The lower class neighborhood that I was raised in was a breeding ground for kids that weren’t taught to esteem education as I did. I recall being in elementary classrooms with kids that only wanted to disrupt – but I managed to fight my way through exiting with the highest ITBS (Iowa Test of Basic Skills) score of my graduating class. In middle school, I opened my eyes to the wonders of helping people. I watched my father struggle to get through the day with a severe back injury, and watched him get better from surgery the next. Doctors really amazed me, and I knew I wanted to become one.

            Many people doubted my ability to get that far because of my inner-city public education and financial problems- and they made sure they verbalized their opinions. They even went as far as suggesting that I choose another career- but I chose to steadily move forward and follow my dream. Little did I know that people doubting me would be the least of my worries. I entered high school with college on my mind and all of my problems behind me. Just as I thought I was clear of the obstacles, my mom and dad started having problems. I was doing fine at first- but I could see my grades slipping and study habits fading after my parents separated the second semester of my first year. My dad was far away and my mom was constantly working. I barely had a way to school on most days, so I moved with my grandmother to be closer to my school. I meditated on my walk to school everyday and asked God to help me press forward and improve my grades. Slowly my grades improved, and eventually my parents got back together. I was very happy and content with my educational path at this point.

             Eventually, my parents’ problems returned. This time I was caught in the crossfire. When my parents separated, I was discouraged and I did not know what to do. My grades were slipping and I struggled to find stability. I started to lose close friends from middle school that I kept in touch with to drugs, murder, suicide, and imprisonment. My social skills headed downhill. I tried not to make friends for fear of losing another. By my junior year, I realized that I had no control over other people’s actions and being anti-social would not solve anything. I decided to preserver and indulge in my education. At this point, I knew that education was my outlet and I absolutely had to continue after high school.

             When I am learning, my problems do not exist. My family’s financial standings do not matter in the classroom. My parent’s martial status is not relevant when I am creatively writing. The friends I lost are ok when I take the time to read inspirational books. With education, my world is sane. I am now a senior at Tri-Cities High School in East Point, Georgia. Education is my outlet. I have overcome many obstacles. I plan to surmount the next obstacle like all the rest- one day at a time.

            My background has definitely set me apart from others around me. The term “diverse” is not enough to describe how different others see me. In my current environment, I experience very little diversity. I cannot benefit from interaction with others because everyone’s accustomed to the same habits, customs, and traditions. I enjoy meeting different people and experiencing different learning techniques. I often form study groups consisting of people with different learning styles to cover every angle of a subject. I do this simply because I realize that diversity gives you an opportunity to observe alternate views of everything that were not there before. I have come considerably far with the little diversity that I have experienced in a high school setting. Experiencing a larger scale of diversity in a college setting could only broaden my horizons even more.

            Emory University is a good match for me because of its level of diversity and its intellectual community. Emory provides many programs and opportunities for me to step up and exempt my leadership. Emory is over-flowing with individuals who have a zeal for learning and actually strive to make a difference, small or large, through their brilliance. I honestly feel that I could benefit from being in such a close community as these individuals as well as they from me. I also believe that there are certain advantages in attending or considering universities that have a wide variety of majors and minors to give students the opportunity to explore different career options, and Emory does just that. Although I am sure of my intended major and career path, if I decided to explore other options, Emory allows me to do so. With Emory’s top professors and rigorous curriculum, I know that it could provide me with the firm and diverse foundation I need to succeed and take my vital role in changing the world for the greater good.