Rosas 1

Humberto Rosas Leon

Personal Statement
Mr. Landon
English 4 ERWC
10/15/18
Personal Statements

1. Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken
to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic
achievement?

The most significant challenge I have face was to move from my motherland to this
country. Some people will say that it is easy to get accustomed to a new life, which is true,
but not when you are 15 years old and you have spent most of your life in your motherland.
When I first came here was for vacation, and I honestly never imagined I was going to end up
studying here. The challenge started when my parents decided we were going to move here,
the first thing I thought was: “what am I going to do if I haven’t learnt the language?” at first,
most of the time my family translated me every word I didn’t understand, but once I started
attending school, they told me it was time for me to start acting on my own.

Of course, things get harder when you have studied your first language a lot, and you
write poems, give speeches and you basically are in love with it. This is where my challenge
begins, to be honest, the written part of the English language, was not very hard for me
because I love to read and write, but the spoken part has been a very hard part for me, but I
have learnt that if you feel embarrassed or ashamed of yourself or your image, perhaps you
won’t achieve what you want in life. And that has been my greatest challenge, to try to get
adapted to this new environment, language and culture, I have taken some steps to overcome
it, I have accepted that I am here, I have stopped thinking on my past (without forgetting it)
and now I am focused on what I will do here, although I still have to work on a lot of things
like my accent, and my grammar. I know it will be a long and hard process, but every journey
starts with a single step.

2. What is the one thing that you think sets you apart from other candidates applying to
the University of California?

The fact that I come from another culture, another country and the fact that I have
gone through a lot of problems and I have that motivation to never stop even if I know there
is a gigantic obstacle in front of me. I know you receive applications from foreign students
too, but every single one of them is different, everyone has a different story, motivation and
we all have a particular way to work, perhaps the only thing that we have in common would
the fact that we come here with a goal, a single goal… Become a better human being. My
culture has taught me that education is one of the most important tools that the man
possesses, my parents taught me that the more educated a man is, the more opportunities he
will have. It is totally true, and I have witnessed that throughout my life, that is why
education is so important and at the same time, it is sacred for me.
 Rosas 2

3. Describe your favorite academic subject and explain how it has influenced you.

Without any doubt, my favourite subject is and will always be History, it has
influenced me in a good way, it has helped me with my research skills and I have acquired a
strong love for knowing our past as civilisation. I always want to know why, where, when
and how. That subject has created a sense of belonging on me, and I’m always interested on
knowing where I come from and what race I belong to, and I always ask people where they
come from or what ethnicity they belong to, because it’s fascinating to know the different
races that conform our planet. It also has taught me that our past is important for us because it
defines who we are, it builds our present and in a certain way, it can even determine our
future based on what we have done or been.

In the U.S, I have studied World History and U.S History, of course they both are
fascinating, perhaps a negative point is that sometimes depending on where you study
history, they will tell you a different version of what happened. That influenced me to believe
that some sources are not credible enough to trust and that helped me with my research skills.
Studying history has helped me to be more objective, to always look for the truth regardless if
it is not what I want to see or hear. Objectivity for me is a valuable skill you can have if you
are a student, it makes it easier when you are writing an essay and you are choosing a side.

8. Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes
you stand out as a strong candidate for admissions to the University Of California?

Something I would like to make mention of, is the fact that I consider myself a man of
law. I strongly believe that it does not matter where you come from, what culture you belong
to or what education you receive, law is law and wherever you are, you have to respect the
law established there. My father taught me a very important lesson that has followed me
through my life, “respect everyone and show you have manners, even if they do not have
manners and are disrespectful, let them be, do not tell them how they are, you would look
more disrespectful, just be educated and be humble.” We all know that academic education is
not enough to become an important person, my parents strongly believed that the best
education comes from your own home, and it is true. I feel fortunate for receiving the
education I received, respect others, respect other nations’ anthems, other nations’ flag and
respect the rules established. That is why I have decided to study the Law Enforcement
career, I strongly want that, I am convinced that it would be a good career for a person like
me, who believes in honor and thinks that a man is defined by the values that he represents,
and believe that education is the only path to succeed.