My College Admissions Essay: A Career In College

Growing up in the hardly diverse city of Richmond was not easy for a Chinese girl. Phrases like “All Asians look alike”, “All Asians can’t drive,” and “All Asians eat dogs,” became ingrained in my mind. Images of kids pulling the corner of their eyes while singing “Ling Ling” or “Ching Chong” became a video stuck on replay in my subconscious. In elementary through high school, on my dance and sports teams, and at after school daycare programs, I was the only Asian. The teasing never stopped because I was a rare sight and misunderstood. When I was younger, simple words could destroy me, however, the more mature I became and the more often I encountered the teasing, the more I became immune to it. I started to stand up for myself and eventually, …show more content…
College isn’t just a place to party and take exams. It's a place where an individual can grow, take risks, learn from failures, and unlock opportunities. However, I will not have this opportunity with my current situation. Due to the fact that my mother’s gross adjusted income exceeds $70,000, FAFSA and colleges believe that I am able to pay for $21,000 of the tuition and the rest of the fees and expected costs without help. What they fail to realize is that my mother is simply living off of social security benefits and pension since she retired two years ago. Just this past year, she accepted a part-time job offer since her medical fees, taxes, and bills started to overwhelm her. Therefore, scholarships like this are my biggest hope since they do not require me to pay back any of the money and will not put me in debt after college. The amount of money, if I happen to receive this scholarship, it will go towards funding my college expenses like tuition, housing, or board; and relieve me of some of the anxiety I have about my future. Without a college degree, my goal will be never be