Currently, there is a rapid growth of urban settlements in Latin America, and this is especially true in my

country Ecuador. Due to poor planning, cities are full of problems from traffic congestion to the lack of
public services. I am filled with sadness when I see how this affects especially poor people. I am an ambitious
man and want to make positive and lasting changes in my country; I want to improve it. I know that with
proper planning, a lot of resources can be saved and then be invested in more infrastructure. However, I
know that in order to carry out the ideas that I have, I need to get a good education.
I have always enjoyed activities related to Environments. I remember as a child I liked to go out with my
parents and siblings to climb a hill from which you can see the whole city. I tried from there to locate my
home or school. Nevertheless, I was concerned to see the river of the city increasingly polluted and
surrounding forests felled. Now, the river is completely contaminated and we are facing a water shortage.
Social subjects like politics and history also pique my interest. As for politics, I am always attentive to
government announcements and at election time I do not miss the debates. I am curious about different
ideas that each candidate has to solve the same problem of the city. In terms of history, I have read many
books and seen many documentaries. Something that impressed was the way that the Mayans planned their
cities, where every detail was associated with symbolism.
Then in high school ,where I was the third best graduate of two hundred students I learned some
interesting subjects like technical drawing. I have loved this subject since those years because it became a
tool to let out my creativity. Through efforts and time devoted I got good grades. In the same way, I
discovered my passion for painting. I started to paint and draw on my own. Two years ago I participated in a
contest in a nearby city and got a good spot. All of these allowed me to realize the importance of design.
I have three years of experience leading groups and working in teams. After finishing high school and due to
the difficult economic situation of my family, instead of going to college I decided to search for employment
to help them. I worked in a furniture factory for two and a half years, where I managed to organize the
warehouse which had been unorganized for years. Then I was promoted to be one of the coordinators of
production. I learned a lot about the importance of planning, order and motivation to achieve a common
goal with colleagues.
Then I decided to return to study, so I took the National Exam for Higher Education (ENES), to enter a
university in Ecuador with 200, 000 other students in November 2012. I got 983/1000 (one of the best 200
scores). This is the reason why I have a scholarship to study in any of the 175 best universities in the world in
whatever career I want. The Ecuadorian government gave me a college preparatory course in English,
psychology, economics, math and sociology for nine months to increase my knowledge and prepare me for
studying abroad. The course finished in December 2013.
Right now I am managing my own business that produces $ 1,500 per month. It is an educational centre
where I can share my knowledge in math by helping my students to pass the National Exam for Higher
Education (ENES). I really find this experience challenging because there are always things that can be
improved and I have a lot of responsibilities which make me feel that I am doing something important.
Moreover, I know that with hard work one can achieve anything and I hope to convey that to my classmates.

I like Australia because it is a safe, friendly society and cultural diversity is appreciated. Australian education
is special since it promotes innovative and independent thinking. I have selected to study a Bachelor of
Environments in the University of Melbourne because in addition to being the best Australian university, it
has a well-organized undergraduate program that combines both theory and practice. I appreciate the field
trips to link the academic knowledge with real-life situations. Your additional resources like design studios,
model-making, construction workshops and mapping exercises also sound great. Additionally, it encourages
your skills to research and imagine new futures, giving solutions to the actual problems of society. That is
exactly what I want to do.
My long-term plans after returning to my country are working first in the local government of my city to gain
experience and then reach the regional government. Beyond that, I would also like to continue studying on
my own to share my knowledge by giving lectures at various universities in my country. I am aware of the
great effort made by my country to give me an education of excellence, so I'm not going to disappoint them.