College Essay Final

Discuss how your family’s experience or cultural history enriched you or presented you with opportunities or challenges in pursuing your educational goals.

The Vietnam War ended in 1975 to the power of Ho Chi Minh and his Viet Minh communist party in North Vietnam. Fifteen years later, my grandparents and parents fled the country to settle down in America. My parents came to America with nothing but the hopes that they will make a better life for themselves. Knowing that, it was a given that they were going to be unfamiliar with the American culture and language. This was a factor that made me different from all my American raised friends. Growing up, my parents taught my siblings and I the Vietnamese language, traditions, and manners. My parents were able to teach me anything about my culture. 
One lesson taught us that long ago, the Vietnamese people always valued education because it defined your rank in society. That education is the key to success. That it opens doors for people of all backgrounds and it expands the human mind with knowledge. It prepares individuals to solve problems, teach others, function at a higher level, and implement transformational ideas. Without education, ones chances for securing a career and ascending to a higher economic and social status are limited. So that being said, my parents were always strict that it made me fear them since I was little. It was not fear where I was terrified, but where I loved and respected them so much that meeting their expectations was important. I knew that everything was from love because they wanted the best for me so that I won't have to go through the struggles they had faced growing up.
I did my best in all my classes, participated in student council, and received recognition certificates to prove myself. In elementary, my parents bought me those practice books that were a level higher so that I wasn't the student who fell behind. They made sure I applied myself to the lessons by ripping out all the answer pages in the back or stapling them crazy shut so that it wasn't possible to even peek. My aptitude for learning was a lot higher than most of my peers because of all those extra workbook practices. Despite my parents efforts for my readiness, it had both a pro and con effect on me. I lacked motivation because many things were not brought as a strenuous challenge to me and if otherwise then I didn't bother applying myself to it, accepted the fact that I wasn't good at it, and received the acceptable score instead.
Now that I am in my second year of high school, my parents have been bringing up college and what plans I have for myself. I had no idea how to reply. I began to think about my future. I reflected on who I am, what I valued, my skills, and what my interests were. I fantasized about what a successful life would be like, returned to reality, then created goals that'll direct me toward the near future. I had to change my perspective of dealing with difficult challenges in order to proceed my roadmap.
Its a struggle to change myself, but its for the better. I take on challenges welcomely and stay determined where I don't back down till what I want is fulfilled.
I made it a must to continue my education after high school. To further my knowledge so that the chances of securing a promising career broadens. I believe that a college education will be the gateway to me fulfilling my career pathway so that I am able to provide my family's wants and needs and to simply make them proud. My family's experience and cultural history has made me the person I am today with opportunities such as the ability to use the power of knowledge to direct myself to success. I am grateful for parents sacrifice all so that their children deserve nothing less than the best knowledge and values.

College Essay Draft

Discuss how your family’s experience or cultural history enriched you or presented you with opportunities or challenges in pursuing your educational goals.

The Vietnam War ended in 1975 to the power of Ho Chi Minh and his Viet Minh communist party in North Vietnam. Fifteen years later, my grandparents and parents fled the country to settle down in America. My parents came to America with nothing but the hopes that they will make a better life for themselves. Knowing that, it was a given that they were going to be unfamiliar with the American culture and language. This was a factor that made me different from all my American raised friends. Growing up, my parents taught my siblings and I the Vietnamese language, traditions, and manners. My parents were able to teach me anything about my culture. 
One lesson taught us that long ago, the Vietnamese people always valued education because it defined your rank in society. That education is the key to success. That it opens doors for people of all backgrounds and it expands the human mind with knowledge. It prepares individuals to solve problems, teach others, function at a higher level, and implement transformational ideas. Without education, ones chances for securing a career and ascending to a higher economic and social status are limited. So that being said, my parents were always strict that it made me fear them since I was little. It was not fear where I was terrified, but where I loved and respected them so much that meeting their expectations was important. I knew that everything was from love because they wanted the best for me so that I don't have to go through the struggles they faced growing up.
I did my best in all my classes, participated in student council, and received recognition certificates to prove myself. My aptitude for learning was a lot higher than most of my peers. This characteristic made me the person I am today. An individual who lacks motivation because many things were not brought as a strenuous challenge to me and if otherwise then I didn't bother applying myself to it, accepted the fact that I wasn't good at it, and received the acceptable score instead.
Now that I am in my second year of high school, my parents have been bringing up college and what plans I have for myself. I had no idea how to reply. I began to think about my future. I reflected on who I am, what I valued, my skills, and what my interests were. I fantasized about what a successful life would be like, returned to reality, then created goals that'll direct me toward the near future. I had to change my perspective of dealing with difficult challenges in order to proceed my roadmap.
Its a struggle to change myself, but its for the better. I take on challenges welcomely and stay determined where I don't back down till what I want is fulfilled.
I made it a must to continue my education after high school. To further my knowledge so that the chances of securing a promising career broadens. I believe that a college education will be the gateway to me fulfilling my career pathway so that I am able to provide my family's wants and needs and to simply make them proud. My family's experience and cultural history has made me the person I am today with opportunities such as the ability to use the power of knowledge to direct myself to success. I am grateful for parents sacrifice all so that their children deserve nothing less than the best knowledge and values.

College Prompts

UW

A. Discuss how your family’s experience or cultural history enriched you or presented you with opportunities or challenges in pursuing your educational goals.

OR

B. Tell us a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it.

ND

Paragraph Thing

In honor of St. Patricks's day, Mrs. Murphy called in an order for a party platter of corned beef.  The restaurant said that it would take about 15 minutes for delivery. After she ended the call, she hooked it up to the aux and blasted her Irish music. The speakers jumped and the crowd partied. Her dance skills were more honorable than Drake's moves in his hotline bling MV. She took a break from the event as she noticed the delivery guy unloading his car from across the street. She stood at the opposite end of the road as the delivery guy approached. In the distance, a loud noise came racing closer. Before she knew it, the delivery guy was struck by the speeding cargo truck. Mrs.Murphy was then heartbroken when she realized the corn beef was splattered all over the road. She stood still complaining about how the whole platter went to waste.

