As I began my junior year, I found myself juggling a rigorous academic schedule, varsity tennis, a social life and a new job. At first, I figured I could balance all of these activities. However, I became humbled by a 32% on an early Physics test triggering sheer panic regarding future applications to college. Knowing my grades needed to trend up as a junior, I dug down and did everything possible to improve my grades. I committed myself to a nightly study regimen consisting of intermittent on-off study blocks. Diligent removal of all distractions, including my I-Phone while studying was a major key. Also, I reduced my hours at work and often went to school early to meet with my teachers to review material. This action plan ultimately led to the improvement of my grades in all classes, culminating with a “B” in Physics and meeting my overall goal of a 4.0 GPA. Yes, I had failed a single test, but the real failure was not prioritizing and planning my activities proactively. The lesson I learned from this …show more content…
Pitt is truly in my collegiate “Goldilocks” zone, for me, it is “just right.” It offers a highly prestigious academic reputation, despite a very affordable in-state tuition. Pitt is small enough to remain personal, however, provides extensive amenities to deliver a large school experience. The campus offers many rural open park-like spaces, yet boundaries surrounded by large city life. Becoming a Psychologist is my ultimate career aspiration. Therefore, the top ranked programs and array of resources available at Pitt would provide me with every chance to make my goal a reality. During my recent visit, I instantly felt a connection that I did not experience at the other schools I visited. Panther Pride among the students I spoke to was evident, so I hope to be part of that experience next
I’m proud of my accomplishments thus far in my academic career as a result of making the right decisions in the challenging courses I take that have all been possible through organization and paying attention to my teachers. Through cross country and track, I’ve been able to meet amazing people who share the passion of running and are focused on making the best future for themselves. I’ve benefitted from being a self-motivated student to continue working hard in and out of the classroom. An essential skill I learned was how to manage my time better. As I continue to add activities to my schedule, I use a planner to make sure I am dividing my time evenly to academics and
The primary reason I want to attend FAU is because of the superb reputation and great Psychology Program. My goal is to become an adolescent psychologist, and, with the help of the FAU staff, I know I can take on the demanding courses that I’m sure
I was working part time, striving to excel in track and field, and working to maximize my high school experiences. Now a job absorbs a great deal of time, not only in terms of work hours, but also in terms of hours spent thinking about how to improve one’s efficiency at work. Similarly, track and field is a jealous sport. It demands attendance at late and sometimes distant meets and practices. Due to these valuable, but time consuming, activities, I did not have sufficient time to study for the physics task. Once again, I called upon my inner strength for analysis. I educated myself on time management techniques and identified how I could be more efficient in my athletic training and work, so that I could have more free time to devote to the physics class. Furthermore, I used my astute talent for prioritizing to come up with a plan for success. By focusing on different activities on different days, I could not only accomplish, but also excel in the most difficult of
For some people, it may be difficult to manage time in order to keep up with school and still be involved with extracurricular activities. However, for myself, this was not the case. I have been involved in the Slippery Rock University Winter Guard since my freshman year, which requires much dedication and commitment. Competing in local and even international level competitions across the country, the dedication required for membership in the guard is extraordinary. My commitment to the winter guard as well as my determination in my studies has allowed me to prime my time management skills to be successful in both areas without compromising the quality of my efforts in either one. Moreover, I have also been involved in numerous volunteer opportunities including Special Olympics, therapeutic horseback riding, and sled hockey. I also have a job at the Student Health Center. Although I keep myself very busy, I have managed to maintain an overall GPA of 3.5. Through my shadowing experiences in physical therapy, I have seen that some days can be fast-paced; therefore, it is important to have the ability to manage time in order to accomplish everything effectively and
At 17 years old I entered UCLA as a biology major. With my prior successful academic performance and younger age, I was overconfident and immature going into college. During my first 4 quarters my social pursuits smothered my academic ones; I lived a very unbalanced life, and my grades suffered. My second winter break was the turning point, and I realized that committing only 50% effort to academics would not be enough. I acknowledged my mistakes and became entirely determined to change my path from that point forward. I created a list titled “How to Succeed at UCLA,” which outlined the steps needed to regain balance and ensure academic success. I changed every aspect of my life from what I ate, to who I spent time with, to what time I went
