"Why knowledge is important to me and why?"- USC prompt

USC's speaker series "What Matters to Me and Why" asks faculty and staff to reflect on their values, beliefs, and motivations. Presenters talk about choices they have made, difficulties encountered, and commitments solidified. Write an essay about an event or experience that helped you learn what is important to you and why it is important. 500-700 words

Seeing what my father has achieved throughout his life motivates me to strive as high as I can. My father arrived to the United States illegally, homeless, jobless and without any education. Twenty years later he has changed from homeless to homeowner and from illegal alien to American citizen. In addition to that instead of just learning English he has learned how to speak French as well. Moreover, he has obtained an associate of arts degree and become a certified building inspector. Now all this I have experienced throughout my whole life; every single day I watched my father read his books whether it be his National Electric Code book to his Uniform Mechanical Code book.

I never truly understood the significance of my father's sacrifice. Sometimes I would even imitate him by grabbing one of my books just to try to understand what he was actually getting from those books. I was very young and did not completely understand what all his actions meant but one day I decided to ask what he was doing. He responded, "Son I am trying to make our lives better by educating myself because education is the key to success no matter where in the world you are. What if one day everything was taken away from you then what would you do? Education son can never be taken away from you, which makes it very important and don't you ever forget that." That day changed the way I viewed life I used to think that school was just a means to pass time and make friends but that was not the case. The most important thing in my life back then was to be the best soccer player but that was before I was hit by reality.

After I realized how different reality was I focused on my studies trying to learn as much as possible in order to one day become as successful as my father. Since that day I have always valued my education never missing a single day of school no matter how sick I was because at the end I knew that one day all my work would pay off just like it had done for my father. I applied to the GATE program in middle school and was granted admission. I graduated at the top of my class and was headed towards high school. The high school I was designated to go to was not academically challenging thus I decided to transfer to another high school with a strong academic background. The only reason I was allowed to transfer was because of my good grades and there it was my hard work had started to pay off. In high school being mathematically ahead of my class I started to focus on things that made me curious for more like chemistry, and biology. I began to read books covering these topics although I couldn't fully understand them I tried my best. I also took AP and honor courses throughout my four years in high school challenging myself to learn the most that I could.

Till this day I keep studying hard and focusing on my passion for science and math by taking courses that interest me. I no longer read just to fulfill my curiosity but I now read in order to learn the most that I can. I have experienced the impossibilities of this world firsthand making me very grateful for changing my priorities early in life. No longer am I waiting for things to happen to me but instead I make things happen. After receiving my degree I plan to continue to expand my knowledge base by studying and pursuing a career in medicine because now more than ever I too believe that "knowledge is the key to success."

Need some help with my grammar and overall wanted to know if it answers the prompt? Thanks

...motivates me to strive as hard as I can.

or...
...motivates me to strive hard and aim as high as I can.

I really hope the person who reads your essays is not one of those intolerant people who is all bent out of shape about illegal immigration. Probably not, but if they are, you probably don't want to attend a school represented by that kind of person, anyway. Your Dad's accomplishment is indeed inspirational!

commas:
"Son, I am trying to make our lives better by educating myself, because education is the key to success no matter where in the world you are. What if one day everything was taken away from you? Then what would you do?

You start a paragraph with the mention of your father's sacrifice, but you don't actually say what he sacrificed. Maybe sacrifice is not the correct word. Maybe it is "struggle."

Cut this weak part at the start of this sentence:
Till this day I keep studying hard and focusing on my passion for science and math by taking courses that interest me.

Ha ha, the way your father inspires you shines through the essay and even inspires the reader. I like it!! I bet your Dad likes it, too!

Thanks a lot Kevin and yeah my dad loves this essay.