Sample University of Maryland Undergraduate Application Essays

Prompt: One definition of sacrifice is "to surrender or give up, or permit injury or disadvantage to, for the sake of something else." Describe a time when you put the significant needs of someone else ahead of your own. 

The pain jolted through my arm. The needle slid in effortlessly, as if my skin was not there. I am deathly afraid of needles... As the blood drained from my body, the color faded from my face and all feelings disappeared from my arm. Halfway through, I saw other donors fainting... one second upright, the next, limp on the ground but it was already too late to back down. So I sat there, sipping a cold beverage as the rest of the pint flowed out. At the end, my attendant jerked the needle out, and much to my surprise, it did not hurt at all. My first step on solid ground was unsteady, like an infant's when attempting to walk for the first time. Each step sent my head spinning wildly and I could do nothing but fall back into the reclined chair. Eventually, I was able to maneuver without assistance and my only true obstacles were stairs.
My first blood drive opened my eyes. I realized that I did not donate to fulfill any heroic fantasies I have. I am not looking for appreciation or acknowledgement. I did not donate because it is easy, since needles frighten me and I certainly did not go under peer pressure because there were only a few other people who went. I donated because I know that every minute of every day, someone suffers an accident and needs a blood transfusion. I know neither where my blood has gone nor to whom it has been given to, but I know that every life is worth saving so it does not matter. As human beings sharing the same world, we have an obligation to help each other because, after all, we must live with each other and with the consequences of our actions.
Prompt: The former king of Bhutan, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, has expressed a philosophy of "Gross National Happiness" as a measurement of the success of the country. What is your personal philosophy? Tell us why you believe it could be used to evaluate a country's success.
My personal philosophy is to make priorities. Understanding what is important is indispensable to attaining happiness and general welfare. It is very similar to the economic principle of analysis of opportunity cost, which states that in order to gain anything, something else must be given up. For me, losing extra hours of sleep over busy work is not worth the cost. In this way, I have accomplished two of my highest priorities, to progress through school with high marks and to have enough time to participate in activities that I enjoy. I am not a perfectionist in that I strive to be perfect on every assignment given to me. Rather, I prioritize and understand what is needed in order to excel.
In order to measure the success of a country, one will need to look no further than its top priorities. However, "success" a vague term so I will define it. In order for any nation to be successful, they will have to accomplish their stated goals. This definition fits because at one point, the British Empire spanned across the entire world. Can one argue that Britain is not as successful today as it was in the past? Not necessarily. There are many more factors to consider in that comparison. Therefore, for simplicity's sake, success in this context means the meeting of current goals. For nations such as the United States, top priorities might include a foreclosure prevention program to diminish the housing crisis and assistance for citizens in the purchase of private health care. However, out of the 505 promises President Obama made during his campaign, 64 percent have not seen any progress. Therefore, the United States has not been successful in fulfilling its promises to the constituents. Using my personal philosophy can determine the success of a country.