College Admissions Essay: The Program That Changed My Life

From even elementary school, I remember arguments with Haitian classmates about which island was better. There were Jamaican verses Haitian quarrels in the cafeteria. Those cafeteria clashes were filled with creative insults. However, there were other instances where the Caribbean students stuck together against the ‘others’ which included: Africans and African Americans especially. However, at the end of the day, we were all black and I believe deep down we understood that. Race and ethnicity can be so delicate and sometimes one of the two takes a greater weight, but never remains that way. Even now at Cornell, I have times where I’m just so proud to be Jamaican, other times I’m proud to just be Caribbean, and many times at this predominately white institution, being black makes me

I am a first-generation, Chicano and will soon finish my last semester before I transfer to a four year university in the upcoming fall. Coming from a first-generation household, I have had to overcome many obstacles to be in the position that I am now in. Community college has been a valuable resource that has allowed me to pursue an amazing education at a low price which has eased the burden of high tuition on my parents. Sometimes it is the cost of education that impedes those that seek it and scholarships are one avenue in which they become easier to travel down the path to success. Coming out of Gilroy High School years ago, I was unsure of what I wanted to major in and devote myself to but I had the amazing opportunity of enrolling in University of California, Merced.

It is not for the first time that I stand on the crossroads of making a much calculated decision. A judgment call, not a product of mere intuition but of much introspection, soul-searching and self-examination. When ever I find myself apt to embark on a new journey I look back to evaluate my-self; trace the sequence of events that ultimately lead me to a follow a particular path. In retrospect I find myself fortunate to have been groomed in an all-rounded education system. A system that transformed a child who was reluctant and shy to even engage in a conversation to someone who made it a passion to step-up on stage to educate others.

In the drug-infested streets of North Highlands, adversity ran the gamut. In a place where individuals were treated more like statistics than human beings, it was very difficult to feel any hope or purpose. As I grew up, I found purpose in the hopes of escaping from the adversity. However, I found my true purpose, as well as hope, back where I started.

It was halfway through my sophomore year when my mom and two older sisters sprints down the stairs and storms out the house. Confused and worried, continuing to curl my hair. My mom walks back in towards me with a gruesome look in her eyes. With so many ideas already running through my head, I was notified that my grandmother was killed by my uncle. I cannot even describe my sense of emotion at the time. Confusion, hatred, and hopelessness all merged into one. And all I could think about was just giving up on everything. That is until my pastor said these words that I will always remember; “You're going to get through this, just have faith.” I took in those words and began to put his words into action

My story had to begin with a tragedy for me to accomplish all that I have achieved now and my life changed when my brother’s heart stopped beating. It is easier to emotionally adjust and understand when older or sick loved ones die. The comfort of knowing they are in a better place soon or immediately follows their death. But when a child just a few months’ shy of 11 dies—suddenly, life takes a new shape. I was only six when we put my brother in the ground.

When life gives you the opportunity to be successful, you take it. So, out of every let down or every time you ever ask yourself, “was it worth it?”…, you say “definitely”, persevere, and continue seeking greatness. When I got that opportunity, I hit the ground running. I was hungry to become successful, hungry to graduate from college, hungry to even hear my dad say, “I’m proud of you”. Maybe I could have taken a different route but hey, growing up in a small town like Mullins SC with a high unemployment rate, don’t get you too far. I couldn’t find myself falling into that statistic. Working temp jobs, wondering how I would pay for college…, it was rough, definitely some humble beginnings. This by no means is a message for sympathy.

"Youth is everlasting if you feed your soul with much love and many adventures," a phrase I have claimed my entire life. I have traveled across the seven seas, from the white sand beaches and crystal clear waters of the Caribbean, to the snowy tundra of the Italian alps. I have studied traditional Indian art and learned to play the tabula under the tree canopies of Karola, India. I have hiked to a cliff's edge to watch humpback whales migrate through Queensland, Australia. I have payed homage to my religious ancestors at the western wall in Jerusalem, Israel. I mention a few of the places I have traveled not because they describes who I am, but because my adventures have created the person you see today. Seeing the world has struck passion in my heart and curiosity in my mind.

I have loved sports my whole life, even at a very young age. I would watch it with my dad, and he would take me to sports games. I loved to play basketball in the backyard when I was little. I have always loved cheering for my favorite sports team. I love watching the Minnesota Vikings and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Two years ago my dad surprised me with Vikings tickets. I was so happy to get to go to a game. Sports has always been a big part of my life. Two years ago, I got a new view of sports when I started umpiring.

For the past fifteen years, I have been fortunate enough to have a place that has allowed me to pursue unrestrained expression, embrace my individuality, and gave me a place where I feel I belong. The art of dance has formed me into the person I am today in ways otherwise impossible, pushing me to strive to become a well-rounded, resilient, and disciplined individual; traits which I credit for my determination to change the world around me, for my desire to be an active citizen in my community, and for my commitment to positively influence the younger generation. My dance family, my sisters, have taught me the true meaning of hard-work, dedication, and determination through their sincerity and unconditional love for their movement

I could tell you that I am awesome! I could tell you that I am unique and smart and that school is my entire life. But I am not going to go that route. What I will tell you is that it would mean a great deal to me, to receive this scholarship. I enjoy school so much, that I maxed out all of my financial aid; I’d say that there is some irony within that statement. To make a long, but interesting story short, I want to finish school and without more financial aid and a rich family to support me, I am out of luck. I believe that I can do so many things in my life with a bachelor’s degree! On top of that, it makes even more sense to get my bachelor’s degree before I attempt a master’s degree—I am dedicated, can you tell?

“Why are you so shy?” people always asked me. ”Shy”. It’s a word that followed me for as long as I can remember. In elementary school, all the kids would play sports during recess, but I’d stand by the side and look at them. At most of my parent-teacher conferences, teachers would use words like shy and quiet. But I was totally sick of it. ”I have to make some changes,” I said to myself.

One decision can have the power to completely change your life forever. In the sixth grade, I almost never started my music career because I was too afraid of not fitting in. But this decision would have left me as a different person than I am today; a person that I wouldn’t want to be. Since that time, I have continued playing music for seven years now. With the help of my high school music teachers and my family, I have been able to continue on my musical journey. Music is now the biggest part of my life, which is why I’d like to

My decision to serve in the military started with a plastic army helmet, a tightly grasped G.I. Joe, and afternoon stories from my grandparents. As a child, my grandfather would tell me stories of the different people he encountered during his time abroad in World War II. Listening to his experiences enabled my imagination to take me places undreamt of, while also inspiring me to seek out a noble adventure of my own.

This forced me analyze my life thus far, to recognize my fears and what I hold dear. It’s only been sixteen (one month till seventeen) years in this carcass, but I already feel like an entire life has flown by. It was like a prerequisite of actually watching my life flash before my eyes. This project was nice to sit back and look at what a social mess I am (one of my most favorite pastimes). But also, only being sixteen, I don’t hold what many would believe to be true values, dreams, fears, and identity. Nevertheless, this is what I have so far.