Biographical Essay

*note: certain places and peoples' names have been censored* Essay topic: We are interested in learning more about you and the context in which you have grown up, formed your aspirations and accomplished your academic successes. Please describe the factors and challenges that have most shaped your personal life and aspirations. How have these factors caused you to grow? Coming to America was not easy for my parents, especially considering the fact that I, less than a year old, was with them. We first lived in Michigan for two years and then moved to sunny California into a one-bedroom apartment in Torrance. I grew up as a happy, carefree kid, oblivious to my parent’s constant worries. However, it was when I attended kindergarten that I was forced to face society’s standards. My naïvely innocent attitude made the other kids avoid me and I was the target of constant teasing for two guys in my class. It was then that my five year old self realized that I didn’t fit in. I was different from other people. As a result, I became timid, avoiding others. This pattern carried on throughout elementary school. I had a hard time making friends, so I decided to change myself. I conformed to society’s demands. I changed the way I dressed, talked, acted and in the process, somehow lost both my cultural and individual identity. Deep down, I knew that I acted like someone I wasn’t, but still decided to ignore it since I wanted my peers to accept me. However, when I attended ________ High School starting from seventh grade, I was forced to confront this situation. Having a predominantly Asian makeup, culture was celebrated at _______. It was not like other schools where different cultures were amalgamated. In past schools, I was the only Indian so I felt the need to avoid telling others my ethnicity. What really surprised me about ________ was that every culture was acknowledged and respected. I came