Essay Questions

What is your most memorable childhood experience?I was very passionate about basketball during middle school and high school. I remember hitting a game winning shot! I remember playing against future NBA players and I remember making great friends that I still keep in touch with.
What immediate family member do you closely identify with and why?I'm very similar to my dad. We both love to read non-fiction and have tons of books at our houses. He is the CEO of his business. I'm the CEO/founder of my business. He has a few patents. I have several ideas for patents. His mom also received a patent, and his dad was also a successful serial entrepreneur. We're also both tall and enjoy watching basketball.
What character traits do you admire in an individual?I really admire my paternal grandfather. He grew up in the great depression and fought in WWII. After the war, he became a very successful entrepreneur and created a lot of jobs. He also became a part-time/local politician -- not because he wanted status or money (he already had those), but because he genuinely wanted to help. I admire his intelligence, hard work, and altruism.
What is the funniest thing ever to happen to you?I was watching TV on the elliptical at the gym, and when I changed the channel one of the guys I used to play basketball with was playing in the NBA.
If time and money were not an issue, where would you travel and why?I'd really like to do a 7 day hike on the Appalachian Trail or Pacific Crest Trail. I'd love the fresh air, beautiful scenery, good exercise, and being away from screens. Alternatively, I'd love to visit my friends from college (who mostly seem to live in the San Francisco Bay Area).
When and if you ever have children, what would you like to pass on to them?Well, I don't want to be a "tiger parent" who makes their kids miserable. There's a quote I like: "If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea." I'd try to use that mindset to teach my kids to be honest, hard-working, curious, altruistic, happy, fit, and kind.