My College Admissions Essay: My Experience At The University

Whether it was my frustrations about the never-ending conflicts in society or my personal dilemmas on being a modern day teenager, I can guarantee I wrote about it. Even at my young age, I started to rack my brain trying to ascertain how I could be sure to use writing in my career. Should I be a novelist, a poet, maybe even a screenwriter? All of these different ideas came and went during my phase of pondering. Once I hit high school though, it all became clear to me; how I could help others through my writing. It came to me because of what Ms. Palmer had said; I could make the pain and tribulations of everyday life less difficult, even if just for the small amount of time while someone was reading what I presented to the world. I determined I would be a journalist. I aspire for my writing to make an impact on society, and aid people through the adventure of life. Whether it’s an investigative news article, editorial piece, or even a feature about an esteemable individual, I am eager to learn more about honing in on my abilities for writing. I have utilized the resources placed around me and learned much along the way. Transferring to a prestigious university in a thriving, scholastic environment is the next step in my journey and I am more than prepared to take it. Exercising the expertise I gain from the wonderful experience of attending a

I am a first-generation, Chicano and will soon finish my last semester before I transfer to a four year university in the upcoming fall. Coming from a first-generation household, I have had to overcome many obstacles to be in the position that I am now in. Community college has been a valuable resource that has allowed me to pursue an amazing education at a low price which has eased the burden of high tuition on my parents. Sometimes it is the cost of education that impedes those that seek it and scholarships are one avenue in which they become easier to travel down the path to success. Coming out of Gilroy High School years ago, I was unsure of what I wanted to major in and devote myself to but I had the amazing opportunity of enrolling in University of California, Merced.

NYU Tisch offers me both the rich history of matriculating successful alumni such as the likes of Vince Gilligan, Joel Coen, and Martin Scorsese, as well as a group of talented screenwriting students who stimulate an aspect of countless possibilities. For example, during a visit to NYU, I met first-year student AJ Johnson who majors in Dramatic Writing. His academics and

College writing to me is a new chapter in my life. I am only a junior in high school, which means I have quite a ways to go when it comes to learning and maturing as a person. As I take on this new chapter I expect to see my writing change along with me, for I’ll have new experiences and feelings to put forth in my writing.

The writing center at Union Institute & University exists to help writers here at Union. We work in tandem with faculty to help students improve their craft of writing. Writing center tutors can guide students, helping them become confident, powerful writers. But for us to help them, students must be curious; they have to believe they can improve, and they have to be willing to work toward that end. As instructors, we must ask ourselves what we can do to facilitate these characteristics in students.

Harriet Tubman once said, “Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world” (brainyquote.com). This quote is always inspiring to me, since I can see my own life experience through it. Studying in the United States has been my dream since I was young. During the first semester of my freshman year, UCWR110, the university writing class, makes me feel the essence of the quote. Thanks to UCWR110, I have improved my reading strength, my patience in reading in English as a second language, as well as my passion in writing in English. I realize that writing plays an important role in my everyday study and it is a key to my dream.

For as long as I can remember I dreamed of one day becoming a very successful and accomplished engineer. During high school in Guyana, I crafted great plans. I would attend a prestigious university, gain my degree, then I would go on to be a productive, if not influential, member of society. My dreams turned into reality when the opportunity to study in the United States as an international student came before me. This time I had a solid plan. I wanted to study civil engineering with a minor in architecture and a specialization in sustainable construction. I would start out at Essex County College, then transfer to a four year university where I could complete my bachelor’s degree. I quickly completed my paperwork and was soon on my way to a world class education and to make a name for myself.

A great number of instructors in a writing college consider that writing makes your brain work and that it requires deep thinking. Jonathan Silverman is an author and a high school instructor in the past. Dr. Silverman once requested Strong to write for his pupils about how writing in school differs from writing in college. Strong said that the difference is “writing is thinking”. In secondary school students mostly write to be tested about their knowledge and what they were taught, but in college the students are required to be creative and explorative in their writings. College learners are responsible for all their behaviors and actions. They are in charge of themselves and professors won’t go after the students to tell them about their studies such as deadlines and test dates. Writings in higher education must be written in a higher level. University

