ESSAY BY NAHID RACHLIN, FROM IMMIGRANT STORY OF HOPE AND HARDSHIP
This author shares specifc examples that provide evidence of her drive to succeed. She states, ". . . there is no excuse for not doing my best, given all I have been blessed with." Her essay shows that she has come to recognize that her circumstances are relatively fortunate compared to the hardships her parents faced. The power of these experiences lies in the stark contrasts they present. We fnd that the author "felt like abandoning [her] native tongue" while her mother was physically punished for speaking Spanish. Learning about her father's year-long struggle to learn long division helps put her confusion about tangents, sines and cosines into perspective. The contrast between cosines and long division highlights the difference in education levels between the author, who is on track to complete high school, and her father, who did not complete fourth grade. The third example the author provides is a narrative telling about her decision to continue swimming when she is reminded of the hard labor that her grandfather endured. These three examples give us a strong understanding of the lessons the author has learned from growing up with the "immigration spectrum" across multiple generations.
This essay, like "All Worth It," (Chapter 7), describes the lessons the author has learned from growing up in an "underprivileged" community of immigrants in LA. The author of "All Worth It" learned from growing up in Brooklyn to "just do it," never accepting failure as an option. This essay similarly shows how the author came to believe that "we should never give up." Both essays are compelling because they provide specifc examples from their personal lives to give us a sense of the unique circumstances in which they grew up. However, the author of this essay focuses on the positive elements of her environment: "diversity, opportunity, acceptance, and an abundance of role models." Reading these two essays in conjunction shows that there is no rule for how to write about coming from a disadvantaged background. While "All Worth It" notes more of the negative aspects of the neighborhood and "Lessons from the Immigration Spectrum" focuses on positive lessons, both authors are able to give us a strong sense of their perseverance and strength. As the first-born child of immigrant parents, I had to navigate the American college application process without my parents’ help. My As the first-born child of immigrant parents, I had to navigate the American college application process without my parents’ help. My mother did not attend college, and my father pursued his undergraduate degree in Argentina. Having moved to the US from Argentina in their 40s, my parents were entirely unfamiliar with the complicated and challenging process. As a shy and awkward 16-year-old dealing with insecurities of my own, I sought out people to talk to—college counselors, current students at universities I was applying to—and little by little I began to understand the details of the American college experience. Although still in high school, I began to realize the importance of being proactive and staying motivated to overcome these challenges.
I did the same once I arrived at college: I took every opportunity to speak with professors, classmates, and alumni who could offer me a new perspective and a word of advice. Many of these mentors opened my eyes to available scholarships, study abroad opportunities, and fellowships, such as Fulbright, each of which reinforced my desire to study law. In the Spring of 2014, I was the first person in my family to graduate from an American university. I graduated cum laude with a double major in Sociology (with Honors) and International Studies, and with a minor in Business Institutions. This fall, I will be the first person in my family to attend graduate school.
For first-generation immigrants like me, we often have to work twice as hard to succeed. Part of it can be due to language barriers; for example, when I arrived to the US during elementary school, I did not speak a word of English. This meant I had to attend ESL (English as a Second Language) classes while attending school in order to catch up to my classmates.
Despite these challenges growing up, I stayed motivated and continuously looked for ways to challenge myself academically. Growing up bilingual, I have learned to appreciate and value multiculturalism and cross-border communication. I am a native Spanish and English speaker, I have advanced proficiency in French and Portuguese, and an intermediate level of Italian. My languages not only broaden the base of people I can work and communicate with, but also allow insight into different cultures at a deeper level—a crucial element in the field of international law. I have heard thousands of immigrant stories as a child growing up in an immigrant household and community, and being on the receiving end of hundreds of thousands of college essays. The world is full of people who look at her family and immediately think "illegal immigrants," incoming Georgetown University student Carolina Sosa writes in her college essay, . Once you get into college, essay writing becomes a way of life. It’s only fitting, then, that getting into your often involves writing one or more college essays as part of your application process. However, many students struggle with one big question: “what should I write my college essay about?” If you’re worried about questions like “how should I write my college essay,” don’t worry: we’ve got you covered. Keep reading to discover the best college essay ideas as well as a definitive roundup of things to be wary of.
are immigration essays overdone? : r/ApplyingToCollege - Reddit
Overall, colleges are generally trying to get a sense of who you are through your college essays in your perspective, values, and voice. But here’s the paradox of the college essay: the prompts are often intentionally generic. For example, a prompt might ask you to describe a time you overcame a challenge. This makes most students think the admissions committee is interested in the challenge itself. However, what the committee really cares about is who you are, and are designed to let them know more about you in a dynamic way.
Is Writing an Immigrant Parents College Essay a Good Topic Idea?
As the daughter of an immigrant, I have witnessed the various barriers faced by immigrants, and this experience has motivated me toward my career objective. According to the Pew Research Center Hispanic Trends Project, there were about 11.3 million immigrants living illegally in the United States in 2013 (Passel et al., 2014). These immigrants come from all parts of the world for several different reasons. Whether to provide better resources for their family back home or to live a better life, these immigrants usually work in environments that can be harmful and dangerous to their health.
College essay about immigrating to the US. Answered - CollegeVine
Beyond making yourself look good, the primary goal of any college essay is to help you stand out from other applicants. This gives you a chance to really lean into a certain writing style (for example, it’s okay to use a humorous writing voice) that makes your essay more memorable. In fact, it actually helps to humanize you, meaning the admissions committee will see yours as more than just another application in the stack.
College Admissions Essay: My Immigrants To The United States
In this essay, the student does a great job of sharing aspects of his family's culture by using specific Spanish words like "yunta" and by describing their unique immigration story.