Undergraduate / What shaped you into the person you are today? 2019 college application essay [4]

What shaped you into the person you are today?

this is my college application essay. (421 words)

the prompt is
What was the environment in which you were raised? Describe your family, home, neighborhood, or community, and explain how it has shaped you as a person.

Please let me know what I should change and if I should add anything else to lengthen it a bit.

In the seventeen years of life that I have lived, I have been sculpted into a strong, independent, and humble person. I credit who I am today to the rough environment I was raised in along with the most amazing parents who mentored me.

I lived my pre-teen years in a poverty-stricken community. More specifically, a poverty-stricken house where some days my mom and dad would have to sacrifice their meals just so that me and my brother could have food in our stomachs. I didn't understand my situation at the time but now that I reflect on it, my parents strength provided me with my own. I learned how sacrifices need to be made to keep the ones closest to you happy; even at the expense of your own satisfaction. But that wasn't the only thing my parents taught me. My parents taught me the importance of independence. During our hardship they never once thought of quitting, they never begged anyone to give us money, they never relied on anyone other than themselves. It sounds counterproductive since we were in need, however the lesson was more about learning to do things on your own. I learned that not everything in life should be handed over to you for free when you have the power to get it yourself.

Eventually, my dad received a promotion at his job which bumped his salary up by quite a bit. We began to reap the fruit of which we had sown. No longer did we have a shortage of food, no longer did we need to worry about how we were going to pay me and my brother's school tuition. The lessons I learned began to show me the importance of staying consistent. I now understand that some things take a while before they change for the better. I am now able to rest easy knowing that I can continue my education and continue the tradition of attending college.

One thing I will never do is forget my humble beginnings. If I didn't grow up in the community I was raised in, if I didn't have parents driven to give their kids the best possible future they can, I believe I would not be the person I am today. If I wasn't taught to be independent or strong or humble, I would have ended up like others in my community who are involved in criminal activity. I would not have the motivation to continue my educational career. I would not be Miguel Angel Olvera.