Leaving behind the familiarities of home is often a frightening experience. It takes much courage to venture out into the unknown, leaving behind beloved friends and family to risk it all on a better future. This is exactly what both of my parents went through when they immigrated to the United States from their long-time home country of the Philippines. Their journeys weren't easy, as it is an incredibly confusing and long process to be able to adapt to an...

Racial stereotypes have long been a reoccurring issue for me, especially in the high school environment through interactions with friends and peers. It is quite frustrating when people automatically assign overgeneralized attributes and traits to specific nationalities. Heedless comments such as “oh, you’re Asian, you must be good at math” or “you probably have a 4.0 GPA because you’re Asian” have repeatedly escaped the mouths of many of my peers. Although remarks such as these may seem insignificant, they...

Try not to get off topic on the personal statement and focus on yourself along with influential life experiences. What factors contributed to who you are? What do you think set you apart from other applicants? Why do you want to attend this university? Try to honestly illustrate yourself in a positive way.

The personal essay should be all about you. Describe what makes you unique and...