Application essay

Prompt: Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement?

As an U.S immigrant, my significant challenge was adapting to a strange country as quickly as possible. Leaving the airplane and putting my first step on the ground, I knew my life was changed. I was unfamiliar with almost everything, from the simplest such as household furniture and transportation to the more complex such as culture, lifestyle, and language. The most difficult for me was language barrier. I could not understand the language, which led me to cannot communicate effectively, neither to follow others in a conversation. Thus, I felt separated from other people, lose my confidence, and could not develop myself. However, the bad feeling and disappointment could not take me down but forced me to try harder in order to fit in and grow in this full of opportunities country.

In the effort of changing myself, I discovered my greatest strength: thinking positively. Even though my life looked like chaos at that moment, it might be the dream of somebody else. Therefore, rather than thinking about the past, I focused on building my future. I did not think of any difficulty as an impasse but a tough lesson that helped me be stronger. I found a job, resolved to study English regularly, hung out with my co-workers when I was free, and went to the Church for more social connections, also for a livelier and more colorful life. As my English got better, I returned to school to study academically. The eager for learning and the positive attitude guided me to enrich my knowledge of both social and academic fields. I communicated with my peers and instructors, actively asked for help when I needed, and tried to put my knowledge in use in order to deeply learn it.

In time, I realized that as long as I continue to be positive, I can overcome any obstacle in my life. Further, the effort to adapt produced a stronger student in academy. My foundation knowledge of business was built, mathematic skills were sharpened, and the other skills such as communication, negotiation, problem-solving, and critical thinking were developed. Also, I learned to be self-motivated and always hunted for opportunities in any circumstances. That, in turn, allowed me to go further on my career path. Indeed, I gained a critical quality confidence for a better future that I would thrive in business and help my community.

To sum up, through the adaptation process, I was rewarded an incredible self-development. As flexible water, I could join in a lake, a river, the ocean, or even vaporize to travel everywhere with the wind. Once I adapted in the new country, it was also the time that I found out the key to open every door along my path to success.