Does this sentence sound condescending or arrogant in an college essay?Answered
I wrote the following sentence in one of my college essays and wanted to know if I sound arrogant or condescending when saying this:
"I get great satisfaction in helping peers understand math concepts and applications, and watching students have those breakthrough moments because up till now math has been intuitive to me."
I want to get across 2 things from this sentence: 1) Math is intuitive to me and 2) I really enjoy helping my peers and classmates understand math. But I am not sure how I would say this without sounding condescending. If you could, please give me suggestions for improvement!
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3 answers
I don't think it sounds arrogant or condescending! (However, I am also the type of person who would have occasion to write that sentence, so take my advice with a grain of salt.)
It's not condescending because you're focusing on you being happy for their achievement, as opposed to feeling smarter than other people, or happy that "they finally got it".
However, I would rewrite this sentence so that it flows better. I would recommend something like, "Math has always been intuitive to me. So when I'm able to put that skill to use and help peers have breakthrough moments for certain concepts or applications, I feel fulfilled."
Obviously, that's just off the top of my head, and you should go with what you feel is best.
Hope that helps!
Echoing what others have said, I do not think that you sound condescending here at all! Your sentence conveys empathy and a desire to make math intuitive for others. @Sarah616's advice on rewording will make your message even stronger. Hope this helps!
That's definitely not condescending. It shows not only your draw towards mathematics, but also how you enjoy being able to use that to help others see it similar to how you do. It displays two things: your passion/interests and your service to others, both of which colleges really admire and look for in your application. The way you worded it is perfect because it shows you enjoy seeing them succeed, not that you enjoy knowing something over someone (which could be considered condescending or arrogant). Good job!
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