NSLI-Y Application Process Pt.2: Essays and Letters

Let's dive into the meat of the application: essays!

This is probably the most important part of the application: it's where you get to really show who you are! When I was writing my essays, I had frequent doubts about whether I was writing what the NSLI-Y staff looks for. However, just like in college apps, it's best to write about who you are, not who you think you're supposed to be. After all, I knew that if I were to be accepted into NSLI-Y, I'd

want to be accepted for the real me, not a fake version of me.

I found it really helpful to have multiple people read over my essays. I had family-friends, my parents, strangers (@CollegeVine), and NSLI-Y alumnae read over my essays to give me feedback and tips.

So, as cool as it would be, I have no clue WHAT about me got me accepted into NSLI-Y. I just tried to put the best version of myself combined with my passion for language on paper...and I guess it worked! That being said, I don't want to tell you guys what to write or not to write. Instead, I'm going to paste my essays here for you to read as a sort of guide. I hope this helps!

#1 Host Family Letter:

Dear Host Family, Hi! I'm Julia, a seventeen-year-old from California. As a twin, I'm seasoned in the art of sharing and cooperation. My family says I'm optimistic, mature, and open-minded. I'm grateful to have divorced parents as their differing perspectives on life have taught me to consider both views of an issue before taking a side. I seek advice from both parents regarding school or political issues but independently determine my personal stance. I grew up in a bilingual household. My Cuban-American home environment has given me an understanding of Cuban and American culture and a deep appreciation of differences. I love practicing Spanish with my grandparents over meals. I've gained confidence when speaking, expanded my vocabulary, and made cultural connections. I hope to recreate this blessing with your family, expanding my Korean language skills and building lasting relationships. I demonstrate responsibility as a children's ministry teacher, a part-time restaurant employee, an academic tutor, and a dance team captain. I'm confident in leadership positions and enjoy helping others. My dance team feels more like family. They say my supportive, diligent, and encouraging nature makes me a great captain. I'm a go-getter when it comes to my passions. For example, I attended an art high school to cultivate my craft in musical theatre. This has deepened my appreciation of diversity and individuality. I've taken 3 A.P. language courses and one computer language course through a local community college to grow in my linguistic abilities and passions. My teachers and friends would describe me as creative, curious, and independent. In the future, I plan to use Korean to help a global audience with communication disorders and intend to major in linguistics or communication sciences in college. My passion for language, as well as theatre, stems from my belief that everyone has a story. I want to hear it. I'm well prepared for the challenges of NSLI-Y. Through my experience as a hostess as well as a kindergarten ministry teacher, I've gained skills in accommodating others' needs, solving problems under pressure, and patience. Attending a conservatory program has strengthened my time-management and organizational skills, preparing me for balancing rigorous studies and time with a host family. While still maintaining a high GPA in academics and conservatory, I always make time for my language endeavors. I enjoy listening to Talk to Me in Korean, my favorite language podcast, and studying Korean through mobile apps when given the chance. I would adapt to life in Korea by making an effort to understand Korean culture. A few years ago, I stayed at a Russian family's farm in New Zealand for a week. At first, adapting to their rural lifestyle was challenging. However, participating and asking about their customs unveiled the meaning behind meals like borscht, pantry-kept eggs, and their Russian Orthodox morning prayers. I felt comfortable engaging over mealtimes, playing games, and experiencing Kiwi life. I now embrace unfamiliar cultures and stay curious, which I look forward to doing with your family too. Sincerely, Julia Gonzalez

#2 Explain your choice of language(s) focusing on your first preference. List and explain three (3) reasons why you want to participate in NSLI-Y:

