To realize one’s fullest potential, one must anticipate challenges that must be solved. Adversity is a multifaceted, ever-changing monster, but conquering it is necessary for personal growth. Though it is burdensome and painful, by overcoming adversity I have found the experiences have benefited my character. I am stronger and more resilient because of my experiences, and more capable of facing lesser problems. In my case, adversity came in the form of the foster care system, suddenly brought on when my biological parents were arrested. As the glass shattered, so did my belief in a permanent family. My sister and I were led away from the security of the past, about to face the worst few years of our lives. Deep down, I despaired and became certain that no family could ever care for me again—that the foster families meant nothing because they were only harboring instead of loving me. So in retrospect, I feel that the biggest obstacle I had to overcome was my own belief I would forevermore be alone. That belief manifested itself in disruptive behavior at school and home; I would easily get angry when I felt wronged, or cry when embarrassed. Not surprisingly, I was moved through three different foster homes in five years. This did not stop the conviction I had made myself believe—it only proved no one cared about me. I isolated myself, and if it were not for a newfound talent in mathematics, I would have had nothing to live for. I was just about to write off the last family I was with when they asked if I would like to be adopted. Again, the glass shattered: as the illusion finally broke, I saw two loving parents willing to accept me, even with my numerous flaws. So I said yes—sealing the first permanent relationship I had in years. After the adoption was completed in the courthouse, I found my family again, even larger than before. Adversity can never be overcome alone. Humanity has always needed others to thrive, and my case was no different. I needed a family to conquer my helplessness, to prove my life had intrinsic value. The adoption was the blow that slayed the monster, ultimately freeing me from the negative views that only made me suffer. It was proof that people—at first strangers—were willing to harbor my flawed self, permanently sealing a relationship as irreplaceable as the biological one. Even foster care was not meant to be torturous: being willing to give some of their resources, even temporarily, was an immense gift I cannot pay directly back. Overcoming adversity has taught me that the highest goal anyone can reach is to serve others. Taking the lesson from the struggle and telling it to everyone else so they can avoid or manage their own is the best action one can take to benefit the entire community. Once I can apply my mathematical and technical skills by practicing them at college, I can turn to the big picture, fixing the technology people are becoming even more reliant on, and partaking in large projects for the future. Presently I want to help every life I touch, teaching them mathematics when they are confused, or telling a lonely classmate about my foster care experience to make them hope in the times ahead. I have not overcome the foster care system, WE have. The bond my large family shares gives me the strength to continue helping others in small ways. And I will never stop paying forward the service of all the families that supported me—for it was their touch that inspired everything.

There is nothing more valuable to someone in need than a helping hand. And service is just that—being willing to help another without expecting a reward in return. In my life, I have needed help as I struggled to fit into a family when I was thrust into the foster care system. Though the experience was intimidating and sometimes traumatizing, I have come to appreciate those foster families who bore my burden, even temporarily. Since they gave so much to me when I needed it the most, I wish to reciprocate the services of total strangers back into the community. And the specialized skills I developed along the way are ultimately the most effective means to that end. Mathematics is perhaps my most profound passion, ever since elementary when I lost everything else. In second grade, I heard the commotion of my biological parents being arrested, sheltered partially from the sight. And when my love for my family was taken by their absence, I grew convinced no family could be permanent again. So by losing my hope to love, I found comfort in a logical and proven consistency—that two and two will always make four. From this point, I have always excelled in the math classroom—be it memorizing my multiplication tables years ahead of everyone else, or earning the best score on the AP Calculus AB exam, I have only grown as a mathematician. And being adopted years later revealed to me that families can take many forms, solidifying my belief in community service. I recently recognized that being a mathematician is a great way to study my favorite subject, but it will be hard to serve others if I immerse myself only in advanced theory. I then decided to apply it to the field, so I can be useful in solving real-world problems. Because I am willing to learn, to give back to my community I realized I need to understand the applications of mathematics—and that is where college fits into the story. I imagine my next four years like this. Earning scholarships as I pursue my Applied Mathematics major at the Colorado School of Mines, I become active in the real world. Mines is unique in the variety of internships and real-world experience successful students are offered while enrolled, meaning that as my passions become useful, I can prove it to multiple corporations as I help with actual problems. And by solving these problems early in college, I will become more adept in the future. The future, whether I like it or not, is likely one with technology, so to serve the community of tomorrow after my preparation is done, I need to become acquainted with it. And that is how I decided on a career: a mathematical technician. To spare you the Internet lookup, a mathematical technician analyzes data and issues with computers and such using the theory I comprehended to share with my associates in large-scale designs. I am very excited about this choice because if I can align myself with the right people, I can create much for the community, assisting in potentially revolutionary projects. Community service ought to be the highest ideal everyone should strive for, because of its mutual benefits. There is no downside to the idea of giving back because the community gave to you first. By serving others, you contribute to society, which includes yourself. By bettering the place you live, you find meaning and pleasure in your life. And by once needing a helping hand, you understand the importance of offering one of your own.

