Subject: Successful Princeton Applicant Through all of my accomplishments and disappointments, I have always been es pecially proud of the dedication and fervor I possess for my personal belief s and values. Unfortunately, it has often been difficult for me to remain ou twardly firm and confident in a town where most people think alike and rejec t exceptions. Whenever I have expressed my position as a pro-life advocate, peers have badgered, accused, and ridiculed me for simply believing in somet hing that they scorn. Despite all the pressure, I never waivered from my bel ief, yet I became frustrated and began to lose the courage to publicly expre ss my opinion on this controversial topic. To gain some insight and reassura nce for myself, I attended the New Jersey Right to Life Convention in the sp ring of 1995. This experience uplifted me and offered great inspiration and enlightenment. At the convention I received an overwhelming amount of suppor t and encouragement from wonderful people who advocate the very principles I believe in. This convention was so inspiring that the next day in school I was able to relate my experience to one of my biggest opponents on the subje ct. Also, the abundant information available at the convention enabled me to defend my position on abortion more effectively. Attending this convention accomplished two things. It proved my commitment to my belief, in that I too k the initiative to strengthen and support my opinion, refusing to give up o r lose heart. Unlike many others, I was eager and willing to gain new knowle dge so I may successfully promote my belief to others. In addition, this con vention invigorated my confidence to stand up for what I believe in and taug ht me to never lose the courage of my convictions * Subject: Succesful Cornell Applicant Tell us about opinion have you had to defend. How has this affected your bel ief system? I chuckle to myself every time I think about this. I am perceive d as a mild-mannered, intelligent individual until I mention that I am invol ved in riflery. It is interesting to watch someones expression change. It i s as if I instantaneously grew a pair of horns and a sharp set of claws. Bel ieve me this gets worst; I am a member of the NRA. I try to tell these folks that I belong to the NRA to fire my rifle. Oh my God! You fire real guns? with real bullets?!? they remark with a perplexed look on their face. Besid es having horns and claws, I now possess a tail and leathery wings. This is how it began five years ago. I had played on a soccer team for several years . As I grew older I began having difficultyplaying soccer because of shortne ss of breath. I was diagnosed as having mild asthma which ended my soccer ca reer and eliminated my participation in most physical sports. Shortly afterw ard, during a Boy Scout summer camp, I participated in riflery at their shoo ting range. This was the first time I had ever touched a firearm. To my amaz ement, I won the camps first place award for marksmanship. I was more than eager when a friend of mine asked me if I would like to join a shooting club . My parents were wary when I asked to join the rifle club. My mother feared guns, but my father felt there was no problem with trying this sport. Grate fully, he gave me the opportunity totry rifle marksmanship, despite secretly hoping that I would quit. Both of my parents were afraid of what people wou ld think about their sons involvement with guns. Like my parents a majority of people believe that all firearms are dangerous to our society. All they remember are the hysterical news releases of street violence and injured chi ldren.I am often asked how many deer Ive shot. Frankly, I couldnever bring myself to injure another living creature and neitherwould most of the compet itors I have met. Yet, I keep finding myself defending the sport from all of the misconceptions that surround it. Most people have developed a negative impression of the sport and I have found that these prejudices are difficult , if not impossible, to rectify. Because of this conflict, I have become an open minded individual. I express my opinions without reservation, and I hav e learned to accept opinions and viewpoints contrary to my own. I do not int end to alter what I enjoy because of the ignorance of friends and acquaintan ces. If people have a negative view of me simply because of the sport I am a ctive in, then they must be so superficial that they cannot see the person w ho I really am. I am no longer apprehensive of being perceived as a gun toti ng, trigger happy fanatic, even though I still endeavor to educate my friend s and relatives on the beauty of this sport. * Subject: East Asian Studies Its not often that a kid growing up in small-town New Mexico stri