The essays below, which are required by the University of California (UC) application system, successfully got her admitted into UC San Diego, UC Irvine, UC Davis and wait-listed at UC Berkeley.
Prompt #1
What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?
“The Nutcracker”, “Sugar Plum Fairy”, “Clara”. To every young aspiring ballerina, these words light up our days, but being handpicked to perform these centerstage roles remains a dream for many.
I was one of the many – a hopeful ballerina student with a dream to perform in the fanciest tutus and shiniest pointe shoes on the biggest stage in the world – Radio City Music Hall.
Fast forward 17 years and this dream has not changed… only slightly. Growing up my eyes were constantly glued to my iPad screen watching professional ballerinas twirl, leap and glide across the stage – it was magical. As my dreams were tempered as hopes of Radio City Music Hall became increasingly unlikely, I branched out to exploring other genres of dance such as lyrical and contemporary. And boy did I find my groove again.
I was in Year 7 when I reigned champion at my school’s talent show. The immense joy and excitement when I heard my name took me back to the little ballerina I was. But even if that was not Radio City Music Hall, this indescribable feeling of euphoria as the spotlight follows me never washed away. Now in Year 13, I am proud to say that I have performed on many stages across the world – Hong Kong & Singapore just to name a few – and have won many awards along the way. But the awards is not what keeps me going – it is the little ballerina in me that pushes me to better myself, and relish each opportunity to perform in front of an audience that loves dance too.
While I have come to terms that it is unlikely for me to be a professional dancer, I would still leap at any chance to showcase my dancing to feel my best self or to just have fun!
Prompt #2
Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an education barrier you have faced.
This summer, I had the amazing opportunity to attend a 2-week pre-college program in Boston. Since young, I had dreamed of studying in the US and receiving the acceptance letter for this program allowed me to experience my dream – even if it’s just for a little while. I chose to enroll in a course called ‘Genes, Minds, and Culture’, focusing on how our genes have shaped our species and culture.
During the 2-weeks, I learned the ways in which culture has shaped the trajectory of human genetic evolution and how cultural traits create variation in how we think and behave. I read, analyzed and debated the many theories of Joseph Henrich’s “The Secret Of Our Success”.
Since the start of high school, the study of DNA has fascinated me. From coding all the building blocks in our lives to providing research into medical breakthroughs such as CRISPR-Cas9, our DNA is exceptional. Thus, I was thrilled to take a dive deeper into evolutionary biology, extending my knowledge far beyond my A-Level syllabus.
Something my summer course taught me was how topics such as human evolution and genetics interlink with one another, showing me the different lenses we can view our species in. I never considered that DNA actually paves the way for human evolution, suggesting that it is one of the reasons behind our social construct. Previously, I only saw genetics through a single lens: a factor that differentiates humans from one another. But after integrating abstract themes (e.g. religion and culture) into my knowledge of human evolution I was finally able to grasp the big pictures of evolutionary biology.
I would like to continue this multidisciplinary subject in college, contributing to theories and, hopefully, answers to our evolution.
Prompt #3
What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?
Learning to swim since the age of 5, I have benefitted from water safety education. Yet, the majority of Malaysia’s drowning cases involve children aged 2 to 9, with more than 75% below the age of 5. Over time, I realized that many did not have access to water facilities, and as a result, were unable to develop water confidence. This inspired me to bring water safety to the less privileged, with a hope that it might some day save a life.
I founded Talents For A Cause – an organization that provides opportunities for the underprivileged – and initiated a Water Safety course for refugee children in Malaysia. While I taught these children basic swimming skills, I enlisted the assistance of Red Rescue – Malaysia’s premier lifeguard certification provider – to guide them on lifesaving techniques.
Most of these kids live in areas that have restricted access to water bodies; so most start off fearful at the concept of submerging their heads underwater. Unsurprisingly, aquaphobia is a huge cause for drowning, as panic develops once immersed under water. Each session lasts 4 hours and guides them through different scenarios like spotting someone in trouble, calling for help and simple life saving procedures. Upon graduation from the program, these kids are equipped with the knowledge and ability to carry out simple life saving techniques and put these skills to work, saving oneself and others. The smiles and laughter I saw shows that they not only enjoy the course, but also instill a renowned sense of confidence; with many asking when they will be back for another session!
Throughout my senior year, I have engaged with more than 100 children from different learning centers across Malaysia, and in the process, raised more than RM2,500 from donors and product sponsorship from Speedo Malaysia. But most importantly, the course has managed to impart lifelong skills to the less privileged.
As I enter college, I would like to continue what I have learned and apply my experience within the UC environment and beyond, working with NGOs and volunteer groups.
Prompt #4
Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you a strong candidate for admissions into the University of California?
Athletic validation is addictive. Like a warm blanket you snuggle up with every night, achieving that gold or new personal best gave me comfort in and out the pool.
But when COVID shut swimming pools down, the norm of jumping into the shivering 6:00 AM pools turned into snoozing 7:45 AM alarms. Days turned into months, and suddenly two years had flown by. In the end, my lingering addiction to be in the pool dissipated into a joyless void and I found myself pondering if my swimming journey had come to a premature end.
When the restrictions finally lifted the cold rush of chlorine started to drown me. For the first time I refused to be where the water was because for once I was not fighting against the clock, but my own body; one that I have conditioned over the years to only drag through the waters like a rock.
The battle between the urge to quit and the urge to continue the pursuit of my dreams drove me to the very edge. But I was not done yet. After all these years of hard training I was not about to give up. So day after day I dove, flipped, and swam through the cool waters, finding myself in the ocean blue, and reminding myself that progress always comes from hard earned work.
At last, my efforts finally paid off at the PRAKL Age Group Swimming Championships 2023, where I was qualified to represent Kuala Lumpur in both the 58th Malaysia Invitational Age Group and the 65th Malaysia Open Swimming Championships. After having gone through many disappointments, I went into these state competitions with renewed vigor and hunger to prove myself once again.
Glancing at the medals neatly placed in a corner of my cupboard, I realized it was not the medals that brought me deep satisfaction, but my perseverance and willingness to plough through even when my spirit was unwilling. It is this resilience that I look forward to further practicing during my time at the University of California.
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