It is winter in East Germany, and food is scarce. The chilly wind nips at my nose and I am going to an election occurring between two Communist party candidates, who espouse the same ideas. Both disgust me for their complacency with the status quo and I would prefer to vote against both. Yet, the law compels me to vote and legitimate the system; I can't abandon the party that forbids dissent. Debating the issue of compulsory voting, I am...

Throughout high school, I have participated actively in debate, gaining a strong interest in political issues. At Boston University, I would appreciate the opportunity to interact with your recognized political science department. At Boston University, I could learn from a number of knowledgeable professors. I’d like to work with Professor Timothy Longman and discuss his important research on the lessons of Rwanda’s genocide during the 1990’s. Taking such classes as Transitional Justice and International Human Rights, I would...

Through my participation in debate during high school, I’ve sought an atmosphere of strong intellectual vitality. At Claremont McKenna College, I will appreciate such an atmosphere. I would appreciate the opportunity to learn more about political science. For example, the course, Politics and Economics of Natural Resource Policy in Developing Countries, looks particularly interesting. After debating the nuances of the resource curse during high school, I expect to find this course fascinating. Similarly, I’d enjoy learning from Professor...

Through my participation in debate during high school, I’ve sought an atmosphere of strong intellectual vitality. At Lewis and Clark, I will appreciate faculty and classmates who will share a similar intellectual curiosity. Many of the Professors will share my passion for political science. For instance, learning from Professor Todd Lochner about constitutional law and political theory would be a pleasure. Similarly, I’d like to take the course, Russian Politics in Comparative Perspective, from Professor Leah Gilbert. Considering...

Through my participation in debate during high school, I’ve sought an atmosphere of strong intellectual vitality. At Occidental, I will appreciate faculty and classmates who will share a similar intellectual curiosity. While many colleges provide some support for an intellectual environment, Occidental is different because it provides much more significant support for creating that environment on campus. Occidental provides significant support for political science. The opportunity to discuss issues of environmental policy with Professor Dreier or to learn about...

During the summer before my junior year, I read Professor Arthur Ripstein’s book, On Force and Freedom. Discussing Immanuel Kant’s political philosophy, Ripstein’s work promoted my interest in the nature of government. Starting from the premise of the innate right of humans to freedom, the book systematically justifies governmental authority and explains how freedom demands that governments take action that would commonly thought to be justified merely by expediency. In contrast to the Locke’s and Hobbeâ€...

One of my idiosyncrasies is my ability to spread, or speak at between three hundred and four hundred words per minute, a skill that I’ve learned through debate. In competitive debate, arguments, which aren’t responded to by your opponent, are taken to be true by the judge. As a result, debaters have an incentive to speak quickly and make more arguments so that it’ll be more likely their opponent will not respond to an important point. Most...

Through my participation in debate during high school, I’ve sought an atmosphere of strong intellectual vitality. At Northwestern and at the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, I will appreciate faculty and classmates who will share a similar intellectual curiosity. A Northwestern education will help me to pursue my passion for political science. For instance, I would much appreciate the opportunity to learn from Professor Rachel Riedl. I find the factors affecting the spread and consolidation of democratization incredibly...

What do Roads, Organs, and Time Have in Common? During the last year, I have read a number of interesting books and academic articles. Many of these works I read because of their relevance to a topic I was debating while others I read merely out of sheer intellectual curiosity. One book I read was On Force and Freedom by Arthur Ripstein. The work discusses Immanuel Kant’s political philosophy. Starting from the premise of the innate right of humans...

One of my current intellectual interests, which I have pursued throughout high school, is debate, where I’m compelled to defend different sides of an issue of public importance. Debate has always been exciting to me because it allows me to use critical thinking to try to outwit my opponent while learning about subjects of both national and global relevance. Indeed, debate requires that one have knowledge of both political science and international relations. At Cornell University, I will be...

Don't complete your applications...