Get Grayson into William & Mary

For as long as I can remember, I have always wanted to attend The College of William & Mary. I can remember as a little kid perusing the plaques on the wall of the Wren Building, or running around in the sunken gardens, imagining what it must have been like for Thomas Jefferson, or James Monroe, or even a Powhatan Indian, to study there.

Every year my family’s annual trip to Williamsburg the day after Christmas always included a stroll along the brick walkways of your campus. William & Mary was truly the only institution where I honestly felt at home. Perhaps it was my love of history, or maybe it was all the times I’ve been in Williamsburg, but I have always seen myself as a student there, riding my bike around campus, getting something to eat at the Cheese Shop, or going to Zable Stadium and cheer (if not play) for the Tribe.

As mentioned before, I have always had an infatuation with history, as well as international relations. William & Mary always seemed to me to have that perfect balance of the two. The College is at once steeped in the traditions of the past, yet is also a progressive, forward looking institution. I wish to pursue a career in the Foreign Service. I have participated in Geography Bees, An annual WorldQuest Competition, and am President of Model U.N. at my high school. I even started a World Affairs Club at my school in order to further the cause of global awareness there. I attended weekly lectures on current global issues sponsored by the World Affairs Council of Greater Hampton Roads for no other reason than that those things interested me. Colin Powell is a man who I hold in high regard, and the fact that he is so supportive of the international relations department at William & Mary only furthers my resolve to go there.

In some ways the atmosphere at William & Mary mirrors my own personality. William & Mary has always celebrated “Life in the Balance” as a central aspect of student life on campus. In all honesty, I cannot think of a bigger polymath than myself. The activities I have participated in at school and in the community are numerous and myriad. I am told that colleges do not look for quantity over quality, yet I have been 100% committed to every single extracurricular activity I have participated in. I have never quit anything, and I have resolved to see all the activities I have participated in to the end. In retrospect I probably overbooked myself with activities, and my grades have suffered as a direct result of the over participation in those activities. Yet I participated in the wide range of activities I did because I wished to embody William & Mary’s ethic of being a well rounded person.

In spite of all my aspirations, I have been recently notified of my placement on the waiting list for the William & Mary Class of 2012. As reiterated previously, it has been my desire for my entire life to attend the College. If I am eventually accepted into The College of William & Mary, I will definitely attend.

I thank the admission committee in advance for their time and reconsideration in my admission status to William and Mary.