Growing up in an immigrant family where I am the first one to attend college is a big responsibility. Coming from immigrants that only understand the concepts of working hard and saving money, my family does not truly understand how earning an education can help propel you out of poverty. In the past year, I have educated myself about finances, learned how credit works, and also about how to invest my money into assets instead of buying a bunch of liabilities. Investing in the stock market, opening up a Roth IRA, and buying property are ways that make money work for you. My parents never understood this concept and the more I learned about it, the more I wanted to educate other people. This mindset of helping and educating others has given me a desire to try my best to make sure no one around me falls behind. I believe that with this trait, I can help my fellow peers achieve more and also enrich the learning environment at Texas A&M University. I think that my unique background will add to the diversity of Texas A&M and help to benefit my classmates’ education, as well as mine. In all areas, I want to help enrich the learning environment at Texas A&M to benefit everyone and not just myself.

As a leader in many situations, it takes responsibility and courage to make choices that can affect other people. In band, as a section leader, I have shown leadership by turning a group of freshmen that could not play a single note into players that have gone into competitions and won. Last semester I was in charge of the low brass section of my high school band. Many people would say that I am crazy for single handedly being the leader for them, but I saw it as an opportunity to challenge myself. By the end of the semester, I changed this group of students from the underdogs to one of the top sections in the band; even my instructor was amazed by the commitment I had to my bandmates. Additionally, as a leader in the National Honor Society, I help guide my peers to be able to complete a task effectively and efficiently. My leadership does not end with school activities; at the local ice cream shop where I work, I am in charge of maintaining the quality of my co-workers to make sure that they give the best service to every customer. When I was promoted to manager, I was scared and intimidated at first, but with reassurance and practice being in different situations, I have grown a lot from my time at the ice cream shop. Whether it is at school helping students with music, or volunteering to show new employees the ropes, my demonstration of leadership spans across many different areas of my life.

As the very first person in my family to have the opportunity to go to college, I am truly blessed with the ability to set the example that anything is possible. My family came to this country with no money and my parents have struggled to provide me and my siblings with supplies to make learning easier. At the age of fifteen, I got a job so that I could buy new computers and a printer for myself and my siblings, and also pay the internet bill; all to make our education path easier. Our financial situation is not the best; all six of us sleep in one room that is probably meant to hold two. My mom and dad work long days and sometimes get sick from working too much and not eating. In 2020, the pandemic made life so much harder, and with the lack of business, it was a struggle to pay the bills and have enough money leftover. But in the end, as long as I can go to school, keep working, and make something of myself, I feel like this whole experience was truly worth it. All I can say is that I hope my younger siblings can see that anything is possible and possibly follow my same path. I’m not afraid of attending college, even though I am the first in my family to attend a university. I’m also not afraid of the many challenges that I may face when pursuing a degree in the medical field. I’m prepared to work diligently and relentlessly to achieve my goals and for the betterment of those around me. However, as a first-generation college applicant, I am afraid of the debt I may face while attaining my education. Growing up in poverty was difficult, and my parents wanted a better life for me. My parents saved a small college fund for me; however, the COVID-19 pandemic has drained their savings, as well as my college fund. I am afraid of the financial difficulties I may face while attending college, but I know that despite any of these challenges, I will still achieve my goals and attain an education. I’m asking for financial aid and scholarships so that I can better focus on my studies, instead of how my tuition will be paid. Thank you for your consideration.

#Zoom #relatable Handle @el_cuhlsx

"O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave". These words always make me tear up whenever I hear the national anthem for our beloved country. They make me proud to be an American and be part of a nation where opportunity is endless. Being an American has many meanings and can be experienced differently. As the first American in my family, that came from immigrant parents, have grown up to be grateful for the many opportunities I have been able to receive throughout my lifetime. From school teaching me new and exciting ideas to the teachers that always lend a helping hand, these are things that not everyone has the privilege of obtaining due to many factors. My parents had given up a lot in their lives for me to become an American and experience the opportunities they have to offer. When I was little my parents had to scrape every last dollar to be able to afford rent and basic needles so we were never left hungry, cold, or without a roof over our heads. Sometimes little things as new shoes were so rare in my household that we would patch the holes or tears so the shoes could last one more day because my family was short on cash. The idea of the American Dream was not what I thought it would be but it still didn't make me lose the faith in the big rewards that life had waiting for me on the other side. My version of the American dream was my whole family living in one room together because that's what we could afford. I always wondered what my peers at school were talking about when they asked me to go to a sleepover or mention the phrase "my room". When they would ask about my room, I would just brush off the question or bring up another topic because I felt embarrassed that I did not have the same childhood as my fellow Americans. Now that I'm older and am on the track of graduating high school with honors, I've seen that being an American has many opportunities that I never saw because of my hardship as a child. Being an American has have me the opportunity to advance my studies at the university level where I am the very first person in my family to graduate high school and enter college. This is something I am blessed to be able to do because each day I get closer to achieving my goal and doing great things, I do it on my family's behalf as well as a form of thank you for bringing me into this wonderful country. Looking back at my journey to where I am today, I have been gifted an education where this kind of privilege is very rare back where my parents are from. In my eyes, being an American is the same as being in a land of opportunity. Being an American has taught me so much about how gifted I am to make a positive impact on many people. The power of education has opened my eyes to so many new ideas that I could never have gotten somewhere else. This has also made me appreciate what my parents did for me to be able to be where I am. I hope that one day I can do the same to the next generation of students wanting to achieve the same goal that I have. Because If I managed to be where I am today coming from a very poor background, anyone can.

