An Evolution: College Admission Essay Sample

The chilly air of the California winter tingled across my face, my arms filled with dolls, bears, and toy cars. I cautiously trudged past the stores, making sure to not drop anything. I slipped. Before I knew it, the toys had all tumbled to the ground. The sound of children’s laughter filled my ears, but rather than feeling embarrassed, I broke into a wide smile. I hadn’t realized it at the time, but my goofiness would help mold a strong relationship with the children entrusted to me.

I was shocked to learn that, even today, many of the 189,000 Vietnamese-Americans who live in Little Saigon, one of the oldest and largest Vietnamese-American groups in the country, are refugees. So unfortunately, many families cannot enjoy the simple delights and luxuries of celebrating the holiday season. As the son of two Vietnamese immigrants myself, I felt a debt to my own community. With donations from my Key Club, I decided to reach out to a local church and asked them to connect us with refugees from around the area. I wanted to make sure these kids wouldn’t go empty-handed this holiday season, to instead finally have the opportunity to truly celebrate Christmas.

On that December morning, crowds of people had lined up in front of the Asian Garden Mall, a centerpiece of the Vietnamese-American community. Lines of children gleefully held onto their parents’ hands, waiting for their turn to shop for their presents with one of our volunteers. The smiles of excitement on their faces were contagious, and I couldn’t help but smile along.

I was given the honor of taking Thomas and his little brother, Sam, to buy their first Christmas presents. They loved every moment of it. They ran from store to store, mirth etched across their faces. They finally felt free, alive. Thomas aspires to one day become a doctor, so I bought him his own little doctor’s kit that he could use to build his dreams. As he slowly unwrapped it, his eyes began to light up in excitement. He rushed over and wrapped his arms around me, and I realized others’ happiness made me happy too. From just a small gift like this, I was able to give these children newfound hope, something to hold on, and something to finally be able to take for granted. Who knew that such a simple gift would give children the opportunity to make their dreams come true?

But beyond the bonds, I gained something else - the beginning of an evolution of my own. I discovered the happiness and joy that come with helping those less fortunate. I realized that not too many people are able to celebrate Christmas with family and friends, eat Mom’s homemade meals, or simply enjoy life at its fullest. The word “refugee” often has a bad connotation, but I learned that my new friends aren’t bad people; they’re just in a tough situation.

Being able to have such an impact on others that day has meant much to me, but I know there’s still so much more work that needs to be done. Since then, I have taken an active role in organizations like the Special Olympics and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. With an infinite number of people out there who need help, I want to be that person who can give it to them. I want to be the one who makes the difference, the one who can change lives.