Personal Statements

A. Recall a time in your life when you took a risk and experienced a setback or failure in pursuit
of a challenging goal that you ultimately achieved. Describe what resources you used, what you
learned about yourself from that experience, and how it has prepared you for the challenges you
most likely will face in college
The most significant challenge I faced in high school was dealing with change itself. As a
freshman, I believed that the friends I had would stick by me through thick and thin. This
however, was not the case. Many of these people found different friends, developed
different interests, or all changed all together. While disappointing, I found that this was a
normal part of life. Understanding that people change benefitted me because it changed
not only what I looked for in friends, but also in opportunities throughout my life. It also
helped me understand rejection when a job or academic opportunity arose, and helped
me realize that the only thing I can do is to continue being positive and keep moving
forward. Because of these experiences, I understand failure, and how not to give up
even when your best efforts do not seem good enough. These lessons are valuable to
me because I know I will be able to use them for the rest of my life. These challenges I
faced are kind of like blessings because of what they taught me. I believe that all of the
adversity I faced has helped me mature as person. These challenges also strengthened
my family relationships. I found that the only people who will really be there for you when
times are tough is your family. My family was kind of like my personal cheerleader,
always pushing me to be the best version of myself.
B. Given the choice, which CES school would you most like to attend, and why? Please be
specific.
The CES school that I would like to attend is BYU, Provo. As a youth, I had the
wonderful opportunity to attend EFY at the Provo campus. When I arrived, I was
captivated by not only the beauty surrounding the campus, but within. Throughout my
week at EFY, I was able to tour the classrooms, buildings and other facilities and get a
better idea of what BYU provided for their students. I knew that this was where I wanted
to go to school. Not only this, but if I am accepted, I will be able to spend time with my
older brothers before I leave on my mission after freshmen year. I will also be closer to
my family in comparison with other universities I am applying to and believe that the
culture and environment of BYU Provo will help me excel physically, academically, and
spiritually. Throughout high school, I have had the opportunity to tour other well-known
campuses throughout California. While all of these campuses were promising, I didn't
have the same feeling as I did when I was at BYU. The school also specializes in
classes that will help me get my degree, and I believe that I will have more educational
opportunities at BYU Provo. If I am accepted, I will be able to pursue my dream of
eventually attending the BYU Law School. In conclusion, while all of the CES schools
are good choices, I believe that BYU Provo is the best choice for me.

C. Passion is a catalyst for learning. Describe something you have learned about which you are
passionate. How will you use this passion to make the most of a BYU experience?
My grandmother, my mother, and my father have all had a tremendous influence on my
life. They taught me right from wrong, to always put family first and how to cook. Some of
my fondest childhood memories were in the kitchen and cooking was the first learning
experience I was truly passionate about. Learning the difference between basting and
blanching came easier to me than trivial math formulas and superfluous vocabulary
words. I love learning. My enthusiasm for learning continued through high school and I
have really enjoyed classes in History and English. I have realized that learning is much
easier when you are passionate about the subject. Like my experience with cooking, I
plan to take classes and participate in activities that I am passionate about. I have visited
the Provo campus multiple times and attended EFY. I believe that there is no better
atmosphere on any college campus in this nation than the one that BYU provides. I have
really enjoyed the time I have spent on campus. I am excited about the educational
opportunities provided by BYU.
D. Tell us anything else you want us to know about yourself that you haven't had the opportunity
to describe elsewhere in the application. Include any special circumstances, experiences,
talents, skills, etc. that you think would have a positive impact on the admissions committee.
I believe that my greatest skills are time management and persistence. Throughout my
four years at El Capitan High School, I believe that I have done every task put in front of
me with precision and accuracy. In my freshmen year of high school, I was able to juggle
five academic classes, a leadership class (which required me to be active in after school
activities), two online classes (one of which was a foreign language), and be a member
of my high schools tennis team (which took me away from class twice a week). Despite
all of this, I was able to maintain a grade point average of 4.0, be active in my own
musical education (learning the piano) and hold leadership positions in my church. I was
only able to do all of this because of my capacity to manage time with competing
commitments. I had to organize these commitments daily in order to meet all of the
requirements. Persistence was needed throughout the year to complete all of my daily
tasks. These skills will help me in college and especially in my freshman year where
adjusting to college workloads and time management are so important. These skills are
hard to develop and I anticipate that I will need to mature and learn new skills in order to
be successful in college. Appropriate time management and persistence will be the
foundation I will build upon in my college career.