It was only when I sat down to write this essay that I realized that I am a direct reflection of her, that is, my grandmother. She was a woman dedicated to family, work and community. Anyone who knew her would describe her as a compassionate, hard-working and goal-oriented person. My most recent academic and community achievements serve as indicators that I, like my grandmother, possess these same qualities. During my senior year of high school I received the Bill Gates Millennium Scholarship and was accepted into my future alma mater, Howard University. In those days it was not uncommon for my grandmother to brag to the grocery store cashier, the bank teller, or anyone who would listen that her granddaughter had received a full scholarship and was attending Harvard University. Each time I smiled and politely corrected her by saying, "Grandma, I'm going to Howard, not Harvard." She and whoever she was talking to would just protest that it didn't matter which HU I was attending, they were proud of me regardless. From that point forward I vowed to continue to serve as an inspiration to the many members of my community who had never left the small town of Durham, North Carolina, but who had received a higher education on their own. I have since exceeded my expectations of the things I would achieve during my college tenure. Traveling abroad, serving as an Americorps member, interning for my U.S. Senator, and joining distinguished organizations are a culmination of some of my accomplishments. My grandmother has been an inspiration in all aspects of my life. Although I never attended college, he encouraged me to practice law. I distinctly remember watching reality court shows with her after school. My grandmother firmly believed that I would one day be a powerful judge of… middle of paper… college career. I look forward to being part of a learning community that challenges me academically and provides real-world experiences. Harvard Law offers its students the extraordinary opportunity to receive a world-class education by participating in a variety of clinical and pro bono programs. My performance in and out of the classroom serves as evidence of my high likelihood of being successful in this type of learning environment. Harvard would greatly benefit from adding a student with my background and potential to this incoming class. I have unique life experiences that will enhance classroom conversations and shape my peers into worldly future legal professionals. In high school I always thought my grandmother was making a mistake when she told others I was going to attend Harvard; however, he actually knew my potential and was talking about my future.