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’m not scared of much. Heights? No problem. Tight spaces? I’m only five foot six! And spiders? Honestly, I’m a fan of anything that eats mosquitoes. But there is one thing that absolutely terrifies me: pigeons. Perhaps my fear of the birds started when I was eight years old, and my older brother convinced me that pigeons were bloodthirsty creatures with a taste for little boys’ eyes. Or maybe it began when I galavanted into Trafalgar Square with a fresh, crumbly scone and ran out screaming, empty-handed, and covered in feathers. Whatever the case, the pigeon—unpredictable, violent, and voracious—is my mortal enemy.  When I turned fourteen, I decided that enough was enough. With high school upon me, I needed to conquer my fear of pigeons. Thus began my pigeon exposure therapy.  With a mantra of “go big or go home,” I decided to venture into the heart of St. Paul, where thousands of pigeons dwell. For a few hours each week, I glued myself to a city bench and forced myself to watch the foul creatures strut across the sidewalk, their grating coos sending shudders down my spine. Other people, however, seemed unbothered; a group of old ladies even threw them fistfuls of corn.  Eventually, I approached the group and asked one of the women to lend me some corn. I took a deep breath, stood up...and launched the kernels into the air. I was instantly surrounded by a storm of beating wings and insistent hoots. Feathers swirled all around me. I had to fight every urge to not scream and run away. But nothing happened. I didn’t die, I wasn’t attacked, and my eyes remained (mercifully) un-gouged. I didn’t fully conquer my fear of pigeons that day—but I was definitely on my way.  Ultimately, the most successful outcome of my pigeon experiment was a new framework for facing my fears. Not shrinking away, but actively pursuing the thing that scares me, leads to the biggest gains. When I was fifteen, I had three thousand dollars saved: the culmination of a year’s work launching various enterprises, skimming pools, and generally currying the favor of various relatives. When a few friends and I started [Organization Redacted], a political technology business, I knew that I could add value. But, to get cofounder equity, I’d have to fork over my cash. Could I really give up all that money to take part in a risky business endeavor? If the business cratered, I would lose everything. But I decided to face my fear of failure. I put the money in and got my hands dirty: writing emails and making hundreds of calls to potential clients, working with software engineers, and promoting the business to reporters and elected officials. In our first six months, our business was already profitable. A year later, we’ve worked with dozens of campaigns—across several states—and have made tens of thousands in profit. The world is a big place, and there are much scarier things out there than pigeons. Our political system is broken, healthcare is inaccessible to so many, and conflict ravages all corners of the globe. Hanging above it all is climate change, which will drastically worsen life for billions of people. Before I surmounted my fear of pigeons, I would have been paralyzed—by my fear, by the enormity and seeming insurmountability of these issues. But now I know that even the most terrifying problems can be overcome through tenacity and courage.  I was eating at an outdoor cafe the other day, when suddenly a pigeon swooped onto my table. Its orange eyes—flat and shiny as pennies—swept over me, and its mottled plumage puffed slightly in the breeze. I did not scream or run away. Instead, I broke off a corner of my sandwich and slid it across the table. I was still afraid—but I’ve come to realize that even fear itself isn’t so scary.

Click to read full content

Most significant challenge society faces

Society has lost its capacity to hold meaningful discussion. Discourse—once propelled by thoroughly-informed citizens and a robust press—is now mediated through mis-cut videos and toxic comment sections. The result? Nuance has left most political discussions. 280 characters is not enough space to thoughtfully debate The Bachelor —and definitely not immigration!

Click to read full content

Last two summers

Enduring behind-the-wheel lessons with my QAnon conspiracist driving instructor; playing Pictionary with friends; perfecting my snickerdoodle recipe; attending speech nationals and running a free speaking camp; starting and scaling a business; successfully converting my best friend into an anime fan; accidentally going viral on Quora.

Click to read full content

Historical moment or event

Croatoan.  That’s the only word left behind by a group of over one hundred Roanoke colonists before they disappeared forever. Why?  I’d love to explore American history’s greatest mystery and determine the fate of the fabled Lost Colony. Did they vanish through assimilation, disease, war—or something else altogether?

Click to read full content

Briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities, a job you hold, or responsibilities you have for your family.

How can Biden broker peace in Nagorno-Karabakh? As I discuss American diplomacy in front of several caffeine-deprived judges, I also explore the geopolitics of Azerbaijani rap and Biden’s budding bromance with Armenia’s president Armen Sarkissian.  Speech has been a laboratory for intellectual exploration and a crucible for lasting friendships.

