Johns Hopkins University was founded in 1876 on a spirit of exploration and discovery. As a result, students can pursue a multi-dimensional undergraduate experience both in and outside of the classroom. Given the opportunities at Hopkins, please discuss your current interests (academic, extracurricular, personal passions, summer experiences, etc.) and how you will build upon them here. (300-500) The International Studies and Mathematics departments make Johns Hopkins an ideal place to explore my longstanding fascination with the strategy of resolving conflict. I can trace this interest back to age four, when my grandfather started teaching me how to play chess. Ever since, I’ve been obsessed with all forms of strategy, from Mah Jong to Fantasy Football trades to negotiating who gets the last portion of spaghetti. But I learned how complex reconciling opposing demands can be …show more content…
This would be equivalent to the way I’ve played hundreds of chess games, and experimented with different openings, weighing the benefits and vulnerabilities. Thus far, my experience with international issues has been focused on Chinese history, culture, and language. In both my immersion K-8 school and the highest levels offered at my high school, I studied primary sources from the Maoist era, memorized Tang dynasty poems, and presented current events in Chinese, which has given me a multifaceted understanding of China’s development. My understanding China also gives me insights about the issues facing other cultures. Through the undergraduate programs, but also the Direct Matriculation Program: Masters in International Studies, I’d continue my studies of Chinese affairs, and also seek to translate that same intellectual depth and rigor to the studies of other