I believe in a saying that goes “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer”. This belief can sometimes make you push you to try harder, making you excel not only over one opponent but can also make you an expert in one aspect as well. I grew up having had to measure myself against R______, the other guy who always harbored the top spot in our class back in (country of origin). The (country of origin) educational system ranked its students according to their intellect, with the smartest student getting into the top percentile while those who weren’t as bright followed next. Those who got into the top classes eventually moved on to the better known universities with scholarships and grants while those who didn’t had to rely on their family’s finances to get into a reputable college. R______ and I had a close but not hostile rivalry as he was always first and I was always second. Although I never really strived to overtake R______ in terms of class standing, it was a nice surprise that I was able to do so on one grading period. R______ bounced back to reclaim his post the next term but I harbored no ill feelings. After high school graduation, we both got into the top university of the country and pursued different interests.
College in a university considered to be the best in academic standing was not easy for me as I found myself competing with more R______s, or more students who displayed the same zeal and learning as I do. I performed rather mundanely at first but then the idea of taking up graduate studies on my chosen field of study in social work and family welfare was opened. I decided to pull myself together to be able to go the United States, where further learning in this field was notable in state universities.
Thankfully, I got into a program offered by the School of Social Service Administration at the University of ________. After arranging all the visas and paperwork necessary for my studies in the US, I was off to conquer a new world. This time I found it easier to focus on my studies, making my performance and academic records in graduate school even better than my undergraduate scores. My interest in the law and its workings were spawned during my graduate studies days when I would periodically be assigned to different locations. I became acquainted with the U.S. Law and jurisprudence system as my work required me to brush up on basic laws. Being a foreigner myself, I naturally developed an interest in the laws governing the immigration process as more and more of my countrymen are seeking better opportunities in the U.S. I chose to stay in the United States and eventually got naturalized as an American citizen as there are more opportunities for me here in my field of interest.
The U.S presents a lot of opportunities that are sadly not available to people back home. More and more of my countrymen and people of different nationalities are striving to get into this country that can hold more promises for them. Unfortunately, there are those who resort to illegal means just so they can get here faster but are then sent home once they are found out by the authorities. It is in this regard that I wish to obtain a law degree so that I can help not just my countrymen but other immigrants as well into getting an American citizenship through the right process. I believe that I can realize my dream of becoming an immigration attorney by taking on my legal studies here at ______ University so that I could show others the right path to a Green Card as I have been shown.
And R______, my ex-rival for the top spot in high school, he’s still at the top of his game and I promised him that he’d be my first client once I finish my legal studies.
