Maria Fernanda Aguilar Sandoval

• Only 30% of applicants become QB finalists by demonstrating academic achievement primarily earning A's in challenging courses, contributing to their community, and exhibiting a strong writing ability while being in the top 5-10% of their class.
• Being a QB finalist took juggling between responsibilities, the multiple essays required on the application, AP Calc homework, AP Bio notes, and English midterm. I had to stay up late and self-reflect on my story, highlighting my academic achievements throughout my high school career as an undocumented immigrant student.

• During FAFSA season the school organizes a program to help parents and students create their profile and guide them throughout the FAFSA process.
• It was a rewarding experience to help a mother call FAFSA to set up her profile. Her first language was Mixteco and I was helping her kid translate for her during the call. I learned empathy and the importance of having these types of programs to assist parents with the complex, yet vital, FAFSA process.

After my first month of arriving in the US, I started to clean shopping centers with my aunt. I was in charge of cleaning the toilets, sweeping the sidewalks, and getting rid of the spiderwebs. Half of the payment was for my personal expenses and the other half was for my aunt to buy groceries.

• Maintained cleanliness and sanitation standards in assigned areas to ensure safe environments.
• Operated cleaning equipment, including floor scrubbers and vacuums, with proficiency.
• Conducted regular inspections to identify maintenance needs and prioritize tasks accordingly.
• Implemented waste management procedures to promote recycling and environmental sustainability.