There was never an actual choice. A mathematics degree has always seemed natural in my future, for it has been an integral part of my past. I never doubted I would apply my best subject to the world. Mathematics had the strongest impact on my life. In my darkest moments, it was my redemption in school; when my life became shambles, the solver of all problems solved my own. This is my story. Early in elementary school, the police came to arrest both my biological parents. I knew little of the world then, and I watched helplessly as they left my life forever. This night began my experiences as a foster child and removed the permanence of a family in my life. I had little in those days; I built walls that made me unruly and uncooperative in class. I was an emotional wreck, yelling and crying and making all kinds of people angry with me. This behavior, however, only existed outside of the math classroom. In third grade, I mastered multiplication up to ten times ten; in fifth, I joined an accelerated math course online at the request of my teacher and entered a class for the “Gifted and Talented.” It seems natural that one’s skills become their passions. I was inclined to follow the path that was easiest for me to do. Mathematics was always my best talent, and so I knew from a young age it would be my entire future, as it was my entire past. Because I did not have a permanent family until my adoption in sixth grade, my only foundation was the consistency of mathematics. To me, it was mathematics’s most appealing aspect—two and two make four, now and forever. All problems had a solution when one applied its logical principles—and mine was solved because I believed in it. I was confident enough in calculating and solving that I managed not to lose hope while in foster care. Now, after the adoption, I feel the rewards have only just begun—I won my school’s departmental math award and received a 5 on the AP Calculus AB Exam. I chose a mathematics degree not by weighing it against others, but because it was the only subject that my heart felt attached to. But rather than learn the equations and formulas I have studied since elementary, I want to understand the applications of mathematics in the real world, for I have become confident enough to believe I can make a difference with my most profound skill. And by pairing it with my tech-savviness, I know there are plenty of opportunities out there. I have imagined no other future than one in which I study the elaborate uses of mathematics as much as I can. I loved the solutions the subject had for my traumatic past, and expect nothing less from my future. This determination to learn and serve my community is my primary motivation to attend college.

I wish to pursue a career as a mathematical technician. As mathematics has always been an integral part of my life, there was never an actual choice. It was clear I would use my best subject and apply it to the world. Math has left a large impact on my successes, and in my darkest moments, it was my academic redemption. When my family was torn into shambles, the solver of all problems solved my own. This is my story. Early in elementary school, the police came to arrest both my biological parents. I knew little of the world then, and I watched helplessly as they left my life forever. This night began my experiences as a foster child and the temporary state of my various families. I had little in those days; I built up walls that made me unruly and uncooperative in class. I was an emotional wreck, yelling and crying and making students, teachers, and my families alike angry with me. This behavior, however, only existed outside of the math classroom. In third grade, I mastered multiplication up to ten times ten; in fifth, I joined an accelerated math course online at the request of my teacher, and was placed in a class for the “Gifted and Talented.” Performing well in mathematics became an obsession, to prove to others I too was intelligent. It seems natural that one’s skills become their passions. People, including myself, are inclined to follow the paths that are easiest for them to do. Mathematics was always my best talent, and so I knew from a young age it would be my entire future, as it was my entire past. Because I did not have a permanent family until my adoption in sixth grade, my only foundation was the consistency of mathematics. To me, it was mathematics’s most appealing aspect—two and two make four, now and forever. All problems had a solution when one applied its logical principles—and mine was solved because I believed in it. I was confident enough in my ability to calculate and solve that I managed not to lose hope while in foster care. Now, after the adoption, I feel as though the rewards have only just begun—I won my school’s departmental math award and received a 5 on the AP Calculus AB Exam. I chose a mathematics career not by weighing it against others, but because it was the only subject that my heart felt attached to. But there are a lot of opportunities to use mathematics in the workplace. I felt it was best to learn the applications of mathematics in the real world, as I have become so confident to believe I can make a difference with my most profound skill. By being a technician, I can combine my passion with my proficiency in technology, which developed after I began to attend Caprock Academy with a lot of access to computers. I have imagined no other future than one in which I study as much as I can the elaborate language of mathematics. By using my strengths as a career, I believe I can make a difference. Being this motivated, I am trying my hardest to afford and attend college.

