Carnegie Mellon's college application featured a unique question urging me to define 'success'. While I could have discussed clubs or technical achievements, my seventeen-year-old mind felt that to be disingenuous...

Many students pursue college for a specific degree, career opportunity or personal goal. Whichever it may be, learning will be critical to achieving your ultimate goal. As you think ahead to the process of learning during your college years, how will you define a successful college experience?

I think, in pursuit of academic greatness, I’ve taken everyday ‘guarantees’ for granted. This past year has been my busiest yet as I piece together the strongest application possible, maintain leadership in extracurriculars, juggle AP classes, compose an engineering portfolio, create curriculum, and finalize projects. By the time I return home at 11 pm, my seat at the dinner table is commonly empty, but I always find a plate of food made by Mom, with love. While pondering CMU’s prompt, I glanced over the reasoning behind my ambitions. My mom’s caring hands were born from hardship and perseverance. She made the absolute most out of her situation. As a first-generation college student and immigrant from Guatemala, she lacked the educational guidance that most expect to receive. Language barriers and an unsupportive educational system left her to her own devices. But, through sheer grit, she built up her success. She applied to CSUN and capitalized, pursuing academic rigor, extracurricular programs, and campus involvement. She made an extensive network, generated impact, graduated with a Bachelor’s degree, and built her future. She’s endured personal trauma and pain that I’ve witnessed as a powerless bystander, and when I ask her why she continues, she replies, “For you.” When I look at her, I see hardship, grit, empathy, struggle, and strength. And Mom, please know that the days that I was gone past midnight, leaving my room empty and our conversations brief, were to utilize the platform you’ve given me to its highest potential. It’s in my mother that I see success. She utilized her platform, took every opportunity presented to her and sought for more, and built the foundations for our lives. I define a successful college career as one that makes my mom as proud of me as I am of her.