Madeline Saldana

November 2, 2015
Block 5 English
Scholarship Essay
My name is Madeline Monique Saldana and I am a sixteen year old scholar-athlete. I am
applying for the Niche No Essay Scholarship.
I applied for the business management major because I believe a career in business best
suits me. In a group of people, my instinct is to take initiative and lead. I prefer having a larger
say in decision-making than to follow the decisions of others. This degree will make me more
qualified for careers in real estate because I aspire to become a real estate agent. I hope to pursue
my degree at a university then return to my hometown and sell luxury homes in Monterey
county..
I am at least one year younger than every other student in my grade level. I skipped
kindergarten due to my ability to read and write in English and Spanish at age five. My parents,
as college graduates themselves, motivate me throughout my struggles as a young person in an
older environment. Even when I wish I did not agree to skip one whole grade, they push me to
keep doing my best to succeed.
It is important to work hard for an education because where I am from, we are not
expected to have a future. Salinas, California, my hometown, ranks the second least-educated
city in the United States of America. Salinas set a crime record of ten shootings in eleven days. I
will always be bound to a negative stereotype because of where I am from. Although those
outside of my community might look down upon us due to our reputation, that pushes us to be
even better. There are so many young people in this city who want to make a difference in and

out of our community. Our parents do not need to own companies, our families do not need to
live luxurious lives, and we do not need to live in the safest and secure community out there.
Because I am from Salinas, I do not need expect anything handed to me. Because I am from
Salinas, I aspire to achieve more than I would if I were from anyplace else. Despite the cold and
cracked concrete that is this town, I will continue to be a rose that grows from it.
Challenging myself by being involved in many clubs and sports is important to me
because good things do not come effortlessly. I am a part of the Puente project, a guidance
program in which students receive exposure to four-year institutions and support to attend them
throughout their entire high school career. I have been a part of the Salinas Valley Dream
Academy, a leadership organization that exposes students to potential future careers and
encourages them to better their community while also helping to expose them to universities in
and out of California, since I was a junior. I was vice president of the Spanish Club at my school
which raises money to assist students with AP Spanish Language and Culture exam fees and am
now president. I was president of the AP Language and Composition Club which sought
donations to pay for the AP exams of students in the AP Language and Composition class. I have
been a cheerleader since I was a freshman during the fall and have taken on the winter every year
since I was a sophomore. I have also been part of the swim team during the spring since
freshman year. In addition to clubs and sports, I also work with my parents to fundraise trips to
New York City, Washington D.C., Boston and London, England. Although it becomes difficult to
juggle so many activities and school, I maintain an exceptional GPA. In retrospect, I am
preparing myself to face an immense workload in college and in my future career.
My parents work very hard to allow my brothers and me to partake in every amazing
opportunity that comes our way. They are always willing to cover any costs for education-related

expenses, but college tuition is incomparable. I am not the only child who will be attending
college in my family within the next ten years; my twelve year old brother is a straight A student,
and he hopes to follow in my parents, and mine, footsteps by attending college as well. I would
like to help my parents because I do everything not just for myself, but to make them proud.
Without an education, I will not achieve a stable career. With it I can live comfortably and be
able to give back to my parents, provide for myself, and deliver to those who will depend on me
in the future.

$2,000 "No Essay" Scholarship Rules

Summary of Key Rules
Open to all high school, college, and graduate students and those planning to enroll
within 12 months.
Applicant must be a legal resident of the United States. International students with
valid visas are also eligible.
Must currently attend, or within the next 12 months plan to enroll in, a high school or
college listed on niche.com, or be the parent of a student who falls into one of those
categories.
Only one entry allowed per person per month. A new winner will be chosen every
month.
Scholarships or prizes will be awarded directly to the winners.
Winners will be notified by e-mail and posted on
http://scholarships.niche.com/winners/.

