50 Successful Ivy League Application Essays

parts built by them, to iron out a few more problems and to eventually 
share this revolutionary product with the world. now I would like to 
talk about more about just who Pen-Yuan Hsing is.
My education started in the US when I was 7. Having come from 
Taiwan, faced with enormous cultural and language barriers, I had to 
learn to adapt. Overcoming loneliness and self-conflict, I made lifelong 
friends and English became in many ways my mother tongue. returning 
to Taiwan in fourth grade mirrored this difficult transition. Some may 
find me quiet and reserved, it’s because I learned to listen, and under-
stand. Yet when the time comes, I do take the initiative and let my voice 
be heard, as my friends, teachers and parents can so often attest.
Years later, I was unanimously elected as the head of Taipei Wetnet, 
a student-run organization that promotes environmental education and 
awareness. We hold seasonal conferences on environmental matters for 
students from all over northern Taiwan to participate. One story really 
struck a chord in me.
For many years the Waimushan coastline was littered with thousands 
of plastic beads used in the fabrication of plastic products. Wildlife 
there mistook the beads as food and stuffed themselves to death. One 
can see many half-decomposed animals filled with plastic beads in their 
bodies. Our organization filed a report to local authorities requesting 
an investigation. The mayor learned of this and bought truckloads of 
sand to cover up the beach. This successful “cleanup” of the coast got 
him re-elected a second term in office. Two months later, the extra layer 
of sand was washed away by tides, re-exposing the plastic beads and 
animals started dying again. We weren’t willing to settle for that. People 
do not realize that 
whatever harm we do to the environment is ultimately 
done on ourselves. This is what Taipei Wetnet tries to convey in all of 
our activities. We started as just a few friends taking an excursion to the 
beach, but now Taipei Wetnet has impact on the national level. We had 
meetings on environmental policy and education with officials from the 
presidential level. I am grateful to have been the head of Taipei Wetnet 
during this extraordinary time. Of course, 
all my accomplishments, sci-
ence projects and environmental activities, do have their share of difficulties 
and setbacks. It is through them that I learned the most.

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Chapter 20: Wait List Letter
For a student to do these things in Taiwan’s test-score-oriented cul-
ture is considered a highly risky venture. My science project didn’t win 
for several years in a row; I was warned to either stick to the tradi-
tional path of cramming and testing, or “face the consequences.” Under 
tremendous social pressure, I persisted, having faith that the skills I 
gained are more important. I like the apprehension of waiting for data 
to collect and the eventual thrill of seeing things finally turn out right, 
especially an experiment you labored on for countless nights. I like the 
satisfaction that what you are doing is making a difference in the world, 
such as the life changing experience of participating in Taipei Wetnet’s 
activities. Last year, my work was finally recognized in the world’s larg-
est scientific gathering, the Intel ISEF. They even named a celestial ob-
ject after me, the “minor planet” 
Hsingpenyuan, with others like Einstein
and 
Cleopatra. While gratifying, this experience only made me more 
humble and dedicated. The average lifespan of a Taiwanese male is 
around 70 years. Almost through one-third of it, 
I do not want to waste 
the rest trying to be someone else. This is why my first choice is Duke.
What first caught my eye was the Focus Program, with its inter-
disciplinary education and service learning opportunities. In fact, the 
first paper I co-authored and presented was about Taipei Wetnet’s ex-
perience in environmental service learning. A course in Duke’s special 
research Service-Learning program will definitely be one I plan to take. 
I am also very interested in Duke’s environmental science major. In 
many schools, it would be great if it even has a minor in environmental 
science or policy. In that case, they often lack actual hands-on training 
and accumulation of field experience. However, the nicholas School’s 
course and curriculum not only offers a solid education in basic sci-
ence, it also provides ample opportunity for field study through unique 
facilities such as the Marine Lab and the Duke Forest. This is exactly 
what I think how we should learn about the environment, by actually 
doing something and seeing change. With Duke’s unique opportuni-
ties, I can continue to do research starting from my first year. (Also 
worth mentioning is the mild weather, definitely a plus for a Taiwanese 
student like me!)
I look forward to becoming a Blue Devils fan, and perhaps even get 
a Kville experience. I also love reading science fiction and playing the 
piano. One great story I read was 
The Days Between by Allen Steele, 
it’s about a man who suddenly woke up alone on a spacecraft that is 

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50 Successful Ivy League Application Essays
still 200 years from its destination. Steele’s vivid description of how 
the character coped with loneliness and his determination to survive 
resonated within me. This also happens when I listen to Chopin. I try 
to rush home before 10 each night, the unofficial time limit for playing 
music in our apartment, to play the piano. Chopin’s music, torn with 
great strife and conflict, yet with a romantically optimistic touch, is 
something I could relate to, that I can share my feelings with. I would 
love to take a Piano Course if I may come to Duke.
My unique qualities and experiences, so diverse yet intrinsically 
intertwined, allowed me to become the first Taiwanese student ever 
to receive the Ministry of Education’s full scholarship award to study 
abroad. With full backing of this scholarship, I strongly believe that 
armed with a strong Duke education, I will be able to make a difference 
in the world.
Finally, I would like to express my deepest thanks for all the time 
and effort you have placed in the application process. My mother is a 
professor at the national Taiwan University who is agonizing right now 
over their undergraduate applications. This, along with my own back-
ground and experience helped me understand how difficult it must be 
to make an admission decision, as it has the potential to change the 
future of the world.
Sincerely yours,
Pen-Yuan Hsing
cc: Ms. ______________
Coordinator of International Admissions

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