College Admissions Essay: Personal Narrative Of My Life

The infamous answer to the question, “What is your primary goal for going to school?” is “to further my education, get a job, and be successful” such a cliché if I must say myself. My goal attending school is to make my family happy, as well as myself. In high school, I did not apply myself like I should have done because I was not sure if college was in my favor. Also, being the child of a single parent wanting to attend college seemed impossible, especially far from home. In a family where no one has surpassed the first two years of college, I feel a spotlight is on me to not only finish, but also finish strong. I know how proud my family will be of my accomplishment and how rewarding it will be for me trying to obtain a decent job in the

A disturbance in a Tuesday morning routine was a change of a lifetime: my brief car-ride nap was interrupted by a crash, then, the jarring of the ambulance. It was an unexpected awakening. Sixth grade social studies and spelling tests had to be put aside, as the rest of my day would be filled with the beeps of machines and chatter of scrub-clad trauma nurses. Suddenly, my mind was back in my body - and my first conscious words were my complaints of the uncomfortable neck brace, followed by my request to remove it. The nurses exchanged concerned looks. I would see those same eyes in my aunt when she visited me in the ICU, but the difference is that one look was worried for possible neck injury, and the latter was telling the news of my father’s death.

From time to time I like to look back at my life and see what I have accomplished and how meaningful my very existence is to both my family and others. When I ponder this I often look at my father’s past and see how he aspired to the great man he is now. I see how he has made his fair share of mistakes and how he took it and kept moving. He has told me many times about how he never thought he would be anything important because of his intellectual capabilities and how he managed to squabble his way into medical school than the Naval Academy which changed his life for forever. I look at my father now and see the man he is now and see how he let his dreams become realities and how he worked for them instead of giving up and feeling sorry for himself like many people often act.

As a student, I have grown in my skills for academic success by having to write an essay in my Honors English class. We’ve recently finished reading the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and were told to write an essay about one of the given prompts. Before having to write this essay, I was struggling with the type of vocabulary and perspective, which was third-person, I was supposed to use. I had to find the right quotes from the book and explain in detail how they support the prompt, I felt that was the hardest for me. The words “I” or “me” weren’t allowed in the essay, unless they were in quotes. I never wrote anything without writing my thoughts on the subject. Also, the language that is used in the book made it even harder for me to understand what was really going on in the novel, which made the essay harder for me to write. This was the first time writing an essay like this, so it was difficult to me for that reason.

As a child, I had no father to guide me on the path to maturity. Even in the idyllic scene of a father and son playing catch, as I tossed the football onto the roof of my house by myself, the roof replaced the person that I was supposed to learn the essence of manhood from. Although my early and painful realization of his absence was distressing, I learned how to rise above my disappointment and become my own motivation. Throughout my life, I have been knocked down, but I was never defeated–that is what defines me as a fighter. Relentless in achieving my goals, I will myself to succeed despite all that deters me.

Going to college has always been a dream of mine, I never knew what I wanted to major in or any clue of what career I wanted to go into. It all started with my love of finding out more about the world around me I thought is was just my curiosity like everyone else but it was something different. That’s when I found my love for science. At first I really didn’t see my love for until sophomore year of high school when we would get on a subject and wanted to learn more about the particular subject not just what was in the book.

At the CIA, “Food Is Life” means that food is a major ingredient in your life. To others food might mean good taste, but to me food means so much more. Food is what I see, obviously eat, but most importantly, it’s what I think about all day. Food means everything to me and that is why I wish to enroll into the CIA because I know that I will find my success there.

I never even got to say goodbye. When my dad left it was the hardest it's ever been for my family and I, and we were never quite the same. After a while I began to fill into my father's shoes. “Aaron, one day you’re going to have to raise a family of your own. You’re a man, you’re going to have to be the provider for the family.” These words spoken by my mother have run deep through my soul and has shaped me to the very being I am today. I have three sisters, a mother, and a niece. Being the only boy in a family full of women is tough; it seems like the transition from being a boy to a man swiftly creeps upon you, and you suddenly inherit a large sense of responsibility within the household.

Risks can be something huge to overtake that leave you paralyzed with fear. But often smaller risks are overlooked even though they have the potential to change your life. The best risk I have ever taken in my life is a seemingly small one in the grand scheme of things, but I know at the time it seemed a monumental task, but if I had never gotten the courage to take that risk my life would probably be drastically different today.

I did not know how to react, a mini panic attack was occurring inside my head. Since I was thirteen, I did not know much about cancer. All I knew was that people could die from it. My dad, my hero, was now fighting for his life. I wondered how long my parents had hid this from me. Even though I had many questions, I only asked, "What did the doctors say and when will he come home?" My mom replied, "It will take him some time to recover." I could not feel my body, though I started to shiver. I started to cry while my mom held me tight.

In my life I have had numerous opportunities that have made me who I am today. My most revolutionary and life changing event is Guggenheim, a catholic summer camp that I attended for the last six summers. At Guggenheim I have undergone positive changes in many different aspects of my life. The energy at Guggenheim of 100 people coming together to celebrate their faith through singing, dancing, and praying provokes these positive physical and mental changes. I love Guggenheim because every year when I come home, I look back and realize that I become more outgoing, less shy, and a stronger leader.

It seems the older I get, the less assurance I have of anything. And believe me, when I was younger, I had nothing but assurance. Still, that‘s not too surprising considering a large portion of my education was spent in a private religious school, and anyone that has been involved with “faith based education” knows there’s little room for doubt. I mean it‘s not called faith based for nothing! I was being taught absolute truths, there was little room for scientific inquiry. So, armed with my “absolute truth“. I embarked on my chosen “ministry.” I was going to be a “Christian” rock star. Oh yeah, you heard me right. I said “Christian” rock star. I know that sounds like an oxymoron, and it probably is, but like I said earlier, in my youth and early adulthood, I felt I had a pretty good handle on all of life’s mysteries, and being a “Christian“ rock

“Brother, Brother don’t leave me! Don’t leave me!” I turned around I would never leave my brother, I apprehensively turned around keeping the hope that Doodle wasn’t hurt. Even though Doodle was kind of a virulent to me, always following me around being my shadow; I still love him even though he can irritate me. I had inferred that Doodle was hurt when I couldn’t see him anymore, I had lost all hope so quickly. Amazingly when I turned around I saw Doodle running up behind me. I had never felt so much pride in my entire, despite the rain pouring down on me I had never felt better.

I was a quiet, introverted child and I kept small, watertight social circles, as if I was a deadly secret that couldn’t be allowed to reach the public eye. My only pastimes were solitary; reading and telling myself imaginary stories. I didn’t mind taking long drives; I could perch in my car seat, face pressed up against the glass, and watch the trees, buildings, cars, and people fly by like a dream lost when waking. I never thought that I could be one of those people, that I could participate in the pattern of life.

In our lives we learn not only how we form our own personas, but how others influence us. As a child, my personality and dreams greatly differed from how I perceive things now. On the other hand, several qualities have remained the same. I believe I have grown into someone who is not selfish and can actually improve personally and academically.