Undergraduate / I want to make a difference and leave the most positive impact on the world - activities [3]

PROMPT: Considering your lifetime goals, discuss how your current and future academic and extra-curricular activities might help you achieve your goals.

No matter what I decide to do with the rest of my life, I want to make a difference and leave the most positive impact on the world that I possibly can. In order to do this I have been working hard academically, and I have been participating in numerous extra-curricular activities inside and outside of school.

One area that has really helped me in my ability to reach my goal would be academics. Throughout high school, I have taken more difficult courses in an effort to learn as much as I can. Most of my classes are AP classes and dual credit classes. These classes have a much more accelerated curriculum and have required a lot of hard work for me to be successful. This increased exertion has been well worth it because I have been able to greatly improve my abilities in all areas of school, while learning far more than my other classmates that have taken less rigorous coursework. Another academic opportunity I have taken is my participation in UIL academic competitions. My competing in Accounting and Headline Writing has offered me yet more opportunities to expand my talents and improve them. Taking these opportunities in competitions and the classroom has required a great deal of dedication on my part. Proof of my dedication to academic excellence can be seen through my accomplishments and awards. I received the class awards for both Physics and Accounting, and have also been a part of the Accounting Team went to the Regional UIL Tournament for 2 years in a row. The accomplishment I am most proud of is my acceptance into my school's chapter of the National Honor's Society. My membership holds me to a higher standard of excellence that I use as motivation to continue striving for my ultimate goal of having a positive impact on society.

My extra-curricular activities have also aided me in pursuing my goal. My participation in Student Council and other organizations in which I am an officer has taught me valuable, life-long lessons in leadership and collaboration. These assets and others have also been developed through my participation in my schools volleyball, basketball, and tennis programs. Through sports I have learned the incredible feats that can be accomplished through hard work, self-discipline, and teamwork. I have never understood this better than when our varsity volleyball team won the game leading to the Regional Tournament Championship, or when a couple fellow students and I created a new organization (Business Club) that is still flourishing today. My activities not only have shown me the strength of many, however, but have taught me the power of one. Through my community service I have seen first-hand the impact one person can make on another's life, especially through a great organization called Meals on Wheels. Giving meals to people in desperate need has touched my heart and taught me a lesson in humility. It reminds me of just how fortunate I am to be able to help others, despite the sacrifice of time it often takes to do so. The overall sacrifice of participating in these activities inside and outside of school has been well worth it. I have learned so many life lessons and have greatly improved my own character along the way, helping me to pave the way to reaching my future goal.

An important aspect of reaching my future goal of having an impact on the world involves deciding how I am going to make this impact. I have been researching the subject for months and, taking into account my own strengths and passions and have decided to act. I participated in a program at Oklahoma State University called Discover Architecture over this past summer, and it gave me an insightful look into the fields of architecture, landscape architecture, architectural engineering, and construction science. Through this experience I have discovered that I do have a passion and aptitude for both architecture and engineering fields, and I have looked further into finding universities with these departments. I have so far made a visit to Texas A&M and plan to visit other colleges in the future, but haven't been able to make arrangements yet due to my busy schedule. Throughout the entire process I find myself feeling more and more confident in my decisions about my future, that my goal is in my own power to control. I feel that I am beginning to embark on the journey that is required in reaching the goal that I have been working so hard for, and I am elated to be finally taking the first step.

Please post any input you may have about my essay. It would be much appreciated.

Undergraduate / Obstacles are an everyday occurrence in life; obstacle or conflict in your life [7]

PROMPT: Describe a circumstance, obstacle, or conflict in your life, and the skills and resources you used to resolve it. Did it change you? If so, how?

Obstacles are an everyday occurrence in life. Some are small causing short lived distress while others seem to shake us to our very core. I have had my share of problems both large and small and I have found that the most difficult obstacle I have overcome to be my father.

He and my mother divorced when I was 2 years old. My father wasn't truly present in my life until he decided to move to Texas when I was eight, resulting in much more frequent visitation. The abrupt lifestyle change left me worried, not only because of the new presence in my life but because my father had decided to take residence in a fairly large back room of a flower shop to save money for a house. There was no kitchen, bedroom, shower, or heater. Half of the room was occupied by his carpentry supplies, so the little space left available was tightly situated to accommodate a couch, two beds, a television, and a table with chairs. The room was dark because of the dark green walls and the absence of windows. There was an aura of coldness about it, accentuated by the chill of the concrete floor. The thought of having to live in this environment troubled me greatly. I was not accustomed to a lifestyle outside of my home with my mother, much less a lifestyle that lacked so many of the amenities that I felt were necessities. On top of these living conditions, a new religion (Mormonism) was imposed on me. I was not allowed to practice my faith and attend a Catholic service while I was with him. Instead I was forced to attend his church. All of these abrupt lifestyle changes I encountered upon my father's arrival scared me. I felt like I had to be two different people because of the huge difference between these two lifestyles. Rather than allowing this new circumstance to spiral my life out of control, I decided that I was not going to let it get in the way of my goals for the future.

The decision I made nine years ago remains today and my outlook has changed on the whole situation tremendously. One thing that hasn't changed are the conditions my father lives in. Thus far the promises of house have not been met and they may never be, and I have accepted that. I have accepted all of the hardships that I have experienced with my father and I have no animosity towards him. Instead I am thankful, because I have learned so much through this experience. It has taught me humility and sacrifice. I now know the steps he has taken to get to this point in his life so I am better able to avoid going down that same path. I've learned that you can't force anyone to change. I've learned forgiveness. And I've learned that the past doesn't define anyone, including myself.

I am now seventeen and I am sharing my final year with my father before I go to college, and I find myself reflecting on the many years we have spent together. It wasn't all bad, and I have plenty of fond memories to look back on. But I also have memories of discomfort and pain. Through it all I think I have become a better person, through the good and the bad. I have now changed my mission from making sure that this experience doesn't get in the way of my goals to using this experience and the lessons I have learned to help me in reaching my goals for the future.

I know that the intro isn't good. I couldn't think of anything good initially and just decided to jump into the body. Sorry for any spelling errors and I would really appreciate and input you may have.