Question 1
In a world where disconnection seems to often prevail, we are looking for students who embody the qualities of bridge builders—students who can connect people, groups, and ideas to span divides, foster understanding, and promote collaboration within a dynamic, interconnected, and vibrant global academic community. We are eager to understand how your experiences have prepared you to build the bridges of the future. Please consider one or more of the following questions in your essay:
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- What personal experiences or challenges have shaped you as a bridge builder?
- How have you been a bridge builder in your school, community, or personal life?
- What specific actions have you taken to build bridges between diverse groups, ideas, or cultures?
- How do you envision being a bridge builder during your time at our university and beyond?
Explanation:
In college, you will meet people from all walks of life, and many will have cultural backgrounds, beliefs, values and ethics that differ from your own. Gaining exposure to those who are different from you is one of the best ways to learn about other parts of the world and grow as an individual. As a “global institution,” NYU admits students from all of the world to their main campus, aiming to create a learning environment that exposes students to international perspectives and strongly encourages students to become global citizens of the world through study abroad programming.
When reading the prompt, notice that the first three questions all point you in the same direction: can you provide a tangible example of a time when you built a bridge across differences or write about a life experience that makes you a bridge builder? Perhaps you were raised in a bicultural household, have lived in more than one country, or have discovered another culture through the process of learning a new language. Maybe you organized a club or event at your school or within your community aimed at bringing people together despite their many differences.
No matter the experience that makes you a “bridge builder,” be sure to begin your essay by writing about it with specificity and eloquence. First, identify the difference you bridge, then explain how you went about bridging said difference and end with self-reflection indicating the ways in which this event or experience allowed you and others to learn from each other. Use this as an opportunity to demonstrate your openness and curiosity about other people, places, and cultures. Your goal should be to demonstrate how your values align with those of NYU.
The second part of your essay should indicate the ways in which you hope to continue your “bridge building” endeavors as a member of the NYU community. Is there a specific club you would like to join or an event you would like to attend or even host once on campus? You could also write about a specific research or study abroad experience that would enhance your understanding of other people, ideas, or culture and enable you to foster bridge-building of your own on campus.
Sample:
“Where are the cleaning supplies?”
I paused. “What do you mean?
“For clean up block… at the end of the day.”
Clean up block was one of the first Japanese traditions Akira shared with me when we first met. I’ve since learned that teachers make house calls to students’ houses, and that many Japanese individuals refrain from public displays of affection. These discoveries spawned further questions: Did students in other countries clean up after themselves too? How did they greet their friends? Elders?
Akira’s arrival into my life triggered a curiosity about other peoples and places, and their values and traditions. Most importantly, it led me to found my school’s Dinner Party Club. One Friday evening a month, students from my school meet in our school kitchen to try our hand at cooking a traditional meal and watch a classic movie from a new country. If one of our members has ties to the country, they lead the charge, choosing the recipe and the film, and sharing more about their culture over dinner.
When my school asked me to be Akira’s peer mentor when she moved to our district, I assumed I’d make a new friend, but I did not anticipate the extent to which this new friendship would broaden my understanding of the world. At NYU, I look forward to building bridges between other cultures and peoples in informal “Dinner Parties,” and learning about international relations bridges (or lack thereof) in the classroom, both in NYC and abroad.
Question 1
In a world where disconnection seems to often prevail, we are looking for students who embody the qualities of bridge builders—students who can connect people, groups, and ideas to span divides, foster understanding, and promote collaboration within a dynamic, interconnected, and vibrant global academic community. We are eager to understand how your experiences have prepared you to build the bridges of the future. Please consider one or more of the following questions in your essay:
- What personal experiences or challenges have shaped you as a bridge builder?
- How have you been a bridge builder in your school, community, or personal life?
- What specific actions have you taken to build bridges between diverse groups, ideas, or cultures?
- How do you envision being a bridge builder during your time at our university and beyond?
Explanation:
In college, you will meet people from all walks of life, and many will have cultural backgrounds, beliefs, values and ethics that differ from your own. Gaining exposure to those who are different from you is one of the best ways to learn about other parts of the world and grow as an individual. As a “global institution,” NYU admits students from all of the world to their main campus, aiming to create a learning environment that exposes students to international perspectives and strongly encourages students to become global citizens of the world through study abroad programming.
When reading the prompt, notice that the first three questions all point you in the same direction: can you provide a tangible example of a time when you built a bridge across differences or write about a life experience that makes you a bridge builder? Perhaps you were raised in a bicultural household, have lived in more than one country, or have discovered another culture through the process of learning a new language. Maybe you organized a club or event at your school or within your community aimed at bringing people together despite their many differences.
No matter the experience that makes you a “bridge builder,” be sure to begin your essay by writing about it with specificity and eloquence. First, identify the difference you bridge, then explain how you went about bridging said difference and end with self-reflection indicating the ways in which this event or experience allowed you and others to learn from each other. Use this as an opportunity to demonstrate your openness and curiosity about other people, places, and cultures. Your goal should be to demonstrate how your values align with those of NYU.
The second part of your essay should indicate the ways in which you hope to continue your “bridge building” endeavors as a member of the NYU community. Is there a specific club you would like to join or an event you would like to attend or even host once on campus? You could also write about a specific research or study abroad experience that would enhance your understanding of other people, ideas, or culture and enable you to foster bridge-building of your own on campus.
Sample:
“Where are the cleaning supplies?”
I paused. “What do you mean?
“For clean up block… at the end of the day.”
Clean up block was one of the first Japanese traditions Akira shared with me when we first met. I’ve since learned that teachers make house calls to students’ houses, and that many Japanese individuals refrain from public displays of affection. These discoveries spawned further questions: Did students in other countries clean up after themselves too? How did they greet their friends? Elders?
Akira’s arrival into my life triggered a curiosity about other peoples and places, and their values and traditions. Most importantly, it led me to found my school’s Dinner Party Club. One Friday evening a month, students from my school meet in our school kitchen to try our hand at cooking a traditional meal and watch a classic movie from a new country. If one of our members has ties to the country, they lead the charge, choosing the recipe and the film, and sharing more about their culture over dinner.
When my school asked me to be Akira’s peer mentor when she moved to our district, I assumed I’d make a new friend, but I did not anticipate the extent to which this new friendship would broaden my understanding of the world. At NYU, I look forward to building bridges between other cultures and peoples in informal “Dinner Parties,” and learning about international relations bridges (or lack thereof) in the classroom, both in NYC and abroad.
