College Admission Essays: Survey and Chronological Order Essay Example

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There are seven common types of essay structures.  These types include: chronological order, interrupted chronological order, survey, description and interpretation, comparison and contrast, pro and con, and cause and effect.  Below is an example college admission essay that uses survey and chronological order. 

In the summer of 2001 I found myself living halfway around the world. I was finally in Japan. My first challenge was to adapt to another culture. Although this culture was not entirely new to me because of my prior studies and a previous visit in March of the same year, I was visiting it on different terms. My first trip was a nine-day trip in March as a tourist visiting Odaiba, Kyoto, and Yokohama. This time I was in Japan, living in West Tokyo, to experience life in another culture.

I was first exposed to Japanese language and culture in elementary school when a friend introduced me to Animé (Japanese Animation). I fell in love with the culture and language. Now, with years of continued interest and study, I have had invaluable life experiences that I will never forget and which will be there for me to build on.

During the first two weeks I was granted permission to attend a traditional Japanese school. As a native English speaking person, I took on the role of resident English specialist. I spent most periods helping students with pronunciation of English vocabulary. During classes I participated in discussions of American history, government, and current affairs.

Living with my host family, I realized that I had always taken for granted the amount of living space I had to myself. My host family's apartment was comfortable, but it was only about one and a half times the size of my bedroom at home. Suddenly I realized how attached I had been to materialism; bigger and more of something is not always better. My attempts in making Tokyo my own included several trips to Akiharbara - the consumer electronics district - and a personal introduction to the Vice Governor of Tokyo. Going into the city allowed me to meet people who had the same interests in things that I did: the advancement of technology. When I met the Vice Governor I felt like I had a personal welcome extended to me by a high ranking official who in most situations would probably not notice me, but being declared as an ambassador to Japan by the Mitsui Corporations, my visit meant all the difference.

Near the end of my visit my host brother took me to his friend’s house on Oshima Island. Our stay was scheduled for five days but was cut short because of an oncoming typhoon. Having only experienced snow and thunderstorms the idea of a typhoon was more than overwhelming. Nevertheless on the last day before our return to Tokyo we climbed Mt. Mihara, a currently inactive volcano. Climbing a volcano was enough to make me nervous, and with a typhoon coming, I was on edge.

While ascending to the its summit, I expected to look outward from the volcano’s peak and witness a beautiful view of this island and the its surrounding waters.

However I had not expected was that I would also look inward and see myself from a new perspective. On Mt. Mihara, the importance of setting goals became critically clear to me. With this realization I became conscious that I had accomplished one of my first major goals in life. I had actually lived in Japan. I was not in Japan merely by chance. Although I received a lot of support, I worked very hard. Having accomplished one goal, I realized I could accomplish bigger and better ones. I felt tiny on top of this island with a population of less than 10,000, looking out at water. Although I felt small in a large world, I realized I could do more than I had previously imagined.

In preparation for college, I began to create new goals, such as maintaining good peer relationships and participating in extra curricular activities. But most importantly, I hoped to find a school that would help my growth and maturation within Japanese language and culture. Looking inward atop Mt. Mihara, I came to know that if I have clear goals and work hard, I can clarify my own vision and direct the path of my life.