A Look Back.

Common App and Post Grad

Below are the new prompts from the 2023-2024 common app. I believe when I wrote mine, only the first three were available as options.

1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

2. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

4. Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

6. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

7. Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

---

I had previously lost my college application essays when my high school email was deleted. I shared it with my new email but didn’t remember to back it up. When it was initially deleted during my sophomore year of college I was honestly devastated. I spent the week sending out emails to various departments to see if I could request a copy with no luck. I eventually just forgot about it. At my graduation for my master’s, I unfortunately had my diploma mishandled, I then had to go on a subsequent day to the Buckeyelink office to pick it up. When I got there, I noticed the Department of Admissions was next door and asked if I could request a copy of my initial application. Fortunately, I was able to walk right in, and weirdly enough I’m now grateful for whoever misplaced my diploma.

I thought it would be fun to reflect and share what I wrote at the time. I think the prompts are still weirdly complex to this day.

---

Prompt Selected:

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

Common App essay:

The cold surgical table beneath me made me shutter; as the mask encompassed my mouth, I felt the wretched bitter taste of anesthetic. I lay there helpless and immobile, growing weaker by the second as my body grew warm and my eyesight blurry. My vision began skipping frames like a choppy stop-motion video. Throughout the blinding white room, a crowd surrounded me as everything faded to oblivion…

This scene was all too familiar growing up. My childhood memories are blurry, submerged in clouds of anesthetic. It seemed like I was constantly drifting in and out of consciousness, traveling from one operating room to the next. At birth, I was diagnosed with the rare condition of lower limb gigantism syndrome. The condition inhibited my mobility, barring me from traveling long distances or running. I was constantly weighted down by the fatty tissue that engulfed the lower left half of my body. I was subjected to constant yearly operations ranging anywhere from liposuction, bone shortening, and screw and plate insertion to debulking. Although the surgeries and medical complications held me back physically, they never deterred my spirits. Above all, no matter the struggle, each and every surgery led me to greater potential and my ambition only grew. Adaptation became an aptitude of mine as new challenges constantly arose.

I never allowed myself to fall behind, always working to maximize my potential. I never sought pity from others but rather endured my pain in silence as I walked the extra mile, pushed my legs to the limit, and refused to rest until I was behind closed doors. Throughout my elementary years, I would eagerly race other kids on the playground even when I knew the odds were stacked against me. To me, failure was less daunting than the uncertainty of never trying. I would limp at full force to cross the finish line despite the excruciating pain that blurred my vision. My goal was to be seen not as a charity case but as a competitor.

In spite of my endeavors, I could not ignore the reality of my medical complications. Eventually, my surgical improvements plateaued. I was faced with only one option: amputation. I did research and discovered the running blade, a device promising an ability I sought so desperately. At that very moment, I committed to the operation. On December 17th, 2015, my left leg was amputated. Despite all the research that I had done, unforeseen challenges followed. I began to have phantom pains, and I had to relearn how to walk as the new medication clouded my mind. This was the greatest challenge that I had faced yet, testing my mental strength to the brink of despair. My newfound lack of spatial awareness had my prosthetic whirling in all the wrong directions. I constantly tripped over tables, chairs, and curbs with every step I took. Being forced to spend extensive amounts of time learning such a “simple” concept was infuriating. Each fall proved to be harder than the last. However, giving up on my dream of running was not an option, and I knew that without enduring this frustrating period of adjustment, this dream would be unattainable. There were days where all hope seemed lost…

During moments of vulnerability like these, I take a moment to reflect on my experiences and recognize that the life I’ve lived is far from average. As I retrace my scars, I understand that each one is part of my identity. I never let my circumstances define me but instead, I leveraged my struggle to refine myself into a better human being. My mental and physical strife has molded my spirit into something unbreakable. At the end of the day, I wouldn’t trade my life experiences for anyone else’s, for they have made me who I am. My life is no longer clouded and bound to the surgical table. My future lies ahead with limitless potential.

---

Reflection:

Rereading this, it’s still probably one of my better-written works to date. Although, to be fair I had a lot of help. Special shoutout to all the friends who helped edit this back in the day to help me find the right words. It would not be nearly as well written if I had done this without their help (seriously, thank you guys).

Looking back I don’t have too much criticism for myself, yes it could have been better but I’m typically not too hard on my past self. I don’t see the point.

I will say though… Wow. That guy was a bit dramatic. At 17/18 years old, I’ll give him some grace. I think he would be okay with how our life has turned out thus far.

If you’ve made it this far, thanks for taking the time to read.

Always wishing you the best,

Corey Chiou