Uchicago Personal Statement

I have been raised by parents that believe in my potential to create positive change in the world, and that cultivate my desire to help people on a global level. My upbringing was the genesis of my ambition, but the growth of my specific interest in political science stems from my experience as a translator in Honduras. Until then, I was I didn’t realize how much power one’s voice carries. Without the power to speak out, people are defenseless, and as Euripides described, “It is slavery, not to speak one’s thoughts”. The people of rural Honduras are ruthlessly exploited by the few sources employment. These employers, cognizant of their leverage, set their wages so low that their workers cannot afford to leave the countryside or get a higher education. With no aid from their government, the rural Hondurans fall into a virtually inescapable and corporately-systemized poverty
University of Chicago’s prestige is extraordinary, and its renown expands throughout our entire world. Yet this is not what makes this place so intriguing. From being immersed in one of Earth’s most dynamic cities to its philosophy of intellectual growth and global exploration, UChicago’s value goes far beyond the label as a top tier school. As I attended a UChicago visit to Bishop Watterson, I remember specifically when Mr. Kurfirst, an officer of the admissions department, said “Yes, University of Chicago is very competitive, but not in the way most people think. The students here compete in order to push each other to higher boundaries. We compete, but everyone here is in this together and our students can turn to anyone in our community”. If I want to make a positive difference in this world, no university would be more reliable in encouraging and assisting my endeavors than this institution. With the University of Chicago, political aspirations people called impossible and idealistic suddenly seem