"You are throwing your culture away." This was my mother's reaction to my dedication to veganism, not that I didn't expect it. She was both familiar and comfortable with Turkish cultural norms and I wasn't exactly living up to her expectations. Strong-willed as I was (and am), I knew my dedication to veganism and Turkish identity could coexist. - Veganism and animal rights activism are my personal passions. These complimentary practices have provided my life with a sense of purpose...

Although not traditionally regarded as a talent, I believe that I have a special ability to communicate with others. Since childhood I have relied on this skill of mine to recognize both the intentions of people and what sort of language they respond to best in order to achieve what I need or want. Much more often than for personal gain, however, I use my ability to communicate to make others feel confident, comfortable, and secure. It is often overlooked...

In tenth grade, one of my friends and I walked to Walgreens during a free period at the end of the school day. Walgreens is less than a block from our institution and we knew that other students consistently went to Walgreens during school hours and there were never repercussions. When we got back, the Dean of Students had a chat with us and told us that while she understood our intentions, the school was ultimately responsible for us during...

Eugene Lang's New School caught my interest because of its focus on individuality and general academic freedom. Lang seems to prioritize promoting success amongst individuals by allowing academic freedom while still relating all subjects to the current world. This is something I really appreciate, as I feel that many schools don't necessarily keep this as their primary focus. I would consider myself both a motivated person and fairly independent thinker so, like many other students, I tend to do my...

Besides University of Portland's great location, I really appreciate the focus of the Sociology program. Many schools in the area only offer a joint major of Sociology & Anthropology, and while I see the overlap between these two studies, I feel that I might not receive the intense focus I strive for. At this point in my life, I see myself going into marketing as a profession and I know that a good focus on sociology and even philosophy will prepare...

Most people I know call me opinionated yet empathetic, and my goal is to apply this part of my personality to vegan activism. I have created multiple opportunities for myself within the past year to publicly speak about the ethical, environmental, and health perspectives of veganism. I have never been afraid to share the way I see the world, but I avoid placing any blame on those I am talking to, knowing that this will simply create tension and make...

I have been a part of a group at my school known as Common Ground that focuses on bringing together students of color. This group provided me with direct insight into students' daily experiences regarding racism and oppression. I have always focused on social justice and CG brought me a sense of community with students who also share this passion. Common Ground allowed me special insight into the ways that people of color often internalize negative experiences and change their...

I would say that have a very strong sense of identity. I recognize the constructed ethnic, social, and cultural groups I belong to. All humans belong to various groups and these identities work together to construct unique perspectives on the world. I have always thought of New York City as the culmination of identities, a beautiful intersection between perspectives and cultures that have the opportunity to coexist. Not only is this how I see the city, but I know that...

I appreciate how Lewis and Clark's progressive outlook celebrates and encourages the diversity present in both Portland and the school community. Lewis and Clark encourages students to apply concepts learned in class to the current and constantly evolving world, which, to me, is necessary to reach conclusions and make well informed decisions. Classes don't seem to be restricting or limiting in any way, instead providing students the opportunity to be passionate and excited about their academic journey. I will respectfully...

College admissions officers have read through, and will read through, thousands of personal statements. In order to garner their interest, I like to think of personal statements as an opportunity to share a secret! Strive to provide admissions officers with information so unique and special that you may not have even voiced it aloud to some friends and family! This may sound daunting at first, but to gather inspiration, I recommend creating a list of things you either do or...

Choose recommenders based on teachers who have truly witnessed your personal growth! If you had any teachers twice throughout your high school career, ask them if they would like to write your letter! You will...

As far as personal statements go... To choose my personal statement topic, I thought of ways I could appeal to the diversity all admissions officers are looking to welcome onto their...

I honestly don't regret anything about my application process. I worked at a steady pace and never rushed myself to finish supplemental essays or my personals...

During one high school summer, definitely try to arrange some sort of a pre-college program! Spending either two weeks or one month...

I ultimately chose Lewis & Clark because of...