Learning to prioritize and manage work and family life separate from school has helped me to understand the necessity of education. I have also spoken to my older sister, who’s willing to tutor me with classes I may struggle with. Recognizing that school can become stressful unexpectdly I've mentally and physically prepared for the upcoming year, dedicated to focusing on school. To ensure you, my family situation has improved; currently, my mom has another job that can support the bills to help someone to care for my grandmother. Analyzing my academic strengths and weaknesses, I’ve bought an agenda which will help me to stay organized. I intend to keep an agenda of all my weekly assignments and utilize York's resources, such as academic advising services, having consistent contact with my TA’s and professors in order to help me achieve and aspire towards my full potential. I firmly believe I will be able to receive a GPA of 3.0 or higher with the approval of this
My report card from first quarter gave me a rude awakening. At my old school, I had no difficulty balancing my swim practice schedule with academics. This all changed when I came to Prep. I had never experienced such demanding academics, and these academics combined with my rigorous swim schedule took a toll on my grades. I practice Monday before school, Tuesday before and after school, Wednesday before school, and Thursday and Friday after school. I had difficulty juggling schoolwork with this grueling practice schedule, and my grades reflected that. I needed to find an effective strategy that enabled me to keep going to practices, and have sufficient study time so I could improve my grades. I made an effort to go to bed at 8:30 P.M. on the
I started my higher education journey at Bellevue College (BC) set on achieving a Business Associate’s degree. My performance in college has changed since attending high school. In high school, I was not as motivated to excel in school work and simply wanted to complete all of my assignments. In college, my determination and drive has risen within myself due to being on campus when I need to whereas in high school, I stayed on campus for at least six hours a day. I am inspired by the professors here and subject contents relevant to my major interest,
I have always placed a high value on education and believe it is the pathway to success. This admirable ambition drives me to put in 110 percent effort into my education. To achieve my ultimate goal, I have devoted my entire high school career to academics as well as involvement in numerous extracurricular activities. Accomplishing this ambitious goal means taking demanding, honors classes as well as participating in sports, community service, and holding leadership roles in clubs. Between receiving help from teachers and attending all of my club meetings, I basically live at school. However, despite my goal being my true aspiration, it comes with several drawbacks. Due to my unwavering devotion to education and taking rigorous classes, I often miss social events with my friends and lack the time to participate in leisure activities. In fact, on most weekends, I start my homework on a Friday night and do not finish until Sunday afternoon. Not only does this goal limit time with my friends, but it also puts an immense amount of pressure and stress upon myself. I constantly worry about upcoming tests and grades and am concerned with devoting enough time to community service. While there are considerable disadvantages to conquering my whale, I have no desire to change my goal. I know that being admitted into a prestigious university will create a foundation to have a successful future. Above all, I do not want to live with any regrets that I could have accomplished
Considering the greater portion of my 16 years of existence has exhausted the importance of junior year, it would be crass of me to act surprised by the increases in coursework in correlation to additional Advanced Placement and Honors classes this year. However, with these increases having painstakingly taken their effect on the amount of time and effort required for me to veraciously maintain an esteemed rank, a seemingly numeric identity in the world of top-tier scholars, I find myself consistently spending 3 to 6 hours on homework, club meetings, and college preparation in addition to the approximate 8 hours spent
Being a junior in high school can be challenging due to AP classes and extracurricular activities. Although, is the hard work and responsibility throughout high school years worth it? I believe that trying your hardest in each and every class is important and at the end of the day everything becomes worth it for the future. At the start of junior year, it may seem difficult because students have the mindset of college applications and considering junior the most important year of high school.On the other hand, this year I decided to take 3 AP classes, involved in the ASB Senate, sports in school and outside, extracurricular activities and community service. Through all these priorities, I was able to manage my time in dedicating a certain amount of time for each. Being an occupied person is beneficial and helpful, although you have to be mindful that part of so many activities can affect you in certain areas. Focusing extremely in one aspect of these priorities can cause to not succeed in the other. I have tried my hardest to succeed in my academics and being an encouraging student in which I set my goals and never give up no matter what challenges I have to face or risks I will manage to take. However, enrolled in AP classes has helped me to improve on my skills and understand the concept and lesson. I have become an open-minded student in which has learned from past experiences, focused primarily on my first priority which is my education and helpful to others to succeed.
