Ever since I started high school, I knew XXU was where I wanted to dedicate my undergraduate study.  I haunted my guidance counselor’s office every day freshman year, poring over information on the University.  XXU is first in so many ways, from its status as the largest non-profit private university in the US, to its incredible track record of illustrious alumni.  Most recently, I was struck by XXU solidifying its connections with my family’s homeland of Israel, opening a campus in Tel Aviv.

 Both my parents are from Israel, and came to America with a pocketful of hopes and a loose grasp of English.  Overcoming the obstacles of acculturation, they worked long hours, seven days a week to support my sibling and I.  I promised them and myself that their hard work and sacrifices would never be in vain, and I am proud to say that I will be the first member of my family – ever – to attend higher education.

 While school and standardized testing has proven a challenge for me, I am already enrolled to sit the SAT again; I simply refuse to give up and have maintained Honor and Principal’s List for three years.  I feel that I have proven my ability and dedication to my school, community and family in many ways, the very same people and groups that have given me untold amounts of unconditional support.

 My academic path is still developing, and I look forward to interacting with XXU’s accomplished student body and benchmark setting faculty as I bring a focus to my raw passion for a number of subjects.  To date, while I have proven my aptitude in math, the sciences, and graphic design/photography, I have a passion for drama, acting and public speaking, creative outlets for the huge amounts of energy that I have.  Post-graduation, I see myself with a good foundation in business, working in graphic design or accountancy, fields that will enable me to follow, at least part-time, acting.  The response I have gotten from audiences, my school and the community as an actor, not just the smiles and applause, but being tapped for a number of public speaking events for my school, confirm to me that I am on the right path.

 Post-graduation, I want to be an inspiration to others, in my professional work and active volunteerism, showing others that one person really can make a difference.  To this end, I have garnered 150 community service hours, from working with autistic children, tutoring poor children, and delivering bread for Shabbat to seniors.  I am also proactive, proof of which can be found in not just getting people to register to vote, but calling parents and even setting up a booth at our annual fashion show to register voters.  Furthermore, I have been working every summer since I was 14, since I have a mature sense of responsibility and good work ethic.

 I keep an active pace in my academics, and in my extracurricular activities, from my work and success in Drama Club where I beat the odds, 50 to 1 to get a part, to my portrayal of Yoni Netanyahu for Israel Independence Day in a living wax museum.  In my co-curricular work, I have been involved with Pace summer scholars, taking an acting course, FIT for graphic design, as well as electives and AP classes through a partnership with Brooklyn College, earning some 18 credits to date.

 I believe time is the most valuable asset we have, and XXU is the school where I want to spend the next four years or more.  XXU is a school in which I can put action to my ambitions, goals, and most importantly, my dreams.

 Thank you for your time and consideration.