College Application Essay?

[danil70]

I am applying to University of Baltimore, and I chose to write about a personal experience and it's impact on my life.

Can someone review it please?

Learning to Live

Determination to live life to the fullest is the most important lesson I have learned. From the time I was four until I was eleven, I lived in a cozy house smack dab in Harford County, Maryland. Around age four, my single mother got us out of section 8 housing, and moved in with her parents. My grandfather and I became extremely close. He treated me like a granddaughter, but he was a father figure. He is my best friend, but he always has been. Suddenly, everything was different. My biggest worry at six was who to talk to on the playground, but suddenly my grandfather was terminally ill. My little six year old heart was scared. He woke up one morning ill, and it has been a slow decline since. He is currently end stage lung disease, and it’s hard waking up knowing he might not be around tomorrow. He is the best grandfather around. Although I was little, I had to learn how to take care of him. I even managed to get academic awards during this time. Things settled into routine, until 2005 when my house caught fire. My grandfather almost didn’t get out, but luckily my mother had been there. The fire was nearly close enough to the air tanks to make my house explode. Life made the decision for us to move to Pennsylvania. I was fine with this because I’ve always been a friendly outgoing kid.
Making friends has always been a skill I’ve had naturally. I met my best friends in junior high. Going into highschool, I was a determined teenager, being so focused on school. November of my freshman year two of my best friends were in an accident. One died, and the other has a permanent brain injury. I had never felt so much heartbreak. That moment was a determining moment for me in life. Either become depressed, or start living life to the fullest; those were my choices. I may not have focused as much on school, but I’ve learned so much. Through AP and honors classes, I learned about balancing life. I tried so many extra curricular activities. I did anything from marching band, to charity work, to councils, and mentoring programs. I didn’t drop any, I’ve only ever joined more.
I’m vibrant and full of life, and I’m not giving up on my dreams. My grandfather wants to see me be the first to graduate high school, even though I have four older cousins. That’s his biggest dream for me. My loved ones can’t live their lives to fullest or at all. Living my life to the fullest would to be to go to University of Baltimore. The ability to major in business and then go straight into law school is literally my biggest dream. I’ve never seen such a more perfect school for me. So many family members of mine have attended, and I have my heart set on University of Baltimore.