culture and tradition. I left Korea when I was in 2^nd grade. All my Korean friends in India had forgotten Korean. It’s so strange that I still find Korean much comfortable than English. Perhaps, it’s because of my mom who always tells me not to forget that I am a Korean. She taught me to behave like a Korean, making me speak Korean at home and learn the culture and tradition of Korea. I can never forget my country, Korea. Though I do not know Korean history as much as I know Indian history, I knew that the blood in my body is that of a pure Korean and sense it flow quickly whenever I hear the national anthem of Korea. I want to experience real Korea once with every citizen’s soul and heart for the nation. I want to see and be a part of the crowd shouting and fighting for independence. I want to know my country inside out with full confidence and patriotism, and I want to feel the satisfaction of achieving independence and contributing in my brothers and sisters’ freedom.

The year 1948, the time when Korea’s own history and pride began, is the point I want to travel through.  

Challenge 11: Management

6. If you were to look back on your high school years, what advice would you give to someone beginning their high school career? (Simmons)

The only thing I wish to say about high school is that one should only do things he or she will not regret later. There is nothing I regret or wish to change if I went back in time to my freshmen year; but there is something that makes me feel bitter when I think of my high school life: management.

Now I think about my school days, I was very greedy. I still do not know if that was good or bad that I wanted to do everything – music, studies, leadership positions, community work, and so on. I had signed up for so many things that I didn’t have time to talk to friends, sleep, or eat proper meals. It later happened that my schedule for different activities overlapped and I had to give up on some activity or the other, favoring some over the other. Since the activities are held in school, I did disrupt other people’s important schedule by not being completely committed to all my activities. People told me that doing lots of activities in high school is a good thing. But now I wonder if signing up for lots of activities was really the best thing to provide the best condition to join a college or for me. Sometimes I imagine myself having no meetings or activities, thus being free to make more friends, spend more time for religious life, or study more about the world and life.

As mentioned before, certainly, I do not regret signing up for so many activities because I believe that that’s how I spent my school days the fullest. Nevertheless, I do feel that I could have been more balanced out in different things – activities or socializing – and I could have managed my time more wisely. My only advice is this: make sure your fullest is truly fullest considering the time and things you like to do, and do not forget to enjoy all this.

Challenge 10: Change

38. If you could go back and change one day in your life, what would you change and why? (Santa Clara University)

On a Christmas evening, I was asked to play violin in Special Festival in Hosanna Church which my mom had started in a small area in Bangalore, India. The Festival was for all the local people who were around the area, mainly the poor in the villages. My mom thought they would love to see me play an instrument, which they probably wouldn’t have ever seen before. But I rejected her request simply because I thought no one from local area would even know what a violin is. Also, it’s very tiring and boring to stand playing violin while the others sing and dance freely. Instead, I decided to just be a part of the audience and help out the transitions between events.

The show began, and the atmosphere was getting filled by increasing interest and shouting of the crowd. The events were not as good as the events are in schools or organizations; the performers were our local Sunday School children who are not very well educated enough to catch music beats quickly. But they were so lively and hard working that people enjoyed the show so much. The light and happy mood made me get closer to so many people in the crowd; I made new friends, sisters and brothers. They were fascinated with the fact that I, a foreigner, had studied in Indian local schools for 5 years. By the time the show was over, I became really close to those friends and let them know that my hobby was to play instruments. They kept on insisting that they would not leave till I played them something. So, at last, I decided to play violin for them. I took them to an empty room and played a piece that I had just learnt recently. I saw them enjoying my music, so I kept on playing. When I finally ended my piece, put my violin down from my shoulder, and raised my eyes to look around my friends’ reactions, I was stunned. There were more than twenty people watching me play the violin and clapping to praise me. They started asking me to play another piece. But that very moment, people were asked to leave the church and move to another venue.

I regretted so much that day. The people may have not known what violin is, but they certainly knew how to enjoy the music that comes from it. If I could change that day’s decision on playing violin for piano, I would certainly say yes to my mom’s request. They’re just like people in my school, in offices, and so on, who equally deserve respect. I was being really stupid and immature convincing myself that I shouldn’t play because that kind of people will not be able to understand my music; I was too proud. If I went back and change my decision and my thoughts of that day, I would certainly have made more friends and made people happy and exciting by playing my violin.

Challenge 9: Mom

103. Tell us about a person who influenced your life in a significant way. (Princeton)

From some point of time, I stopped saying “I love you” to my mom because I was shy. I do not know why I was shy now I think about it, but I feel I wasn’t being honest with my feelings and did not have the confidence to express. But one day, this side of me totally changed.