Writing has been a massive part of my life ever since I was a small child. Like all children, I had a wild imagination. I was in elementary school when I had discovered my love of writing. We had been tasked to write a narrative about a turkey who had been chosen for the Thanksgiving feast. I had thought the assignment to be tedious and boring at first, but soon found that I couldn't take my pencil away from the paper as my creative juices had begun to flow. That was just the beginning! Over the years, I have written many narratives filled with the kooky things that appear in my head. I love putting the products of my overactive imagination down on paper. I am interested in attending GHP in this area of study because I feel that the experience

I always strive to improve upon my abilities, and taking advantage of these resources would play a vital role in this objective. In addition, I take pride in my writing and am always looking to improve it; thus, the Writing Center would be highly beneficial to me. My journey to fulfill this goal can be aided by recalling the idea of a growth mindset: “the understanding that personal qualities and abilities can change.” A growth mindset encourages the acceptance of challenges and exploring more effective learning methods. By employing a growth mindset, I will hopefully be more open to these new ways of learning and excel as a student. In accomplishing this goal, I will expectantly mature as a student, become more open to experiences I am initially uncomfortable with, and become a more well-rounded individual. I will know if I am successful in reaching this goal if I feel more confident in my abilities and have more extensive mastery of the material after attending office hours more often or my writing by going to the Writing Center. I am excited to develop both as a student and as a person during my time here at Notre

I grew up most of my life being told what I could and couldn’t do—my dad would always tell me to get used to working in agriculture because that’s all I would ever do. I came to WSU without any help from my dad, and I put so much effort into pursuing my BA in English, but throughout this experience I found my passion in teaching English composition. There is no way I can describe my passion for English composition—I love everything from grammar to the rhetorical processes—and I enjoy teaching others what I know. It’s that passion that drives me to want to pursue an MA in English.

A goal without a plan is doomed to fail. My goal for graduate school is to acquire new writing skills and to refine those I already possess. I want to be the best writer I can be and my plan is to utilize graduate-level education to me my goal of being a better writer. Northern Arizona University’s Master of Arts (MA) in English (Professional Writing emphasis) is the best way for me to do just that. As a foundation for my studies I have a vast amount of experience and formal military training in the field of professional writing.

Climbing on a boulder after a day of hiking I say, “Man, I wish I had a camera.” My counselor, Katia immediately responds, “Abby, just live in the moment, take it all in.” I had a rare moment of extreme clarity; I felt the truth of those words. I am part of the first group of of students born in the new millenia. , I have always had instant communication. From texting to FaceTiming, it was hard to get away l. Pocketing your phone, you wonder who is trying to talk to you, what did someone just post on Facebook, what meme did your best friend just send you? There is always something going on, which is understandable, but, sometimes, you need a break. The sleep-away YMCA camp I was sent to for the first time when I was ten, allowed me to take a break, and escape from “real life.” (Also let’s not use the words ‘real life,’

As a first-generation American I knew that I was given opportunities not many others could so easily receive. I was surrounded by so much diversity and entertainment from around the world, Japan just so happened to be the one to capture my heart and interested first. From that crucial point of when my life began to unravel, it had become a goal of mine to study the language and go to the country, I just wasn’t sure how I would be able to achieve such a thing without having the proper tools readily available to me. Japanese entertainment, food and brochures had become my main source of education but I knew that it would not be enough.

No one likes to think about fall in the heat of summer, but prospective MFA students gearing up for application season, have no other choice but to spend these months drafting personal statements and writing samples. With acceptance rates lower than ever for Creative Writing programs, students spend rigorous hours critiquing their own writing and begging others (former professors, siblings, strangers) to offer feedback. As schools intend on keeping their programs boutique sized, it drives acceptance rates into the teens, tens, and five percentiles. Though the competition is not letting up, the variety of online resources that offer support to applicants is growing. Guidance from online literary websites comes in the form of writing prompts, program rankings, and personal accounts from other writers, confessing their own self-doubt as a means to make the experience of trying to become a writer less solitary. Perhaps we have less well-known artist cafes and speakeasies than our historical counterparts, but this era of intellectuals is making up for that in the way of countless forums and literary based websites that create a community among seasoned and emerging writers. Here is a list of our top seven favorite literary spots around the web for encouragement and inspiration.