Hi everybody,
I'm trying to get into UW Law. Here is my personal statement, any help would be greatly appreciated.
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I'm not a big fan of junk food and I try to eat as little of it as possible. But in the fall of 1992, eating a Big Mac was kind of a big occasion. I had saved coupons advertising Big Macs for just $1 each. I suggested to my mom that we buy some and at a dollar a piece, she couldn't say no, as long it was just the Big Macs, no drinks, no fries. It was the first time we were buying restaurant food or "eating out" since we arrived in California a few months before, so we were very excited. Once home, I realized that Big Macs have two beef patties. If you have two patties, why not make two hamburgers instead of one? Well, I did. I got a slice of bread and converted my Big Mac into two Small Macs. I was thirteen years old, and pretty much hungry all the time, so making two hamburgers out of one seemed like the most economical thing to do.
I was 12 years old when my parents decided to move our family of nine, from Guadalajara, Mexico to the United States. We made the 1600 mile trip by train to Los Angeles, eventually settling in the state of Washington. Moving to the United States was a difficult transition for the entire family. Although we were not wealthy, we did have a comfortable lifestyle in Mexico, all of which changed dramatically once we arrived. We moved into a small apartment, my parents, business owners in Mexico, were now forced to do any work that came their way, including mowing yards, dishwashing in restaurants, and cleaning houses. Despite having to start from the bottom, my parents worked hard and with dignity, which is a lesson I have tried to implement in my own life. The transition of moving to a different country, learning a new language, and adapting to a new lifestyle was difficult. However, adjusting to going to school in the United States was perhaps the most difficult transition for me. Despite struggling in school, I considered the possibility of higher education, although I didn't know who to turn to for help. My parents didn't speak English and no one at my school understood my barriers as they were not typical for the student population they served. Financially, my parents didn't have the resources to help me. More importantly, our immigration paperwork was still being processed, and therefore I was not able to apply for loans or financial aid. I was afraid to share our immigration status with anybody at school, and didn't know what other options were available to me. I faced discrimination almost on a daily basis. It was hard fitting-in in a school where there was no diversity. I looked different, spoke differently, and was treated differently. I felt like an outsider and eventually lost all interest for school and higher education. My disappointment with school led me to focus on working, which I did for many years, attending community college off and on as my work and finances allowed.
Attending the University of Washington brought back the passion I once had for learning. The topics discussed in class, politics, global inequality, economics, religion, and immigration, inspired me to work toward academic goals that I hadn't considered attainable. Although the sense of knowing what I wanted to do came later in life for me, I know the life and work experience obtained in these last few years have made me a better, well-rounded person. Converting my Big Mac into two smaller burgers is the most vivid reminder of how I, despite being only 13 years old, understood that our lives had changed, that adapting to a new lifestyle was not optional and that I had to make the best of it. I'm thankful for those experiences and difficult transitions as they have made the good times more enjoyable and made me understand that sacrifices can lead to good things. Thanks to the sacrifices my family made, I'm now in a position to pursue my educational and professional goals. Being able to attend law school, and help others that are in the situation I once was, would be a great way of repaying the sacrifices my family made.
I'm trying to get into UW Law. Here is my personal statement, any help would be greatly appreciated.
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I'm not a big fan of junk food and I try to eat as little of it as possible. But in the fall of 1992, eating a Big Mac was kind of a big occasion. I had saved coupons advertising Big Macs for just $1 each. I suggested to my mom that we buy some and at a dollar a piece, she couldn't say no, as long it was just the Big Macs, no drinks, no fries. It was the first time we were buying restaurant food or "eating out" since we arrived in California a few months before, so we were very excited. Once home, I realized that Big Macs have two beef patties. If you have two patties, why not make two hamburgers instead of one? Well, I did. I got a slice of bread and converted my Big Mac into two Small Macs. I was thirteen years old, and pretty much hungry all the time, so making two hamburgers out of one seemed like the most economical thing to do.
I was 12 years old when my parents decided to move our family of nine, from Guadalajara, Mexico to the United States. We made the 1600 mile trip by train to Los Angeles, eventually settling in the state of Washington. Moving to the United States was a difficult transition for the entire family. Although we were not wealthy, we did have a comfortable lifestyle in Mexico, all of which changed dramatically once we arrived. We moved into a small apartment, my parents, business owners in Mexico, were now forced to do any work that came their way, including mowing yards, dishwashing in restaurants, and cleaning houses. Despite having to start from the bottom, my parents worked hard and with dignity, which is a lesson I have tried to implement in my own life. The transition of moving to a different country, learning a new language, and adapting to a new lifestyle was difficult. However, adjusting to going to school in the United States was perhaps the most difficult transition for me. Despite struggling in school, I considered the possibility of higher education, although I didn't know who to turn to for help. My parents didn't speak English and no one at my school understood my barriers as they were not typical for the student population they served. Financially, my parents didn't have the resources to help me. More importantly, our immigration paperwork was still being processed, and therefore I was not able to apply for loans or financial aid. I was afraid to share our immigration status with anybody at school, and didn't know what other options were available to me. I faced discrimination almost on a daily basis. It was hard fitting-in in a school where there was no diversity. I looked different, spoke differently, and was treated differently. I felt like an outsider and eventually lost all interest for school and higher education. My disappointment with school led me to focus on working, which I did for many years, attending community college off and on as my work and finances allowed.
Attending the University of Washington brought back the passion I once had for learning. The topics discussed in class, politics, global inequality, economics, religion, and immigration, inspired me to work toward academic goals that I hadn't considered attainable. Although the sense of knowing what I wanted to do came later in life for me, I know the life and work experience obtained in these last few years have made me a better, well-rounded person. Converting my Big Mac into two smaller burgers is the most vivid reminder of how I, despite being only 13 years old, understood that our lives had changed, that adapting to a new lifestyle was not optional and that I had to make the best of it. I'm thankful for those experiences and difficult transitions as they have made the good times more enjoyable and made me understand that sacrifices can lead to good things. Thanks to the sacrifices my family made, I'm now in a position to pursue my educational and professional goals. Being able to attend law school, and help others that are in the situation I once was, would be a great way of repaying the sacrifices my family made.