<p>Hi, I applied to 14 schools and 7 of them are reaches for me because of my ACT score (27) my gpa is a 3.9 and I have pretty solid ECS nothing extravagant like some of the people on here but I’m hoping my essays will help me out a little. The reach schools are Stanford, UC Berkeley, Cornell, Duke, Northwestern, Vanderbilt, and WashU. </p>
<pre><code> It takes a village to raise a child, and as the eldest of four girls in my Nigerian-American family, I firmly believe this. From early childhood, several people in my family have molded me into the person I am today. One member of my village, Dr. Chinwe Obidike Nwazota, has an especially influential role in my life. Her kindness and love for others influences my own love for people. Her thirst for knowledge encourages my own passion for education, and her doggedness spurs my persistence.
For most of my life I have benefitted from a unique perspective. I was often tasked with looking after my younger sisters. This offered me a birds-eye view of our household proceedings. I took further advantage of my vantage point when I founded the audiovisual program at my middle school. High up in the rafters, I was privy to the plays being performed on stage, and while there, I was able to reflect on the enjoyment of the audience. Photography provided additional opportunities to maintain this separation. As a photographer for my high school yearbook, I became accustomed to the distance provided by my camera lens capturing others’ experiences while creating my own.
Last year everything changed. I was forced to step from behind the lens into the forefront when my esteemed aunt, Dr. Nwazota, fell ill. As the eldest, I was elected to attend chemotherapy sessions with her. I was unaware of the amount of suffering she endured, and there was no lens behind which I could buffer my emotions. I was devastated.
At the hospital it was important I remain composed, remember the doctors’ instructions, and provide the support my aunt needed. Sitting in the transfusion center, I was no longer the artist, but the subject. I could not filter my emotions through various colored glasses, flashes, or lenses, for my aunt was like my second mother. Accompanying her to the hospital became more than a way of providing moral support, it became a personal obligation. Seeing her in that condition was demoralizing, but she remained very uplifting. We often talked about my future and, specifically, my interest in Neurology. My aunt advised me on various aspects of my life including college choices, family life, and social affairs. She always anticipated my success; her positive attitude was a light of encouragement.
On August 26, 2010, just ten days after my birthday, my light was taken from me. I felt as though my entire world was shifted. Although my aunt is no longer with me, her spirit lives within me. Her battle with cancer taught me resilience, grace, and a profound appreciation for life. The strong character traits that resided in her now reside in me. Although I lost a very important member of my village I know that it is my responsibility to show the world how community, that village-like family, can impact a life and change one’s entire perspective.
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