'Teaching foundation' - UC UNDERGRAD APP ESSAY 1

Describe the world you come from - for example, your family, community or school - and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations.

I knew I was different. Being compared to other successful relatives and the monotonous question of what I want to be when I grow up irritated me. And why wouldn't I be irritated? How could a teen know what he wants to do with his life? Coming from a well to do family made up of lawyers, judges, doctors, scientists and businessmen, I struggled to identify my life passions. A family bursting at the seams with successful individuals. My father has business interests spread out all over the world and my grandfather is a world-renowned scientist, an FRS (Fellow of the Royal Society). Other FRS's include people like Einstein and Lord Kelvin. Talk about pressure to achieve!

My parents have always held up high standards for us brothers, both in terms of achievements and morals. I was always regarded as the 'one who needed extra attention.' I have always been a more outgoing guy compared to others in my family. I used to take academics lightly and adopted a rather laid back approach towards studies. But then some things happened that completely altered my outlook on life. Perhaps it was my brothers NYU acceptance. When I entered high school I took a new and revised approach towards my academics and my grades began to improve.

My parents are both active in social work, an activity I never really considered of great importance. However, as a result of their interests I was also put to work in various humanitarian projects (much to me consternation and under protest). I worked at the UJALA School and Rukhsana foundation teaching mentally disabled children and aiding in providing free healthcare for the underprivileged

This was a real shocker for me. Coming from a pampered well to do life I was suddenly brought face to face with the ugly side of the picture and I came in close contact with the disadvantaged people in society.

This experience has completely changed my thinking. As they say, no matter how much you are told or how much you read there is no better teacher then life or when you actually encounter some thing in real life. I realized the reality that I was one of the privileged few, maybe 0.1 % of the population. I realised something else as well; there is a special satisfaction in helping others.

This exposure has had a major effect on me. Now I realize that being rich and successful is not the objective. These are just the means to an end. The objective is to be happy and satisfied in what one has achieved. And this is only possible when one has made a positive difference in as many lives as one can.

I am highly indebted to my family for molding and shaping me into the person I am today. They have surely affected my dreams and aspirations for the future. Boys of my age and circumstances dream of being rich and successful and rolling up in their shiny red Ferraris but I believe there is more to life than monetary values. But is this an end or a means to an end. I dream to leave my mark on this world and be a positive externality for others. My business-oriented background has propelled my aspirations of one day becoming an entrepreneur in the field of renewable alternative energy. The lawmen in my family have enabled me to aspire to be an advocate of fair play and stand up against injustice. I would like to add three more words to my dreams and aspirations; happiness, satisfaction and legacy. Happy with my future state in terms of health and family as well as satisfied with what I have achieved in life and to leave a positive legacy so that I am remembered as some one who made a positive difference in the world. Too much? But that's what dreams are aren't they?

Overall, it looks like you did a pretty good job. There are couple of grammatical errors though. "Me consternation" should be "my consternation" and instead of "then life" it should be "than life."

Thankyou so much. I really appreciate it

Nothing irritated me more that answering the ever repeated question that what I want to be in future and having compared myself with other successful members in my family.


... brothers? I don't get it :(


This was a real eye opening for me.