When I started my second year at St. Michael’s, I knew that if I wanted to succeed, I needed to be a more organized person. I started keeping my homework folder neater, I kept my locker clean, and I always made sure to write my homework down in my planner so I would not forget any due dates. This made getting good grades so much easier and accessible because I no longer had to scramble to find my homework, or dig in the mysterious depths of my locker to find a book, or rush to do an assignment the morning of the due date because I forgot to write it down. Ever since learning from these faults, my grades have boosted, and my stress levels have dropped, and my eighth grade year has been the best one
High school is a time of experience, masked by sporadic worries and tides of triumphant victories. Much like my elementary education, my freshman year at the Philadelphia High School for Girls was at best mediocre, filled with the typical seven-hour academic cycle. I was stuck in the routine of going to school, completing my homework, going on Facebook and repeating. I decided to take an academic risk and challenged myself by transferring to Central High School with the support of my friends and family. Immediately, I was struggling to adapt to a new academic curriculum. For example, I was having trouble pacing myself with note-taking, and as a result, my grades began to plummet. Coming from a relatively small student body at Girls High, I
Being a junior in high school can be challenging due to AP classes and extracurricular activities. Although, is the hard work and responsibility throughout high school years worth it? I believe that trying your hardest in each and every class is important and at the end of the day everything becomes worth it for the future. At the start of junior year, it may seem difficult because students have the mindset of college applications and considering junior the most important year of high school.On the other hand, this year I decided to take 3 AP classes, involved in ASB Senate, sports in school and outside, extracurricular activities and community service. Through all these priorities, I was able to manage my time in dedicating certain amount of time for each. Being an occupied person is beneficial and helpful, although you have to be mindful that part of so many activities can affect you in certain areas. Focusing extremely in one aspect of these priorities can cause to not succeed in the other. I have tried my hardest to succeed in my academics and being an encouraging student in which I set my goals and never give up no matter what challenges I have to face or risks I will manage to take. However, enrolled in AP classes has helped me to improve in my skills and understand the concept and lesson. I have become an open-minded student in which has learned from past experiences, focused primarily in my first priority which is my education and
For this semester, I have set a high expectation for myself academically. Specifically, I would like to be able to maintain all A’s, and therefore a 4.0 GPA. If I am able to do this, and possibly continue it on through all eight semesters of my college career, I will be a more competitive applicant for PA school, or med school, or whatever post undergraduate schooling that my future entails. Not only would achieving this goal be beneficial to my future career, I hope to honor Christ by working hard in everything that I do, and this is one way that I can do that. This goal is measurable because I can regularly check my grades to make sure that I am staying on track with each class to attain this goal. I believe that getting all A’s is also achievable is I remained focused and driven, delegating ahead of time the study time that I will need to be successful in each of my classes. For each hour that I spend in a class, I will plan on spending at least three hours outside of class with the covered material to be successful. This can be realistic if I am careful to make sure that I don’t commit myself too heavily to extracurricular activities. While I will be checking my grades weekly, half-way through the semester I will evaluate my study strategies, and whether they were successful or need to be changed to stay on target. Ultimately, I would like to see myself meet this goal at the end of the semester and carry the habits that I have learned to the rest of my college career.