College Admissions Essay: Can We Help Everyone?

Life is hard and we face challenges everyday throughout our lives. I live my life by two quotes that I often hear people say. “Expect the unexpected,” and “get comfortable being uncomfortable.” Transitioning from middle school to high school was not the easiest. I did not “expect the unexpected” coming into high school and thought everything will be okay and the same as middle school. Life hit me, and it hit me hard in the face.

When I was applying for college, I thought searching for a school and getting accepted would be one of the most difficult moments of my life. I was unsure of my future for a time, and I thought that getting accepted to Purdue would be the last obstacle blocking the door to the rest of my life. I may only be in my second semester, but looking back I couldn’t have been more wrong. There are many things I have left to do in order to graduate, but I don’t want my college experience to be just doing what I am required to do; I want become more than just a college student going through the motions. My new-student Boiler Gold Rush experience helped me realize this, and really made me think about how I want to define myself throughout college. In addition to learning, I believe college is about the people you meet, the relationships you make and how you use the environment to your best advantage. Over the next four years, I want to become more involved within Purdue and surrounding community, to gain internship and leadership experience and to step out of my comfort zone so that I may be even more exposed to the diversity this campus is filled with.

Disability is a thing that can happen to anyone, whether it is that they are born with it or they get into an accident and ultimately end up being disabled. This is something that is life changing and it affects a person’s life forever. According to Sinclair, & Xiang (2008) “Disability is a major public health problem that affects approximately 20% of the US population, including children younger than 18 years. It is estimated that 5.8% to 18.0% of children in the United States have a chronic physical, developmental, behavioral, or emotional disability” (Sinclair, & Xiang (2008). Luckily, there is a place that people facing these circumstances can go to for help with their disabilities and this place will help them to readjust themselves

In December 2014, The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education published “Rethinking the Admission Process.” This article was written by Frank DiMaria, who takes a look at the research of the former president of the University of Wyoming, Robert Sternberg. DiMaria explains Sternberg’s stance against the current admissions process. Sternberg has research that depicts, “GPA, standardized tests, and essays do not successfully measure the true talent of a college applicant.” He believes that the policies need to change. Sternberg offers an alternative to the current process. Sternberg has been a part of a new admissions policy testing students not just on their memorization and analytical skills, but on their creative, practical, and wisdom-based skills as well. Sternberg’s ideas stem from his experience with disadvantaged youth and their ability to adapt and overcome obstacles. Sternberg claims that students who grow up in the upper middle class tend to have an environment which better values the analytical skills that the current tests measure. He argues that, because of this, colleges may not be getting the most creative and adaptable students. He shows that some of these less privileged students are capable of handling a college workload even though they may not have been able to score as high on the SAT or other tests. DiMaria believes that through Sternberg’s Kaleidoscope policy may be a solution. The Kaleidoscope way of admissions administers tests which ask open ended

I started working for Dollywood Splash Country my sophomore year of high school as a lifeguard. It requires many early mornings, long days, late nights and constant focus out in the hot summer weather. Even though this isn’t always the most glamorous job I have taken pride in working hard and being ready to serve in whatever capacity I can to help out other employees and managerial staff. I arrive early and will work late if needed, because I really enjoy working hard and the satisfaction I receive. No matter how I’m feeling that day I come into work every day and fully dedicate myself to the job trying to feel like I did everything I could to improve the workplace when I leave that day.

Discovering and choosing a college that best suits my needs was a rigorous yet thrilling task. The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising clearly came forth as the best choice for me to further my education in design. Being unable to visit the college campus, as I live in New York, I've done lots and lots of research about FIDM, and I realize the institute offers what I hope to gain from my college experience.

A critical moment during my undergraduate career is when I came to the realization that it is alright for me not to know what to do with my future. I realized that I was doing the right thing by furthering my education so that once I finally did know what career I wanted to pursue I would then have a degree to help me stand out. Once more, Dr. Reed convincing me to pursue a degree in Communication is one of the best pieces of advice I acquired during my undergraduate career, if not ever. I most likely would not have the confidence I currently have in obtaining a degree that I have no idea what I am going to with once I graduate.

From a young age, I’ve always known I wanted to attend college. To pursue what intrigues me and to study what I’m passionate about sounds like an opportunity I just cannot pass up. I have always enjoyed going to school and learning new subjects year after year, each year, giving a deeper understanding of the topics given to me. College would assist in broadening my horizons, finding new experiences, and deepening my roots in education.

Trying to decide what to do for the rest of my life is a hassle. I have to consider what I do well, what I enjoy, and how much income I would like to make. No one wants to wake up every morning hating their lives because they have to work long hours doing something they do not enjoy just to earn an income. The more a person loves their job, the better they will be at it and the more they will be willing to go to work. After spending many years being indecisive about my future, I have finally committed to pursue a career in speech pathology at Nicholls State University.

I have loved sports my whole life, even at a very young age. I would watch it with my dad, and he would take me to sports games. I loved to play basketball in the backyard when I was little. I have always loved cheering for my favorite sports team. I love watching the Minnesota Vikings and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Two years ago my dad surprised me with Vikings tickets. I was so happy to get to go to a game. Sports has always been a big part of my life. Two years ago, I got a new view of sports when I started umpiring.

The future. A place filled with unknowns and unexpected twists and turns. As I near the end of my high school career, the idea of college and all that follows it is becoming a reality in my mind. I do not know what God has in store for me, but I do know that He has a plan. As a freshman, I thought that I would have everything figured out by senior year; however, now that it is senior year, the future looks more mysterious than ever. While this is the case, I have still postulated some of my future goals and ambitions.

Maya Angelou once said “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style”. I believe that some people are complacent with mediocrity and therefore do not try to excel to their highest potential. As for me, furthering my future by attending college will help rise above the horizon of being average. I want to put my willing, intellectual, open mindedness, and so much more to good use.

From the very first day of freshmen year in high school, determining what college you will attend is an idea constantly engraved into students’ heads. Teachers apply a constant gentle pressure to motivate students to get good grades, become involved in extracurricular activities, and find an area of interest to assist in selecting a college major down the road. Students endure the four years of high school, some working part-time jobs, to afford weekend entertainment, miscellaneous expenses—such as Whataburger after a Friday night football game, or gasoline for their car. However, the requirement to decide between a career and education is only beginning to become a reality for many. Some students decided to take time off after their high school

My fondest childhood memories are hauling livestock behind the craters of the moon national park in central Idaho. Clouds of moon dust covered the winding dirt roads littered with rattle snakes and horned toads. Riding in a weathered red and white Kenworth tractor, I was 11 and on top of the world siting in the passenger seat next to my grandfather. My grandfather told me there are two achievements that matter most in life, earning a degree and having children. He was right about one of the achievements, nothing in life comes close to having children, but I don’t know how the other one feels. I aspire to be a mentor for my children by having a college degree. I want my children to have the father, freedom and financial stability that

If someone asked me where I am going to be in ten years, this would be my answer. I will have a great, high-paying job, and beautiful wife and family, and a nice sports car parked in front of my lovely house. When I look into the future, I see myself being successful and happy. Even though I always pictured myself this way, I never worried too much about how I would get there. I feel the Suffolk University can lay the groundwork for making these dreams into reality.