Click to read full content

One thing you are looking forward to at Stanford

I’m excited to take Professor Paul Pfleiderer’s class, “Investors and the Social Responsibility of Business,” so I can explore the ways corporations can and should tackle society’s greatest challenges. In turn, I hope to use this newfound knowledge to guide my own entrepreneurial ambitions and thinking.

Click to read full content

Reflect on an idea or experience that makes you excited about learning

For my thirteenth birthday, my parents gave me a book I’ll never forget. It was a sprawling epic packed with stories of power and betrayal, blazing triumphs and crushing defeats. Best of all, it wasn’t fantasy: it was about real events. That book, Team of Rivals , served as my first introduction to the fascinating world of politics—a world that has enthralled me ever since. Indeed, Team of Rivals inspired my voracious appetite for political intrigue, and I have since devoured dozens of other books that explore the nuances of American and international affairs. Thomas Reeve’s "Gentleman Boss" brought me back to debates over civil service reform, Reconstruction, and Chester A. Arthur’s questionable grooming decisions; Edward Gibbons’ "The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" made me appreciate how even the greatest nations can erode and eventually fade away.  While narratives are engrossing, the real value of such political stories lies in the information they provide: distillations of history and reflections about statesmanship and governance. Reading these works has led me to a question I continue to explore: How do we build enduring and equitable societies? Though no two experts agree on the answer to this query, I hope to continue my own scholarship, analyze various macroeconomic structures, and ultimately find my own answers to this critical and vexing problem.

Click to read full content

Note to future roommate

Hi!  My name is Ananth. Growing up in the mostly white suburb of [Place Redacted], [Place Redacted], I’ve heard all kinds of pronunciations: An-Ant, A-Nut, A-Newt, and (my personal favorite) An-Oaf (it’s Un-Unth, by the way). Now that we’re roommates, there are a few things you should know about me.  First, I am a podhead. No, that’s not a typo—I’m talking about podcasts. If I have my headphones in (and I’m not jamming to Dominic Fike), I’m probably bingeing the latest podcast from Morbid or How I Built This . I’m happy to listen with you, but fair warning: I listen to everything at 3x speed. You might notice that my side of the room is relatively bare. Spartan, even. I promise, I’m not a sociopath! My mom’s Marie Kondo obsession has (unfortunately) rubbed off on me. Still, I’m perpetually on the quest for things that spark joy, whether that’s a Cinderella Story movie poster or a pennant from the Minnesota Turtle Derby. Finally, people cope differently in response to stress or boredom, whether that’s lifting weights or watching TV. I bake—so I apologize in advance if the Freshman Fifteen strikes our room particularly hard.  Oh, and one more thing: I’m a huge fan of the non sequitur. I constantly buzz about different topics, whether it’s celebrity gossip, the pain of being a Vikings fan, or the (non)existence of free will. I love good conversation, so I’m always in the mood to talk and listen.  Cheers, and I’m excited to meet you!

Click to read full content

Something meaningful to you and why

It’s 11 p.m. when my brother wakes me from a deep slumber. I cringe under his flashlight. “Go away,” I groan. “Mom and Dad are asleep,” he says. Instantly, I perk up. “Does this mean...?” He nods. “Car’s waiting downstairs.” It’s a twenty-minute drive to the University of Minnesota campus, the headlights cutting a beam through the darkness. Finally, we arrive at our destination: Raising Cane’s, a brightly-lit restaurant on a quiet street corner. You might not understand why this is a big deal. I didn’t either, initially. But the first time my brother, [Name Redacted] (then a high-school junior), took me to Cane’s, I was enraptured. It’s the perfect meal: juicy chicken fingers with tangy Cane’s sauce, Texas toast and crinkle-cut fries, and even fresh lemonade. Cane’s became my and [Name Redacted]’s thing as he finished high school, and we’d go every week. When [Name Redacted] left for college, I was cut off from Cane’s. But every time he returned for break, we made the trek up to Minneapolis to feast and connect.  Cane’s may be just a fast-food restaurant, but, to me, it’s a time machine. Each bite transports me back to the previous trips I made with my brother, when he was a cool high-schooler and I was eager to get his attention. [Name Redacted] and I still go to Cane’s whenever he visits home. Now, though, it’s not about the food. It’s an opportunity to connect and spend a few hours together—just like when we were kids.

Click to read full content

Tell us why you decided to apply to the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In addition, please include why you are interested in studying the major(s) you have selected. If you selected undecided please describe your areas of possible academic interest. (you may enter up to 650 words).

