Admissions Essay: My Passion For STEM

Being raised in a very STEM-centric family, I began to realize the importance of STEM at an early age from spending time with my parents during school breaks. My mother is a professor of electrical engineering at Georgia Tech and my father is a civil engineer who works for Georgia Power. I played around with Scratch and small robots when I was very young, spending a lot of time at Georgia Tech. What we, humans, can create fascinates me. I

“Develop the self so that before every decree God will ascertain you: What is your wish”. The lines my father always quoted to my mom, until he passed away when I was just three. Given the family conditions that time no one has ever thought of me completing even school. It was my mom’s determination that kept our hope alive.

I dreamt of walking on Commonwealth Ave. I envisioned myself entering the Morse Auditorium, books in hand, eager to learn. Ever since I had visited the eclectic city of Boston in 2006, I knew it was the right fit for me. I knew that the city itself, along with the remarkable academic resources that Boston University offers would allow me to grow socially and mentally. Until this day I ask questions on end from my comrades at the BU, impatient to learn more and more about their lives on and off campus. From all the feedback I have received I have come to one conclusion: BU is the place where I will get a rich, broad background in all my studies. BU will give me the foundation and preparation I will need to enter any field of study.

"The antigen then binds to the immunoglobulin E activating the fceRI receptors on the mast cells and basophils. These cells then release histamines into the blood system in response.” Wow, this happened to me all because of a nut? That’s what I thought when I looked up what anaphylaxis was for the first time. The event that sparked this curiosity also ignited my path through life. If it weren’t for that day I wouldn’t have the mindset that helped me realize my inquisitive, hands-on nature and my compassion made engineering the right profession for me.

As a child, I was given set standards by my community which were to survive and to conquer any challenges that may come my way. South Central Los Angeles has been stigmatized by other communities to be the face of violence, poor health and underperforming students, which placed a barrier between me and reaching my fullest potential. As a young teen, I began to believe in the stereotypes and allowed it to define who I was and who I will become in the future. However, with the guidance of high school mentors, I was able to gain the strength to tear down those barriers while also uncovering my hidden talents. As a high school student, I had the opportunity to take several interesting science courses and become one of the first admitted class to my high school’s new STEM magnet program. My amazing teachers loved science, and with the limited amount of resources provided, they gave all their students the opportunity to seek their true passion in science through hands-on classroom activities.

I have been working as a STEM Ambassador for my college for over two years and have had many opportunities to make a difference within the community and be a role model. I believe it is vital to expose science to children early on, so they can grow up being interested in science and postulate about how they came make a difference in the world. Growing up, I never had exposure to enough science coming from a house with no college experience, therefore it wasn’t until after I graduated high school that I realized what I wanted to study. I wish I could go back to high school and take advantage of opportunities to learn more about science, which has made me want to give back to the community by hosting opportunities for students. No one had ever

We always sat in this living room on a big brown couch in a comfy cozy house filled with warm tones and American Indian art. For the past six years of my life, I have been on two robotics teams--the first four years spent on an all-girls robotics team. My coach of four years always--always quoted Sir Isaac Newton: “if I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” My coach was a giant through his big belly and his large passion for robotics. He would always tell me “your peers, your teachers, your coaches, your parents are your giants because you learn from standing on their shoulders.” This is how my background with my coach of four years would influence the types of problems I want to solve.

I still remember the day I discovered my passion for design. I was in the sixth grade and had just arrived home from soccer training. After hours of playing in the heat, I was exhausted, hungry and, worst of all, bored. I ate and headed straight to my family’s desktop computer. I launched my favorite online game only to find out that the servers were down for an update. As a result of not being able to play, I started my hunt for something else to keep me from boredom. I came across a software called Adobe Photoshop and was instantly hooked. The ability to create and arrange pixels to create masterpieces had allured me. Before I knew it, I had installed Photoshop and was clicking away. After six years of continuing this passion, I have built

What inspires me most is success. Success, because why try anything if you're not looking to succeed in it? I look forward to new challenges that I can take on and try to be successful in. Even though some challenges I may fail, with failure comes opportunity. Learning from a failure I that consider to be a success because I will be better prepared for what's

“The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively”― Bob Marley

Growing up, I was always the one expected in my family to succeed. My mom would always talk about the future; I would go to college, a privilege she couldn't obtain herself, and become a doctor to make enough money for our family. This was the career path I've always been interested in since I was a child. This helped shaped my goals in life and inspired me to work hard so I could make that ongoing dream a reality.

I am the oldest of two boys, living in a suburb of Baltimore, MD. I grew up watching my parents start two successful businesses from scratch. Their work ethic and passion for success have greatly influenced me, inspiring me to always strive for excellence. Also, I struggled socially as a child, having to push myself to socialize and connect with my peers. I came into my own towards the end of middle school, but I still value the sense of self-awareness and individuality that this challenge brought

Architecture as a field was new to me and my family. Engineering was the degree pursued by most. My passion for construction and site work started in my school days. There was a redevelopment site going on in front of my house where I would spend all my afternoons playing in piles of sand and making brick castles. From screening of sand, slab casting to door window fixing I saw every detail. This was my first clue of interest. Another reason being my passion for art. As a kid I was always drawn towards anything that included art and creativity. Be it my art classes or any competition, model making projects at school or designing posters for classrooms, it would make me forget the world and would just be engrossed in making it look better than

“Develop a passion for learning. If you do, you will never cease to grow” Anthony D’Angelo. Growing is just a part of life that everyone goes through, from two years old up to 18 years old. Each person grows, learns, and experiences things differently. From grade school up until now, I have always been different and never really never had a set group of friends; I have learned, grew, and now I’m successful.

engineering. My tenure in high school is what initially led to my choice in pursuing this