Undergraduate / Obstacle, family history, uniqueness - UCF essay [NEW]

UCF
We ask that you respond to two of the topics below. Your personal statement should be no longer than 250 words each or a total of 500 words for both statements. The best personal statements are not necessarily the longest ones.

1. If there has been some obstacle or bump in the road in your academic or personal life, please explain the circumstances.
2. How has your family history, culture, or environment influenced who you are?
3. Why did you choose to apply to UCF?
4. What qualities or unique characteristics do you possess that will allow you to contribute to the UCF community?

2. I have spent 10,260 more hours with my family than the average student. I had the amazing opportunity of being home schooled from kindergarten to 8th grade which caused my surrounding environment to be fundamentally different from other students; I had the security of my family around me 24-7 to support and help mold me into the person I am today, without the influence of peer pressure to divert me. The morals and lessons my family has instilled in me, have made me to be confident to stand up for my beliefs. Anytime I had a problem my family was there for me, with just the right advice for how to handle the situation. My family has taught me to have humility, gratitude, integrity, respect, compassion, and responsibility in all the things that I do. These are the characteristics I have observed and they are the same ones that I admire in them and aspire to achieve everyday of my life. Being home schooled gave me the opportunity to become involved in a wide range of activities. I was able to meet and learn about many different types of people. I learned early on how to converse with adults, how to enjoy younger kids company, and to keep an open mind to new ideas and cultures. Through my family's actions and words they have taught me what characteristics are most important to not only be successful in my personal life, but also in the business world.

4. These qualities that I have mentioned above (humility, gratitude, integrity, respect, compassion, and responsibility) I have come to possess and aim to exhibit in everything I do, and I'm positive that it will show in everything I accomplish at UCF. I plan on persevering in the qualities of honesty, respect and gratitude in my work that I will be able to go above and beyond what I have so far achieved; with hope that I will make a difference for the people and environment around me. I believe that the best way to accomplish something, if something isn't already being done about it, is to take charge of it yourself. For this reason, I enjoy partaking in leadership positions so that I can influence how my peers and I can preserve the world that we live in. There is no better way to give back to a community then to help the people and environment that it supports. My dedication and hard work in clubs and volunteer work demonstrates that I care about what happens in this world and that I am taking responsibility to make sure this world is a better place. In all I aspire to accomplish in college, I aim to uphold the high standards of UCF and to set an example for those who will be sure to follow. In all I do I strive for the excellence in which UCF has set a precedent for, and there is no other place I can see myself preparing for a better future.

Undergraduate / FSU essay---desire to major in pre-law. suggestions for improvement? [3]

"All too often arrogance accompanies strength, and we must never assume that justice is on the side of the strong. The use of power must always be accompanied by moral choice." This quote by Theodore Bikel is, in part, what inspired my desire to major in pre-law. Intellectual power and strength is very influential in today's society, and many times is not used for good. I aspire to strengthen my intellectual knowledge to my fullest ability so that I may be able to influence the world in a positive manner through justice in law. I believe that strength comes from ones self and the ability to stand up for ones beliefs and take action on them. FSU's guiding philosophy is very much in line with the values I try to exemplify everyday of my life.

My entire life has always been consumed with intellectual pursuits. As a child I wanted to try everything; girl scouts, soccer, gymnastics, cheerleading, ballet, swimming, public speaking, 4-H leadership, cooking, sewing, reading all types of novels, and so on. I could, and still can, never refuse an opportunity to try something new. These opportunities lead to gaining knowledge and experience that can only help advance me in life's pursuits. With a wide range of knowledge of skills and information, I am able to recognize what I excel in and what I enjoy most doing. Once I realize what those things are, I take hold to them and pursue them to my fullest ability. I recognized early on how much I enjoyed dancing and by the age of six I was asked to be on my studio's competition team, and ever since then I have devoted countless hours and weekends to pursuing my skills in the art of dance.

Even though I have a love of dance, and I do well in it, I want to make a difference in the world. I was homeschooled until high school, and was sheltered from much of the corruption in this world. When I got to high school and actually saw people's lifestyles I was taken aback by exactly how low morals and standards have actually become. I want to make a difference. I want to preserve this world and make it better for future generations.

"Vires, Artes, Mores" defines the lifestyle I have lived so far and hope to continue. Even before I understood these concepts I was already living them, FSU is in my blood and there is no place I'd rather be.

Undergraduate / Going to a public school - uf essay [2]

Describe a meaningful event, experience or accomplishment in your life and how it will affect your college experience or your contribution to the UF campus community. You may want to reflect on your family, your school or community activities, or your involvement in areas outside of school.

The day I decided to go to public high school, was a day that would change my life forever. I was about to embark on an experience that would help me develop as a person and learn more about the world and the people who live in it. As a homeschooled kid I had been sheltered from much of the secular life and had much to learn. My experience at Jensen Beach High School had a profound impact on my life and I grew immensely as a person and as a student during the time I spent there, however, I find that one of my most significant experiences was before I went to public school.

Being homeschooled was the best opportunity I have ever been graced to have experienced. When I was homeschooled, I had more time and opportunities than most kids to become dedicated and involved in a wide range of activities; gymnastics, girl scouts, cheerleading, soccer, softball, church, swim team, and competitive dance. These opportunities taught me many things about people, how to get along with them, work with them, befriend them, help them, and understand them. I was encouraged to converse with adults and to get along with other children of all ages and this led me to meet and learn about many different types of people. These opportunities taught me to have an open mind to new ideas and cultures from an early age, which is vital to any relationship or learning experience.

Not only did homeschooling provide me with more time to experience a wider range of activities that opened many doors for me, but it has also provided me with a strong sense of self and confidence in my beliefs. I had the security of my family around me 24-7 to support and help mold me into the person I am today, without the influence of peer pressure to divert me. The morals and lessons my family instilled in me have made me confident and able to stand up for my beliefs. Anytime I had a problem my family was there for me, with just the right advice on how to handle the situation. My family has taught me to have humility, gratitude, integrity, respect, compassion, and responsibility in all the things that I do. These are the characteristics I have observed and they are the same ones that I admire in them and aspire to achieve everyday of my life. The early years of life are critical to molding a person into whom they will become later on in life and I had the people who loved me the most molding and shaping me, rather than other middle school kids and peer pressure. They have my best interests at heart and have provided me with the characteristics and tools that are most important to being successful in life and college.

The things I learned from homeschooling, have proven to be valuable and effective in my transition into a public high school. I successfully transitioned into the public school environment, taking on harder classes, making friends, demonstrating responsibility, joining clubs, maintaining and developing new and old friendships, and continuing to mature and grow as a person. College is a new challenge I am looking forward to experiencing. The things I have learned over the years in my transition to public school and the values and ideals I have kept with me from homeschooling will guide and help me accomplish the academic and personal growth that comes with being an independent person. I know that my going to UF will help facilitate my academic and personal growth to its fullest potential and there is no other place I can see my growth as a person or student to be greater than it would at the University of Florida.