Personal Narrative: My College Admissions Essay

Alfreda was a first generation college student. She had a difficult academic experience being one of only four African American students majoring in animal science. She used her social life to help her cope with the experience. Alfreda mentioned Zinck 's night which is a campus tradition named after a bar keeper in Ithaca that owned a bar that was a haven for college students. Alfreda found no interest in this event, however, she did participate in Slope day because it was an opportunity for her and her friends to celebrate the last day of school. Instead of participating in the university-wide homecoming, she mentions a separate homecoming sponsored by a Black fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha and the Festival of Black Gospel. She states:

they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please

1. What experience do you like talking about the most? What has been the most interesting, intriguing, and exciting part of your life- why, and what did you learn from it?

When I first started thinking about college schools I never thought about going to MSU or Ole Miss. I wanted to go to the bigger universities, but I knew I wouldn’t do well if I went there my first year. My high school did not prepare me enough for University, and I hadn’t decided on a major either. I choose East Central Community College (ECCC) as the school I would go to for many reasons, and when I got here I knew I made the right choice.

I grew up on a quiet street in Winter Park, Florida in a quaint middle class family of four. My mother has a small law practice with a tangerine tree in the backyard where she brings the family dogs every day, and my father just retired from his position as the most senior judge at the Orange County Courthouse. My older brother was first a competitive golfer and then a national debate champion before he graduated first in his class from Notre Dame and went to work for Bain and Company. Before all that, he was the architect of the forts we built in our backyard and played the Aragorn to my Éowyn. These people, who shaped and instructed my childhood, brought me up on C.S. Lewis and courthouse visits, P.G. Wodehouse and long ethics debates, and craftiness and self-sufficiency. My dad tried taking me to the golf course, which was when I discovered how much I hate mosquitoes and Florida weather, but it was my mom who took me to see our local ballet company. Though I was forced to wear a dress (one of

Ever since I was a kid I have always thought about what college I was eventually going to go to. I made the decision in high school that I wanted to be a special education teacher, so I thought about some schools that had that teaching program. My number one school I wanted to attend that had the best teaching program was East Carolina University. Having ECU as my number one choice lead me to apply there. Weeks after I applied I got a letter telling me some sad news that I was not accepted. Since I applied to ECU and did not get in, I was now thinking about applying to other schools like Methodist University or maybe a community college.

You’ve been looking forward to your 4th of July…a weekend of your newly found Independence…when, just a mere two weeks ago you delivered a hand-written, heart-felt note…to You Know Who…scribbling out something like…

It was the spring of 2011, when all the college acceptances came in. My closest friends were all going upstate and they would all be living together. I, on the other hand, wasn't so thrilled. I was accepted to the community college, across the street from my high school. Not that it was a surprise since it was the only school I had applied to.

Every day I went into work I knew one thing: one of the residents would not know who I was. He had seen me before. In fact, he had seen me more days than not in the last year. He held conversations with me, danced, went out in the community for various events, helped me cook, ate the food I made, and prayed with me every night. Despite that, every day he met me for the first time all over again.

To the boards of admissions reviewing my application, you are probably wondering why a below average student is applying to one of the world's most prestigious institutions, home of America's brightest minds and success stories. I am well aware that I am not the typical student that applies to an Ivy League school. My test scores do not reach the national average and my grade point average may be a disappointment compared to students that I am competing for acceptance with. By looking at the numbers you should straight up deny me, but that's why I am here to tell you, you are wrong. Academically, I am not the strongest but that's because I am not inspired by the educational approach I have been given. Outside school, I don't hit bases I make home runs. I make a conscious effort to

Were moving!My family and I were on the way to our new house.We were only about thirty minutes from the place,I could not wait.

I recently made the rank of Technical Sergeant in the United States Air Force. A feat that

I’m a hard-working student with determination to excel on any challenge given to me. I’ve been exposed to various competitions during grade school. I represented and brought pride to my school by bringing the 3rd place trophy for a Math Competition and 2nd place for an Essay Contest. I also accepted the challenge to represent the school in the Marist Scholastic-Arts Category and Archdiocese of Newark Arts Contest where I was declared the winner on both. As an active member of National Junior Honor Society, I was involved in activities like tutoring and volunteering at Church.

After the initial stumbling block more commonly known as residential life, I faced the towering challenge of settling into classes. Once I had registered (which was itself something of a dilemma), I had in my hand a sheet of abbreviations that rivaled a military briefing or a computer manual. My first class, on a Thursday morning, was located in a building called CBW, which stood for Classroom Building West. Surely the

I never really thought about where my life was going. I always believed life took me where I wanted to go, I never thought that I was the one who took myself were I wanted to go. Once I entered high school I changed the way I thought. This is why I chose to go to college. I believe that college will give me the keys to unlock the doors of life. This way I can choose for myself where I go instead of someone choosing for me.