There was never an actual choice. A mathematics degree has always seemed natural in my future, for it has been an integral part of my past. Never did I doubt I would use my best subject and apply it to the world. There is no doubt about the impact mathematics had on my life. In my darkest moments, it was my redemption in school; when my life became shambles, the solver of all problems solved my own. This is my story. Early in elementary school, the police came to arrest both my biological parents. I knew little of the world then, and I watched helplessly as they left my life forever. This night began my experiences as a foster child and removed the permanence of a family in my life. I had little in those days; I built up walls that made me unruly and uncooperative in class. I was an emotional wreck, yelling and crying and making all kinds of people angry with me. This behavior, however, only existed outside of the math classroom. In third grade, I mastered multiplication up to ten times ten; in fifth, I joined an accelerated math course online at the request of my teacher, and was placed in a class for the “Gifted and Talented.” It seems natural that one’s skills become their passions. I was inclined to follow the path that was easiest for me to do. Mathematics was always my best talent, and so I knew from a young age it would be my entire future, as it was my entire past. Because I did not have a permanent family until my adoption in sixth grade, my only foundation was the consistency of mathematics. To me, it was mathematics’s most appealing aspect—two and two make four, now and forever. All problems had a solution when one applied its logical principles—and mine was solved because I believed in it. I was confident enough in calculating and solving that I managed not to lose hope while in foster care. Now, after the adoption, I feel as though the rewards have only just begun—I won my school’s departmental math award and received a 5 on the AP Calculus AB Exam. I chose a mathematics degree not by weighing it against others, but because it was the only subject that my heart felt attached to. But rather than learn the equations and formulas I have studied since elementary, I want to understand the applications of mathematics in the real world, for I have become confident enough to believe I can make a difference with my most profound skill. I have imagined no other future than one in which I study the elaborate uses of mathematics as much as I can. I loved the effects the subject had on my traumatic past, and expect nothing less from my future. From this, I have become determined to learn and am thus motivated to attend college.

I am pursuing a major in Computational and Applied Mathematics. This decision is the ultimate result of my life experiences, for mathematics was my redemption while foster care wrecked its way through my young life. I needed a foundation, and because there is a logical conclusion in mathematics that a solution will always be found, the subject quickly made me confident in my abilities. Science uses the variables and equations of math to explain the phenomenon of the world we live in. It applies my favorite subject to the real world, and I respect it for that. I learned this was true in AP Physics 1, which used algebraic equations to define concepts like work and force. Science is the most effective way to understand the way the world works and has taught me to think analytically and solve real-world problems. Furthermore, I revere the subject as the threshold of humankind’s progress and appreciate its experimental model. From the early discoveries of science from geniuses like Galileo and Newton, we have built technology and satisfied the needs of our advancing world. Science is exploratory, yet the most significant aspect of societal progress. Scientists make mistakes but have the tenacity to continue. By allowing mistakes before a solution is found, it is adaptable to humanity. This is also true in its emphasis on sharing the experiments scientists perform—for communication and teamwork bring out the best results in their work. It is through humankind’s mutual efforts that we progress, and science utilizes that to create technology for the future. But I was alone. I was unapproachable to my classmates during foster care: I had continuous tantrums when I felt wronged, and emotional outbreaks of tears. I was troublesome, and this made any group project difficult for me. I remember a certain science model I built with other students, where we folded paper slides and tubes together to make an overlarge roller coaster for a marble to roll down. In it, I tried to hog all the pieces and criticized my team’s work harshly. I was not open to criticism myself, for I was arrogant. In retrospect, it was because of my attitude that the project suffered. I only found friends through the openness of others, who sympathized with me after I was bullied. True fellowship is necessary for success, in science and my life. Later, my teacher, Mr. Jordan, who always showed experiments in his lectures, inspired me to learn more about science. The labs he assigned us in class were always in a group, for he believed teamwork was best. And it was. For slowly I became acquainted with my friends and classmates after they opened their hands to me, and by working together they got to know how intelligent I was. From this, I gained a reputation as a patient tutor and am still often requested for help. And of course, because I love mathematics and am knowledgeable in it, I was also skilled at science. I became better than my past self through cooperation, and I gained some responsibility by my distinct place among my classmates. To conclude, I believe science is essential to society in the same way it was significant to me. It fostered positive communication between my classmates and me, which led to friendship. Science, like the humans who created it, is open to mistakes. Progress does not happen without some sort of conflict, so scientists use wrong opinions to make the laws of the universe. Science analyzes everything, and my experiences make me believe the promise that it will improve society.

