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Prompt #1

What makes a student valid for attending a college or university? Is it their potential? Their skills? Their knowledge? Or all three and more? I believe the answer to my first question would be the third option, all three and more, like most would. To my knowledge I believe that I am capable to survive the life of a college or even a university student. But how am I to prove to those who have seen both worse and better than myself. My grades alone aren’t in my favor but my test scores are. And in order to make myself worthy I have to prove to you through this personal statement. Now the question is what would I have to write so that I may fulfill what is expected. Should I write about my heroes? My struggles? My desire and passion for knowledge? Or simply life in general? Knowing that you‘ve probably read them all before, I’ll tell you a story.

It begins on the night before the twenty second of October of the year 1990. Soledad, a young mother-to-be in her third trimester, was waiting for her unborn child to be born with her husband, Ricardo, besides her, secretly hoping it was a boy. As they waited patiently to meet their first born the child decided it was time to make its appearance, of course early. You know what they say, first impressions are the most important, and after hours of labor at 4:33 in the morning the doctor announced “It’s a beautiful baby girl.” and she was named Crystal.

Like most first born I was spoiled to death and had everybody’s full attention until my younger sister, Aurora, was born and I had to learn to share. I now laugh at how jealous I had become that she had received all the attention, but a year and a half later my youngest sister, Bianca, was born and we had to share with her also. But we managed.

Like mentioned earlier my father wanted a son, but received three daughters instead, so in order to make him happy I became “one of the boys”. I preferred playing with boys anyways. While girls played house and princesses I let my imagination run wild and joined the boys playing cops and robbers, cowboys and Indians, and other games alike. And when I grew of age I used my imagination to tell spine tingling tales to other children which fascinated me, and I still do. So naturally I enjoyed spending time with my father, we would hike, go hunting (which I regret now since I’m all pro-animal rights) and other father-son activities. Everything seemed perfect, but it did not stay that way for long.

Yelling, cursing, and anger, no, rage started to fill my household. Was it something I said? Something I did? Was it my fault at all? All these questions filled my ten year old head and, like the little curious creature I was, I investigated to see what had caused the sudden outburst. But nothing answered the questions that haunted me, lingering over me, for years. One day my father packed up and left, leaving me a simple note, “Life is a b***h so bite back, and don’t let it from stopping you from achieving your dreams, baby girl. Be strong, not only for you but also for your sisters and your mom. I love you.” That was seven years ago. I must admit, I was seriously depressed seeing him leave. I refused to cry not wanting to show my weakness to my sisters, eventually I became my family’s backbone and I helped my mother with my sisters as they grew up without a father. I kept hope that he would return but when I turned fifteen I grew impatient and investigated why he left, and what I found shocked me. On the internet was the photo of my father with one word above him “Wanted” and I knew then I would never see him again.

Everything went downhill from there as I was in denial of everything. I always yelled at everybody who would speak a single word about my father. Rage overtook me and I didn’t care if the Apocalypse happened, I hated everything. I made myself forget his words and lived on what I said. I didn’t realize that I was destroying my life until I reached my junior year when my counselor told me I would not graduate High School, let alone enter a University, when I told her I wanted to continue my education. I was heart broken and that day I swore that I would change my life around for the better, and I am, with the help of my family and friends.

Now I’m a senior, sitting at my desk writing my story to those who will read it and hope that it will match up with your standards. And as I write this you are probably saying to yourself “Well that was nice but I still don’t know why she wants to be here?” Well its simple, I have the potential, I have the skill, I have the knowledge, I have the leadership, and Life has made me it's student. And like I said before, though my grades say otherwise I know I can do it. And I want to more than anything. Not only for me but for my sisters, to prove to them that they shouldn’t quit following their dreams. After all, that is my dream.

Prompt #2:

At the moment not much of what I’ve done has made me proud of myself. And it’s taking me awhile to write this part of the statement because simply I don‘t know what to write. I guess right now I’m proud of being a vegetarian for more than half a year. Growing up as a Mexican it is in tradition to eat a lot of meat. Well not really a tradition but we do. Being a vegetarian was something I chose to do for something I believed in. I decided to not eat meat as a way of protesting against the treatment of animals in the slaughter houses. Not many people I know, who say they are as devoted as myself in animal rights, would agree to such commitment. Although I allow people to eat what they wish in front me, since I believe that people have the right to choose what they please, I have followed through with the commitment, and still do. I am known for being a very open minded person and passionate for what I believe in. Like I mentioned before I believe in animal and equal rights. I usually don’t judge people for what they’ve done because of the simple fact that I wouldn’t like it if people would judge me based on my previous actions.