Dear Admissions Committee,
I’m writing to appeal my rejection from San Diego State University for Political Science (Fall 2019). I would like to encourage you to see my life experiences, struggles, and values as something which will add to the rich diversity at San Diego State University.
I grew up not having a relationship with my parents since they both live in the Philippines. I have not seen them since I was eight years old when they left me and my little sister here in the U.S. Since then, my little sister and I have been living with different relatives and I’ve been raising her while supporting her financially. We moved around in different cities with different relatives but unfortunately, each families we lived with had their own set of problems. I’ve experienced sexual, mental, physical, and verbal abuse from each of my relatives which eventually lead me to be diagnosed with depression, anxiety and PTSD. Everyday I lived with fear due to the threats my relatives would make about kicking us out and having no place to live. In 2014, my mother passed away but my aunt, who we lived with at the time, did not allow me and my sister to attend my mother’s funeral. In 2017, we went to the Philippines to visit my father for the first time but my aunt left me and my sister in the Philippines so we had to raise money to buy our ticket back to the U.S. The struggles I faced everyday definitely held me back from doing my best in school.
I have no choice but to work full time and at times two jobs because my sister and I have no one else to depend on but ourselves. I couldn’t have a normal life because my circumstances forced me to mature at an early age and become a second parent to my little sister. Though, despite all the trauma I have been through, I still put myself through college and excelled in my classes. I would like to encourage you to offer me acceptance to San Diego State University because, as my recent academic record shows, I am capable and willing to achieve my goals while overcoming any adversity that comes my way.
Please let me know what I should add or delte or if this letter is good enough!
