Supp Essays ADMITTED to MIT Sarah ONeill Supreme Editing

 Sarah ONeill Supreme Editing

Please tell us more about your cultural background and identity in the space below.

(150 words or fewer) – optional

Asia, a place so different from the US, is where I was born, raised, and from where I eventually left, carrying with me perceptions that became etched into who I am. 

The US brought me pressure because my identity as an Asian female meant that I was only studious and not social. In fact, people take my academic achievements for granted. On the flip side, the perception of me as a bookworm also brought me surprises when people felt they could open me up to new thinking and problem solving. I learned to work in study groups rather than on my own and mingled in the cafeteria during lunch, making new friends while letting them see a more authentic me. I appreciate how my hard transformation was because it has made me stronger as I get to crash down those walls of only being seen for one identity.

Describe the world you come from; for example, your family, school, community, city, or town. How has that world shaped your dreams and aspirations?*

(250 words or fewer)  

Two guiding lights for me, my parents, thrived in the sciences, and they were crucial to cultivating my love for mathematics. I remember logic puzzles as a child. On my drive to school and on my way home, my parents would stuff a tricky math problem into my satchel, and that problem would follow me throughout the rest of my day until I solved it. This daily problem-solving primed me for math contests in elementary school, which led to enthusiasm on the middle school math team, and to my eventual election as president of the advanced math club in high school. 

Do not get me wrong, my parents are very open. While the puzzles were a slight nudge to get my brain functioning and thinking, they primarily provided spaces for me to explore rather than simply placing me into their own box of expectations. When they saw, as an exemplar, that a more liberating American education fit me better than an exam-oriented one where we lived, they did not simply tell me that they intended to send me away. Instead, we traveled the hills of Europe and America far and wide, they said to “show me what life was like studying abroad”, conversing with people my age to decide if it was best for me. I know that what my parents taught me about staying open to life’s possibilities has made my transitions to new countries, new schools, new worlds that much smoother. 

Tell us more about why this field of study at MIT appeals to you.*

(100 words or fewer)

Mathematics or, more precisely, applied mathematics, entices me most. I was trained for logical thinking from an early age and every aspect of it brings numbers and theories vitality. The way mathematicians approach problems, how they observe, find a pattern, and with full steam ahead attempt to explain what they observed, to me, is remarkable. Mathematics explains it all, from artistic geometry to abstract algebra, from simple data to complicated models. While there’s doubt over math’s practicality, applied mathematics can prove that it is useful – after all, it is an age-old study that existed decades before its actual application.

We know you lead a busy life, full of activities, many of which are required of you. Tell us about something you do for the pleasure of it.* (250)

I am a dancer and a choreographer. Introduced to ballet at age three, I continued my path by learning a variety of dances, including hip-hop, traditional, and modern. Always playing music on my headphones during long-distance travel, I found moves coming up as the music played. So, in middle school, I started choreography. 

At first, orchestrating dance moves was an attempt to do them while listening to music. Then, after my first performance of my own choreography, I received a video tape from a friend who recorded my performance. I watched it carefully and found many flaws. As a perfectionist, I started editing my moves by watching myself in the mirror. Continuing the refining process, I presented good choreography for our class dance team to learn. During the first arts festival in sixth grade, I led my class’s dance team and earned last prize. I was surely depressed, but moreover, motivated to improve. Once again, I turned to videos to figure out what we were lacking. The answer was practice and… geometry! 

Dance, as a performing art, is all about shapes and rhythm. Though not quite an expert in rhythm, my contest math training made me familiar with shapes. With this discovery, I spent free time exploring choreography and proudly led my team to win third prize at the next festival. My dancing path did not end there. I continued as an active music player and a dancer in high school - this passion is, and will be, endless.

At MIT, we bring people together to better the lives of others. MIT students work to improve their communities in different ways, from tackling the world's biggest challenges to being a good friend. Describe one way in which you have contributed to your community, whether in your family, the classroom, your neighborhood, etc.* (250)

My school’s Asian population is…meager, to say the least. Therefore, joining the Asian Culture and Language Club freshman year as I am Asian, my expectations of finding fulfillment was quashed pretty early on as it was reduced to watching “foreign” films. So, when sophomore year rolled around, when the previous presidents graduated and with meetings that were few and far between, I was determined to revive it. 

When the club’s prior managers left without nominating anyone to take charge, as one of a handful of students who grew up in Asia, I volunteered. With strong support from a co-president, we initiated members at the club fair. Bringing it “back to life” was not easy. After the first month of meetings without a clear theme, participation dwindled. We decided to draw others in with the one thing that fills our bodies and warms our souls: food. Bringing snacks to meetings, we retained members. This led to something richer as we moved to start cultural conversations about music. Asking all members to suggest their favorite songs, we dug deep into the exotic elements behind the lyrics. While most were not familiar with Chinese music, the themed meetings – nonetheless – brought us newcomers. Later, we continued with more modes such as films and clothes, and when the Spring Festival came, I opened up my house to make dumplings. Today, our Asian culture club is strong – filling our hearts by combining school culture with that of distant countries. 

Tell us about the most significant challenge you've faced or something that didn't go according to plan. How did you manage the situation?* (250)

As a rising sophomore returning to Shanghai from America, I became a volunteer tutor at a “CRAM school”. Students attend extra tutoring to improve academic performance and I, a Cram alumni, had a wonderful experience there.

At nine o’clock, when my first session should’ve started, the student had not arrived, and I was agitated. When she showed up, she was practically pushed into the room. She didn’t look at me, and her slow-motion made me frown. We started reviewing homework. Still irritated, I spoke too fast for her, and she started sobbing. She said she felt she couldn’t do anything right. Her voice was soft, but her words cut like swords. I never meant to make her feel useless. Growing up in a competitive world, I never cried or showed vulnerability. 

Heading to my third class, all I could imagine was the girl’s teardrops flowing like pearls. That night, I thought about her. I thought about the difference between my intentions and her interpretations while reflecting on my poor job in considering her feelings. I realized the importance of trying to see from someone else’s perspective. In the coming sessions, the girl and I practiced; I’d highlight the number at the top of her sheet indicating what she did right, instead of highlighting what she did wrong. I will never forget when she reached 100% and her smile knowing she did it herself. Being a “teacher” was hard, but the joy of finding common ground with a student was unforgettable.