Undergraduate / Law School Admissions (the Florida A&M University College of Law) [3]

Statement 2 - How have your life experiences and background shaped you into an individual who will enrich the Florida A&M University College of Law?

My parents have always been a huge influence in my life, although neither of them attended post-secondary school, they are the smartest people I know. My parents held very few traditional jobs and by the time they both reached 38, they were retired and lived in their dream home. They have consistently stressed the value of a good education, and they wanted me to have the opportunities that they did not have. I have always been a great student, but just like my parents, I have always aspired to be a leader and create my own path.

Several of the business ventures that attributed to the success of my family were family businesses. I began working for my father during middle school. By the time I reached college, I had worked as a secretary, administrative assistant, customer service representative, dispatcher, and account manager. I had been employed by my father for 7 consecutive years with my fathers' electrical contracting company, and learned that there is power behind perseverance. I had become a young professional before I ever received a paycheck; it was then that I knew that there were many things that I still had to learn.

One month after graduating from high school, my mother suffered a severe stroke. I had never lived away from my parents and my mother's condition forced me to stay close to home. I therefore applied for and enrolled at the University of South Florida, an hour away from my parents' home. Life as I knew it had changed forever. I had become my fathers' new partner; my mother was no longer able to work and lost a large part of her motor skills. Adjusting to my new atmosphere was very difficult; I had to step up to the plate and run the household.

The real world seemed more challenging than the world I previously knew. Working for my father and later becoming the manager of his business, taught me the importance of being punctual, unbiased and giving. It also forced me to acquire solid communication and interpersonal skills. I feel as though my mother was the first client that I represented. I had to be her voice, figure out what her problems were, and find a way to solve them. I became the go-to person for everyone in my household; there wasn't anything that I couldn't handle.

During my sophomore year in college, I was stricken with debilitating heath issues and an unexpected major surgery; I was forced to take a year off from school. I spent three months in recovery and began working full-time to pay off my medical bills. Before I was able to afford re-enrollment, my mother suffered another severe stroke, I moved to Orlando, Florida to be with my family. I enrolled in a local community college to complete additional coursework while nursing my mother back to health. I was subsequently enrolled in at the University of Central Florida.

During my college career I was faced with a series of unfortunate events, but I preserved just as I was raised to. Attending three different colleges was rough and did not allow me to adjust accordingly; however I managed to graduate. I will enrich Florida A&M University, by approaching my studies with the same relentless nature that has allowed me to continue on in the face of adversity. If I would have taken time off from school to deal with my personal issues, I would have been a better student, but this isn't the end of the road for me. I have the passion to be a lawyer and I am ready to take all the necessary steps to graduate with honors from your school. I possess a combination of interpersonal and analytical skills that I think would be a great asset to your program. Moreover, I would like to contribute to the diverse FAMU atmosphere by offering my impartial and objective views. I am,ready to take on whatever challenges are put before me. It would be a great privilege to be part of the FAMU Law community. I believe that my whole family has been given a second chance, and I vow to take full advantage of this opportunity if I am admitted into your university.

Undergraduate / (studying real estate law) Law School Admission Essay [3]

Mark Twain once wrote, "Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear - not absence of fear". These compelling words are a reminder that all things are possible, especially when one overcomes obstacles. My journey to conquer my fears began during my senior year in college. With four semesters left before graduation, I was still unsure of what career path I wanted to follow. As finance major, most of my courses were based around financial markets. I had been successfully trading stocks and foreign currencies for the last three years, and I knew that I did not want to pursue a career in my current major. Although I felt that these feelings were normal for a lot of upcoming graduates, I feared that I did not know how to begin my post graduate life.

During my senior year at the University of Central Florida, I began to realize that I no longer wanted to pursue a career in finance. I had already completed most of my coursework in finance, and changing my major was not an option. After all, I was the first person in my family to attend college and after taking a year off of school due to serious health issues, I was already behind on my four year plan. I was unmotivated, unsure of myself, and afraid of what my parents would say about my law school aspirations. All I wanted to do was to graduate and I lost interest in finance completely.

As graduation neared, I knew that I had important decisions to make. In order to determine what my options were, I began to analyze my previous decisions. I had spent my undergraduate years in a program where I felt alienated. There wasn't a lot of diversity in my program and all of my finance courses were graded solely on exam performance. I was never a good test taker and no matter how hard I studied; My academic ability seemed to vary from my grades. There was no space for me to articulate my ideas. I excelled at doing research, formulating ideas and finding answers. It was time to take control of my future outside of academia.

I was working full-time during my senior year, and I did not have the opportunity to perform an internship. I began to consider completing a second major in order to gain some real world knowledge and after taking a few elective real estate courses, I became infatuated with the real estate market. There were many laws that I never knew existed, and I was determined to learn them all. My real estate law professor assigned our class case briefs as extra credit, each case made me think as a lawyer; I would argue both sides, research the actual laws and prepare my briefings. I developed a great interest in eminent domain and foreclosure laws. It was devastating to know how many homeowners were uninformed about real estate practices. I became determined to be their voice.

Unsure of where to begin, I wanted to dissect the real estate market. Many people, enticed by adjustable rate mortgages, were now in danger of losing their homes. My mission began in the mortgage sector. Two months before graduation, I received my Florida mortgage broker's license, and began to job shadow a local realtor who was also a broker. By the time I graduated, I was prepared to sit for my real estate licensing exam. I was finally taking control of my own destiny, and I began sharing my knowledge with anyone who was prepared to listen.

With the help of my parents, I was able to purchase my first rental property. Being a homeowner taught my more than any course that I had taken, most importantly it forced me to focus on the laws that govern the real estate market. This was my niche, the transformation was effortless and I was preforming in an environment where I felt efficacious. I continued my work in real estate and mortgages, but after seeing the devastation caused by the economy, I also continued trading currencies in the foreign exchange market.

Four months after graduating with a bachelor's degree in finance, I feel that I am finally on the path intended for me. I currently manage three rental properties, I have acquired nine investors as a self-taught foreign exchange trader, and I have helped aid an investor in starting an S-Corporation. I am a very determined, diligent and motivated leader. I have made mistakes in my past by not being able to make whole hearted decisions in fear of making the wrong choices. The only wrong choice that I made was I did not believe in myself. I am ready to reach my full professional and academic potential.

I would like to continue my professional pursuits by studying real estate law at the Florida A&M University, College of Law. The rich history of FAMU along with their diverse atmosphere has made this program my top choice. It would be an honor to study law with professors who have taught a diverse group of students. I would like to focus my education on affordable housing, neighborhood stabilization, fair lending laws, along with laws that affect minorities and their communities. I will make it my duty to be an indispensable addition to your program by contributing wherever I can and by being a model student and leader. I look forward to beginning my law career at the Florida A&M University. This opportunity is a perfect fit for my natural abilities and I look forward to being a successful attorney and a minority leader in my community.