NSLI-Y would aid me in my career aspirations, expand my cultural awareness, and help me to understand untranslatable language. I plan to serve a global community as a trilingual speech-language pathologist, helping people with communication disorders in English, Spanish, and Korean. Being multilingual would make me more competitive in this field and carry knowledge of each culture, fostering better connections with patients. Through this, I can aid immigrant communities and marginalized groups to succeed in our modern world. Vlogs and Youtube videos have shown me the marvels of South Korea. However, watching this "representation" only vitiates my hopes of understanding Korea. Their purpose is to influence, rather than educate, their audience, masking reality. I want to participate in NSLI-Y to witness Korean culture without the filter of mass media to aid me in my journey to promote cultural awareness, prevent further forms of misrepresentation, and better connect with those from Korean backgrounds. In a traditional classroom setting, languages are taught through translations and second-hand experiences. However, many of Korea's words are deeply rooted in culture, losing all meaning in translation. My favorite of these gems is 정 (jeong): the emotional bond joining Korean society. I'm grateful American culture values independence and individuality, but with this, America will never have 정. Learning through experiences stimulates emotional connections, enabling me to understand the impact of seemingly untranslatable words. NSLI-Y's immersive, rigorous language program would be the best way to make my aspirations a reality.

#3 Character Essay (Describe a time in the past 2-3 years when you worked hard towards a goal but did not achieve it. How did you react? What did you do?):

The time leading up to the Distinguished Young Women of L.A. Scholarship Competition was merciless. Sweaty nights of planks and pushups for the fitness portion, hours of writing my original song for the talent portion, and rehearsing responses for the interview all made up the months of preparation for this single night. But I was determined. I needed all the scholarships I could get to fund my college dreams. Then, the results were announced. My stomach dropped: I had only made the scholastic finalist cut. I had not won the scholarship.

What did I do wrong? I adapted to the event moving online, I practiced my performance relentlessly, I had the grades, but It seemed even my best was not good enough. Frustrated, I researched the national winners of last year's competition and was floored. These teenage girls were founders of companies, women's rights activists, and conservationists. Why would they need this competition? Obviously, they already know they're "Distinguished Young Women". Then, I had an epiphany.

I didn't need this competition to know that I was a significant individual. I reflected back on the competition: I wrote my first song, I had abs! I found the growth in my failure. Using the judgment of the competition as motivation, I decided to take steps to be "distinguished" by my own standards. I started tutoring again, writing more songs, and took dual-enrollment courses. My perception of success was no longer how I measured up to others, but how I improved myself.

#4 Give an example of a time in the last two years you had to work with someone from a different background or someone who is different from you. What did you do? What did you learn? (Academic Year only):

I looked up from my hostess station to see a couple enter the restaurant. I noticed them struggling with English, so I used short sentences and body language to show them to their table. On the walk over, I overheard them chatting in Korean, and my heart lit up. I had just begun independently studying Korean, and I was proud to recognize the language in practice. I contemplated whether I should try speaking Korean to better accommodate them. However, the only food service-related phrase I knew was 뭐 먹고 싶어요? (What would you like to eat?) My limited knowledge of honorifics and vocabulary made me question whether I could sustain a full conversation.

Unable to read the menu, they tried asking me directly what we offered, so I used cognates to help them understand. I suggested our macaroni by saying we had "cheese pasta", filet mignon by saying "steak", and recommended our pizza. Their excitement upon hearing "cheese pasta" made my heart swell: those few words of familiarity fostered cooperation despite our different backgrounds.

This short encounter made me more motivated than ever to continue learning Korean. I was proud to overcome the language barrier and help someone different from myself, even if it was just for a meal. I learned that even with different cultural and linguistic backgrounds, we could find small similarities to accomplish a common goal. Now, I'm confident in my ability to overcome cross-cultural obstacles in our increasingly globalizing world.

Feedback

Consider all feedback carefully and cautiously. Just because someone says you should do something, doesn't mean you actually should. The same goes the other way: just because you think you should write one thing, keep an open mind to suggestions and critiques.

A great source I used for these essays as well as my college apps is CollegeVine. It's a website that anonymously publishes your essay for peer review. I love it because some essay topics can be personal, so if you don't feel comfortable having your tía or tío read it, it's a great resource for feedback. That being said, if you wouldn't want your sweet tía to see it, should government officials see it? I'm just sayin'!