Beto Gonzalez

American Foundations

Application Essay
Service, experiences, and work have contributed to my life and to the lives of others in a way that
makes me different from the other Marriott School applicants. When I was 14, my family began building a
new house. To save money, my parents asked me if Id be willing to help with building the house. Instead
of doing extracurricular activities, like sports and pep band, I decided to help contribute to my familys
well-being. I put in over 500 hours over the course of 10 months, working many evenings and Saturdays.
This shows that I am willing to sacrifice and serve others, despite it being an inconvenience to myself.
Working all those hours helped me to better appreciate what hard work can do, especially when its done
for others. My family has been greatly blessed with a house in which they can fit the 6 remaining children
who live at home.
Another attribute that separates me from other applicants is the fact that I am responsible and
have been for the past several years. Each summer from 4 to 10 grade, I worked on my uncles farm. In
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return I received a lamb, which I would sell at the Marion County Fair for compensation. The money I
made was then mine, and I was responsible for the delegation of it. Ever since the 4 grade, I have paid
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for my own school clothes, and most other expenses involving extracurricular activities. I am currently
living independently of my parents, and as of the fall of 2011 I have no liabilities and have received zero
financial support from home for continuing my education.
I have also developed over time an attitude of creating solutions rather than only identifying
problems. As a missionary, I served as an assistant to the president during the transition of mission
presidents. President Wilkey arrived with little knowledge of how the mission ran, but my companion and
I were blessed with the opportunity to help our new president. Upon arriving, he was commissioned by
his leaders to begin implementing a new curriculum, which required the training of all missionaries in
leadership positions. Our mission covered parts of 5 states, so travel plans were proving to be impossible.
I then developed a travel plan, which involved a van and a series of pick up points along the interstate.
We were then able to transport 36 missionaries to the mission home to receive training.
These 3 attributes will allow me to excel in this educational pursuit. Sacrifice, responsibility, and
developing solutions are crucial attributes in being able to succeed in the professional world. My goal as
of now is to go to medical school and become a family practitioner. The knowledge of business will be
helpful in the decisions I make as a doctor and in how I plan to influence the community in which I live.