College Admissions Essay: Improving The Playing Field

I was given one month to pack thirteen years of my life in a suitcase. Moving to the United States from Brazil has been a major landmark in my life. It was a phase defined by its drastic transition between to widely differing cultures. I was faced with the challenge of making different friends, and growing accustomed to a new educational system. This all became increasingly difficult when you take in to consideration my inability to communicate. Overcoming this obstacle was my biggest objective in ironing my complicated transition.

I like to think of myself as a person who can appreciate and understand everyone's opinions. Although I might not agree with them, I feel as if everyone's beliefs and thoughts deserve to have equal initial respect. This leads me to where I was first introduced to discrimination and racism, the exact opposite concepts I now try to surround myself with. I have lived in Cross Roads, Pennsylvania for the entirety of my young life and if there is anything obvious about my community, it is that we are not very advanced in the diversity department. My hometown is predominantly white, which brings on a whole new set of problems concerning discrimination and racism, especially when a family of a different race moves to our community. Now don't get me wrong, my family, my friends, my neighbors, are not bad people. Most of them are great people but a few have just been brought up with idealisms that I myself find racist in nature. As an example, someone I spend a lot of time with because of family relations is in many ways ignorant to people different than them. They, like me, grew up in a

In December 2014, The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education published “Rethinking the Admission Process.” This article was written by Frank DiMaria, who takes a look at the research of the former president of the University of Wyoming, Robert Sternberg. DiMaria explains Sternberg’s stance against the current admissions process. Sternberg has research that depicts, “GPA, standardized tests, and essays do not successfully measure the true talent of a college applicant.” He believes that the policies need to change. Sternberg offers an alternative to the current process. Sternberg has been a part of a new admissions policy testing students not just on their memorization and analytical skills, but on their creative, practical, and wisdom-based skills as well. Sternberg’s ideas stem from his experience with disadvantaged youth and their ability to adapt and overcome obstacles. Sternberg claims that students who grow up in the upper middle class tend to have an environment which better values the analytical skills that the current tests measure. He argues that, because of this, colleges may not be getting the most creative and adaptable students. He shows that some of these less privileged students are capable of handling a college workload even though they may not have been able to score as high on the SAT or other tests. DiMaria believes that through Sternberg’s Kaleidoscope policy may be a solution. The Kaleidoscope way of admissions administers tests which ask open ended

I am not the average person coming out from Alief, Texas. I grow up in the gang infested neighborhood that I called home the leawood apartments after living with my father for three years me and my older brother moved in with my mother and little sister in leawood we started by living in a one bedroom apartment. When we moved into the two bedroom apartment I shared a room with my older brother while my sister shared one with my mother.

I’ve always been the type of person to always plan ahead, to always assess each defining factor, and to always prepare myself for whatever life throws at me. As I type this, I look back and evaluate as well as reflect upon the very occurrences that have led me to where I am today: my family-my parents in particular, as they never made it through to college-so this process is new to everyone within my household, my own failures and successes, my community, and my education have all been vast influences on my character, especially my growth as a young adult. Recently, I’ve been pondering as to what will define me as an individual; what will have the greatest impact on me that will distinguish me from others, and more importantly what will help me apprehend my own goals? Everyone can say that they’re lives being the way they were guided them to the path they ended up on, and I know that is true too, but I feel there’s something more prominent as to why a person chooses to pursue a particular goal, career, or other dealings. This realization arose from my participation in the Regional Program for Excellence, a program that provides students with internships in fields they’re inquiring in before entering college, and my inquisitions regarding the significance as well as the impact on my rapidly changing life.

Have you ever wanted something so badly, but never knew how to start or even get there? Ha-ha...who am I kidding, we all have. Well that how my story all starts.

“Some succeed because they are destined to, most succeed because they are determined to”. During the winter of eighth grade, I lived by these words of encouragement as I prepared for my upcoming piano competition. My goal was to place in the top three. By dedicating my time and energy, with commitment, determination, and persistence, I not only reached my goal, but also learned a lesson about how to reach my goals that would last me a lifetime.

I have learned a great deal both through formal and informal education up to this point and am thrilled to embark on my next stage of development. I really see the college search a lot like music. There are a plethora of options out there, but it is a very personal choice which one is right for you. Some like rock, others like pop, but no matter what genre speaks to you most, the favorite choice speaks to people deeply and inspires them tremendously. When I looked at the campus of New Jersey City University I knew my heart was singing for me to go there. Researching the area, the facilities, the programs, and the demographic was like a perfect symphony all coming together at once.

Ever since I have lived, I have always wanted to have the knowledge of truth in my life. A wish unimaginable has been cast upon me for a desire to know the aspects of good and evil through actions and ideas especially theological ideas. Me reading through the night about God gives me a sense of hope and a grin upon my face - especially reminiscing the past events in my life. Walking throughout the day and sleeping through the night, I usually contemplate about these matters. Going to bed every night seems normal because I have adapted to ignoring some of the beauty in Montana, but when I look at the sky, I see that something has orchestrated the heavens and the earth. The starry night, so powerful and yet peaceful, twinkling in my retina of my eye. The snow-capped mountains out of my window being observed out of my bedroom window. The mountainous terrain orchestrates the powerful magnificence of the One who created it.

Last year, I decided that I wanted to do something important for my community so I volunteered to be a basketball coach at my church's basketball league. For about 4 months, I got to coach a team of hyperactive 4th and 5th graders. On the first day of practice, I asked my players what they wanted to achieve by the end of the season. One of my players said that he wanted to be able to shoot a three pointer by the end of the season. From then on, I helped him to improve his shooting. He wasn't the greatest shooter, but he was determined to perfect his shooting skills and I was determined to do everything I could to help him. During practice, I would help him with his shooting form and even after practice I would give him tips on how to get

For me a safe place is somewhere in my mind that gives me the feeling of complete serenity. For a few it is just an escape, but for me it is where I flee to when I remember I can’t kill someone because orange and I don’t agree. My safe place is what my dream house and property would resemble if money was no object. There is one special, secret, sun room that I love the utmost.

From elementary to college, it took commitment and self-motivation not to take my past route. Difficult events in my adolescence made me respond to my frustrations through harmful activities, which I would eventually learn not to do. I lacked education as a young man, when I committed awful deeds through peer pressure. Nevertheless, the National Guard and higher education have improved my life. Many losses have happened in my life that were out of my control, which contributed to not knowing myself. However, certain better experiences taught me who I am and how to take control.

As I scan the various bookshelves of my town’s public library, I hope that there is something that catches my interest. I eventually get to the end of the row where there is only a sparse collection of books and I see a one titled The Hidden Reality: Parallel Universes and the Deep Laws of the Cosmos, and I think to myself, “Why not? ” Once I check out, I sit down in the large armchair adjacent to the shelves and I start to read.

A significant challenge I'm currently facing is stress. Everyday I have to juggle high school, college, and also my personal life. I try to focus tremendously on school, but it negatively affects my personal life. Starting college has taught me a lot about time management. Now in order to lessen the amount of stress I have, I like to schedule my time. When I do this, I make sure to leave time for me to relax or spend time with my

I first met addiction when I was 13 years old, although I failed to realize that at the time. Even from a young age, I was the one from the outside looking in. A broken marriage and a lost friendship were forces working against me. And unfortunately, I let them.