statement of purpose/letter of intent for grad school applications: 1-2 pages. i'm not sure what i need to add or take out. please help! thanks!
A quiet kid is both a blessing and a worry. My brother was a quiet kid, and therefore my parents were justifiably concerned about possible language and learning delays. He was three years old when he saw his first speech language pathologist (written correctly?!). I vividly remember her coming to our house quite frequently to 'play games' with him, coming through the door with a big smile, and the utmost inspiring energy. I loved it when the 'speech teacher' came over. She was fully dedicated to working with my brother and my family to increase his verbal communication, so much so that we became great family friends.
Despite her efforts, my parent's dedication and the help of the local learning center, he continued to reach developmental milestones well after his peers. Putting together his first simple sentence when he was four, he entered kindergarten hard to understand which led to problems with his teacher and the other kids. He was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 6 and continued to have difficulties communicating throughout his childhood, both in and out of school. He was eventually diagnosed in high school by an educational psychologist as having 'executive dysfunction'. As a result, he continues to demonstrate difficulties with task-oriented behaviors, adjusting to change, interpreting instructions, reading, and possesses a low self-esteem.
My brother's challenges exposed me to many things growing up. I witnessed the pain and sorrow associated with communication impairment for both my brother and for my family. Schoolwork was overbearing, and his behavioral patterns fell outside the norm. The simplest tasks seemed to be daunting to him. I was frustrated, and annoyed by his behaviors at times, and confused as to why he acted how he was. Because I didn't have an understanding our differences, I often looked at him as I believe most of his teachers and peers did throughout his childhood; a problem kid who was being purposefully lazy and annoying. While I knew he had his differences, my brother had overcome his language impairment, and his differences were hard to detect. I had no sense of empathy for what he was going through. [?]
Upon entering my freshman year at the University of Wyoming, I was encouraged to take an Intro to Communication Disorders class. Through this class, I was introduced to the many aspects of speech, language and hearing impairments. I was able to relate to what I had learned about my brother, giving me a better idea of the difficulties my brother and so many others face. It forced me to reflect on my brother's childhood and the many questions I had about communication disorders in general, resulting in an increasing curiosity for the field. [needs work]
While studying abroad my sophomore year of college, I had multiple experiences that helped to solidify my desire to pursue a career in communication disorders, and provided me with a multitude of challenges I was forced to overcome. I could write page upon page of my travels and their effects on me, but one instance stands out as it provided me with a glimpse of the hardship associated with having a communication impairment. I arrived in Vaxjo, Sweden exhausted after a sleepless night and train ride of throwing up. I stepped off the train smelly and muddled. All the other international students on the train were greeted by a Swedish mentor, while mine had not shown up. I needed to find my apartment, change money, find some food, locate my classes, and deal with every other aspect of being thrust into a new situation all by myself. I couldn't fully communicate with others, felt neglected, and most of all, alone. I kept thinking of my family, and this question repeatedly came to mind; is this how my brother had felt each and every day? Scared of being judged, isolated because of a lack of communication abilities, friendless and alone? His whole life was full of the challenges that I was experiencing for the first time at the age of 20.
Throughout the seven months I spent in Sweden and traveling around Europe, I learned so much about others and myself. I have learned the significance of learning from your mistakes, problem-solve and have come to trust myself and realize my capabilities. I have created opportunities for myself to involve myself in alternative learning environments, and cultures. I have experienced the fear and feeling of hopelessness that comes with the unknown and the lack of communication, therefore understanding the true value of both verbal and nonverbal communication.
I transferred everything I had learned from my travels and childhood experiences and applied it to my schooling at the University of Wyoming. Through the challenges of my own, I gained a better understanding of my brother and those in similar situations. Through my studies I have had the opportunity to observe, and conduct treatment sessions with those with a multitude of disabilities. I am a well-rounded person with a true desire to give the most possible to those both young and old with speech and language impairments. I want to use the tools I will learn in your graduate program to help clients and their families, like the speech pathologists that have helped my brother and my family. I have experienced the impact a speech pathologist can have on someone's life through my own experiences as well as through clinical sessions with clients of my own throughout my undergraduate course work.
