Berkeley (Max.

350 words for each question)

Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced
others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time.

People often think that swimming is solely an individual sport. But as a swimmer myself, I can
say that that is not true. Swimming is much more than just swimming your race, it’s about
cheering and motivating your teammates when they’re down, and about working together
towards a goal.

Although I had already participated in the Spanish National Championships, my teammates

didn't have the required individual qualifying times. But we could participate via a relay race,
and this became our dream for the season. There is more strategy behind relays than what it
would seem like, for example, the order and stroke selected for each swimmer are essential. But
so is teamwork. I felt I had the responsibility to make that dream happen.

Every single day in practice I made sure we were all giving our one hundred percent. I
encouraged the team to take breaks when needed but ensured we worked hard when it was time
too. We failed several times throughout the year to achieve the qualifying times. But I made sure
they didn’t give up by constantly encouraging and cheering them on. We are student-athletes, so
the teamwork was extended to the classroom as well. If they needed help, I was there to lend
them a hand. Our final attempt at achieving the qualifying time came around at a local
competition, and we gave it our very best. The last person touched the wall and we looked at the
time. We’ve done it! All the hard work finally paid off.

One month later we participated in Spanish Nationals. We didn’t win of course. In fact, I believe
we came last. But it was a dream come true for my team and thus, it was a dream come true for
me.
What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and
demonstrated that talent over time?

I will describe a few examples where persistence has defined the outcomes I have achieved till
today.

I started swimming and learning the piano when I was six and when I was seven, I picked up the
violin. Now, these are still my passions. However, it hasn’t been easy all the time.

There were countless times where balancing these activities with the most demanding academic
courses was tough. Apart from all the stress and lack of free time, the results didn’t seem to
correlate to the amount of effort put in. In one same year, I got disqualified after winning my
races in both a US and a Spanish championship. In violin, once I failed a semester examination
in front of a live audience. Furthermore, once my piano teacher advised me against participating
in a scheduled concert. These were the moments where it didn’t make sense to continue putting
in time and effort. But I am glad I didn’t quit and that I persisted and continued to work hard.
Eventually, I broke the Madrid 17-year-old 50 meters breaststroke record, and later that year, I
won two gold medals in the Spanish Nationals Championships. Moreover, I passed my
examination for seventh grade at a conservatory in violin and I obtained full marks in my piano
examination.

After years of hard work, there is a reward which is irreplaceable: that feeling of satisfaction
after learning a very difficult music piece, the chills I get when the audience stands up to applaud
after an orchestra concert, the satisfaction of touching the wall to find I’ve won a national gold
medal. All while still getting a full score on IB high level Physics. Those feelings combined
make all the years of sacrifice worth it. And thus, my greatest skill isn’t swimming, playing an
instrument, getting grades. My greatest skill is being persistent and never giving up.
Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked
to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.

Having lived around the world, from China to Turkey to Dubai and to Spain, I am always eager
to experience new things, especially if that means going out of my comfort zone. So when
presented with the opportunity to study in the US for a year, I didn’t hesitate to take it.

Early 2016, after a competitive selection process, the non-for-profit organization ASSIST
awarded me a scholarship to study one full year as an intern at Wyoming Seminary, a US elite
Independent School in Pennsylvania. During that year I took advantage of all the opportunities
given to me at that school, especially those that I wouldn’t have had back in my home country.

I continued to pursue my passion in the subject of mathematics and physics by forming part of
the Engineering Club where we did numerous projects throughout the year, such as constructing
life-size catapults and Ga-ga arenas (for school tournaments). Also, taking advantage of the
school’s prestigious music department and outstanding facilities, I joined the school’s string
ensemble and orchestra and played as second chair in the area’s civic orchestra. Furthermore, as
an international student myself at the school, I felt the need to join the International Club. Not
only that but, despite just being there for a few months, the members elected me to be the
executive; to orchestrate and plan the different events along the year (such as the school’s
favorite: “International Dinner”, where students from all around the world prepare traditional
dishes of their home country.) Additionally, I participated in the school play, an activity
completely out of my comfort zone, and one that I ended up really enjoying. I continued to
nurture my ardor for sports by being the first person in the school’s swimming program history to
win a gold medal at state championships, by joining the tennis team, and by founding the
school’s ping-pong club.

I’m certain I will have more opportunities in the future. And just like this once-in-a-lifetime one
ASSIST gave me, I will continue to take advantage and make the most of all of them.
Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this
interest inside and/or outside of the classroom

Since I was little, the topic of robotics and programming has always intrigued me.

My first exposure to computers was in the Robotics class of a school enrichment program I got
nominated to, during my Primary Years. It was there where I was first introduced to the basic
concepts and knowledge on programming and thus, that was the initial spark that lightened my
passion for programming. Back then, my creations ranged from Lego Mindstorm scorpions that
would attack on sight, to a sort of Segway that would balance on two wheels. The potential to
create anything and everything imaginable has amazed me ever since.

As I got older, I decided to learn more about computers. My secondary schools did not offer
related courses, so I pursued this interest on my own. I took an edX course on Java, read
Android Programming books and developed mobile apps. I started with a simple gallery
application where one can view published photos. Now, I’ve started to work on a sports blog
app where coaches and athletes from around the world can share their experiences and
improvement tips on any sport. My ambition is to one day program a viral app.

Furthermore, I knew math played a big role in programming and robotics, and it has always been
my favorite subject at school. I took this interest inside the classroom, by always taking the most
advanced math class available to me. That led me to represent my school class two years in a
row in the Madrid Math Competition "Concurso de Primavera". When in the US, where I could
choose subjects, I took honors math alongside other advanced courses. And for my internal
assessment in IB math, I researched Bayes Theorem and Naive Bayes Classifiers, a topic I find
incredibly interesting for its potential in AI technology, a subject which I find especially
intriguing.
If there's anything else you want us to know about you, now's your chance. But remember,
you should use this space only if you want to describe anything that you have not had the
opportunity to include elsewhere in the application. This shouldn't be an essay, but rather a
place to explain unusual personal or family circumstances, or anything that may be unclear
in other parts of the application. This should not be used to answer an additional personal
insight question.