It was the summer of 2012 when I met my inspirations. During my last week in China, my aunt tantalized me and my cousin, Terry, with a mysterious plan to take a walk around Shanghai. In the US, poverty is distant, plastered on billboards, cited as a statistic in congressional hearings. Buffered by these inaccurate representations of poverty, I was horrified to see poverty’s appalling effects on human lives firsthand when my aunt brought us to a row of dilapidated...

Johns Hopkins University was founded in 1876 on a spirit of exploration and discovery. As a result, students can pursue a multi-dimensional undergraduate experience both in and outside of the classroom. Given the opportunities at Hopkins, please discuss your current interests—academic or extracurricular pursuits, personal passions, summer experiences, etc.—and how you will build upon them here. (300-500 words) I flex my fingers, adjust my grip, and take a deep breath. Now I am ready to perform surgery. With my...

1. There is a Quaker saying: “Let your life speak.” Describe the environment in which you were raised – your family, home, neighborhood, or community – and how it influenced the person you are today. (200–250 words) I once opened my own store. Located in my family room, it offered a vast selection of products; from somewhat new erasers to small glass birds, I sold everything and anything I could dig up from underneath couch seats, find under beds, and collect from closet corners....

2. Which aspects of Tufts’ curriculum or undergraduate experience prompt your application? In short: “Why Tufts?” (50–100 words) Ever since I was little, I have always made my education interactive. During a recess in elementary school, while observing the behavior of an earthworm outside of it’s natural habitat, the earthworm gave birth in my palm; it was better than anything on Discovery Channel. Today, I still crave a hands-on education. That’s why I look to Tufts University to quench my...

3. Sports, science, and society are filled with rules, theories, and laws like the Ninth Commandment, PV=nRT, Occam’s Razor, and The Law of Diminishing Returns. Three strikes and you’re out. In English, “I” before “E” except after “C.” Warm air rises. Pick any rule, theory, or law and explain its significance to you. (200-250 words) Newton’s third law- for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. It's a law of physics, but it has also...