UMass Admissions Essay
Question: Describe a work of art that has had a profound impact on you and the way you view the world in 500 words.
Answer:
On a cold winter day, which there are not many of growing up in the south, I love to curl up with a book, a blanket, and a mug of steamy hot chocolate and for a moment, indulge myself in someone else’s world. Books are a work of art, not like the eccentric pieces that my future father-in-law creates, but simply words written on a page in a way that makes them draw the reader into the plot. My junior year in high school was a fun one; I had made the musical theater class and was very active in the performing arts department at school as well as my church. During rehearsal one afternoon, I was talking to some of my fellow cast and we began talking about the book, A Child Called “It”. After hearing the content of Dave Pelzer’s book, I knew it was a must to add to my collection.
For Christmas that year, I received not only A Child Called “It” but also The Lost Boy and A Man Named Dave. I started reading the first book right away and was shocked at the way David was treated. I had grown up in a stable home and a upper middle class community and could not even begin to fathom that this book could actually be true. As I finished off all three of Pelzer’s books, I began to look more at the world around me. I did small things at first like joining Key Club and working with the Foster Children’s Center. As I grew older, I came to see the “real” world and began to see that life is not all roses; sometimes your hand will catch the thorns.
My final hit was after I entered college. I had declared my major as early childhood education and was excited to be given this newfound freedom. I returned home for winter break and found myself looking for a book to curl up with and was drawn to Pelzer’s books once again. I suddenly realized that I wanted to work with kids like David and help them see that someone really can love them. I changed my major to sociology shortly after returning to campus for my second year.
Before reading Pelzer’s books, my life had been satisfactory. I had a roof over my head, shoes on my feet, food on the table, and a family that loved me dearly. But I had a childish view of the world. Now I have three semesters of college life under my belt with a new outlook on life. It is not a negative one but rather I see the world as a place that needs the help of each and every person that inhabits it. I am grateful for the life that I have been given and I want to help show children how to be grateful as well even if they are not in the best situations. I can honestly say that a book changed my life.
Answer:
On a cold winter day, which there are not many of growing up in the south, I love to curl up with a book, a blanket, and a mug of steamy hot chocolate and for a moment, indulge myself in someone else’s world. Books are a work of art, not like the eccentric pieces that my future father-in-law creates, but simply words written on a page in a way that makes them draw the reader into the plot. My junior year in high school was a fun one; I had made the musical theater class and was very active in the performing arts department at school as well as my church. During rehearsal one afternoon, I was talking to some of my fellow cast and we began talking about the book, A Child Called “It”. After hearing the content of Dave Pelzer’s book, I knew it was a must to add to my collection.
For Christmas that year, I received not only A Child Called “It” but also The Lost Boy and A Man Named Dave. I started reading the first book right away and was shocked at the way David was treated. I had grown up in a stable home and a upper middle class community and could not even begin to fathom that this book could actually be true. As I finished off all three of Pelzer’s books, I began to look more at the world around me. I did small things at first like joining Key Club and working with the Foster Children’s Center. As I grew older, I came to see the “real” world and began to see that life is not all roses; sometimes your hand will catch the thorns.
My final hit was after I entered college. I had declared my major as early childhood education and was excited to be given this newfound freedom. I returned home for winter break and found myself looking for a book to curl up with and was drawn to Pelzer’s books once again. I suddenly realized that I wanted to work with kids like David and help them see that someone really can love them. I changed my major to sociology shortly after returning to campus for my second year.
Before reading Pelzer’s books, my life had been satisfactory. I had a roof over my head, shoes on my feet, food on the table, and a family that loved me dearly. But I had a childish view of the world. Now I have three semesters of college life under my belt with a new outlook on life. It is not a negative one but rather I see the world as a place that needs the help of each and every person that inhabits it. I am grateful for the life that I have been given and I want to help show children how to be grateful as well even if they are not in the best situations. I can honestly say that a book changed my life.