“What Are You Doing In My Swamp!?” Looking back at every film I have ever watched, there have been many films that had a great impact on the way I look at things today. From films that teach us important life lessons to films that make us laugh, these films that we grow up to and remember make us who we are. My all-time favorite film if I had to select one would have to be the movie Shrek, due to the impact it had on my childhood. The movie talked about a creature that was feared by many and showed how one person can have an impact on another person's life. I have seen Shrek many times throughout my life and the hidden messages that they portray to you as you get older make this movie a masterpiece in my eyes. I remember when I was a child that whenever I was not in the best of moods, I would simply turn this movie on and all the negative energy would go away, then I would forget what made me unhappy. Along with being funny, Shrek the movie had become a source of memes, comfort, and nostalgia to the younger generation which is another reason I consider this my all-time favorite film. With that being said given that this movie was released in 2001, this movie has been a part of an entire generation of kids growing up, and with the memes, references that this film has produced.

Baylor University sparked my interest because of the strong pre-medical and laboratory sciences programs. I’m interested in pursuing a degree in the sciences and learning more about the human body and the world around me. I think that the skills I learn at Baylor will help me to advance my knowledge, and prepare me for a future career in the medical field. I also think that baylor offers very competitive scholarships for students that are willing to work hard and overcome adversity, especially those from low income families. It’s very thoughtful for the University to take special scholarship consideration for those students from less financially advantageous backgrounds. I’ve received information from Baylor throughout my highschool career, and it would be an honor to become a bear. Growing up in an immigrant family where I am the first one to attend college is a big responsibility. Coming from immigrants that only understand the concepts of working hard and saving money, my family does not truly understand how earning an education can help propel you out of poverty. In the past year, I have educated myself about finances, learned how credit works, and also about how to invest my money into assets instead of buying a bunch of liabilities. Investing in the stock market, opening up a Roth IRA, and buying property are ways that make money work for you. My parents never understood this concept and the more I learned about it, the more I wanted to educate other people. This mindset of helping and educating others has given me a desire to try my best to make sure no one around me falls behind. I believe that with this trait, I can help my fellow peers achieve more and also enrich the learning environment at Baylor university. I think that my unique background will add to the diversity of Baylor and help to benefit my classmates’ education, as well as mine. In all areas, I want to help enrich the learning environment at Baylor to benefit everyone and not just myself.

Covid-19 has changed life as we knew it. What was supposed to be a normal spring break turned out to be six months of being inside our homes, with many families taking a big financial hit. This event has affected me in many ways because my parents and I were laid off due to a shortage of demand in our community. With no one working, it was hard to be able to put food on the table. Along with the unemployment benefits I received, my college savings were used to help my family afford the necessities. When my parents found work to be able to provide for us, I had to be responsible for the majority of the house work so that they didn't have to do very much when they got home. We all had to share one computer and at times that didn't work out in our favor; sometimes online classes were held at the same time that my parents needed the computer. I also had to upgrade my internet package because we needed to have internet that could support all of us being in school. This was not easy on us, but we made it work. I thought that my GPA was going to tank because of the many challenges I had to deal with during the pandemic, but looking back at it, I have realized that anything is possible with enough hard work and determination. I plan to utilize this determination to excel at my studies at Texas A&M, despite any challenges that may arise.

My Mother’s Words “Yo no quiero que vayas a trabajar, José.” (“I don’t want you to go to work, Jose.”) These were the words my mother said to me as I left for my first shift at the ice cream shop, but I knew on the inside she was proud of me. Working thirty hours a week and going to school at the same time wasn’t ideal, but I needed a new laptop for my Biomedical class and I was running out of school supplies. However, I wasn’t disheartened; my parents did their best to make sure that my siblings and I were never left wanting. Seeing my parents immigrate to a new country with no money and little knowledge of the culture, yet still providing for my three siblings and I showed me that through hard work, I too could achieve my dreams. My interest in the medical field came from an unlikely source. My heart sank as I heard my brother stutter, “Jose, Miguel is having a seizure.” As my parents and siblings were thinking that my brother was dying, the skills from my EMT class allowed me to spring into action. I laid my brother on his side, so that he could breathe properly while the ambulance was on its way. After a few days, my brother left the hospital unscathed, but this event taught me an important lesson. I learned about the power of knowledge, and that what I learn has the potential to benefit the lives of others. I want to attain a college education so that I can continue to pursue my love of the sciences and continue to help my community. In high school, I have been giving people a helping hand because I know what it is like to feel helpless. I remember translating important documents, such as my parents’ citizenship application and IRS forms. My drive to help others and my love of the sciences has inspired me to pursue an Emergency Medical Technician certificate and to excel in my dual credit college courses. I want to build my skill set so that I can help people from diverse backgrounds, like my parents. These experiences have inspired me to continue my education at the University of Texas at Austin, so that I can continue to expand my skill set and help as many people as possible. I owe much of my work ethic to my dad; seeing him overcome the many challenges of immigrating to America with no education and little grasp of the English language has made me realize that my dreams can be achieved if I work hard enough. As the first person in my family to go to college, I recognize that I have been given many unique opportunities, including the opportunity to help others. Throughout my high school career, I have strived to help those in need. From tutoring my siblings and their friends on upcoming exams, to feeding the homeless at local food banks, I want to do my best to use the skills I have to benefit the lives of others. These are the things I do in order to repay my community for everything they have done for me. Even with the hardships that accompanied growing up in an immigrant family, I am thankful for these events because they have opened up new opportunities for me and given me a unique worldview. Seeing my family struggle is one of the factors that drove me to advance my education. I will pursue a college degree, even though I may hear the words from my mother, “Yo no quiero que vayas a la universidad José.” (“I don’t want you to go to college, Jose,”) but I know that seeing me pursue my dreams will bring proud tears to her eyes.