Complete Official Rules

NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN THIS SWEEPSTAKES. A PURCHASE WILL
NOT IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING.
The Niche.com $2,000 "No Essay" Scholarship ("Sweepstakes") starts on Sunday, November 1,
2015 at 12:00 AM and ends on Monday, November 30, 2015 at 11:00 PM for online entry ("Online
Entry Period") and on Monday, November 30, 2015 at 11:00 PM for the postmarking of a mail-in
entry. Fastweb, LLC is not a sponsor of or associated with this Sweepstakes. The sponsor of this
Sweepstakes is Niche.com, Inc. located at 5830 Ellsworth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15232 (the
"Sponsor"). The Sweepstakes shall be subject to these Official Rules, and by entering, all
participants agree to be bound by the terms and conditions herein.
ELIGIBILITY: THE SWEEPSTAKES IS OPEN ONLY TO LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE UNITED
STATES or INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS WITH VALID VISAS, THIRTEEN (13) YEARS OF AGE
OR OLDER AS OF THE DATE OF THEIR ENTRY unless specified differently in the "Summary of
Key Rules" above. Employees and their families of the Sponsor affiliates, subsidiaries, parent
companies, agencies and participating retailers (collectively, the "Promotion Parties") and those
living in the household of same are not eligible to enter or win. By entering this Sweepstakes,
entrants agree to abide by all terms of these Official Rules.
PRIVACY INFORMATION: The information obtained from your survey or entry may be used by
Niche.com and its affiliates. Personal contact information is collected to notify sweepstakes winners
and verify their identity. This information will not be sold or shared with our partners unless you opt-in
to an offer or express interest in a school. However, Niche.com would like to contact you either by
mail or email about our special promotions or offers. If you prefer not to receive updates of special
promotions and/or offers, please send an e-mail to customerservice@niche.com with the words
"remove my name" in the subject line of the e-mail. False and/or deceptive entries or acts shall
render entrants ineligible. For more details on our privacy policy, please go to
http://niche.com/legal/privacy/.

The laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States apply to and govern this
Sweepstakes and any claims must be raised and resolved in the Federal or state courts located in
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States.
Void in Puerto Rico, all U.S. territories and possessions, overseas military installations and where
prohibited or restricted by law.
HOW TO ENTER THE SWEEPSTAKES: There are two (2) ways to enter the Sweepstakes; (1)
online (2) by submitting a mail-in entry.
HOW TO ENTER ONLINE: Please go to https://colleges.niche.com/scholarship/apply.aspx to
enter online.
HOW TO ENTER BY MAIL: On a postcard, handprint your first and last name, address, city, state or
province, country, zip code or postal code, phone number, verify age eligibility, and (if applicable) email address. Mail the completed postcard entry to Niche.com $2,000 "No Essay" Scholarship "Mailin Entry", 5830 Ellsworth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15232. ALL MAIL-IN ENTRIES WILL BE
CONSIDERED ENTERED IN THE SWEEPSTAKES IN THE ENTRY PERIOD RECEIVED.
The Promotion Parties and any and all Internet server(s) and access provider(s), and each of their
respective affiliates, subsidiaries, parent corporations, retailers and advertising and promotional
agencies, and all of their officers, directors, shareholders, employees and agents, (collectively,
"Releasees") are not responsible for: any incorrect or inaccurate entry information; human errors;
technical malfunctions; failures, omissions, interruptions, deletions or defects of any telephone
network, computer online systems, computer equipment, servers, providers, or software, including
without limitation any injury or damage to participant's or any other person's computer relating to or
resulting from participation in the Sweepstakes; inability to access an entry site or any pages thereof;
theft, tampering, destruction, or unauthorized access to, or alteration of, entries; data that is
processed late or incorrectly or is incomplete or lost due to telephone, computer or electronic
malfunction or traffic congestion on telephone lines or the Internet or any web site (including the
entry sites) or for any other reason whatsoever; typographical, printing or other errors; late, lost,
stolen, mutilated, misdirected or postage-due mail, or any combination thereof. Proof of entering
information at an entry site or mailing entry is not considered proof of delivery or receipt. Illegible,
incomplete, entries in excess of the stated number above and mechanically reproduced entries will
be disqualified. All entries become the property of the Sponsor and will not be acknowledged or
returned. False, fraudulent or deceptive entries or acts shall render entrants ineligible. By entering
the Sweepstakes, entrants affirm that they have read and accepted these Official Rules.
WINNER SELECTION: Prospective winners will be selected in a random drawing to be held on or
about Tuesday, December 15, 2015. Prospective winners will be notified by mail, telephone, posting
on FACEBOOK and/or e-mail, within ten (10) days of drawing date and may be required to execute
and return a Eligibility Affidavit/Release of Liability and (except where prohibited) a Publicity Release
and (for U.S. winner) a completed IRS W-9 form within ten (10) days of issuance of notification or an
alternate will be selected in a subsequent random drawing. Any prize notification or prize returned to
the Sponsor as undeliverable for any reason will be awarded to an alternate. No substitution by a
winner for his or her prize shall be allowed. All Federal, state, provincial, local or other tax liabilities
are the sole responsibility of the winners. Acceptance of a prize constitutes permission (except
where prohibited by law) to use the winner's name, likeness and statements for publicity purposes
without additional compensation or limitation.
PRIZES: One (1) prize of $2000 cash will be awarded each Online Entry Period.

