...

Two paths diverged in a wood and I

I took the one less traveled by
And that has made all the difference.

I memorized Frosts The Road Not Taken as part of a poetry unit in 6th-grade
English class. Frost acknowledges that important decisions elicit anxiety, yet celebrates
excitement about his chosen path, and confidence that he is better for having taken it. I,
too, am anxious about critical life decisions, but believe that Carnegie Mellon can help
me find my own path by offering opportunities both inside and outside the classroom,
and by providing a talented and engaged student body to accompany me on my
journey. Specifically, CMUs intercollegiate BHA program appears to be tailor-made to
accommodate my combined interests in performance arts and also in English literature,
poetry, and creative writing.
Among other benefits, my passion for theater has introduced me to a new and
diverse community of artists, musicians, technicians, and other creative individuals.
Acting has also helped me to develop a disciplined work ethic: lines dont memorize
themselves, and building a stage character requires both thorough research and
introspective thought. My work on stage has taught me to communicate effectively, so
that I can master blocking movement and practice stage combat without injury. Theater
has additionally helped my self-confidence, as I have learned how to own the stage
while inviting the audience to engage with me. As much as I love theater for the
opportunity to connect both intellectually and emotionally with the audience, though, it is
the growth that I experience during the process that truly makes performance art special
for me.
While theater is my passion, I do not wish to pursue it to the exclusion of other
sciences and humanities that interest me. In many theater programs, students must
commit to a list of acting, stagecraft, and directing requirements that is so exhaustive
that it leaves little time and opportunity to explore and develop other passions. My
primary attraction to the BHA program is that it ensures that I can pursue my current
academic interestsparticularly in English literature, poetry, and creative writingand
additionally discover new fields that engage my imagination. Carnegie Mellon and the
BHA program will allow me to design an innovative course of study that integrates both
my academic and artistic passions and inspire me to change the world through
performance. I am particularly interested in a curriculum that includes courses that
appeal to my strong beliefs in social justice and inclusiveness, as embodied by courses

such as Health Development and Human Rights and Race, Nation, and The Enemy.
In Oscar Wildes The Importance of Being Earnest, Lady Brackenell asks Jack
Worthing I believe that a manshould know either everything or nothing. Which do you
know? I dont know exactly what I want to do in life, but the curricular flexibility of the
BHA program, combined with CMUs commitment to both research and liberal arts, will
be fundamental to helping me discover the path that is right for me. These are the main
reasons that I want to go to college in general, and Carnegie Mellon in particular: to find
out who I am, and where I am going in life.