College Admissions Essay: Finding Passion In Writing

To make a long story short, I didn't try hard enough on the ACT. For instance, I didn't study for it outside of a few online practice review sessions. I was too cocky. Regrettably, I knew I was a smart kid, but I didn't put in the time or effort to really succeed in taking the biggest standardized test of my life.

The ACT and SAT were created to accurately measure the knowledge of our children and make sure they are prepared for college, yet often times it seems to have the opposite effect. Due to the tests, some students are deciding not to go to college just to avoid paying so much money when they do not think they can do well in college courses. Even if students do decide to go to college, they may avoid taking classes with large tests due to test phobia developed from the ACT or SAT (Paul 42). Seeing such low scores in certain subjects can lower a student’s confidence and willingness to take those classes in college. By not taking certain classes, a student is limiting what major they can complete which will lowering their career options (Paul 42). We can’t let this happen to our students! We can’t let one stupid test destroy the careers and futures of hundreds of teenagers. The long term effects of the trauma created by the ACT and SAT are detrimental to today’s students.

I am constantly writing. I write to reduce anxiety, to plan out my day, to jot down a hilarious joke (probably made by me) that I don’t want to forget later. Slowly, I am penning my own musical and I have written several short stories as well (which will be hidden in my room until my untimely death). One may assume that due to my love of creative writing I’m a skilled essayist and all of my former English teachers adored me. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Throughout my high school career not only did my papers never did pass an AP rubric they received harsh critiques as well. This ultimately discouraged my passion for writing.

I was so ecstatic that I called everyone in my family to tell them that I actually got a D1 college looking at my records and that they stated that they are actually interested in me. Approximately two weeks had passed and it was time for me to take my first ACT, I was so nervous on the day of the ACT because I hadn’t taken it before and I knew that one of the requirements for MSU were that I had a minimum score of 18. I had no clue what I was going to score but the only thing I could do was pray the night before and have faith in myself. The big day was finally here and as I sat in the room waiting for the proctor to say begin my stomach had butterflies and a very jittery feeling. With only three minutes and twelve seconds left to spare on the last section of the test I chose to do what my English III teacher, Mrs. Triggs, at the time told me to do and that was to reexamine my test. Later that day I went home because I was so mentally exhausted I immediately went to sleep, I woke from my nap and I started crying because if I didn’t make an eighteen or higher I don’t think I would’ve retaken the

Most importantly, the practice test administered at the end of the class allowed me to experience a realistic ACT environment, and to ready myself for the three and a half hours of critical thinking and rapid circle marking. I was more than a little anxious before the practice exam; I may have understood the concepts, but application of those concepts was its own beast to conquer. As I proceeded through the practice exam, however, I realized that the ACT was not the nightmare that I had expected. It was just a test, and I was armed with the resources to conquer

I would not let my dream be snatched away from me so easily. Balancing work, academics, and extracurricular activities, I had little time for actual AP and SAT preparation. I often sacrificed sleep just to get a few extra hours of studying in. Two weeks before the SAT, I dedicated hours to practicing, and I read more in order to build my vocabulary. The result was a massive increase in my overall score. It was a bittersweet moment; as I rejoiced in my improvement, I acknowledged the fact that I was still below my target score. In silent determination, I registered for the next available test. As AP exams approached, my free time diminished, and I reluctantly admitted to myself I would not be able to prepare for the coming SAT test if I wanted to focus on improving my AP scores. I put all of my time into AP review; when I wasn't working, I was studying. Not long after completing my AP tests, my SAT test came around the

Walk into the building 15 minute early: you have your number 2 pencils, a big eraser, and a calculator. The lady at the door checks your ticket, then your license, and checks you off the list. “Go to the bathroom before you enter the room and leave all items like food, water, and electronics out of the testing room, otherwise you will be kicked out and your test will not be scored” bluntly said the ACT test official. You enter the test room and sit and talk with the people around you before the test begins. The test official rattles all the instructions off like a robot. You and 1.92 million people took the ACT exam this year. Unlike the 1.7 million people who took the SAT.

What is your passion? Passion is a characteristic every person should experience, it is a unique emotion that challenges and motivates you. Since middle school, I had always been fascinated by the strategies and methods to make a team perform at its best. I would watch a football match and analyzes its defect, I would then go to my computer and research which formation fits the team and how can it improve. I loved FIFA 11, a video game in which I would spend hours implementing new formations for my team, buying and selling players to make my team as strong as possible.

My drive to make an impact on my community motivates me to pursue higher learning to care for the underprivileged using my many talents. Furthering my education is the best way to apply myself, and make the largest possible impact on society. My passion for science and fascination by the vast wealth of medical and scientific knowledge available must be used to their fullest potential by elucidating much that remains unknown in medicine. The demand for medical research keeps growing, and I will seek every opportunity to make this world a better place. Through medical research I would improve the lives of many by adding to the large body of medical knowledge to support future doctors and their patients.

Scenic fun was started when, after 35 years of living life, I finally realized what lights me up inside. That thing they call passion. I didn’t think I had a thing. I could be content with a lot of different things. I have always hated being asked what my favorite anything is.

I've wanted to be a writer since I learned how to read at the age of five. The fact that these words on a page could create a whole other world in my head fascinated me to no end. I immersed myself in these books, much to the chagrin of my younger sister who just wanted to play. Books became an escape from acknowledging the fact that I was horribly shy and had no true friends. The characters who lived among those pages and let me peek into their lives became truer friends than I had ever had. At least fictional characters never abandon you for other people, never move away, never drift away from you until you are simply an ignored distant memory in the corner of their mind. I wanted nothing more than to give those companions to other people, and the sheer joy of creating those lives and worlds would be award enough.

Have you ever thought about the word “passion”? How would you define it? The dictionary defines passion as a strong interest and joy an individual feels for something. I basically agree with that definition, but I would like to add that it could be an activity that you love doing or see yourself doing some day.

Although you already know this, My SAT score is far from exceptional. What you don’t know is I’ve been preparing myself for this test since before high school. Originally, my school took the ACT, so in middle school, students took the ACT practice exams. Though many students didn’t believe they were significant, I always tried my best, no matter what. In ninth grade, my school changed to the SAT, I then started preparing myself for that instead. Since elementary school, college has been my dream, resulting from my parents never finishing their education. I want to explain the work and dedication I put into these activities. I live twenty minutes from Swartz Creek, I commute there every day, multiple times due to extracurricular activities.

For as long as I can remember, I have had a fascination for science. Swishing chemicals in beakers, dropping eggs to the ground, calculating tedious equations. It has never mattered what kind of science it was, any kind was good enough for me. Science has always been a friend to me. From going to the state science fair in sixth grade to becoming my school's Molecule Builing Champion, science is any ability I have been graced with.

My passion towards working with students every day has led me to the decision of pursuing a doctoral degree in Student Affairs in Higher Education at Miami University. I have chosen this program to prepare myself for a future role as a professor or a senior level college administrator. This program will allow me to become more proficient within the students’ educational experience and therefore better engage students in active learning.