Diversity Essay

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msp1206

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I have been thinking about one of West Point's essay prompts on the candidate kit, and I have been stumped. The question below is about diversity and how I, as an officer, will be successful in working with others of diverse backgrounds. I understand what the question is asking, but I am struggling to formulate an answer. I have not faced many issues in my life surrounding diversity, but I am keenly aware of the existence of discrimination throughout our country. So, what are approaches to this question that have been taken in the past? I am leaning towards writing about how I am a leader in my school and generally lead to promote unity among my peers, why that has been successful for me, etc. and apply that to the scope of the question.

West Point and the Army are committed to the idea that respect for others and an understanding of diversity are important leadership traits. Why will you be successful in working with leaders, peers, and subordinates of a gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and/or religion different from your own?
 
I believe the approach you suggest gets to the heart of "why you will be successful." If you can demonstrate in your essay how your current actions within a leadership role at your school, or where you have stepped to the front to lead, promote and support diversity then you will have seemingly answered the question.
 
This is the question to answer:
Why will you be successful

What skills, experience and abilities do you have that apply? What situations have you dealt with, learned from, applied lessons learned? How have you grown your knowledge and understanding?

The easiest answer to Why will you be successful is “I have been successful in the past, because I…”
 
Diversity is not necessarily all in physical characteristics--what in your background provides a perspective that will allow you to form and lead a team of unique individuals? What has taught you empathy or given you an expanded worldview?
 
One of the coolest parts of being in the Army is working with soldiers from every part of the country, every religion, every race and every socio-economic scale. How do relate and motivate a platoon that includes a country boy standing next to one that grew up in NYC? I love getting to know people and the differences in them. Individual differences lead to unit strength.
 
Are there multiple essay questions that you get to choose from, and you chose this one, or is it required to use this one as well as others?
 
There are three required essays, one on why we want to attend, one on overcoming adversity, and one on diversity
 
Capt MJ said:
This is the question to answer:
Why will you be successful

What skills, experience and abilities do you have that apply? What situations have you dealt with, learned from, applied lessons learned? How have you grown your knowledge and understanding?

The easiest answer to Why will you be successful is “I have been successful in the past, because I…”
Click to expand...
This is a very good point.
Always make sure to focus on the question that is being asked and answer it. .
That applies to every essay of every application.
It sounds obvious, but lots of candidates get off track and write lots of related things but never actually answer the primary question.
 
Wahoo Fan said:
This is a very good point.
Always make sure to focus on the question that is being asked and answer it. .
That applies to every essay of every application.
It sounds obvious, but lots of candidates get off track and write lots of related things but never actually answer the primary question.
Click to expand...
ATFQ. Answer The Full Question.

My college profs used to get a kick out of me writing tiny bulleted outlines of my essay response on exam book margins as a guide to my response, and always with ATFQ underlined.
 
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@msp1206, The purpose of these essays is to see what YOUR thoughts are. If you’re seeking our answers for your essay about how you feel or what you think, you might want to evaluate not just what type of Officer you will become, but also what type of person you are! NO one here knows the real you. These essays contain no RIGHT answers; the purpose are to reveal the real you. The SAs want to know who (and what) they are allowing not just into an Academy, but into the service of our Country.

IMHO, it’s OK to ask questions that you may need help on with regards to the application/submission/etc process, but not in the personality areas of your application. ONLY you know you.

As a side note, we (trying-to-be-politically-correct-humans) tend to always associate “diversity” with “discrimination”. I can tell you are one of these based on your question (I’m not judging, just reading what YOU posted). Please understand the difference, conduct a self-assessment and write your essay.

I guarantee that the admissions staff can see right through the pages of ”fluff” they get in the essays. If you’re willing to misrepresent (lie?) yourself to get it, are you the type of person that will respect the Honor Code? Only YOU can answer these for you….
 
I appreciate the help. Thank you to all who responded. You have given me the direction I was looking to take my ideas.
 
Capt MJ said:
ATFQ. Answer The Full Question.

My college profs used to get a kick out of me writing tiny bulleted outlines of my essay response on exam book margins as a guide to my response, and always with ATFQ underlined.
Click to expand...
They must have liked you...

Whenever an instructor at the academy hollered ATFQ at me...

I was shocked an officer would say that to a mere cadet...
 
flieger83 said:
They must have liked you...

Whenever an instructor at the academy hollered ATFQ at me...

I was shocked an officer would say that to a mere cadet...
Click to expand...
Of course, I am using Full with a straight face throughout all my posts.
 
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