Undergraduate / 'my passion for the psychological studies' - SOP for UT undergrad Transfer [3]

I'm applying as a transfer student and wanting to study psychology. UT asks for a Statement of Purpose, I had such a difficult time deciding what to write about. I'm still having trouble with formatting it. I have written the first two paragraphs, I'm not too proud of it so I ask for your help on how I can make it better. I'm currently working on my third paragraph on why UT is the best option for me.

What do you guys think of what I have so far?

Several experiences have triggered my passion for the psychological studies. The first is the fact that a close member of my family is diagnosed with a developmental disorder. From a six-year-old's perspective, "being extra nice" to my "special" cousin was the hardest thing I was asked to do. I couldn't bring myself to accept that there are kids out there who simply don't like playing hopscotch or hide-and-seek. I disliked him for the longest time because in my mind, he was a "weirdo" for wanting to play alone and being intrigued by things that just didn't make sense, like the red plastic bottle cap he always seemed to carry around. As I got older however, I became more accepting of his condition when I learned that he had a disorder known as autism. I realized that society does not always accept what they cannot conceive, much like how I felt when I was younger.

Another experience was when a classmate of mine was hospitalized for drug abuse. It was a shock because she didn't fit the description of a drug user - she was attentive, outgoing, and very enthusiastic towards her studies. Why then, did she suffer from a seizure related to cocaine use? How did she manage to display such positive emotions and behavior despite using life-threatening drugs? My fascination regarding that event broadened my curiosity toward human behavior; I wanted to gain insight on why we choose to engage in certain activities despite knowing it's potential harm. I realized a career in Psychology was the right path for me since this field aims to answer this and so many other questions related to the human psyche.

Undergraduate / 'refined job placement and career assistance' Statement of Purpose for the U of TX [3]

Transfer applicants are expected to write a SOP, this is the prompt.

Here is my essay, what do you think of it? How can I improve it?

The glistening lights, the ear-piercing sound of cars monotonously honking their horns, the overwhelming large crowd of apathetic people scurrying about their business, the strange yet colorful scrawling on the walls - what sort of jungle was this? From a four-year-old's perspective, this was Hell. This was anything but "exciting" as my uncle had described it. This was New York City.

As I look back at my childhood I wholly appreciate the manic city that is New York. I have always been surrounded by people from different backgrounds proudly speaking in different tongues, and this made it easier for me to enthusiastically learn about my Bengali culture all while holding onto the one I was growing up in. Being raised in one of the most diverse cities in the world has not only broadened my curiosity towards other people and cultures, but also has made me more open-minded, allowing me to view things from various perspectives. I want to attend a university that holds all of the values I grew up believing, therefore the University of Texas at Austin is the perfect institution to continue my college education.

I am applying for admission to the School of Liberal Arts with the intent to major in Psychology and minor in Sociology. In terms of my interest in Psychology as a career field, there are several experiences that have triggered my passion for this study. The first is the fact that a close family member of mine is diagnosed with a developmental disorder. As a child, I had difficulty comprehending why my cousin refused to play hide-and-seek and hysterically cried when people would laugh or clap around him. I became more accepting of his condition when I realized that he had a disorder known as autism. Being around him and learning more about such disorders is what made me more observant towards problems and changes in behavioral patterns.

The second and most perplexing experience was when a family friend started demonstrating psychological oddities that I could not understand. Normally very optimistic and attentive, her erratic behavior put everyone at unease. My family and I were baffled when she was hospitalized for drug abuse because her personality didn't fit the description of a drug user. How was it possible that a bright young woman as herself had suffered from a seizure related to cocaine-use? The incident boggled my mind for days and left me with a myriad of questions: why do people resort to drugs despite realizing it's potential harm? What is it about these substances that cause addiction? How do they affect our brain? The science of Psychology aims to answer such questions, and for that reason I am interesting in studying it further.

The University of Texas at Austin's well-known success of providing professional opportunities to its graduates is alluring. The School of Liberal Arts is specifically recognized as having a highly refined job placement and career assistance program for graduates at all levels. To fully exploit my potentials, I need to study at an institution that will provide me with the best resources, faculty, and educational tools, and that is why I would be honored if I were given the opportunity to study at UT.

---Thank you in advance for the insight!