Among the countless sayings and aphorisms about family, a specific one by dramatist James Barrie reminds me of my own family: “So much of what is great has sprung from the closeness of family ties”. However, my family interpreted this “closeness” in the most literal sense possible: residential proximity. My unique living situation began in Northeast Philadelphia, where my Aunt lived just two blocks away from my house. Apparently, my Aunt wanted to share the same street name as us...

Considering both the specific undergraduate school or program to which you are applying and the broader University of Pennsylvania community, what academic, research, and/or extracurricular paths do you see yourself exploring at Penn?: Though Ben Franklin established the University of Pennsylvania over two centuries ago, I could still feel his beliefs about the importance of community resonate through the campus during my first visit. On Locust Walk, the center of this community, I admired the gallant statue of Franklin....