Pioneering to the West Coast At the age of eight, I learned what it was to be in this country “illegally” after I saw the second of my two bright, older sisters tearing up as she received her high school diploma. She had realized that she, like my other sister, would not be able to go to college because of her undocumented status in this country. She was graduating in the top five percent of a class that she had...

Anchor Like the California redwood, who sits on the same piece of land for centuries, I am immovable. Unexpected challenges may batter me from time to time, but I continue to stand erect with my head held high and an unwavering mind. I am of the class that is immovable. When I am presented with a challenge, I remain strong and firm the entire time, refusing to let myself fall. Physically, I can be moved but mentally and emotionally I...

Make sure that when you are genuine when you are interviewing. During...

I think I stood out because of how I've responded to adversity in my life. ...

I only did interviews for two schools: Rice and the University of Pennsylvania. I would generally say that both interviews went well. For Rice, I met my interviewer at a coffee shop near the university. The interview lasted just under an hour, which was a little longer than the 30 minute time estimate that had been given...

I can't say for sure that this is what got me into Penn, but I have a feeling that it was a big...