personal essay

In 300 words or less, write about an event or a person that has had an influence on you.

My father, more than any other, is the person I wish most to emulate. His is the typical rags-to-riches story -- from a small village house with ten other siblings, he has charted his own success on little more than sheer drive and ambition to become a head of state and a leader. And yet he has never forgotten his roots, taking care of the thousands under his charge, listening to their grievances every week at meet-the-people sessions and finding solutions for them whenever he can.

All this, while developing policies in various government departments; tackling nationwide issues such as drugs, censorship, and education; maintaining a presence, debating, and sharing ideas as a member of parliament; and being a good father to five children, to name just a few (and in my opinion, the five children were probably some of the hardest challenges he has had to face).

And after eighteen long years in politics and garnering recognition as a caring and compassionate community leader and a formidable head of state, and gaining immeasurable gratitude from the people, he has stepped down from office to pursue his life-long dream of starting his own business from scratch, and charting his own success yet again.

To say he has been a major influence in my life would be an understatement. Directly or indirectly, his success is the yardstick with which I measure mine. Honorable, tenacious, and always giving while asking nothing in return, he has lived life with few regrets. His legacy will be remembered and aspired to for many years to come. He is, in my opinion, a great man not only because he has overcome great obstacles to realize his dreams into reality, but also because he has been a loving father to me.

That's my personal essay for a university application. Didn't want to take too much time on it, because I find this type of essays trite and unimaginative. So that's what I came up with; just thought I'd share.