The Foreign Service Journal, June 2019

58 JUNE 2019 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL EDUCATION SUPPLEMENT Why This College? It was down to the last question in the finals of the “It’s Academic” televised tournament. Our family members sat sweating in the studio audience. When the announcer read, “Name the only two landlocked countries in South America,” I immediately pressed the button, even though I was sure of only one of the answers. “Bolivia, right?” I whispered to my teammates, and they nodded. “And Paraguay, for sure,” said my teammate Lauren, just as I knew she would. “Bolivia and Paraguay!” our team captain, Aaron, sang out. We won the championship. I love the adrenaline rush that comes with tapping into knowledge under pressure, and I love it even more when it’s part of working with a team. One day I hope to put these skills and passions to use as a courtroom lawyer or an inter- national negotiator. That is why I’m so enthusiastic about Wonderful College, which puts a premium on history, law and international relations. I’ll register for the freshman seminar, “The International Criminal Court: History and Effective- ness.” I’ll take a history course from Professor John Doe, who is the author of one of my favorite books, Trivia-Lover’s Trivia . I’m also thrilled that you offer both mock trial and debate team: my biggest challenge will be deciding if I can juggle both! I am convinced that there is no better place for me to expand my knowledge of politics and law, develop my rhe- torical skills and build deep friendships while working side by side with fellow students. Why This College? I did everything I was supposed to do. I planted long, sinewy aquarium plants. I obsessively checked the temperature and the pH of the water. I created small refuges by piling rocks in the corner of the tank so that crevices formed. Yet, for three years, I was left disappointed. Now, just this week, my hard work paid off: my pair of firemouth cichlids produced fry, filling my aquarium with dozens of tiny slivers darting here and there. This, my first successful attempt at creating the conditions necessary for spawning, marks the highlight of my years as a tropical fish hobbyist. When I read that Wonderful College’s marine biology program includes an aquarium management minor, I jumped up from my desk with excitement. My interest in ichthyology extends from the theoretical and research components to the practical: I love maintaining aquariums. I will enthusiasti- cally register for Wonderful College’s classes “Brackish Water Species” and “Rescuing Our Coral Reefs.” I have already read Professor Anthony Pescatore’s book, The Fish Hobbyist’s Bible , and I look forward to taking part in his aquarium club. I’m also excited about field trips to the John D. Pickering Aquarium downtown. In addition, I hope to take advantage of the marine biol- ogy study abroad program to Sumatra where I can observe unique species found nowhere else. For these reasons and many others, I’m certain Wonderful College is the optimal place to continue expanding my knowledge in the field of marine biology and ichthyology. —Francesca Kelly Demonstrating the Formula: Sample Essays Y ou now get the idea: start with your passions, then transition to how those passions will blossom at college. Yes, it’s a formula. But it’s one you can tweak with each college to make the essay personal. And you may just find, as others have before you, that having it will be a godsend when the college application process seems overwhelming. The following two sample essays adhere to this formula in under 250 words. Neither starts with “I love Wonder- ful College because…” Instead, each draws the reader in by telling a story that can be used for all Why This College? essays. All the student needs to do is to plug in the correct college name, and the names of the courses, clubs and/or professors specific to that college.