My Achievements, Personal Statement Example

Even as an elementary school student in Taiwan, I enjoyed class discussions and expressing my opinions. My parents like most Asian parents always advised me to just focus on academics and not be distracted by extracurricular activities or sports. When we are young, we take a short-term approach to life and I never wanted to think beyond the end of the day and just take life as it comes by. I have always been a great student but my grades were never “Perfect As” as my parents demanded. My attitude towards academics remained the same until the second last year of senior school. But during my final year in senior school, I realized I had to take greater responsibility for my future. I analyzed my personal strengths and weaknesses and thought about personal interests me to set up goals upon whom I could focus my energy. My transformation and renewed interest in studies during final year not only surprised me but also my parents and teachers. I studied very hard and scored the highest marks in the entrance exams in my entire class. This achievement remains among one of the proudest moments in my life. This experience also gave me renewed self-confidence and helped me understand the importance of hard work. My performance in entrance exam would have guaranteed me admission in one of the most competitive schools in Taiwan but now I had a different view of an education. I didn’t just want to go a nice school but also the opportunity to thrive in an environment where ideas are freely exchanged and one is encouraged to discover his/her true potential. I had heard stories about how American education system is more fun and at the same time more effective because the focus is not on memorization but understanding the material covered in courses. This is why I decided to come to America and it is one of the best decisions in life I have ever made.

Once I was here I made a promise to myself to study hard and not make mistakes because I was extremely ambitious. Mistakes in my culture are not looked upon positively but I soon realized I was worrying for nothing. I learnt here that even mistakes or failures can be blessings in disguise if one has the determination to learn from them. It’s much better to make mistakes now than later in life when they may prove costlier. I am still competitive but now I do not have a negative perception of failures. In fact, I suspect success is even sweeter when followed by failures because it is a proof of our strong will. I am also competitive in extra co-curricular activities especially debate and believe that extra co-curricular activities have helped me become a more effective leader with well-balanced strengths. I am as much willing to learn from my fellows as I am willing to lead them. When you respect others and acknowledge their importance to the team, they are more willing to help you achieve your goals and motivate you to do your best. I am always prepared for new challenges because I have learnt in life you cannot discover your true potential unless you are willing to step out of your comfort zones. This is why I am so excited to start a new chapter in life at the University of California because I am aware of the tremendous learning opportunities that await me and I hope University of California will help me not only become a better leader but also a more productive and effective member of the society.