[Student Profile]
[Prompt & Essay]
Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to
overcome an educational barrier you have faced.
I raised my hand confidently. My math teacher called on me, and I clearly articulated my answer: “The hi-po-ten-yoos equals sq(29).” I felt 25 pairs of eyes examining me. Even my teacher gave me a puzzled look. Not knowing what I did wrong, I lowered my eyes and attempted to shield myself from their piercing stares. I frantically redid the problem, repeatedly calculating the same answer. Then, it hit me. I had pronounced “hi-patn-oos” incorrectly. My family moved to India when I was eight, then back to the US when I was twelve. I had been excited about school until that day, when everyone fixated on how I had said the word “hypotenuse.” My accent, something I had never thought twice about, was twisted against me. I tried to push past it, but I soon ran into another barrier: the math class I was in did not challenge me. I expected that I could transfer to a more advanced class, but the school administration refused. I felt alienated yet again.
My family had moved back to the US primarily for my education, so we were shocked to discover that our move was actually holding me back. However, instead of becoming discouraged by the administration’s refusal, I strengthened my resolve and took matters into my own hands. While I remained in Math 7 at school, I completed Math 8 at home and took a summer course in Algebra 1. By the end of 7th grade, I had also convinced my school administration to create a specialized test for me to prove my mastery of Math 7, 8, and Algebra so that I could enroll in Geometry. After completing three levels of math in one year and acing the test, I was finally in the right class.At the time, I felt excluded: one word had automatically labeled me the new kid with the unusual accent. Since then, I’ve realized that while the math class incidents were unequivocally wrong, they taught me to connect with others on a deeper level. Instead of judging people based on their superficial traits, as I was judged on my accent, I approach people with empathy and awareness. WORD COUNT: 364