COMMON APP - PERSONAL ESSAY
I'm
a southern boy - Kentucky born and raised. Yes, Kentucky is a part of the
South. Does that conjure up a picture in your mind? For most people it looks like this - a preppy guy
who wears Ray Ban sunglasses with a croakie, hanging just below a striped bow
tie. A cookie cutter guy who considers sneaking
a beer or two into a home football game a great accomplishment. A guy whose family is more concerned about a
bad call than the upcoming election. A
guy who thinks going to Disney World means he's been places. A guy whose comfort zone is just getting by
and whose college choice may well depend on how many national championship
trophies line its hallways.
At
first glance, that guy is me. Therein lies my dilemma - ethical, personal or whatever you want to
call it - who should I be?
Let's
think this through again. I have plenty of bow ties in my closet and I love a
good SEC football game but I'm fascinated by more than Mickey Mouse. I get just as excited about a 1,000 year old
ruin as I do a ride on Rockin' Roller Coaster. Figuring out how to get around
Vienna using the subway or trying a whole new cuisine is just as rewarding as hosting
the most enviable tailgate party. Seeing
a Van Gogh up close is life changing. As
far as getting by is concerned - my typical day starts at 5:00 a.m. with swim
practice and ends when I figure out the last problem in my AP calculus
homework.
I
have been challenged at every juncture in my life to think - to think beyond what
my immediate world tells me; to consider all viewpoints equally and to
integrate every lesson learned into the package that is me. My parents,
grandparents and all of my cousins are college graduates. My grandfather, born
and raised in a poor Kentucky county was one of eight siblings who all had, not
just college but graduate degrees. I have always been surrounded by wise and
genuine people.
Can
I live comfortably in both worlds? I am that southern stereotype but so much
more. Perhaps the best way to handle things is to wear my Ray Bans into the game
but take them off when I step into St. Peter's. Think you know me? Should you
travel my way, stop by - we'll go to Keeneland
for an afternoon at the races, watch the horses run and have a great
conversation. Bow tie optional but strongly recommended. 
Wow. You obviously spent time thinking through this essay, and it seems like you put a lot of yourself into it.
ReplyDelete(Did you have a specific process for how you wrote and refined the essay?)
I think the details you included are super, especially since they tie back so neatly in the ending. The last line is great!
Good luck with all of your applications!