Education Is Important to Me Personally and

¶ … Education is important to me personally and where it fits in my life as compared to other priorities Education has always been an important part of my life. Right from the start, I recognized its value in the perception that I was fortunate to be born in America rather than in India.

As oldest son of immigrant persons, were I to live in India I would be part of the world's largest illiterate populations, and, although receiving a primary education (since the Indian government has made that compulsory), I might have been compelled to support my parents in struggle for livelihood, thus forgoing any opportunity for higher education My recognition of my privilege was 'bulldozed' into me this summer when I collaborated with the Missionaries of Charity, a charity organization established by Mother Teresa in Kolkata.

While teaching elementary mathematics and English to the poor and homeless children as part of the charity teaching program, I saw how education can make a huge change in a person's life. Here were the children, poor and parentless, eyes sparkling with the little bit of elementary math and English that we take for granted here in the States. As student with aptitude towards science, I designed, constructed, and calibrated a device capable of launching a projectile into a target area.

In the 2009 Science Olympiad's, I ended up at the middle of the pile at the State finals, but, in 2010, with a brand new design, I competed again and received 3rd place medal for Trajectory at finals. I was awarded two medals, one at trajectory and one in dynamic planet.

I enjoyed the build events that allowed me to explore various science theories and apply them to improve our design, but, most importantly, I learned from this experience that the difference between success and failure exists in conquering our fears, and in our willingness to take risks. The victory at the 2010 state finals was a story of perseverance and focus.

I understood, what the great leader Sir Winston Churchill said, "Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts." But I have not always been successful. In . I flunked the Physical Science test due to a fatiguing day of swimming, a car accident, and volunteering at the Fremont Hindu Temple. Education creeps in insignificant ways. Life gives us lessons, too. With little preparation the evening before, I had to think to remember even the simple conversion formulas.

The first few questions took a long time, and with only five minutes left, I panicked. I could not finish the test, and ended up losing nine points out of thirty. Even here, whilst struggling through the exam, I realized that preparing for an examination and the strategy for taking a test are different. Failure, I told myself, can be the steppingstone to success; learn from the failure, and have the courage to continue. I improved my test taking techniques, and received 100% in the next try.

I then understood what Henry Ford, the great automaker, once said, "Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again; this time more intelligently." I like St. Francis's logo: "Bring hope by changing the world through Christ's love." Even though practicing Hindu rather than Catholic, I resonate with the ambition to bring hope to the poor and oppressed of the world if given the chance. Thousands of disadvantaged people live in my hometown, India, earning only a fraction of the money every year that we spend every day.

Mother Teresa once said, "We want to create hope for the person…we must give hope, always hope." I realized that day, in India, when visiting the ashrams that an education -- even a little bit of education - can go a long way in creating that hope.

Education is important to me in realizing my dreams, but more than that, education does not fit in with my other priorities (as per this essay's title), but runs through each of them wrapping them up in one complete whole so as to enable me to become a better, complete person. I believe, and hope, that Harker's can help me in achieving my aims.

Why I wish to attend Harker's Harker is a top-notch non-religious high school with an expansive and challenging curriculum, outstanding faculty and a penchant for focusing on academic excellence. I would like to attend Harker to enhance myself academically, emotionally, intellectually and to embark on my journey of matriculating to prestigious universities for higher education. Harker's vision of being an innovative leader with the use of state.