Dear Mrs. Amis,

I was born in New York City on 1994, shortly afterward my family and I moved to San Ramon, California. My father, Quasem Wedee, attended Rutgers University. My mother, Zakia Wedee, was a high school graduate. Both my parents are from Afghanistan, they both immigrated here to have a better life. My father received a scholarship which allowed him to study in the USA, and my mother escaped Afghanistan with her family due to the occupation from the Soviet Union. I attended California High School in San Ramon. San Ramon is a quiet, peaceful town located in the bay area. I’m involved in my community with volunteering and playing sports for my school. I ran Track and Field when I was in high school. I also enjoy playing basketball, it is one of my favorite sports. UC Santa Cruz was one of my top choices of college due to the great campus and friends I know who attend here, I’m glad I was lucky enough to get accepted.

I’ve always considered myself to be a good academic student. I graduated high school with a GPA of a 3.6. I’ve always been a fan of reading fiction, this is because it allows me to imagine different scenarios that may not occur in the real world. I’ve always believed that fiction novels tell great stories. I enjoy paper-based reading over screen-based reading because it does not damage my eyes. Throughout high school I have read many great books. One of my favorite books was Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini. Not only did I like this book, but I also I felt that I could relate to it because it is about my parents home country of Afghanistan. Another book I enjoyed reading in high school was Montana 1948, by Larry Watson. This book’s tight plot kept me at the seat of my chair.

I’ve always felt that my writing is on an above average level. English classes were mandatory in my high school, students were forced to master different sorts of writing. Such as research papers, persuasive essays, and business letters. When I entered the classroom to take my AWPE exam I was sure I was going to pass. However, after a few minutes of reading the prompt of the essay I was unsure of myself and I didn’t have any ideas on where to start. I felt I had to rush my essay and put words on paper. After the exam, I felt unsure of myself and didn’t know if I would pass. When I found out the news that I failed, I was pretty disappointed. I felt very unsure of myself as a student, and lost confidence in my abilities. However, when I found out that 40% of students fail the exam, I felt a little better. I’m sure if I push myself and I work to my full abilities I will be able to pass the exam with your help.

Sincerely,

Sean Wedee