College Admissions Essay

Every day, multitudes of things are competing for our attention. Billboards line every street, commercials interrupt every enticing program, and our phones are constantly beckoning us to check them. And no, this is not the beginning of another trite piece of literature that is going to complain about how the growth of advertising and technological innovation is the decline of the human race. In fact, I embrace it. The world is changing, and with so much to be involved in, competition for our attention is healthy and necessary to keep things that we want to see accessible.

Four years ago, I left the shores of Nigeria to pursue a higher education at the University of Ottawa. I know most people when they are younger are not sure of what career path to follow, ye I always knew I wanted to be a lawyer. Ever since I could remember, I have always felt deep compassion towards other human beings. It is disappointing to watch people lose their basic human rights. My program has educated me and changed my worldly views.

The University of Pennsylvania promotes this wondrous idea that students should be free to explore, and in the process innovate something amazing. Simply the thought of unrestrained inquiry titillates my expansive curiosity. Just as Magellan, Cabot, and famed explorers of the new world had been fascinated by knowledge beyond their boundaries, I am a conquistador. But rather than pursuing the riches of the Fountain of Youth, I seek the treasures of fruitful study and intellectual endeavors.

Malcolm X once said that "Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today". Education will always be the reason why the future continues to extend itself. The Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (STEM) Academy that I am enrolled in has taught me that all four aspects play a role on many levels of society and have a tremendous impact on the future. With influence from the academy, I have the goal to work for National Aeronautics and Space Administration, famously known as NASA. In order to work for NASA, I have to take small steps to achieve my goal.

When I first came to the United State, I did not speak any English, but I had the desire to continue my education and to learn English. Growing up as a child, I only had one dream to become a chemical engineer. However, there have been many different challenges have been part of my journey. I remember starting school when I first came to the United States, at a local community center. Young and dedicated, I decided for the first six months that I would not speak any of my native languages and only focus on English.

My desire to pursue an administration degree stems from my original call to the educational field. From a young age, I knew I loved the atmosphere of the classroom. However, it was not until high school that I truly got to spread my wings on an educational plane. Through organizations such as Key Club and National Honor Society, I was able to work with different community outreach programs and teach and assist at the Union Mission New Life Camp and be a teacher’s aid during College for Kids and Dyersburg Primary School.

When deciding what matters to me I asked my family and friends. The majority of the responses were success, money, and family. I thought about this for a while and decided that what matters to me most on earth is kindness. I want everyone in the world to be kind, compassionate, loving human beings who treat each other with respect. I feel like this is because of my favorite verse, 1 Peter 4:8 ‘Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.’

According to Tuckson’s essay, American colleges should require all students to take a foreign language course. Taking a foreign language course will strengthen the American economy and reinforce their relationship with other countries. Tuckson states that college students, whom acquired a foreign language, are more likely to be considered a suitable candid in the work world. Various professions need multilingualism workers in the event that they come across a non-English speaker. Learning a new language is more than obtaining a profession but it gives students knowledge of a new culture and lifestyle.

As a second year student at the University of Maine, I am currently a double-major in Biochemistry and Microbiology while also pursuing a minor in English. I consider myself a very well-rounded student who is involved in many different and varying aspects within my college atmosphere. I am currently employed at the University of Maine Financial Aid Office which allows me to further my education in a real-world sense in a business sense. As a member of the Honors College at the University, my education is further enriched through the deep intellectual challenges the Honors College has to offer. I am an eager and determined student who seeks to support herself through college by working multiple part-time jobs in order to gain a sense of achievement upon graduation.

When I began my undergraduate education at Dickinson College I was unsure what I wanted to do with my life. But I knew from high school that I loved physics, so I took a class, and by the end of my first year I was able to confirm where I belonged. My time as a physics major at Dickinson has presented me with an abundance of opportunities to grow as both a person and as a student. The first time I experienced a class from the perspective of a teaching assistant, I knew I could not let my time in academia come to an end upon graduating. To see fellow students undertaking the same academic pursuits as I once had, and to be able to guide them in these pursuits, is nothing short of magic.

I come from the lower social class and whose family is from a low-income household. My parent’s highest education is high school; therefore, they do not have a career. My father works at a grocery store and my mother cleans houses. When I was a child, my father was the primary breadwinner; therefore, my family did not have a lot of money to spend. Moreover, growing up in a low-income household affected me as a child because I did not have the opportunity to participate in extra-curricular activities from private institutions that taught ballet, karate, and art because my parents could not afford them.

Since I was a young child, I have been fascinated by science—I have always been eager to learn and understand how the world around me works. I plan to major in physics while minoring in computer science at the University of Vermont. I chose the field of physics because physics is the most fundamental of all the sciences and would be rewarding for me to study since its status as the most elementary science would satisfy my curiosity as I learned and would continue to enthrall me as I found new questions to ask. To prepare myself to excel in my studies of physics, computer science, gender studies, and other subject areas that I plan to explore, I devoted my high school career to equipping myself with the knowledge, skills, and experience that I would need for a university education.

In today’s world, children are taught from a young age that to be successful, they need to go to college so that they can live a good fulfilling life. But is college really all that worth it and does it fit into everyone’s path the way we are told it should? I knew that NYU is a private university located throughout New York City, with alumni featuring authors I love and writers I admire. It’s probably the most prestigious school in the state, which is why I’ve wanted to attend so badly. I also knew that RISD, Rhode Island School of Design, is the art school of my dreams and that since I've decided I'd like to go to an art school instead of a typical college or university, it has been my goal to get there.

In the Fall of 2017, I will be attending the University of Idaho. When deciding on schools, I had several characteristics in mind: affordable, close to home, beautiful, and friendly. When visiting the college in October, I experienced each of the aspects in a huge way. The tuition is one of the lowest I have seen, it is less than a two hour drive from home, the scenery is breathtaking, and every person that I encountered was super friendly and gave my mom and me a warm welcome. At this point in my decision process, I believe that I will be attending the University of Idaho for a full three years without transferring to another school.

Around this time during the midst of my senior year at Windham High School I felt invincible. I was not entirely sure what my senior year had in store for me, never mind my future. My mind was on getting as far away from my hometown as possible, smiling at new faces, and learning from passionate professors. This was my idea of college; being surrounded by people who want to learn as bad as I, wanting to absorb information as bad as they want to breath. When it was time to make my final decision, I decided to attend Keene State College in Keene, New Hampshire.