Capital One Leadership Application Essay

1.   Describe a major obstacle or challenge you have faced in pursuit of your goals,
how you addressed the situation and what the outcome was.

    Growing up in the Dominican Republic, and seeing the poverty and corruption day to day, instigated in me a sense of passion to someday save my country from its sorrows. I knew that attending a top university would give me the impulse I needed in order to succeed in satisfying my passion.

This led to my goal. The Wharton School. The challenge. Getting in.

It was three years since the last person got accepted into this business school and she was a genius. Perfect SAT’s, perfect grades, and valedictorian/salutatorian recognitions were basically a must in order to get in.

I worked like an animal. I woke up at 4am because I didn’t have enough time to study; I took the hardest courses; I devoted my life to being student government president and class president; I spent hours planning events for the Business Club; my life was school.

11th grade came and my grades, GPA, and AP scores didn’t appear near Wharton’s averages. I wasn’t the best in my class and I only my extracurriculars matched the typical applicant.

Expecting some sign of support from my friends, I got the opposite. The people I trusted the most pushed me down. I had friends tell me straight out “You’re not going to make it, good luck”.

Instead of reaching for easier schools and dropping my goal, I defied all the force against me. I tried even harder to get in; I wanted to prove everyone who underestimated me that I was capable of achieving my dreams. And so I did. I got in. By far my most worked-for accomplishment. I did it.

Nonetheless, I didn’t showcase I got in. I kept it to myself and learned from such experience.

2. Tell us something unique about yourself that is not on your resume.

I laugh. And when I say I laugh I laugh. I love it! No matter the place or the time, I’m always laughing, trying to create laughter, or...