PS Help, 1st draft
Posted: Thu Dec 02, 2010 12:58 am
It began on a sleepy September day next to the shallow pond where we went fishing every chance we could. The gravel laid there on top of the dusty washboard surface might as well have been from an alien planet. I had lived on this road all thirteen years of my life, a road that was much more to us than simply a pathway, but a giant symbol of family, values, and everything that connected us. My great grandfather had built his house on this road and so had his two sons. Though somewhat hesitant towards the idea, my family soon learned that the aesthetic change was nothing more than that. We had just simply swapped dust and mud holes for asphalt and painted yellow lines. The underlying foundation of sweat and tears, memories and traditions, and a sturdiness that had seen four generations of family remained steadfast. It was a perceived threat that had not warranted the reception it received. As I continued through school and continued to do well, this lesson stayed with me. I was not afraid to undertake the challenges that lie ahead or branch out because I was not defined by what I did but rather by what motivated me to do it. I could still be the boy who raised chickens and split wood with his grandfather while studying advanced corporate finance theory and trading strategies. I was not limited by how I grew up but rather encouraged by it. I had been granted a unique perspective and an ethic of hard work. These two things could only propel me further and to a more balanced viewpoint of the elements around me.
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My trip ended with a wearying flight home from Munich. I had been up for a solid twenty-two hours, my only sleep before this span coming on a deluxe airport bench. Two months abroad had taken a heavy toll on my body, with a new destination every weekend and sleepless overnight trains. Coming back was supposed to be the end to the madness and life on the go. No more carrying everything I owned in a backpack. No more sharing rooms with strange people. Coming back, however, turned out to be the beginning of a second onset of culture shock, the second case being more severe than the first. I looked at studying abroad as an opportunity to gain unique experiences and to see more of the world. What I actually got was the opportunity at a second look into my own world. I found it difficult to immerse myself back into the scurry of American life, to eat the same food I did before, and to not completely hate my vehicle, which I saw as my newly realized ball and chain. I had been taken out of America and then put back in completely upside down, or so I felt. Being upside down, however, made me realize the true value of a new perspective. I had left on a plane one person and come back a different one.
My life has been a series of challenges, each one transforming me from a boy that grew up shucking corn and going to a Baptist church into a more balanced and astute individual. Austria was probably the biggest. Getting a scholarship and taking out a loan on top of that to pay for the trip, I had no idea of the life changing experience I was funding. It was a risk, but one that was worth the reward. As a finance major, I realize that risk is inherent in everything we do. Every challenge has the risk that we will not overcome it or the perceived benefits from it aren’t as great as we expected. I see law school no differently. Over the past year though, I have carefully examined my skill set and its relevance towards law school. The analytical skills and reasoning abilities I have honed over the past three years in my finance courses seems well tuned to take on the rigors of law school. Acknowledging the full risks (and rewards) of law school, I submit my application to you and fully hope to have the opportunity to attend next fall.
Be Harsh, I want it perfect. Any help is greatly appreciated.
◊◊◊
My trip ended with a wearying flight home from Munich. I had been up for a solid twenty-two hours, my only sleep before this span coming on a deluxe airport bench. Two months abroad had taken a heavy toll on my body, with a new destination every weekend and sleepless overnight trains. Coming back was supposed to be the end to the madness and life on the go. No more carrying everything I owned in a backpack. No more sharing rooms with strange people. Coming back, however, turned out to be the beginning of a second onset of culture shock, the second case being more severe than the first. I looked at studying abroad as an opportunity to gain unique experiences and to see more of the world. What I actually got was the opportunity at a second look into my own world. I found it difficult to immerse myself back into the scurry of American life, to eat the same food I did before, and to not completely hate my vehicle, which I saw as my newly realized ball and chain. I had been taken out of America and then put back in completely upside down, or so I felt. Being upside down, however, made me realize the true value of a new perspective. I had left on a plane one person and come back a different one.
My life has been a series of challenges, each one transforming me from a boy that grew up shucking corn and going to a Baptist church into a more balanced and astute individual. Austria was probably the biggest. Getting a scholarship and taking out a loan on top of that to pay for the trip, I had no idea of the life changing experience I was funding. It was a risk, but one that was worth the reward. As a finance major, I realize that risk is inherent in everything we do. Every challenge has the risk that we will not overcome it or the perceived benefits from it aren’t as great as we expected. I see law school no differently. Over the past year though, I have carefully examined my skill set and its relevance towards law school. The analytical skills and reasoning abilities I have honed over the past three years in my finance courses seems well tuned to take on the rigors of law school. Acknowledging the full risks (and rewards) of law school, I submit my application to you and fully hope to have the opportunity to attend next fall.
Be Harsh, I want it perfect. Any help is greatly appreciated.