A quiet kid is both a blessing and a worry. My brother was a quiet kid, and therefore my parents were justifiably concerned about possible language and learning delays. He was three years old when he saw his first speech language pathologist (written correctly?!). I vividly remember her coming to our house quite frequently to 'play games' with him, coming through the door with a big smile, and the utmost inspiring energy. I loved it when the 'speech teacher' came over. She was fully dedicated to working with my brother and my family to increase his verbal communication, so much so that we became great family friends.
Despite her efforts, my parent's dedication and the help of the local learning center, he continued to reach developmental milestones well after his peers. Putting together his first simple sentence when he was four, he entered kindergarten hard to understand which led to problems with his teacher and the other kids. He was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 6 and continued to have difficulties communicating throughout his childhood, both in and out of school. He was eventually diagnosed in high school by an educational psychologist as having 'executive dysfunction'. As a result, he continues to demonstrate difficulties with task-oriented behaviors, adjusting to change, interpreting instructions, reading, and possesses a low self-esteem.
My brother's challenges exposed me to many things growing up. I witnessed the pain and sorrow associated with communication impairment for both my brother and for my family. Schoolwork was overbearing, and his behavioral patterns fell outside the norm. The simplest tasks seemed to be daunting to him. I was frustrated, and annoyed by his behaviors at times, and confused as to why he acted how he was. Because I didn't have an understanding our differences, I often looked at him as I believe most of his teachers and peers did throughout his childhood; a problem kid who was being purposefully lazy and annoying. While I knew he had his differences, my brother had overcome his language impairment, and his differences were hard to detect. I had no sense of empathy for what he was going through. [?]
Upon entering my freshman year at the University of Wyoming, I was encouraged to take an Intro to Communication Disorders class. Through this class, I was introduced to the many aspects of speech, language and hearing impairments. I was able to relate to what I had learned about my brother, giving me a better idea of the difficulties my brother and so many others face. It forced me to reflect on my brother's childhood and the many questions I had about communication disorders in general, resulting in an increasing curiosity for the field. [needs work]
While studying abroad my sophomore year of college, I had multiple experiences that helped to solidify my desire to pursue a career in communication disorders, and provided me with a multitude of challenges I was forced to overcome. I could write page upon page of my travels and their effects on me, but one instance stands out as it provided me with a glimpse of the hardship associated with having a communication impairment. I arrived in Vaxjo, Sweden exhausted after a sleepless night and train ride of throwing up. I stepped off the train smelly and muddled. All the other international students on the train were greeted by a Swedish mentor, while mine had not shown up. I needed to find my apartment, change money, find some food, locate my classes, and deal with every other aspect of being thrust into a new situation all by myself. I couldn't fully communicate with others, felt neglected, and most of all, alone. I kept thinking of my family, and this question repeatedly came to mind; is this how my brother had felt each and every day? Scared of being judged, isolated because of a lack of communication abilities, friendless and alone? His whole life was full of the challenges that I was experiencing for the first time at the age of 20.
Throughout the seven months I spent in Sweden and traveling around Europe, I learned so much about others and myself. I have learned the significance of learning from your mistakes, problem-solve and have come to trust myself and realize my capabilities. I have created opportunities for myself to involve myself in alternative learning environments, and cultures. I have experienced the fear and feeling of hopelessness that comes with the unknown and the lack of communication, therefore understanding the true value of both verbal and nonverbal communication.
I transferred everything I had learned from my travels and childhood experiences and applied it to my schooling at the University of Wyoming. Through the challenges of my own, I gained a better understanding of my brother and those in similar situations. Through my studies I have had the opportunity to observe, and conduct treatment sessions with those with a multitude of disabilities. I am a well-rounded person with a true desire to give the most possible to those both young and old with speech and language impairments. I want to use the tools I will learn in your graduate program to help clients and their families, like the speech pathologists that have helped my brother and my family. I have experienced the impact a speech pathologist can have on someone's life through my own experiences as well as through clinical sessions with clients of my own throughout my undergraduate course work.
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