College Admissions Essay: Making The Right Decision

My parents think of themselves as primarily self-sufficient. Because of this, we live on the peak of a hill in the middle of nowhere, far away from the hustle and bustle of our old home in the city. Although this is their ideal life, they realized that it may prevent me from expanding my own horizons. They have always encouraged me to follow my interests, even when it meant moving away from home at sixteen to go to college. Throughout my entire childhood, they have done everything in their power to ensure that I am prepared for the future. I believe that my parents have crafted me into a well-rounded individual by proving to me that any person can define their own version of success.

Former baseball player Tommy Lasorda once said, “The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person’s determination.” The journey of our life is full of winding paths and concrete obstacles whose sole goal is to slow us down, and to attempt to block us from reaching our ultimate goal in life, whatever that may be. These barriers are there for several different reasons, whether it be mental or physical. Sometimes these obstacles are motivated by fear, other times they exist simply because we have to make a decision, and that decision can be life changing. But through our determination, and through our perseverance, we can achieve what these barriers told us was impossible, and can pursue the path in our life that leads us to our ultimate self. Throughout my life, I have had thousands of barriers stand in my path. And the only way I was able to defeat them was through conquering my fears, and breaking my limits in order to achieve excellence.

As a little girl, I dreamed of attending college and having a career. Others my age were preoccupied with dreams of the perfect wedding or husband, but I was busy envisioning myself attending a prestigious university, acing my classes and becoming a successful woman. Along the way, the profession I aspired to be has changed, the desire to go to an ivy league school has changed, but the dream to attend college has never faltered. I have overcome many challenges and setbacks on this journey, but at 28 years old I am finally ready to take the leap and fulfill my dreams. Growing up there was no one in my life that told me I could be whatever I wanted to be.

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

Discovering what matters to me is challenging because I don’t know where I stand spiritually entirely. I don’t have a clear image of what I exactly believe in. I’ve been raised in a Catholic household, but my family doesn’t go to church. My mom goes to church on Wednesdays for school because she is a teacher in a private school. From first grade until eighth grade I went to religious education and was learned the same thing almost every year.

When thinking about Colleges there are many factors to consider. Location, Type of degree offered, price, size, and many more. Where you rank these factors by how much each matter it makes it much easier to decide. There are not many people in the world that have the exact same interests which is why there are many colleges that are fits for certain people and their interests. I have looked at my interests and types of colleges that would be great for me, and I have decided the the University of North Alabama would be a perfect fit. I would like to attend The University of North Alabama for economic reasons, the nursing program, location, and because I would fit in well with the students and staff.

“Ignorance is bliss.” That famous saying echoes in my ears as I sit in front of my computer, inwardly debating the convincing argument my friend had slammed against my beliefs. As much as I desire to further understand his argument - and how to counter it - the undesirable prospect of challenging my own views paralyzes me. “This isn’t you. You desire truth more than you desire to be right,” I continue to tell myself. Yet, I cannot seem to muster the strength to take action and research the topic. Disgusted with myself, and yet inwardly relieved, I shutdown my laptop and push the issue from my mind.

I grew up in a house located in a city named Hallandale, a not so quite poverty-stricken African-American dominated neighborhood of South Florida. Everyday news reports of someone either dying, getting shot, or arrested from the neighborhood appeared on my front screen. I lived in a one story house with only three bedrooms and ten of my family members. I always considered my home as the most beautiful house on the block — a heavenly oasis in a cesspool of dilapidation. You knew my house because my grandmother had a lion on the outside of it that stood through every storm Florida threw its way. To me that lion represented the courage and strength of people in my neighborhood held despite the hard ships surrounding it. Every Sunday my grandma cooked for those in need.

When it’s your senior year, all you can think about is what’s after high school. Many would say college, some may say military, while others say college is for me. After since I gotten into high school, I know I was going to college. My motivation for attending college would be my parents. My parents wasn’t able to college or join the military because their parents couldn’t afford to pay. So they are making sure I get the chance. I want to make my parents proud because I would be the first child from my mother to graduate from high school and go on to college. I dream job is to be an OBGYN nurse. By going to college I hope college helps me find out what I really want to be in life and being an OBGYN nurse is for me. After completing my four

Some might call it “nosey” or “annoying”, but I've always favored the term “curious”. From a young age, my thirst for knowledge has been unquencable and well-known to those around me. My parents, teachers, and any other adults within an earshot were plagued by my constant questions. By the age of six, I had become obsessed with finances. I felt like I needed to know every last detail of people's fiscal affairs. Unfortunately, my six-year-old self was too young to realize that this was considered distasteful. Often at night, while my dad sat at the dining room table to pay his bills and balance his checkbook, I would accompany him. My interrogation into his finances was unrelenting, and most of the time he would comply. Whether he wanted me

Growing up as an only child has taught me how to have fun with the smallest things that you have. I have always found myself turning nothing into something, whether it was using one cardboard box as a house, a car, and an airplane, my imagination took over and made the best of everything. As result of the personality test I am considered to be an adventurer, someone who lives by their heart, who is spontaneous, and who is shockingly introverted.

When I was younger, I would take my father's bicycle and venture from my home down a steep hill into another neighborhood and explore the streets that were there. Although I loved the exhilarating feeling of going down the hill toward freedom and unknown adventures, I knew that every time I left my neighborhood to head down the hill I would be punished when I returned home as my parents had strict rules. Even though I was so young that I could barely reach the peddles, and that it was obviously dangerous to leave my home without telling anyone to go explore other neighborhoods, I never stopped going down the hill.

When someone thinks about their mental life, some may think “I’m perfectly healthy” or “I don’t have mental problems”. Yet, for others, they may think “Yeah I have some mental issues” or “Yeah, I get nervous from time to time”. For me, anxiety has always been a problem of mine. I can’t even begin to describe how many times it has gotten in the way of me trying to enjoy an event, or spending time with family, because my mind is constantly racing. I’ve struggled with anxiety since I was a kid. Not only do I struggle with it, but members of my family do also. I believe that I may have gotten my anxiety from my family but it’s always been something I didn’t talk about.