Hi everyone,
I’m stuck with writing an essay to the prompt:
Essay #1 (Required for all applicants. Approximately 250 words)
Everyone belongs to many different communities and/or groups defined by (among other things) shared geography, religion, ethnicity, income, cuisine, interest, race, ideology, or intellectual heritage. Choose one of the communities to which you belong, and describe that community and your place within it.
I grew up in Switzerland, have Italian roots, and am also a U.S. permanent resident and currently living in Colorado. I also speak 5 languages.
The first thing that came to my mind was talking about Switzerland and what I share with and what differentiates me from the Swiss stereotype and maybe somehow draw inferences to other cultures. Would this be too cliché?
Any other ideas how to tackle that prompt?
(FYI I’m interested in attending the Ross School of Business.)
Write up some ideas and maybe a draft on this topic and see where it takes you. It could be very interesting and very personal and even touching or it could be a massive cliche … avoid the later. 250 words is not that long.
See the topic is pretty generic and would let you write the cliche … but … it also lets you write something original about your heritage, your family, your diverse family, your CO community, even the pretty Swiss cows.
Also how have you made the most of your interesting (and very beautiful) background, exposure to multiple cultures, etc ? Spend 2 hours today, 2 hours tomorrow, repeat … write multiple drafts with multiple themes … use different emphases and styles. Share some with some of your diverse family and friends … they may be able to help you hone in something that will interest them beyond just going wow, they have seen a lot of mountains.
Speaking 5 languages is really impressive and it allows you to think in 5 different ways and to communicate with many different people.
I have been to switzerland several times and think there is unlikely a Swiss stereotype in america, other than thinking you lived in a chalet, milked cows, ate a lot of chocolate and skied 5 months a year. That;s not stereotype as much as a cursory opinion based on tourist websites. If your experience was wildly different, city lifestyle, that could be interesting, or if you had a cow, that is interesting too. So avoid sounding like tourist websites, and don’t use the word Swiss stereotype, just describe yourself and your community in an interesting and unique way (and you have a real edge in that you did not grow up in a McMansion in suburb X in state Y).
@PickOne1 thanks for your insightful response!
So would you advise me not to talk about ANY stereotype or cliché at all?