I am currently serving my country in the Horn of Africa. In 2007, I graduated from Langham Creek High School. Unfortunately, I graduated at the bottom of my class because I never took school seriously and was not planning to go to college. It took several years for me to realize that I was, actually, wrong. I started to work full time early in my life, since my parents have left my brothers and me soon after I graduated. My only aim during that time was to work 40-plus hours a week to put a better roof over our head and regular food on the table. Also I was passionate about giving my brothers everything that my parents could not give me, and that was the support to do well in school. My GPA was low, but I was lucky to get accepted at Lone Star College. Although my father never made it to junior high, and my mother never finished college in her life, my biggest goal in life is to finish school with a Petroleum Engineering Degree and be the first one in my family who graduated from college.
In 2009, I joined the military as a reservist. This included free school and housing during my service there. It was a big mistake, though, because to get my GI Bill, I needed three years of active duty. It took me two tough years to put on the rank of petty officer. Soon my big opportunity came, and I got selected to go to Afghanistan. In 2012, during a mobilization, I finally enrolled in online school that gradually, but solidly, changed my attitude to academic learning. I realized that I could do pretty well in school and decided to try full time online learning. Clearly, my grades were not among the best, but I have a comprehensible aim and know well what I want in my life.
I am applying to a Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering at the University of Texas. At this point, I am aware of the challenging field of engineering and that it requires good knowledge in mathematics, physics, and management. I am eager to acquire the necessary knowledge of advanced technologies to help explore and evaluate oil and gas reserves. Moreover, I will strive to gain as much hands-on expertise during the course as possible, and apply it to the best of my professional knowledge. My positive characteristics include high work ethics and endurance, flexibility, practicality, and good team-leading skills.
Admission Essay
I graduated in 2007 from Langham Creek High School. I graduated at the bottom of my class. First, I never took school seriously during my teenage years and, second, I was not planning to go to college. Soon after I graduated, my parents left my brothers and me in Texas without any help. By the time I realized that I wanted to go to college, it was too late, so eventually I took up a job. I knew my GPA was too low for me to get accepted, so I chose Lone Star College. Besides, I already worked full time to help my older brother provide for my younger brother and make sure he got everything he needed to go to school. My little brother was just starting high school. I really wanted to give him everything that my parents could not give me and that was the support to do well in school. I ended up working 40-plus hours a week to put a better roof over our head and regular food on the table. All I wanted to do was work and work, and be able to make a paycheck. My father never made it to junior high and my mother never finished college in her life. I just figured, why I need to go to college anymore. My parents were making a decent living by supporting their three offspring and sending them to private school. I thought I could do the same, and quite with ease. Clearly, I was wrong, and it took years for me to realize that.
In 2009, I understood that I had to do something about my life, so why not join the military. I joined for the fact that they would pay for school and pay for housing while I am there. The biggest mistake I did was joining the reserve, though. I thought I would get the same benefits as in active duty, but I was wrong once again. By the time I understood my mistake, the only way I could get my GI Bill was to have three years of active duty. The only problem with that was that a reservist does not get that much active duty time. You also have to be at a certain rank for a reservist to get active duty time. Then, it took me two years more to put on the rank of petty officer. The moment I got it I knew that I wanted to be mobilized, and it didn’t matter where. In 2012, I got selected for a mobilization to go to Afghanistan. I knew that the moment of my big opportunity has come. Although Afghanistan was not in my top choices, I took whatever they offered me. I was sent to Afghanistan for 290 boots on the ground. I worked hard every day while I was out there. Fortunately, my chief came up to me one day and asked what I have been doing on my free time. I rarely got it, but when I did, I would just sleep or stare blankly at a wall and think about random stuff. That was when my chief suggested that I should do online school. True, I never found online appealing, maybe, because I would have to actually dedicate more time to teach myself. I eventually enrolled into school and started off by taking two classes at a time. As my ten month tour was coming to an end, I realized I was still 26 months away from having my full GI Bill. I went to my administration officer and asked for another tour, but somewhere less stressful. I got lucky and was selected for a tour out in Kuwait for 240 boots on the ground. Although the job was less stressful, I ended up finding out that I would be working more hours. Once I got to Kuwait, I realized that I was doing well in school to the point that I decided to try to go to school full time. My grades were not the best, but pretty good for me under my circumstances. Now that I have 18 months of active duty, I was only halfway there. While in Kuwait, I decided to take on another mobilization. This time I got selected to go the Horn of Africa for a year boots on the ground. A lot of people had asked me, why I am doing this to myself. All I can say is to get my GI Bill and to go back to school. I am currently still in the Horn of Africa. My goal is to finish school with a Petroleum Engineering Degree and be the first one in my family who graduated from college. Also to help my brothers go to college and providing them support in any way possible. Whether it may be financial, emotional, or whatever, I want to be there for them.