On an afternoon of July, when I saw my mom collapse in front of my eyes, I realized that my mom will not be or rather can’t be there for me always. I was in 5th grade then. I did not know what to do but as I was told to do in emergency situations, I called my mom’s friend for help. She helped me to take my mom to a hospital. Looking at my mom wearing the oxygen mask, my heart began to thump really fast. I started panicking thinking that I might not be able to see my mom ever again.

My mom was the only one who took care of me and so was my love for my mom bigger than for anyone else. Not even once did I wish or hope to have a father because my mom was an amazing parent. Thinking back on love I’ve experienced from her, when my mom woke up, I decided as if I was absolutely fine because I did not want her to worry about me panicking. But my tears would keep on covering my sight, blurring my mom’s face. I held my eyes tight and did not allow tears to fall down my cheeks. Noticing me turn away my face and pretend as if I’m not crying, my mom kindly whispered, “You’ve grown so much, Ye Jin. I’m really proud of you. Even if I die, I don’t think I’ll be worried about you. I love you.” And as soon as she said those words, I left the room. Well, I had to leave the room; my tears were streaming down my cheeks and I did not want her see me cry. Those words were so powerful; my mom, in the middle of pain, wanted to say those words to me. With that confession stuck in my head, I realized how stupid I was. My mom looked super strong in that hospital bed as she expressed her feelings freely. And I realized that there’s nothing stopping me to say those words anymore. Now I tell my mom how much I love her with confidence, and I've learnt from her how to treat the loved ones. More people around me seem precious and lovely.

Challenge 8: The medal

114. Have you ever struggled mightily and succeeded? Describe what you have felt at the glorious moment of victory? What does a winner feel?

Finally it was the time to show what I have prepared every single day for three months. Standing in the middle of the big performance field, I looked around and decided that I will never let lose my chance. In this very spot I stand, I would show my every move of PoomSae of Tae Kwon Do with all my energy. I took a deep breathe as I looked at the shiny banner hanging on top of the stadium board on which was these words: Karnataka State Championship, India.

As the crowd’s shouting grew louder was my nervousness and exhaustion increasing. The competition was harder than I had imagined. Different people of a big range of diversity showed their talents in Tae Kwon Do: Europeans, Americans, Asians, kids, adults, and so on. All the judges were Indian National representatives of Kukkiwon, the World’s Tae Kwon Do institution. I had stood in front of the judges for more than 7 times. Now was the final. Just the three out of around three hundred competitors waiting to compete including me. All the other events that were happening simultaneously were over. The other two final competitors had showed their last PoomSae. One of them got a really high score, a 70 out of 80; it made me get more butterflies in my stomach. And finally was my turn. With thousands of eyes starring at me, I performed my very last PoomSae with all my power. I couldn’t let all my hardship that I went through go in vein. As soon as the director said “Start,” my body started performing without my mind knowing it. I was back to my sense when I heard thousands of people clapping for me, screaming and shouting. All were happy including me, my mom, my master and the audience but the judges. They started discussing whether I am disqualified or not. I did not know what mistake I have done to be disqualified nor did the audience understand. The audience started questioning the judges. And soon after that, the judges raised their score boards and the total of my score was a 77 out of 80.
I had won the gold medal of Karnataka State Tae Kwon Do Championship! It felt like I got the whole world in my hands.

Later on when I found out that the judges were hesitating to give me a score because they were bribed by the second prize winner before the competition, that gold medal seemed so different. It symbolized the true defeat with pure hard work over bribery. More than the fact that I was the winner of the Championship, the fact that I was able to move the audience and the judges’ hearts to support me was incredible. Standing on that amazing victory stand, I took a deep breathe as I looked at the same banner now in my hands, promising to myself that I will fight only the right way with sincerity and honesty because I know that unexplainable feeling of being a true winner.

Challenge 7: Nickname

90. Describe a humorous experience you have had.

One fine day in my new school, after a meal together, my friends and I started chatting. The conversation was mainly about what the teenagers usually talk about, celebrity. All my friends seemed to be extremely excited to talk about the topic. However, since the environment in which I grew up didn’t give me enough knowledge about celebrities, I could not understand nor talk anything to my friends. Noticing this, my friends were beginning to doubt why I wasn’t talking much about this particular topic, about which teenagers go on chatting. Soon they realized and started laughing at the fact that I really hardly knew about celebrity. And so began their questions: Do you know Justin Bieber? Have you heard about Angelina Jolie? What movies of Brad Pitt have you watched? Well, all I could tell them was “I have no idea.” The situation was funny to my friends because I knew nothing and to me because I did remember hearing those names the friends asked me about but couldn’t match them up with any face of celebrities I saw in TVs.