Why is populism surging across the Rust Belt? Should the US tighten its monetary policy as states reopen their economies? From a young age, economics has fascinated me. Beyond providing gripping stories of financial intrigue, they raise important questions about the future, and they unearth indispensable insights into how societies think and act. Taking classes at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Economics Department would allow me to explore my intellectual curiosities and help me analyze the social, political, and economic factors that influence individual behavior. In particular, I’m excited to take the class The Economics of Growing-Up and Getting Old. Beyond getting to learn more about how people develop into and out of the economy, I'd appreciate the opportunity to refine my quantitative and qualitative reasoning skills. Knowing how economic models influence our everyday behavior, and also what that means for society, is integral to becoming an innovative social scientist. I'm confident that this class would empower me to understand the modern American family unit and its relationship to the economy, while simultaneously providing me and a body of similarly-curious peers with a groundbreaking way of assessing topics like intergenerational transfers and healthcare economics. I also hope to take some classes in the political science department, where I can apply my learning to the political technology business I co-founded, Rally. Rally was created with the aim of empowering local political campaigns with various electoral tools, including analyses of likely voters and donors. A class like Elections and Voting Behavior would allow me to bring insights about elections to my team, so we could refine our algorithm and make a larger splash in the local political sphere. Outside of the classroom, I aim to solidify my learning by participating in UW-Madison’s various colloquia. Whether it’s forums on comparative politics or international relations, I’d love the opportunity to hold close-knit conversations with notable scholars and discuss—and potentially challenge—their works. I’m especially excited about UW-Madison’s Election Research Center. I’ve closely followed publications out of the research body over the past few years, so having the chance to work alongside some of its intellectual architects—including my personal favorite, Rikhil Bhavnani—is thrilling! Plus, doing research at UW-Madison would provide me on-the-ground access to Wisconsin, which has become an increasingly important swing state in national elections. This would only further contribute to my ability to grow Rally into a successful business while giving me the chance to become a more outspoken political advocate. My academic interests extend beyond public policy and elections, too. From an early age, I’ve also been deeply interested in entrepreneurship. At the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Business and Entrepreneurship Hub, I could receive mentorship from acclaimed business leaders and make connections with other company founders. In turn, I hope to start my own company in college, contributing to UW-Madison's vibrant entrepreneurial culture. Most importantly, enrolling at the University of Wisconsin-Madison would allow me to embark on a personal journey of self-discovery. Clubs like the India Students Association would help me to celebrate my heritage and promote cultural exchanges with UW-Madison’s diverse student body, while the Cooking Club would allow me to share my famous butterscotch-chocolate chip cookies with friends! Ultimately, I’m excited for my experience at UW-Madison, and I hope that I can use my education post-graduation to positively impact public policy and the economy.

Click to read full content

The University values diversity, broadly defined to include diversity of experiences, perspectives, backgrounds, and talents. Enrolling a diverse community of scholars interested in learning with and from each other fosters discussion and discovery inside and outside of the classroom. Please share briefly how you might contribute to, or benefit from, our community of scholars.

From the age of seven, I’ve dreamt of becoming an entrepreneur. At the University of Minnesota’s Toaster Innovation Hub, I could achieve that dream, receiving mentorship from acclaimed business leaders and making connections with other company founders. I hope to start my own company in college, contributing to the University of Minnesota’s vibrant entrepreneurial culture. Going to the University of Minnesota would also mean working with personal heroes and close friends. I’m excited at the possibility of researching the urban-rural divide in Minnesota with Larry Jacobs (whose political commentary I closely follow) or joining the debate team and getting to collaborate with friends I used to compete against in high school debate. My interest in the University of Minnesota isn’t purely academic, either. Clubs like the Indian Student Association would allow me to celebrate my heritage and promote cultural exchanges with a diverse student body.

Click to read full content

Please include an explanation of why you would like to study the major(s) you have selected. You may also use this space to indicate your interest in other major(s) in the colleges listed above. (Maximum 150 words)

Economics fascinates me for its ability to unearth important insights about how societies think and act. In the University of Minnesota’s Economics Department, I’d satiate my intellectual curiosity by analyzing the economic factors that influence individuals’ behaviors. In particular, I'm intrigued by how countries can create equitable, well-developed economies. Taking discussion-based classes like Poverty and Income Inequality or International Trade would raise thought-provoking debates over topics like globalization and trade restrictions, and could even provide me with a new way of thinking. I’m equally excited to take the class Political Psychology of Mass Behavior. Delving into topics like electoral game theory, personality cults, and cognitive sophistication with peers from a variety of backgrounds would be both illuminating and informative. I hope to use my education post-graduation to positively impact public policy and the economy.

Click to read full content