ebailon
Nov 27, 2012
Undergraduate / "Do you really want to end up like us?"; University of Washington- Personal Statement [4]
"Quieres terminar como nosotros?" Whether it's in Spanish or in English, the same question remains, "Do you really want to end up like us?" I have gone my entire life constantly being asked this question. From a young age, both of my parents were forced to drop out of school and work to be able to provide for their families. Neither of them even graduated high school. Due to the financial hardships they were experiencing in Mexico, they decided to migrate to the United States in hopes of living better lives here. Although they have lived in the U.S. for more than twenty years, they are still not satisfied with the lives they are living. Neither of my parents speak fluent English, and their lack of proper job training has made their ability to find jobs much more difficult.
Ever since I began school, I was always reminded of the value of education. In their broken English, they tried their best to remind me that the only thing that would get me far in life was to work hard in school and never give up on my dreams. I have always loved school and I know that my parents are proud to see that I truly do have the desire to succeed. I remember every time a grade report would arrive home, my parents would beam with happiness and pride upon seeing my good grades. They have always been extremely supportive of me and although they stopped being able to help me with my homework after the fifth grade, I know that they sincerely want me to make it far in life.
Once I entered high school, I discovered what I truly wanted to do for the rest of my life: science. I began to take more challenging, rigorous scientific courses such as AP Chemistry, AP Biology, and Human Anatomy. Due to my success in these classes, I was able to decide that I wanted to further pursue science after high school and became involved in more science related activities. My dad had always wanted to be a doctor, but because he had to quit school and work from such a young age he had long given up on that dream. This served as motivation for me because I knew that I had the potential to be able to live his dream for him and make him proud.
Now that I am so close to graduating, I have realized that my opportunity to achieve my dreams is finally within reach. Nobody in my family has ever made it past high school, including extended family members. There is a lot riding on me going to college, because everybody expects me to be the first one to do something significant with my life. At all of our family reunions, my parents always brag about how proud they are of me, and that has only inspired me to work harder and not let them down.
Family can be a very influential aspect in a person's life. They can either impact you negatively or push you to be the best person you can be. I have been lucky enough to have been given a family that does nothing but support and encourage me to reach my highest potential. My parents may not have received the best education out there, but they are still extremely intelligent people who know exactly what I am capable of doing and how to support me in getting there. I know that the road to achieving my dreams will not be an easy one, but I am relieved to know that I will not be alone in this journey. I can only hope that in the future I am capable of doing everything my family expects me to do, and being the person that my parents could only dream of being.
"Quieres terminar como nosotros?" Whether it's in Spanish or in English, the same question remains, "Do you really want to end up like us?" I have gone my entire life constantly being asked this question. From a young age, both of my parents were forced to drop out of school and work to be able to provide for their families. Neither of them even graduated high school. Due to the financial hardships they were experiencing in Mexico, they decided to migrate to the United States in hopes of living better lives here. Although they have lived in the U.S. for more than twenty years, they are still not satisfied with the lives they are living. Neither of my parents speak fluent English, and their lack of proper job training has made their ability to find jobs much more difficult.
Ever since I began school, I was always reminded of the value of education. In their broken English, they tried their best to remind me that the only thing that would get me far in life was to work hard in school and never give up on my dreams. I have always loved school and I know that my parents are proud to see that I truly do have the desire to succeed. I remember every time a grade report would arrive home, my parents would beam with happiness and pride upon seeing my good grades. They have always been extremely supportive of me and although they stopped being able to help me with my homework after the fifth grade, I know that they sincerely want me to make it far in life.
Once I entered high school, I discovered what I truly wanted to do for the rest of my life: science. I began to take more challenging, rigorous scientific courses such as AP Chemistry, AP Biology, and Human Anatomy. Due to my success in these classes, I was able to decide that I wanted to further pursue science after high school and became involved in more science related activities. My dad had always wanted to be a doctor, but because he had to quit school and work from such a young age he had long given up on that dream. This served as motivation for me because I knew that I had the potential to be able to live his dream for him and make him proud.
Now that I am so close to graduating, I have realized that my opportunity to achieve my dreams is finally within reach. Nobody in my family has ever made it past high school, including extended family members. There is a lot riding on me going to college, because everybody expects me to be the first one to do something significant with my life. At all of our family reunions, my parents always brag about how proud they are of me, and that has only inspired me to work harder and not let them down.
Family can be a very influential aspect in a person's life. They can either impact you negatively or push you to be the best person you can be. I have been lucky enough to have been given a family that does nothing but support and encourage me to reach my highest potential. My parents may not have received the best education out there, but they are still extremely intelligent people who know exactly what I am capable of doing and how to support me in getting there. I know that the road to achieving my dreams will not be an easy one, but I am relieved to know that I will not be alone in this journey. I can only hope that in the future I am capable of doing everything my family expects me to do, and being the person that my parents could only dream of being.