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. Im 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, Im glad I was lucky
enough to get accepted.
Ive always considered myself to be a good academic student. I graduated high school
with a GPA of a 3.6. Ive 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. Ive 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 books tight plot kept
me at the seat of my chair.
Ive 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 didnt 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 didnt 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. Im 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