Immigrant Background Sample Admission Essay for Law School

When my family and I first moved to the United States in 1992, I had to make a lot of adjustments. Although I was only a young child, I found it difficult being separated from my friends and my extended family. Everything was new, yet some things were still the same, like the fact that my parents didn’t have much money. Another thing that stayed the same was the immense support and love that my parents had for me. No matter what our circumstances were, they worked hard to raise me right and give me a good education. Their dedication, support, and love taught me about the value of money, the meaning of work ethic, and, above all, the essence of family unity.

I did my best to show my parents just how grateful I am to them by working hard in school, taking up extra curricular activities, and helping with everything I could do around the house. Following in the footsteps of my parents, I worked hard in everything I had to do. Whether it was raising money by selling candy bars to fund a trip to Washington D.C. as a fifth grader, or dealing with the hardships of being part of the first generation in our family to be educated in the US, I poured my heart and soul into all of my endeavors. I must admit, though, that I had not put much importance into education until college. It was only in college that I realized just how important education is, because it was around this time that I saw how my former classmates suffered after forgoing college to join the work force. This inspired me to turn my attention, my passion, and my work ethic toward my schooling, and it paid off as I got the grades that I worked so hard for.

During my college years, I developed an affinity for law school and the legal system, as a whole. I interned for a law firm in West Palm Beach, and I began to develop an interest in law. The lawyer I interned for was a Vietnamese-American, a Mr. Cao who spoke very little to no Vietnamese. So my main purpose there was to help translate for Vietnamese clients. After having dealt with many cases from divorce to immigration, I found a great sense of joy and pride in being able to help people who did not understand English or the laws of this country.

Through my internship experience, I learned to value the concepts of equality, justice, and freedom, because I realized just how essential these concepts have been to my own formation as an immigrant coming to the United States–seeking ways to better my life and the lives of my family members. At the same time, I also had to deal with the inequalities, injustices, and restrictions of being a foreigner in a completely new environment. One thing that always kept me going, though, was my love for music. “Where is the Love”, by the Black Eyed Peas, has always been one of my favorite songs, especially because it ties in so flawlessly with my experience and my passion for law. One of the lines in the song goes, “Practice what you preach, before you turn the other cheek.” Although it is a simple line, it says a lot about the importance of equality, justice, freedom, the law, and the way that we, as individuals, can make a difference in the lives of those around us. And the thought of making a difference is what pushes me to strive for success as a lawyer.

I feel that ________________ Law School is the perfect institution for helping me bring out my passion for law by making me into the best possible lawyer that I can be. I have a vision of working together with struggling Vietnamese immigrants who have moved to the United States and are having trouble understanding the language and the laws of this country. I feel that my personal experiences, my background, my passion, my work ethic, and my strong will to succeed will not only help me achieve success in law school, but will also help cultivate a more culturally diverse environment, where I can contribute my unique and distinctive perspective.

Outline used for this essay

I. Personal biographic information

Starting off my essay with my biographic information has a two-fold purpose.  First, this approach allows me to introduce who I am, the background I came from, and what makes me unique.  Second, the biographical introduction will set the tone of the essay, serving as a foundation to explain my motivations, inspirations, and aspirations toward law school and becoming a lawyer.  Main issues I discussed were the value of money, essence of education, and importance of work ethics.

II.  Discussing educational background and personal experiences

1.  Showing gratitude to my parents by working hard in school
2.  Discussing adversities at a young age: fifth grade trip to D.C. and being the first generation to be educated in the US.
3.  A shift in my concept of education:  At first, I didn’t take education very seriously, but it was only in college that my perception and concept of education changed.  I realized how friends who skipped college had difficulty in life, so I resolved to dedicate myself to my studies to better my future.

III.  Discussing how my interest in law school developed

1.  How my college learnings helped me to better comprehend my own situation as a Vietnamese immigrant studying in the US
2.  How equality, justice, and freedom affected my life in both good and bad ways
3.  Explaining the role of music in helping me get through bad times
4.  Introducing my favorite lines from “Where is the Love,” by the Black Eyed Peas– “Practice what you preach, before you turn the other cheek.”  Discussing the line in the context of equality, justice, freedom, the law, and life in general.

IV.  Explaining my intentions of studying in ____

1.  Discussing how ___ is the perfect educational environment for law
2.  Sharing my vision of helping other Vietnamese immigrants and sharing where I see myself in the future as a lawyer
3.  Tying in my background and my interest in law
4.  How my unique background, nationality, and culture make for a great contribution to the cultural diversity at NSU

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