My friends then asked me if I knew a singer from southern part of India where I have lived for eight years. I was pretty confident that I would know this one just because the celebrity is from the place I’ve lived for a long time. But my confidence was thrown off as soon as I heard the name. I had no idea who the celebrity was. My friends told me she is a very famous singer and also sang for me one of her hit songs. And yet I couldn’t figure out. The whole week I tried my best to find out which singer my friends were talking about. But one night as I was passing by a room in corridor of dorms, I heard a sweet singing coming out of it. I was captivated by the high-pitched voice. But as I was listening, something strange hit my mind; the song coming out of the room was exactly the song my friends were singing for me to figure out the celebrity. As soon as I realized that I opened the door ajar and there was the quietest girl of our grade! It turned out that she was the celebrity my friends were talking about, just to have fun with me not knowing anything about celebrities. And when I found out that the song girl was singing was an old south Indian song, I burst out laughing. And that day, I got a funny nickname: an Old Age girl.  

Challenge 6: Home

106. Of everything in the world what would you like to be doing right now? Where would you like to be the most? Who would you prefer to be with at this moment?

Living in India for the past eight years, there wasn’t a day I stopped thinking about my grandparents back in Korea. Only the two of them, my grandfather and grandmother, live in a house filled with photographs of my mom, aunt and me. With both their children gone to different places—their first daughter (my mom) gone to India and second daughter away in Spain for years—they have never had the chance to stay with the rest of their beloved. I remember how they were trembling in sadness when my mom told them that she would leave for India with me. But with a warm heart, they allowed us to walk our own paths by only giving advices.

Everyday, I think of myself and the rest of our family spending time altogether in my grandparents’ house. I recall that their house was always warm, filled with their liveliness and love. I learn so much out of their daily lives. In spite of their old age, they are so hard-working; my grandmother does all the housework by herself, and my grandfather studies everyday.  Whenever my mom and I visit them during my vacations, they welcome us with the brightest smiles I've ever seen in my life. And because of their love for me, I can smile even in the middle of my stressful schedule when I think about them. Just the thought of my grandparents is so special to me. In my busy life, when I want to be free from stressful and tiresome works, when I am tired and worn out, I wish to be in that warm house of my grandparents, eating the delicious, amazing food my grandmother cooked for us and listening to sometimes boring yet helpful lectures from my grandfather. That house is where my mom and I belong with warmth, love, and happiness not because of its location but because of my grandparents' presence. 

Challenge 5: Turning-point Conversation

22. Tell us about one of the best conversations you’ve had. (Stanford/93)

There was once a time I used to think of myself as a mature girl rare to find in present generation. But this thought was void by my mom during one of our conversations about an incident I experienced in school.

I was only 12 years old then. Studying in a small school, in a class of 30 students, I was known to be the “smart one.” I was always confident that I would get the best-academic- student-prize of 6^th grade though there was another girl, my rival, who was also considered to be a smart one. I recall that I was so confident because the girl was away from school for two months, missing all the classes and exams, due to her contaminating illness. With my hopes high, I attended prize distribution ceremony. I was excited with the thought that I would be receiving a prize in front of those hundreds of people. But when the other girl’s name was called out for the prize, my heart sank. I came back home immediately after the ceremony and cried. The fact that she got the prize without even writing exams hurt me; it was unfair.

As I was explaining and expressing my anguish feelings to Mom, she gently patted my head and softly talked to me. She said that our Almighty God had created each one of us so unique and that’s how I am beautiful just the way I am. Then she kindly added that society won’t be how I always expect it to be because it is full of different people. I argued that it was unfair of the school and that my mom should go and complain. My mom looked at me straight into my eyes and asked only one more question: are you 100% positive that you studied well enough that you had to be the first ranker in whichever way people judged? I couldn’t say answer immediately because I knew how much I worked. My goal was plainly to be better than others; it never was to excel myself.

The conversation was just about five minutes. And that much was the time I took to learn and realize my shameless complains on other people ignoring me when I was ignoring the whole system of school community. In order to be respected by everyone, I have to learn to be what I want to be in whichever angle people looked on me. And that’s how I learnt to try my very best. 

Challenge 4 (in class): The taste I still remember

52. The subject of food is never far from our minds here in College Admissions. It is a topic of serious conversation this year on campus, too, with the publication of a book called The Hungry Soul: Eating and the Perfecting of our Nature, by Leon Kass, M.D., a Chicago faculty member who teaches in the College. The book takes a philosophical look at what food, eating, and table manners have to tell us about our human estate. Compose an essay about a memorable meal you have eaten. We are especially interested in the details: the occasion, your company at this meal, its physical setting, the kinds of foods you ate, or their preparation. (University of Chicago)

In my school’s dormitory, there’s only one room for 6 people. Students who’ve stayed in the room said that the internet connection, the most important thing to be considered for room choice, was horrible. Despite this, I chose the glorious opportunity to room with four students in that very 6-people room, in 10^th grade 2^nd semester. Five of us were so different: one was Indian, one Bhutanese, one Thai, one Taiwanese, and one Korean.

