Honors Mindset Reflection

Before I started my first semester of college I made sure that my academic and career goals were set to avoid indecisiveness. One of my intellectual objectives has always been to be a part of the honors college. Deep in my heart I know I have what it takes to be in an organization of students that excel with integrity. Furthermore, the benefits that come along with being a student within the honors college can assist me with getting through my scholastic agenda which includes internships, scholarships and honorary mentions.

The Honors Program student embodies the virtues of independence, academic talent, intellectual curiosity, and persistence. In a brief essay, of approximately 500 words, please tell us how your reasons for admission to the Honors Program as well as your long and short terms academic goals speak to these four virtues. In doing so, you might consider the following questions:

I will engage in research, acquire hands-on experience, and apply what I learned in class in real life scenarios to make an impact on people’s lives. I will partake in service opportunities like my current roles in NHS and FNHS. My personality will benefit those around me. Honors College will place me in courses with exceptional students who are dedicated and focused. They will push my performance as a student. Even now, classmates gauge their performance with mine and vice versa. As a result, they motivate me to catch up or stay ahead of the competition. Competition is the catalyst for improvement. Likewise, I always encourage my peers to do their best, for I want to see individuals succeed. Moreover, there is no point enrolling in classes that won’t challenge me; where I am perched at the top. There is no intellectual growth there. Whereas, challenging courses and talented students help establish high goals for me. This symbiotic relationship between my peers and I will springboard us to greater

Before I joined the National Honor Society (NHS), my ideal characteristics for a successful student included earning straight A’s every semester, taking challenging courses, and, ultimately, ranking myself among the top students of my class. I was trapped in my own model student, exhausting myself with grades and incessant school work. It was an endless cycle. However, when I became a member of NHS, I was reborn. The Society’s four pillars—Scholarship, Service, Leadership, and Character—have gradually reshaped my definition of a successful student.

The nomination of being a member of the National Honor Society is an honor in itself. All my late nights of homework, copious amounts of studying, and extracurricular activities have brought to me the place I am today. Throughout my three years of school here at the one and only Brainerd High School, I have obtained excellent grades even in challenging classes. I believe that if you don’t challenge yourself with difficult classes now, you will never develop a strong sense of work ethic: something I have a large amount of. My parents always told me growing up that things won’t come free to you in life, and life doesn’t owe you a thing. Those two things have given me the motivation to succeed in rigorous courses, even when at times I want to give up.

Throughout my high school career I have worked assiduously by packing my schedule with rigorous classes in which I pushed myself in order to become the student I am today. Being able to not only challenge myself but succeed in such demanding classes has shown me what I am truly capable of. I strive to fulfil my most prodigious dream to someday be apart of the National Honor Society at my hometown school. Now, I am one step closer in achieving that goal. Knowing that I am more than capable enough to challenge myself will push me to strive for excellence while being a member. I plan on dedicating myself to the National Honor Society as much as I dedicate myself to my scholastic

The five ideals of the Honor Society to me represents goals that will be given to me while in this program. These goals in time will be reached. During this time before these goals are reached, I will gain experience which nothing else can give me. This knowledge will educate me on what other activities I can do to improve my community. With this newfound knowledge, I will exemplify these goals, or ideals, and teach people how to do the same in their community. Altogether these goals mean new ideas which will positively change my mentality and that of those around me.

Still I was determined to find some type of success before I left high school, and since my high school offered a welding certification program, reluctantly I accepted the opportunity. I figured at a minimum, becoming a welder would earn me the same honest living as becoming a teacher. While participating in the program taught me about working hard and becoming a disciplined young adult, I realized my passion for welding would never burn the same way the metals did. After joining the cornerstone honors program my life changed. For the duration of my first year of college I was exposed to a system of learning that re-fuled the passion that was extinguished in high school. Joining the honors program allowed me great opportunities I never even saw coming. I gained the confidence to join the phi theta kappa honors society and become a chapter officer. Although I could never join the national honor society in high school. I now had the opportunity to immerse myself in community projects and leadership roles. See when I was in high school I didn’t know how to play the game. I didn’t know the importance of being involved in school activities. I didn’t know the importance of building relationships with instructors. The worst part was I didn’t know the importance of placing value on education. I now had the tools to play the game of education better than I had before. I had invested more time in my education than the average student and reaped the

“We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort.” When Jesse Owens said this, he probably was thinking about success in sports, but this quote can be taken in so many more ways. I view it in the way where it inspires others to have the willpower to achieve life's’ goals. To have full devotion to the task at hand is a major quality of an honors student. I have reached the point in my life where I am able to dedicate my time to something as important as National Honors Society. The honor of being considered for NHS is not something I should take so lightly. There are still the four aspects of being a member that the honors society values deeply; leadership, service, character, and citizenship.

As a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, my academics must be my highest priorities. However, even before I received the invitation to join the community of honor students and alumni, I was keen to educate myself. Unlike some, I did not continue my formal education immediately preceding high school. My family lacked the resources to get me there, so I had to work for it; I had to want it. The time between my schooling was spent working hard to eventually work even harder once I could afford to. Days off were spent reading countless books at public libraries—reference and recreational—dabbling in anything I

A dangerous trap that people often fall into is becoming closed minded. The key to learning and authenticity is keeping an open mind. It is impossible to be authentic without accepting the possibility to change. Accepting change is an imperative aspect of human development. Honors classes encourage students to question the norm and not to rule out the improbable. Students are forced to maintain an open-mind as their ideas are challenged every class. Learning is a lifelong process. People are always growing and changing, much

To live a fulfilling and successful life, I feel that one must possess certain qualities or attributes. I believe one should work diligently at all they do, make efforts to lead those in the community, give back to the community, and possess a set of morals by which to live. I believe that the four qualities which are required for admission into the National honors Society embody this. By having scholarly attributes, being a leader to peers and colleagues, serving the community and acting with good character, one can achieve success. Therefore, scholarship, leadership, service, and character are all extremely important to me personally; as a students and as a member of the community.

Everyone filed into the classroom on the first day of school with boredom written on each and every students face. As I sit down in the last seat of the last row, I look to see if there is a child I may know. There's not. I should not be so disappointed. Taking honors classes in high school is absurd to the people I associate with. This year is different from any other year. It is junior year. I have to study like there is no tomorrow considering I made the wrong decisions last year. These decisions kept me from playing softball for a third year and to solely focus on obtaining the advanced honors diploma. Over the course of this experience I hope to gain experience I had not received in the years prior.

During my time at USC, I have strived to connect with both prospective and current students. While working with the Honors College to develop and help lead the Honors Ambassadors program, I have been able to impact prospective students through lending them advice and sharing my own experiences. As a part of this program, I present information sessions to visiting students in addition to attending Admitted Students' Day, alumni receptions, and other events to foster connections with prospective students. Several of these students remained in contact after they decided to attend USC and have reached out to say that the opportunity to form a personal connection with a current Honors student played an important role in their decision-making process.

My greatest strength as a student is my perseverance. No matter the difficulty of an assignment, I choose to give it my all until the end. For example, a challenge I have faced several times as a student is working with uncooperative peers. With such a difficulty, I choose to stay calm and compromise ideas with others to solve the problems. Nevertheless, if the problem is not resolved I will continue to work on the assignment until it is complete with the my best work. I have noticed that I am not discouraged by such problems, but instead use these complications as learning points in my educational experience. However, considering my strength I have a promising weakness to balance out my work habit; I am a