It was black Friday and KFC had a limited bucket deal. Mr. Smee was KFC's lucky customer who got the very last bucket. The rest of the customers left were not planning to leave without a deal so they chased after him in hopes that they at least get a single piece of chicken. The hard working family men shouted and charged after him. Mr. Smee managed to untangle himself through the tight crowd to the front of the herd of men. The whole scene was a complete ruckus. The William brothers managed to catch up and throw a few swings to weaken his grip off the bucket, but Mr. Smee released one arm from the bucket to blocked one of throws and extended his other arm and shot an elbow strike to the other brother. The grease from the chicken began to drip through his grey shirt as he adjusted the bucket closer to his chest. He grasped the bucket with an even tighter grip as he regained motivation from the scent of the extra crispy fried chicken. All he though about was making into his car and finally taking a rewarding bite out of the remaining pieces of chicken.

College Choices

UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
Seattle 
Founded in 1861, UW is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast and features one of the most highly regarded medical schools in the world. This school is an elected member of the Association of American Universities, and its research budget is among the highest in the U.S. It has both a traditional mascot (Harry the Husky) and also a live one (Dubs)! The setting of the campus is also very pretty. I like that in the spring, cherry blossoms bloom making the campus even more attractive.

NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
Illinois 
Bordered by the Great Lake and a global city, NU ranks #12 for national university and #19 for school of medicine. ~ 51% of undergraduates receive a NU scholarship, which does not need to be repaid. Evanston has beaches, shops, and restaurants to explore with just a train ride away to the city. NU's Feinberg School of Medicine is on the Chicago campus and is adjacent to several closely affiliated hospitals. The neighborhood contains a combination of hotels, restaurants, professional office centers, medical facilities, and cultural venues. NU is a large university with a comprehensive doctoral program and attracts over $550 million in sponsored research each year.

UNIVERISTY OF NOTRE DAME
Indiana
The campus looks amazing. I like its Gothic architecture and park like landscape, exquisite outdoor sculpture,and breathtaking views. It is dedicated to religious beliefs no less than scientific knowledge. Their students come from all over the U.S. and 100+ countries. ND offers rigorous academics, NCAA D1 athletics, and events/activites to create an environment for students to have opportunities to do good.

coming of age graphic

Final

"We are happy to congratulate you on your acceptance to MMS.." In that moment I felt as if I had won the last golden ticket to Willy Wonka's chocolate factory. These were the very words that had changed my life. It was what every GE applicant hopes to see as they open their letters. However, I was terrified to attend a school far away from home. I was going to a completely unfamiliar place where I didn't know anyone. The fact that I had to leave my old friends behind and make new ones. The thoughts constantly ran through my mind as if I was moving to another country. I was scared of people I haven't even met, that I would be that "new girl", and that others would not like me. To make things worse, I didn't have a choice but to go to summer school.

Before middle school started, I learned how to play the Viola. It was the first string instrument that I ever played. So the only way to get better was to keep practicing. I made it my goal to be just as good as those who already knew how to play. During the summer, I was seated in the second to the last row.By mid quarter I was bumped up to section leader. I was extremely proud of myself knowing that my hard work and determination payed off. Being in an ensemble taught me how to be responsible for my learning, to look out for others, and to perform my best.

Middle school came to an end and it was time to register for high school. This meant that I needed to reapply a GE and that I was left waiting all summer long to find out if I was able to continue going to school in Moanalua. After two years of orchestra, I felt that I wasn't as interested in doing it in high school so I decided to give MeneMac a shot. I had no choice but to go to summer school again for the third year in a row. However, this time I was going to a new school where I knew people. I took my performance skill from orchestra and applied it to my summer PE  class. The course wasn't so bad because it pushed me to work hard through the physical pain and to mentally get over whatever was holding me back.

School started before I could finish my mile run for PE. As I complained about it, I realized how fast time passed. Then it hit me that it was the first day of high school tomorrow and that I needed to set an agenda for myself in my upcoming high school career. I couldn't stick to my goals 100% because of how everything was so new with the integrated media classes, world language, and extra curricular activities happening throughout the year. As school was back in session, I slowly began to slip and fall behind in school. I struggled in my math, english, and biology. It wasn't like middle school where I was actively involved and self applied to my classes. At times when my grades would slip from A's to B's to C's and the worse was a D,  I'd lose motivation and let them slip to a totally unacceptable standard. When this happened to me in math, I was almost done with even bothering to try. However I did the opposite by getting help, redid my tests and raised my grade up to a B. It was one of the times when I needed to face reality and get crap done. So I had to change my ways. The fun and games were over. It was time to get down to working.

I continued the rest of the year by completing quality work before they were due and coming in for help when there was a slight chance of me falling behind. I was better at math because I actively listened and participated in class. Some things haven't changed like my writing skills. I was strong in other standards but I struggled in English because of MY TERRIBLE WRITING. To be honest I feel like this one sucks because my story is weak but, I just need to write more to get better. What I learned through my first year of high school was that no one will wait for me if I fall behind and that everything should be done in the smallest amount of time but with quality. I still have two more years to go and have many more obstacles to overcome. One obstacle right now is to get back into staying determined and motivated to be on top of my school work. Life will not give you what you want without you earning it. Knowing this, I am going to get things together so that I don't fall behind again and to actively commit to what matters to me and exceed in it. The only way to succeed in anything is to commit to it.