The odds of winning are determined by the total number of eligible entries received. Only one (1)
prize will be awarded to any one person and/or e-mail address.
LIMITATIONS ON LIABILITY: Releasees shall not be liable to winner or any other person for failure
to supply the prize or any part thereof, by reason of any acts of God, any action(s), regulation(s),
order(s) or request(s) by any governmental or quasi-governmental entity (whether or not the
action(s), regulation(s), order(s) or request(s) prove(s) to be invalid), equipment failure, terrorist acts,
earthquake, war, fire, flood, explosion, unusually severe weather, hurricane, embargo, labor dispute
or strike (whether legal or illegal), labor or material shortage, transportation interruption of any kind,
work slow-down, civil disturbance, insurrection, riot, or any other cause beyond Sponsor's sole
control.
GENERAL: By entering this Sweepstakes, entrants agree that Releasees shall not be liable for
personal injuries, death, damages, expenses or costs or losses of any kind resulting from
participation or inability to participate in this Sweepstakes or acceptance of or use or inability to use
the prize or parts thereof including, without limitation, claims, suits, injuries, losses and damages
related to personal injuries, death, damage to or destruction of property, rights of publicity or privacy,
defamation or portrayal in a false light (whether intentional or unintentional), whether under a theory
of contract, tort (including negligence), warranty or other theory. Winner releases the Releasees from
any and all liability and responsibility with respect to a prize (including any property loss, damage,
personal injury or death). Winner acknowledges the aforementioned individuals and entities have
neither made nor are in any manner responsible for any warranty, representation or guarantee,
expressed or implied, in fact or in law, related to the prize.
If for any reason this Sweepstakes is not capable of running as planned, or if this Sweepstakes or
any web site associated therewith (or any portion thereof) becomes corrupted or does not allow the
proper playing of the Sweepstakes and processing of entries in accordance with these rules, or if
infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, actions by entrants, fraud,
technical failures, or any other causes, in the Sponsor's sole opinion, corrupts or affects the
administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of this Sweepstakes, the Sponsor
reserves the right, at their sole discretion, to disqualify any individual implicated in such action and/or
to cancel, terminate, modify, or suspend this Sweepstakes or any portion thereof. In the event this
Sweepstakes is cancelled, the Sponsor will conduct a random drawing to award all prizes from
among all eligible, non-suspect entries received prior to the time of the action or event warranting
such cancellation. If such cancellation, termination, modification, or suspension occurs, notification
will be posted at the entry sites. ANY ATTEMPT BY AN ENTRANT OR ANY OTHER INDIVIDUAL TO
DELIBERATELY DAMAGE ANY WEB SITE (INCLUDING THE ENTRY SITES) OR UNDERMINE
THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE SWEEPSTAKES IS A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND/OR
CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, THE SPONSOR RESERVES THE
RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES AND OTHER REMEDIES FROM ANY SUCH PERSON TO THE
FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW. If a dispute arises about who submitted an entry on an
Entry Site, the entry will be deemed submitted by the authorized account holder of the e-mail
account entered. The authorized account holder is deemed the natural person who is assigned to an
e-mail address by an Internet access provider, service provider, or other online organization that is
responsible for assigning e-mail addresses for the domain associated with the submitted e-mail
address. A potential winner may be requested to provide Sponsor with proof that the potential winner
is the authorized account holder of the e-mail address associated with the winning entry and that all
eligibility requirements are met.
NOTE: Internet entry must be made by the entrant only at the entry sites. Entries made by any other
individual or any entity, and/or originating at any other web site or e-mail address, including, but not
limited to, commercial sweepstakes subscription notification and/or entering service sites, will be

declared invalid and disqualified for this Sweepstakes. The use of any device or software to
automate the entry process is prohibited.
WINNERS LIST: For an Official Winner's List or a copy of these Official Rules, send a selfaddressed, stamped envelope to Niche.com $2,000 "No Essay" Scholarship "Winners List", 5830
Ellsworth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15232. Vermont residents may omit return postage for Official
Rules requests. Official Rules are also posted at
https://colleges.niche.com/scholarship/apply.aspx and the Official Winner's List is also posted at
http://scholarships.niche.com/winners/.