Application to Columbia GS

In this essay, the author

• Analyzes how the ivy league student's light shines brighter because he has already fought the darkness from within, creating a stronger individual.
• Recalls their father's disdain for pursuing education, while their mother valued it. their uncle was a living example of how one could strive for greatness with education and hard work.
• Describes how their teachers and parents were dismayed at their lackluster performance in class. the principal sent them to a psychologist to "source" the problem.

• Analyzes how the ivy league student's light shines brighter because he has already fought the darkness from within, creating a stronger individual.
• Recalls their father's disdain for pursuing education, while their mother valued it. their uncle was a living example of how one could strive for greatness with education and hard work.
• Describes how their teachers and parents were dismayed at their lackluster performance in class. the principal sent them to a psychologist to "source" the problem.
• Narrates how their parents found a local jewish program, cahal, which catered to students with severe and debilitating learning disabilities.
• Describes how the cahal program crushed their academic aspirations and stunted their social life.
• Narrates how they cried every day out of loneliness. they were not able to look into other people's eyes when talking to them, and unconsciously hid behind someone for protection.
• Describes how they were rejected by yeshivas because they didn't accept "unconventional" students, but one did. cahal was no longer an option for them.
• Describes how they had developed a philosophy of failure by the time they started high school. the rudimentary skills they lacked set them miles behind the other students.
• Describes how they knew they needed to break free and escape from the shackles of ignorance and dependence that had cast a shadow over them.
• Describes how they spent hours every day poring over ancient texts, asking questions, challenging assumptions, and gaining a new and deep insight into their religion.
• Explains that they had never experienced euphoria from the results of hard work. they gathered strength from their new found heroes, whose character and commitment to convictions have stood the test of time.
• Describes how they felt an unbridled optimism for a bright future. the darkness they had experienced growing up is now the source of their strength.
• Opines that post-secondary education has been an academic awakening. after being introduced to economics, they loved its logic, utility, and complexity.
• Describes how they lost the belief that greatness was their g-d given right and replaced it with what they thought fate had "prescribed" for them.
• Opines that gs will be the crescendo of their intellectual revolution catalyzed by outstanding professors like robert mundell, andrei okounkov, or sunil gulati's professional experiences being on the fifa executive committee.
• Opines that their struggles are the most valuable part of their story, not the success. they hope that you have seen through the stained glass window and through their darkness.