For UC Berkely, Personal Statement Example

Describe the world you come from — for example, your family, community or school — and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations.

We all are the product of our experiences, the people we meet in life, and the environment we grow up in. I am proud of my accomplishments but I also have the humility to acknowledge the good fortune of having a privileged life. I come from a country where government financially supports your academic endeavors until college, have a family which has always been supportive of my lifestyle and goals, and have an uncle who is a successful entrepreneur and taught me more about business through three month internship than most people learn in a year. But at the same time, I also come from a country where the government dictates and expects you to abide by its moral codes which is why we don’t have any cinemas, are not allowed to go to amusement parks, and have only recently earned the right to go to shopping centers.

This lack of recreational options is one of the primary factors behind the deadly sport of joy riding and not surprisingly, Saudi Arab has one of the highest mortality rates in the world due to automobile accidents. The conventional wisdom in Saudi Arab is that academic degree guarantees a job, thus, student only need to focus on their studies and do well in it. This is why academic institutions rarely have co-curricular opportunities for students that could help the students build soft skills such as leadership, communication, and social skills necessary to become competitive in both local and global markets. Another issue that really concerns me is the high rate of autism among Saudis which is believed to be one of the highest in the world at 18 in 10,000 or about 250,000 people. For a long time, I thought its government’s responsibility to solve the problems of the society but after reading about several inspirational personalities and organizations around the world who have taken some of the toughest challenges, I also became motivated to tackle the issues in my country with the same passion and commitment.

After doing research on other countries and sharing information with international friends online, it was clear to me that Saudi youths need more options when it comes to recreational activities and off-campus learning opportunities to help them stay away from risky behaviors and become more productive members of the society. I also have obtained valuable ideas from my involvement in Summer Discovery Program in Los Angeles last year that included marketing internship at an entertainment company. I and my friends are currently involved in the planning process to organize a gaming convention in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for which we have already secured sponsorships from companies such as Microsoft, Sony, Ford, and Samsung. The convention will have several features such as gaming tournaments, seminars, and workshops and we expect 10,000 visitors over the course of three days. Our great accomplishment probably has been securing permission from the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice to allow Saudi females to attend the convention. We also have contacted Saudi Autism Organization (SAO) who will arrange for 20 children with Autism as Chief Guests and children will be the first one to play games. The proceeds from the convention will help SAO build more centers around the country and equip them with televisions and gaming consoles.

I want to study at UC Berkeley because not only will I be studying at one of the finest academic institutions in the world under the guidance of world-class faculty but will also have valuable opportunities to interact with smart students from diverse cultural background. Interaction with fellow students may yield even more useful insights as to Saudi youths could be inspired to make better use of their potential and the resources available to them. My future goals include opening a chain of academies in Saudi Arabia that provide several educational co-curricular activities and help Saudi youths become more productive members of the society.