Last February, I finally obtained something I have coveted for years: something that many people take for granted in this country - A Social Security Number. Though neither visible nor tangible, the absence of it has been more than just a burden to me. Ever since I came to America at the age of 15, I have lived in a dormitory all along. For an international student whose home was 8,000 miles away, even a mailing address was always a luxury to afford, let alone the social security number.I'm not sure what point you are trying to make regarding having to live in dorms. I'd just talk about how you came here as an international student at the age of fifteen years and go straight into the line about the mailing address and the social security number. Activities that constitute the everyday life of a typical American were stressful challenges for me to argue through explanations and documents. What do you mean by "to argue through explanations and documents?" The phrasing is a little off. I got it after I read your next sentence, but you need to rephrase that so the reader can immediately tell you mean things like bank accounts etc. I suggest cutting that and starting the next sentence with "For example, opening a bank account...." Opening a bank account, obtaining a driver's license or a cell phone, and even retrieving a package from the post office was rarely hassle-free for a non-resident alien without a proper proof of residency or a letter explaining my ineligibility for social security. During the seven years I spent here in the states, I have realized that living as a foreigner in this country means a little more than having to line up at a different immigration queue at the entry. What do you mean by entry? I assume airport import area, but specify. Being a foreigner means having to advocate for one's own rights in everyday situations and expect to face crises in which your rights are threatened because of your unusual status. This very realization is what eventually inspired me to become a lawyer. Once a non-English speaking teenager with nothing but a passport, now I have stood on my own in this country quite successfully, dare I say, I am now armed with a bachelor’s degree, a job, a valid state-issued ID, and a social security number. Based on my experience, I believe that I can provide a distinct perspective in the law school community; because I can see the American legal system from a foreigner's critical eyes while understanding and embracing the fundamental principles of the system like a native. a perspective that can only be obtained by living a significant amount of time both outside and inside of the border.
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