At first, I worried if we could get along well. But after one fine day, I realized that my worries were not at all necessary. It was after our study hall time in dorms. There was no school the next day, so the five of us decided to share the food and junk we got from our homes. As much as we were different, the food was a variety. We had tuna from Thailand, egg and rice from India, soup from Taiwan, fish from Korea, and Hot sauce with chilly from Bhutan. The kitchen in dorms was so small that it was crowded with just the five of us. We had a crazy time there; students from other room came out to see what was happening and they found us with exploding food from the small pots and flying vegetables in that small, smelly kitchen. We took around an hour to set our meal due to lack of utensils and gas stove. The rice seemed to have too less water, the fish seemed to be soaking in chilly sauce, and the soup seemed to be just a plain egg in water. But we were starving and were ready to eat everything.


As we sat in front of our invented dishes, an announcement was made by our dorm parent that it was time to go to one's own room and clean. It was impossible for us to leave the food that we cooked for around one hour with our hungry stomachs. So the five of us went to the dorm parent and got a special permission to eat it in our lounge. 


All of us took a bite and then started hogging. I still remember the taste; it was amazing. It was something I haven't tasted anywhere ever before. Part of the reason may be the fact that these were our invented dishes but I believe the fact that I ate with these friends after a hungry hour of cooking and sharing fun together with them was the biggest reason. 

That day's feast

Challenge 3: Activity Week

56. Discuss how your travel experiences have affected you as a student and a citizen of the world.

“Experience outside and you’ll learn inside,” says Ye Jin

Ye Jin Kim, an 11^th grade-Korean girl studying in Woodstock school, India, expressed her feelings after the camp experience at Utterkashi during her school’s Activity Week. She showed her determination to change her behavior as a student and a citizen of the world after the experience of no showers and no bed. “I realized how much I should be grateful to have a warm room with a nice desk and water sources,” said Ye Jin.

It was found out by her classmates that she had lost in all the games played during the Activity week and was dared to wash all their plates. “It was horrible!” exclaimed Ye Jin. “The plates were so disgusting, especially the ones with food remaining. I am not going to waste any food from now on!”

For a week, Ye Jin’s class was asked to climb rocks up and down by bouldering, jummaring, and rappelling. The activities also included river-crossing and a day hike. Emphasizing on the fact that the rocks were very slippery and hard to climb, Ye Jin stated that the Activity week certainly was a positive outcome from a plan that seemed to be unenthusiastic at first. “It surely was challenging. When my foot slipped due to water current and I was losing confidence to stand up again in the river, I saw all my classmates looking and encouraging me,” replied Ye Jin with a smile on her face to the question of her Activity week experience. “I don’t think I can ever forget what happened in this trip. I learnt important values of small things and people around me; I am really grateful to God for everything.”

Ye Jin showed her confidence to accept bigger challenges in life and expressed her greater expectations for the next Activity week in her senior year. 

Challenge 2: I'm unique!

64. How has your family history, culture, or environment influenced who you are? (University of Florida)


If anyone asks me what helped me get to this point of life, I would immediately answer with a word: mom. My mom led me to this point of being a good human with good amount of thoughts, love, and experiences. Because she is single—and I don’t blame her for that at all—she does a lot more than any other mother just for me; she makes a living as well as takes care of me. Furthermore, she serves to be a role model to me by showing her ability to work as a single missionary in this huge and mysterious land, India. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that she is my only Wonder Woman.


I certainly remember the day I stepped my foot on land called India-the surrounding hot, humid air with strange, pepper-like smell. I recall that I vomited when I first tasted the typical dish of India, Thali. And among new people speaking a foreign language, I didn’t know what to do; teachers in school seemed like aliens and villagers around my house looked like many duplicates of one Indian. 


But after eight years is me who surprise people for my Indian accent, who stand in front of hundreds of people talking about experiences of village life in India. My friends say that I’m funny when I talk about these local villages and that I’m a nice friend to talk about their serious problems in life. I’m grateful now that I’m able to read and write five different languages, that I’ve experienced diversity in India, my second home, and that I’m confident to adjust anywhere in the world. 


Well, none of these would have happened if my mom didn’t bring me here. She made all this possible.