There may be personal information that you want considered as part of your admissions application. Write an essay describing that information. You might include exceptional hardships, challenges, or opportunities that have shaped or impacted your abilities or academic credentials, personal responsibilities, exceptional achievements or talents, educational goals, or ways in which you might contribute to an institution committed to creating a diverse learning environment.
Here's my essay :)
Throughout my life I have been told that nothing is impossible if I work hard enough to make it possible. Although I have never stopped believing in this, it was until high school when I fully understood how important and true this is. I've learned that to achieve my goals I might have to make sacrifices but that at the end everything is worth it. During my junior year I told myself that I was going to be a National Hispanic Scholar and after working hard and persevering, I was able to complete this goal.
The most important step in this process is setting a goal because I can work as hard as I can but without a clear objective, it will all go to waste. When I was a sophomore, our class was encouraged to take the PSAT which would help us to practice for the SAT. While taking this test I noticed a section that talked about some scholarship opportunities, and there was one in specific that caught my eye right away: the National Hispanic Recognition Program. Because the test did not give me too much detail, I decided to do a little research after school in order to understand what the program was about. It was then when I learned that the Hispanics with the best scores in the PSAT are recognized. Most importantly, it was then when I decided that I was going to be among those Hispanics next year.
Once I had an objective, my next step was to do everything I could to make it a reality. I bought a book to study and got tips from the internet in order to be prepared for the challenge. Because most of my classes were AP/ pre-AP classes, I had homework most of the days of the week, which meant that I had to find time to study for the test as well as to do my homework. Although I was tempted many times to stop studying for the test and concentrate only on my homework, my desire to obtain that recognition was greater and I did not give up. Additionally, accepting this challenge meant that I had to invest my time, even during the weekend. Many times I was in a position where I had to choose between hanging out with my friends and keeping up with my study plan for that day. Even though I enjoy having fun with my friends and going out during the weekends, I was determined to finish what I started. Time went by and I kept preparing for the test. Finally, the day arrived and I completed the examination like I had practiced weekends before. I felt comfortable and I thought I did a good job, but I was not able to rest until I saw the results.
After all the hard work, all the sacrifices and after almost a year, I received a letter saying that I was a National Hispanic Scholar. I was so content to know that all my hard work had finally paid off. Moreover, this really helped me understand that I am my own limitation. I learned that if I want to achieve something I cannot give up, even if the road to get there is hard. Everything is possible with hard work. So when people tell me that the sky is the limit, I think they are wrong because there are footprints in the moon.
You have only listed all the things that you have done in high school year to get into National Hispanic Scholar, but this essay requires more than that: exceptional hardships, challenges, or opportunities that have shaped or impacted your abilities or academic credentials.
Generally your 'sacrifice' to become a National Hispanic Scholar is very vague; you should pinpoint your specific experience which caused you to try out to be one and go from there.
Your conclusion is very nice although there are some ambiguous parts in there.
The colleges want to know your experience, what you learned from that experience, and you.
Good luck!!
