Why I Want To Pursue A College Degree

Media surrounds us, from the graphic design on our morning cellophane coffee cups, to the carefully designed spreads in the magazines we religiously read. The world of Media and Film is beautifully complex, and something which I strongly want to be involved with. I have always immersed myself in the world of Media, and have only ever felt truly satisfied when I’ve been involved in broadening my knowledge and understanding of the industry.

College is often a word that can bring positive or negative thoughts depending on one’s experiences. The process of being accepted, maintaining high standards once accepted, and then paying off debts is stressful. Once adapted to college, the most important task is determining what you want to do with your life. Dan Rather once said, “A college degree is the key to realizing the American dream, well worth the financial sacrifice because it is supposed to open the door to a world of opportunity (“Quotes about College Students”).” The biggest question a student must ask themselves is “What door do I want to open up for the rest of my life?” For instance, two characteristics that describe me are athletic and business minded. As I searched for

I would like to attend college because I want to be successful in life, I understand it is getting harder to get a job with only a high school diploma and it is sure to get worse. My goals for the future include getting into a college with a good teaching and mathematics program, this could give me a variety of jobs and I was speaking to someone and they told me that people are looking out for women who have a degree in mathematics which will help me to obtain a good paying job.

College, up until my sophomore year of high school, had always been portrayed in my own mind as an overly enthusiastic and admittedly picture-perfect environment. It was, for some reason, a faraway land with smooth sidewalks and clean, crisp landscapes, smiling students and animated professors, cozy (albeit messy) dorm rooms and fashion-forward backpacks. The word itself meant immensely more to me than four years of hard work and the opportunity of earning a degree. It represented an era of independence, something I’d never truly tasted before, and of freedom to learn and to flourish, to create and nurture relationships that would last a lifetime, and to be myself without the polarizing judgment that came along with growing up in a tight-knit community. I couldn’t wait to move out, to buy enormously overpriced textbooks, to stroll around the campus grounds sporting pretty waterfall cardigans and autumn colored nail polish. Football

As a first generation student, academic promise hasn’t always been a focus of mine until my high school years. Coming from a family where the only post-high school education is whatever training you receive at work, it is hard to relate when the possibility of university is so far away. Four years after high school, I have not only worked full time but also received my associates degree from my hometown community college. That is all great thanks to the family that have raised me, and taught me that hard work is the only work capable of doing. My parents never had the opportunity to attend college, so they taught me what they knew in life instead; where manners are always required, hard work is mandatory, and when finished with that work; you

You ask, why do I want to attend college? , probably expecting the most common response of a heart to heart sob story coming from a not so fortunate young lady residing in Sanford, Florida. I am not taking that option I like to call the “easy toll” paying everyone a feeling that results in a sign of sympathy. I don’t need sympathy; I wish to just impress anyone just by my intellect ways and showing that I am headstrong. There are a numerous amount of reasons why I would love to attend college but the main three is that it really is the only possible way to become comfortably successful, my ancestors fought for me to even go to school and further my education, and to make the woman that raised me proud.

Rachel Valdez Time has gone by so fast since the time I graduated high school. Four years ago last month I was walking the stage in my yellow gown. It was a proud moment for my family; being the second to graduate high school, and the first to graduate in the top ten percent with plans to attend college in the fall. I was also very proud of myself, relieved that all the testing and college applications were over. Although I must admit I was not sure at all what I wanted to pursue a career in. What would I major in? What do I really want to? From the time I discovered a relationship with God (about my sophomore year in high school) I wanted to know, what was I made for? I always asked, hoping I would find what I was made for soon! Especially during the frustration of

The decision to pursue secondary education has always been a goal throughout high school. As a successful high school student and a potential first-generation college student, the idea of successfully obtaining a degree not only would fulfill personal satisfaction, but also expectations held by my parents. Within my senior year of high school in South Carolina, I was greatly interested in becoming an aerospace engineer; a very admirable profession in the eyes of my parents. After carefully considering Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech, I ultimately settled for Blacksburg to become a Hokie. Unfortunately, the college lifestyle was too overwhelming and I had to withdraw after my first year. This moment was very disappointing for myself and parents. However, I knew I couldn't give up the possibility of a college education, so I entered the workforce with the thought of going back to school when I was ready and prepared. Initially, the motivation was within myself, but later in life I learned that the significant people to build on that motivation was going to be my family and employer.

When I was accepted into college for my freshmen year, I thought that the right path for me was a degree in chemistry followed by pharmaceutical school; however, after completing my first year it has become clear to me that my true interests lie elsewhere. Although not the right fit for me, I appreciate the knowledge I gained during my year as a chemistry major. Spending time in the chemistry program at Keene State College exposed me to subjects such as physics and calculus that I may not have chosen had it not been required. This experience has given me intelligence in a range of subjects.

I am interested in South Dakota School of Mines and Technology because I my parents went to SDSMT, and they always spoke highly of it, and I have seen that it is a fairly well known engineering school.

The term education means to be enlightened, to acquire knowledge or to get training in a specific profession or career. I have always wanted to be an Accountant and in order to attain this goal; I knew I have to be educated. Education is vital to me and I believe having a good college education is the catalyst to a successful future, which will equip me with the knowledge of the world around me. Personally, apart from benefiting from a college education socially, it will open up windows of opportunities for me in the labor market. This would give me a competitive edge in a work place environment and hopefully, the skills I would be acquiring would enable me adapt to different working environments around the world. In most countries around the globe, companies require at least a college degree as a minimum requirement in securing a job.

I never thought I would be so close to graduating it’s a dream come true that has taken me 20 years to achieve. My parents brought me and my two brothers to US when I was 10 years old. Despite the language barrier we lived a good life. After high school graduation I had to get a job to help the family. In the Mexican culture we are told that we need to work to help the family. Therefore college was never in the picture, but after seeing all my friends go to college I wanted to go. I decided to get my degree in Social Psychology because I want to help students reach their College degree. If I would have had someone in High School to show me the importance of obtaining a degree it would have not taken me so long to finish.

My decision to go to college never really seemed like a decision. My parents had always told me things about college starting with, “When you go to college” and “You need to get a degree.” They had ingrained in me that I needed to go to college if I wanted a good job. So, I have always known and assumed I would be attending college after high school. It seemed like the next logical step in my life and thought that it was expected of me. I did want to go to college and not because my parents wanted me to. I wanted to expand my knowledge and learn more than what my public school had to offer. The problem was that I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I felt pressured to make a decision on a major because everyone around me seemed to

From a young age, I have felt fortunate because I have had a clear path of what I wanted to do in my future; I wanted to teach. My goals could be dated back to when I first started kindergarten. All of my school files reported that my dream job included teaching. When my parents said I could spend my birthday money on what I wanted, I kept the money safely in a bank account to save for my dream school, the University of Northern Iowa. I started thinking about a higher education from an early age, and I strived to take every opportunity that could benefit my future in any way. My dream has not changed. In fact, I have found more of a passion for my future career.

When I have a goal in mind, I will stop at nothing to achieve it. Through hard work and dedication, I plan to achieve every educational and career goal I have. One of my many goals is to graduate college. I plan to work towards a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Finance. After graduation, I would like to attend Dallas Theological Seminary in Dallas, Texas, to obtain a Master of Theology. I feel called to full-time Christian Ministry, so having a business degree as well as a theology degree will help me be well rounded. Many people ask, “Why are you getting a degree in finance if you want to be a preacher?” Well, churches today are run like businesses. They have their offerings from the congregation, a pay roll for