My aspiration for a better education dates back to the time when I started school in Russia. From the short educational experience I had in Russia, I remember that almost everyone wanted to be a straight student (or "5" according to the Russian rating). That, combined with constant pressure from my family, helped me get excited about school and made me want to learn. However, my studies in Russia were interrupted when we moved to the United States. Education in the United States is a little different from that in Russia. I noticed right away that I wasn't challenged in math. In Russia, in first grade, schoolchildren learned multiplication, while in the United States, first graders were still learning addition. Naturally, I was disinterested in certain parts of school, but learning English kept me considerably occupied. Our family moved around a bit after that, eventually settling here in Cleveland. Along the way, before Cleveland, I was lucky enough to attend about three different school districts. Each offered a unique experience, coupled with different opportunities. Considering that I was ahead of my peers in math and science, my parents continued to accelerate my math and science education by forcing me to read Russian textbooks. At the time I hated it, but looking back it was very beneficial to me. After freshman year, our family moved and by the second half of sophomore year, I had almost caught up with my English skills. In addition to all the math I learned at home, I was introduced to the gifted services program during the latter part of second grade. Eventually, our family moved again to Cleveland. Here in Cleveland, I attended two different school districts. In fourth year I had a great opportunity to......middle of course......summer semesters) and cycle to school and university in all weathers. It all came together when I graduated high school with a diploma and an associate's degree. My quest for higher education was by no means simple. Even now, at CSU, I had to defer my admission for a semester for an internship at the Cleveland Clinic in order to earn money to pay for my classes. Nevertheless, all my opportunities and challenges had a positive impact on my education. I hope to continue my education here at CSU and earn a master's degree in computer and information science. I am applying to the specialized program here to both challenge myself with more work and provide me with an opportunity in the form of scholarships. If my past has taught me anything, it's that challenges and opportunities combined provide a great environment for learning and improvement..