Penn State Schreyer Honors College

Essay questions for the Schreyer Honors College 2009

Essay questions for the Schreyer Honors College 2009 admissions application are listed below.  The complete application will be available on the Penn State admissions web site on September 2, 2008.

  1. You are given the power, for one day, to be an invisible observer at an historic event.  Although you will not be able to change the course or the outcome of the event, you will be able to bring back to the present all the insights you gain.  Explain which historic event you would most like to witness, and why you think being an observer at that event would help you make an important contribution to the future.
  2. Recent medical advances have included new techniques that help scientists learn more about how genes work and how they may be linked to disease.  This has led to expanded availability of genetic testing and recent legislation in the US Congress. If you could be tested to determine the likelihood of developing life-threatening diseases in your lifetime, would you choose to do so?  Why or why not?
  3. The country will see a new president elected this year, with “change” the dominant theme from both candidates for the nation’s top office.  Regardless of your political preferences, what one change would you recommend to our next president, if you had a one-on-one audience with him shortly after his election?