explain how to do personal statement

FIU Personal Statement (24/300 words)

“Bienvenida a America, Rosa. Aquí haremos nuestro futuro,” my father said as we stepped out of the airport, well aware of the life we were leaving behind in Cuba. I wiped the tears out of my 5-year-old eyes, biting my tongue to stop myself from calling for my mother, who had to stay behind in Cuba. As I grew up, I became well aware of the pressures my father faced to succeed, as I would see him constantly struggle with bills and jobs. As a child, I lived with my grandparents, as my parents were usually both otherwise occupied with working to keep a roof over my head. However, those circumstances affected me – it pushed me to work harder in school, and to strive for excellence. My experience as a Cuban immigrant shaped me into the person I am today: hard-working, dedicated, and dependable. Since then, I have gone on to land a very interesting and fulfilling job in the export industry. However, my true passion lies in the sciences. Since childhood, science has always been my comfort; whenever I struggled with my studies or needed an escape from reality, science would always calm me. The reason I am applying for the Honors College at FIU is to take this passion to the next level. I hope to engage myself in the campus environment and to use the resources available for Honors College students to prepare myself for a career in medicine.