Prompt: A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community, or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you.
Rough Draft:
I learned to have appreciation at a young age. My family moved from a small brick apartment and into a brand-new white house when I was six. Moving was a big deal, not only to my sister and me, but also to my parents. I did not come from a wealthy family and to be able to call this new house my home was a blessing. My parents moved from a small village in China to the United States, knowing very little English. Completion of high school is the highest level of education they ever received. Lack of a higher education only made them encourage me to do well in school. To settle for anything less than my best was not an option. I did not limit my learning to just academics. I developed a passion for art-especially origami. The idea of creating art by simply folding a square piece of paper amazed me. I spent much of my free time folding. Some classmates would watch the creases in my paper magically transform into the beak of a peace crane. By simply handing a piece of paper to others, I helped my peers find creativity in themselves, a quality they thought to have lacked. Art was not the only thing that interested me. I was involved in many different sports-basketball, volleyball, and track and field. I am not ashamed of being different. I noticed in team photos, I would be the only Asian girl in the group. I had to accept myself before expecting others to accept me. As I looked around, each person had something different to offer. When I think about what I have to offer, I believe I have a good variety. My experience as a family member has shown me to be thankful and appreciative of others. My experience as a student has taught me to not only listen, but apply my knowledge to life situations. My experience as a teammate has given me the skills to work with all types of people and encourage those around me. I use these experiences to face new obstacles each day. Now, I must face the challenges of college. In exchange of my educational mixture, I hope to gain a bright future.