I am pursuing a major in Computational Applied Mathematics. Even before high school, this decision was made—mathematics has always been an integral part of my life. It was clear I would use my best subject and apply it to the world. There is no doubt about the impact mathematics had on my life. In my darkest moments, it was my redemption in school; when my life became shambles, the solver of all problems solved my own. This is my story. Early in elementary school, the police came to arrest both my biological parents. I knew little of the world then, and I watched helplessly as they left my life forever. That night began my experiences as a foster child and the temporary state of my various families. I had little in those days; I built up walls that made me unruly and uncooperative in class. I was an emotional wreck, yelling and crying and making all kinds of people angry with me. This behavior, however, only existed outside of the math classroom. In third grade, I mastered multiplication up to ten times ten; in fifth, I joined an accelerated math course online at the request of my teacher, and was placed in a class for the “Gifted and Talented.” It seems natural that one’s skills become their passions. People, including myself, are inclined to follow the paths that are easiest for them to do. Mathematics was always my best talent, and so I knew from a young age it would be my entire future, as it was my entire past. Because I did not have a permanent family until my adoption in sixth grade, my only foundation was the consistency of mathematics. To me, it was mathematics’s most appealing aspect—two and two make four, now and forever. All problems had a solution when one applied its logical principles—and mine was solved because I believed in it. I was confident enough in my ability to calculate and solve that I managed not to lose hope while in foster care. Now, after the adoption, I feel as though the rewards have only just begun—I won my school’s departmental math award and received a 5 on the AP Calculus AB Exam. I chose a mathematics degree not by weighing it against others, but because it was the only subject that my heart felt attached to. But the colleges that I am applying to have a lot of mathematics degrees. I felt it was best to learn the applications of mathematics in the real world, as I have become so confident to believe I can make a difference with my most profound skill. And the further label of ‘computational’ comes from my proficiency with technology, which developed after I began to attend Caprock Academy with continual access to computers. I have imagined no other future than one in which I study as much as I can the elaborate language of mathematics; with this motive, I try my hardest to attend college.

I stand proud in front of my classmates as I am awarded my school’s first-ever departmental mathematics award. I sit alone with a computer as I learn algebra ahead of my elementary school class. I write on the whiteboard, explaining to my classmates the intricacies of calculus. I love mathematics because it reflects my successes and strengths to the rest of the world. Math is the best of my life and always made it worth living. My passion began in elementary, a time of emotional turmoil after my parents were arrested and I became a foster child. I was uncooperative and unfriendly; I yelled at my classmates and cried when I felt wronged, not bothering to do so in privacy. Yet by third grade, I had mastered multiplication up to ten times ten and quickly learned division. And by fifth grade, I was separated from my math class to take an accelerated online course and joined a class for the “Gifted and Talented.” I only had a modest talent in the subject, but since it was the sole attention of my young life, I rapidly began developing it. It seems to me that people love what they are good at. Surely that was the case for me, and it will always be. Mathematics brought me confidence and strength in my darkest moments because I accomplished it well. My foundation was the steadfast nature of mathematics, by far my favorite quality of the subject. Though my life and the entire world change, it refuses to alter its principles. It is comforting because there always is a right answer, within its logic is a certainty a solution will be found. These beliefs are summed up in one of my favorite sayings: “Two and two make four, now and forever.” Of course, in time, I was adopted by a loving family and gained the support of love and family. But that only improved my proficiency. In high school, I passed the AP Calculus AB exam with flying colors and was awarded a mathematics award by my school. I feel this was the crowning glory of my relationship with mathematics—a reward for the hard work I put in all my life. So why do I love math? Because two plus two is four; because it solved my life’s greatest problem: self-confidence.