Short Answers, Admission Essay Example

Describe how you can contribute to the diversity of the University.

My African American background will enable me to promote better understanding of racial issues in a historically white university. In addition, I grew up in a household where both Christian and Islamic faith is practiced. Firsthand exposure to two religions has given me unique perspectives into interfaith issues and I hope to use my experiences and knowledge to promote interfaith dialogue, tolerance, and mutual respect. In addition, I am also fascinated with different cultures which makes OU a particularly interesting place to me because I have heard stories about its vibrant international student population as well as OU’s partnerships with universities from all over the world. My experiences have taught me that stereotypes are often the result of lack of knowledge and cross-cultural exchange not only helps us identify personal biases but also promotes mutual respect and admiration for each other.

Describe your career area of interest and why you have a desire to work in this particular field.

I am interested in pursuing my major in Theater because acting has always fascinated me. I view acting as the ability to understand the world from the perspectives of the character we play.  I understand that theater is not particularly a safe career choice and only my genuine love could persuade me to pursue this major. I am quite confident of my potential to carve a career in acting but even if my acting plans do not materialize, I can always teach and help others realize their acting potential. In addition, a major in Theater will help me improve several soft skills such as communication, problem solving skills, teamwork skills, and leadership skills.

Have you faced any academic challenges? If so, how did you overcome them?

We are all born with certain strengths though our strengths may vary. Whereas arts has always been my strength, I have traditionally struggled in Math and I ended up failing Algebra in the 8^th grade. I had to repeat the class in 9^th grade and it was frustrating but fortunately, I ended up with an Algebra teacher who didn’t only change my attitude towards Math but also changed my definition of how a teacher should be. When I told him in the beginning of the semester that I hated Math, he took the challenge to change my attitude towards Math and not surprisingly, won it through his dedication and sincere desire to help me. He taught me to believe in myself because we often fail not because we lack the potential but because of our negative attitude.  Algebra 1 ended up being my second strongest subject that year and I continue to follow the advice of having positive attitude in everything to this day.

Describe a workplace, community service, travel, or extracurricular activity that you participated in over time. Then tell us a story that shows what you learned in that setting and your learning process. How do you see that learning experience contributing to your student life at the University of Oklahoma?

Last year in November, I registered for Drama Kids International that aims to help students build acting, speaking, and creative skills. I was excited but when I walked into the class on the first day, I found all of the students to be four to five years younger than me. Being the older student in the class gave me confidence that I had the luxury of experience and practice and other students cannot compete with me in acting but I would soon be proven wrong. It didn’t take long for me to notice the huge talent of other students and I actually ended up learning more from them than what they could learn from me. I grew to admire them and their tremendous talent. Despite being younger in age they taught me several valuable lessons. First of all, we should never judge others before learning about them. Second, dedication knows no age and even young people can be a great source of learning. I hope to maintain the same open-minded attitude towards learning during my four years at the University of Oklahoma and beyond that.

Describe a goal you have set for yourself and how you plan to accomplish it. How would you compare your educational interests and goals with other students in your school?

My main goal is to carve a career in acting and even though I realize I have chosen a risky career line, I am confident that my positive attitude and desire to learn will help me beat the odds. This is why I will continue to meet new people and learn from them. I believe being able to put ourselves in others shoes also help us improve our acting skills. The more we meet people, the better we become at viewing things from other perspectives. I have never been afraid to make my own choices even if they are in contrast with everyone else because I believe in myself.

This may explain why I’m the only person in my graduating class that is pursuing a performing arts degree.

Please list any additional information you would like considered. (E.g. exceptional achievements, talents, extraordinary circumstances, intellectual interests, academic research experience, personal or financial challenges.)

My mother recently lost her job and times have been difficult but these times have also helped my family understand its real strength. These circumstances have also made us learn the value of scarce economic resources and be more involved in financial affairs in the future. This is an example of my ability to learn even from the most undesirable event.