The MQM application can appear to be a very challenging task at first. But with a little help from the blog Admissions recently shared with advice on how to approach the application as a whole, and examples in this blog of how to approach the “25 Random Things” essay, hopefully you’ll be off to a great start.

Yan Jin

  1. I can speak three languages fluently: Korean, Chinese, and English.
  2. My parents gave me books as gifts all the time, and I liked it. My childhood dream was becoming a writer. Because of my interest in reading, I double-majored in philosophy during college.
  3. When I was 15, I wrote a song to my mom for her birthday.
  4. I really like dancing! Especially hip-pop and K-pop dance. I like to film dance videos and post them on Instagram.
  5. My typical Saturday in New York City usually consists of three things: 1) Have brunch with friends, 2) Explore the newest exhibition, and 3) Grab a bubble tea and walk back home.
  6. There is a sweet pony named Hershey and he has been a great teacher to me since I joined Lehigh’s Equestrian Team my freshman year. Spending four years with my team has taught me that if we hit bumps in the road, we’ll just cross over them like three-foot jumps. I believe there’s nothing that can stop me on the way to pursuing my goal.

Chris Lin

  1. My favorite quote: “Success isn’t always about ‘Greatness’; it’s about consistency. Consistent, hard work gains success. Greatness will come.” It’s by Dwayne Johnson and is an anchor for me and a personal mantra I gravitate to. It also motivated me to put on ten pounds of muscles, so I was no longer called the skinny boy.
  2. They say people cheer for you when finishing last in a race. I did not believe it until I received a full round of applause, finishing dead last in a swimming contest. (p.s. My goggles fell off right after I dove into the water)
  3. I volunteered at my community college’s campus food bank for a year and a half. Giving out whole turkeys on Thanksgiving to families in need would be the highlight of my time there. The feeling of seeing the joy in their eyes still warms me to date.
  4. I can’t study unless I am in a completely quiet room. But a noise-canceling headphone and some Art Pepper’s Jazz will also do the trick.
  5. I was the interim squad leader during my mandatory military service in Taiwan. Leading and coordinating with individuals who came from diverse backgrounds and social classes has taught me to be more considerate and compassionate.
  6. I’m super indecisive when it comes to ordering food. Chicken pieces or tenders at Popeyes is still a tough one.
  7. Basketball plays a part in almost every boy’s childhood in Taiwan. I’m no exception. It might sound cliché, but I did learn to be a team person by playing hoops.

Linh Nguyen

  1. My father does not work as a teacher, but he tutored me in math, physics, and chemistry until grade 12! Our favorite lesson is geometry since we had to imagine and think of what line to draw to effectively solve the problem. And yes, my dad can draw a perfect circle without a compass, which I can never do!! #mycapableman
  2. My childhood dream is to become an MC/host and have a show of my own. I still do the job sometimes now, though not as a profession. Among shows I have hosted so far, interview is my favorite format, yet the most challenging since the interaction between the host and the guest is the key, which requires a lot of good senses and communication skills.
  3. 70% of my books are about psychology. My most fav is “Quite” by Susan Cain: “Everyone shines, given the right lighting”
  4. During college, I lived with a roommate who also comes from the same hometown as me, which is 300 km away from Hanoi (where we studied college). Whenever our dads took us to the train station to depart to Hanoi, while my friend’s dad helped her bring all her suitcases and things, my dad let me do it myself. Never wonder how I ‘end up’ being such a strong and independent girl that sometimes I am afraid I can scare boys away.
  5. A concert in the middle of a forest. Have you ever wondered what it would feel like? That’s what my team and I once did by literally hiring a truck to drive the giant piano into the forest and then had a professional install the pieces together and check on the keys. The whole set up for the piano alone took us three hours, but it was so worth it! It was the most beautiful afternoon ever when all of us found ourselves immersed in the purest sound ever heard of the piano and got soaked up with all the dazzling spring sunshine.
  6. I got refused by a teacher when requesting to join his class to prepare for the entrance exam to the secondary school for gifted students in my city, just because he didn’t know my parents. I later ranked first in that exam.

Ronak Shah

  1. I’m a movie buff and I used to go to movie theaters all the time before the pandemic.
  2. I enjoy going on hikes. I’d recommend people check out the Eno River State Park in Durham.
  3. I’m a huge NFL fan and I always arrange my schedule around Steelers games.
  4. Every time I try to read fiction, I end up reading a biography.
  5. Meek Mill > Drake. No debate.
  6. I always love trying new coffee shops! There’s a place called Triangle Coffee near me, but I’m always open to recommendations!