I received the Supplemental Questionnaire from UCLA at the end of January and I was wondering if someone could chance me based on what I supplied.
Essays:
Question 1
In your application you may have mentioned an extraordinary talent/skill or academic achievement. This may include participation in Junior Olympics, national debate competitions, recognition for musical talent, etc. Please take this opportunity to share with us more detailed information about the level of your achievement, depth of participation, and passion for this particular area.
Response:
Music has been a central part of my life for the last seven years: from the beginning of my sixth grade year to my last year of high school, I have devoted much of my free time to music, in school and out. It has transformed me into the tenacious, free-spirited, vehement person I am today, and has taught me valuable lessons I can and will apply to life in general.
Our band and drumline at Vallejo High School regularly compete in parade and indoor percussion competitions. From first place to third place, our scores do not mean all that much to us; we are proud of the work we put in and just glad to experience making music together. The adrenaline rush I experience while performing interlocks me and music in an indescribable way. I feel as if I am the music, and every move I execute is a note being played or a dynamic change exaggerated.
Playing the tuba, snare, tenor, and bass drum has strengthened my bond with music and the other meaningful aspects of life. I have become more competent, more sensitive towards the artistic side of life, and more in tune with myself. Barreling through those quarter notes in beginning band eventually paid off: I was eventually able to play eighth notes, then sixteenth notes, then thirty-second notes. This musical progression also aligned with my academic progression, meaning I could use one to benefit the other. Sitting through slow, lyrical concert pieces used to bore me to death, but now these kind of pieces help me express my inner emotions, which in turn help me investigate the true depth of life. We are all human. As humans we have a mind with the capability of accomplishing great things. Watching television, texting, and playing are all fun, but there are far more important activities the mind can be used for. As humans we need to be able to thoroughly express ourselves because we have the power to do so; without the power of expression we cannot be fully human. Music enabled me to look into the usefulness of the human mind and the greater aspects of life because of the sensitivity towards the idea of the world it had instilled in me with its inspiring melodies and captivating chorales.
Reader, you may wonder why I pursue such an activity as described. It is not because it is fun. It is not because I need something to occupy my time with. It is not because it helps me fit in. I am a musician because it makes me human.
Music and I are insuperable. I cannot and will not release my anchor. It has been there for far too long and has done too much for me to let it go.
Question 2
Please describe any special circumstances that you would like us to consider that may have affected your ability to achieve academically. This may include personal circumstances, family experiences, and opportunities that were or were not available at your school or home. If you participated in an educational preparation program (i.e, EAOP, Talent Search, Upward Bound, PUENTE, etc.) please describe your level of involvement and how each program was beneficial to you.
Response: (More is explained about my experiences in my Personal Statement)
Since I was in the 3rd grade, my stepfather put my mother and I through a lot with his recurring drug abuse and violence. My mother never decided to leave him because she was not sure if she could have supported us financially. Although my stepfather seemed like a very cruel man, he played a crucial role in my academic achievement. My stepfather constantly pushed me to get good grades, urged me to read when I did not want to, and praised me when I did well. In essence, he made sure I did all I could to succeed. He realized the many terrible mistakes he made throughout his life, and he knew I witnessed many of them firsthand. I knew why he yearned to see me achieve great things: he did not want me to live the same life he lived. He would do all in his power to ensure that I did not follow in his footsteps.
In February of 2014, at the age of 59, my stepfather passed away. The rest of 2014 included the death of our dog, the wreckage of our only car, my mother’s eye injuries from a car accident, and the loss of our house. The year of 2014 was an insane year. It was the beginning of my last year of high school. What I did in school this year would determine whether or not I would get to the point where I wanted to be the next year –a university. Despite my circumstances, I was able to keep my head up because of what my stepfather taught me. When my beloved dog was hit by a car, I had to help my mother through the pain of taking her to be put down. Shortly thereafter, my mother got into a car accident that temporarily made it difficult for her to see and rendered us without transportation. I had to stay home from school for a week and a half to take care of my mother and help her get to and from doctors appointments on the unreliable city bus. Next, we were informed that we had to move out of our house by the beginning of 2015. This put a great amount of stress on my mother because we did not have enough money to move into another place. We could have ended up homeless again, except this time without a car. Luckily I had a friend who let my mother and I stay at their house for a short time so we could save up money to rent a studio apartment.
So did these events affect my academic capabilities? Yes, but positively. The misfortunes I experienced earlier in life, coupled with the drive my stepfather instilled in me, made me almost unbreakable. However, I did earn the grade C in my zero period class Leadership because I could not make it to school at 6:50 a.m. due to a lack of transportation. Aside from that, I kept a positive attitude through every situation. I came to school with a thirst to learn and would not let one problem or even many problems interfere with that. I have worked extremely hard through the first half of my senior year and will continue to do so through graduation, college, and beyond no matter what obstacles may come my way.
Mid-Year Report:
First Semester GPA 4.3
Initial Application:
GPA: 3.86
SAT: 1710
6 AP
Many EC’s full involvement.
