Educational Opportunity: College Admission Essay Sample

"Those who do not know their opponents’ arguments do not completely understand their own.” My mother had emailed me the quote, saying it reminded her of me. As I read the quote, I saw how it reflected my life. In all my schooling, all my education, I had come to form my own opinions. These were not blind opinions, but ones of careful observation. Through debate projects, controversial issue assignments, and discussions with peers, I had been able to explore issues I felt strongly about. I came to develop my own political views from what I saw going on in the world, from what I had learned, from what I perceived to be the “right” choice.

Knowing and understanding another’s views is important in establishing one’s own. When researching a debate, your main points of argument often spring from knowing the opponents’ points. You attempt to know every facet of the opposing argument, every possible aspect that may be discussed from the other side. This is similar to education, similar to gaining one’s own knowledge. You are told the facts, told the steps, but a truly critical analysis is left up to one’s own choice.

My AP United States history teacher helped instill a commitment to critical analysis in the examination of history. Instead of using only the regular textbook, she provided us with an alternate history book. This text provided a different analysis of history, one that focused less on the “major players” and more on the common man. She would constantly ask us about authors’ biases, and how to best interpret the different facts. Everything had a reason, everything had a cause, and everything had different viewpoints. She would ask “why”, sometimes writing it endlessly on our essays. Why did women fight for the temperance movement, why did FDR implement the Civilian Conservation Corps, why did the US leave its isolationist policies? To answer the question demanded an ability to understand not only the facts of history, but also an ability to comprehend the underlying motives and conflicting interests still evident in American society.

The quote also applies to the Theory of Knowledge class I am taking for the International Baccalaureate program. In our discussions, we practice Socratic dialogue. No one is interrupted, and ideas can be freely shared among the students. It is quite different from the debate format because no one is attempting to disprove another’s argument or thought process. The idea is to listen to each individual in the group, and then contribute something valid regarding the topic. For example, we read an article concerning the role journalists and cameramen should take in relation to their work. The article argued that it is necessary for these people to take interest in their work, that objectivity can kill what needs to be shown. Some students agreed with the article, while others argued that it is perfectly viable for a journalist or photographer to remain detached from his work. A classmate stated, “a photographer need not starve in order to photograph a starving child.” I agreed with the student, but felt subjectivity was still needed in the photographer’s work. The objectivity of the photographer promotes the passivity of the viewer. The viewer is detached from the work and only an observer. Subjectivity, on the other hand, promotes participant observers.

The quote my mother sent me seems to accurately fit my life and the education I have received. As I go to college, I hope to be immersed in even greater discussions and even greater debates from many different viewpoints and cultures. I will attempt to understand the issues presented to me, in turn understanding the expanding world.