My parents are immigrants from the Dominican Republic, and we spoke only Spanish at home as I was growing up. I was placed in a bilingual, mostly Spanish classroom when I entered kindergarten. However, my mother wanted me to learn English quickly and put me in a monolingual first-grade classroom. It was terrifying at first because I was confused for a sustained period, to tears. I am not suggesting that the decision made by my mother was incorrect. I know that this most difficult of experiences and the great challenge represented on many levels is the foundational experience behind my intense desire to become a bilingual school counselor in Spanish/English. I have chosen this career path because I have firsthand familiarity with the issues.
I hope to be selected to begin study in XXU’s Master of Arts in Counseling and Guidance Program for the most intensive immersion experience possible in Bilingual School Counseling for Grades Pre-K-12.
Born and raised in NYC, I cannot imagine wanting to live anywhere else permanently. Thus, XXXX University’s location is a significant factor in why it is my first choice for graduate study since I consider it the world's epicenter. Still, that is not the only reason, nor is the highly distinguished and prestigious nature and reputation of XXXX. Primarily, earning my master's degree at XXU would be a unique dream come true because of the high priority placed on social justice and equality as an inherent part of the educational mission of your program and your university.
This coming May 2018, I will be graduating with a degree in Sociology and a central focus on Education, Social Inequality, and Urban Studies. In courses like “Education and Inequality” and “Global and Cross-Cultural Perspectives,” I learned to think with increasing sophistication about the experiences of diverse groups resulting from educational processes. One of the courses I am especially looking forward to taking at XXU is “Cross-Cultural Counseling and Development of Immigrant Origin Youth.” This course typifies the directions in which I want to pursue advanced study and how I have prepared for graduate school thus far through my choices as an undergraduate student in Sociology.
Educational counseling is my calling. I enjoyed everything about my job: interacting with the students in small group settings or building one-on-one connections. I was eager to get to work each day, especially to bond with those students who seemed to me to be in the greatest need of forming emotional ties. Now, I want to train for a lifetime of positive impact on students’ lives—academically, socially, and personally. I possess the necessary personal qualities, characteristics, and skill set, together with the academic experience, to excel in the MA Program in Counseling and Guidance at XXU.
As a bilingual school counselor, I will be able to serve as a critical asset for students for whom English is not their first language. I want to be accessible to this population because I want to help those who find themselves in similar situations as I once faced as a young child, overcoming language barriers, and helping them thrive in and out of the classroom. Although I was born in New York City, I did not learn English until six. I still remember raising my tiny hand in the first grade with a facial expression of total confusion. Being a daughter of recent immigrants from the Dominican Republic, I know the struggles that many students face, entering what is, for many, a bizarre new world where they are under tremendous pressure to grasp the complexities of a new language and culture.
Since serving others has always been my passion, I decided to begin volunteering as a mentor for children in the foster care system during the last year of my undergraduate studies. Through my experience at New Alternatives for Children, I have enjoyed the profound privilege of helping children aged nine through twelve diagnosed with physical, mental, or emotional disabilities. My experience as a mentor to these children in need has been gratifying. I have learned a great deal from them, mainly because they come from various social, ethnic, and linguistic backgrounds. I am convinced that this experience will help me hit the ground running in your program and make valuable contributions to discussions.
Thank you for considering my application to Counseling and Guidance at XXU.
MA Educational Counseling Personal Purpose Example