Scholarship / Describe a failure in your life, and what you've done to fix it? [3]

Prompt: Describe a failure in your life, and how you overcame it.

I regard anything that I don't realize that I'm doing wrong to be a failure. It's not because I doubt my self-worth, or because I feel like I have something to prove. I push myself harder than I know my teachers will, because I want to be at that level. I want to be able to examine a project or a product that I've worked on and be proud, instead of picking out every little detail that I feel I should have done something else with.

My tendency to stress over the smallest details was something that held me back for part of my freshman year. I would sometimes struggle with the urge to fix my group members' work, knowing that there might be minor mistakes, like spelling errors. But this characteristic wasn't as strong as my shyness, and often led to my unhappiness at the end product of a group project. This reached its peak until one particular project last year.

In our class, we were required to create a comic book based on cell elements, then present it to the class. Biology was a subject that I loved, but art was an area that I wasn't as experienced in. I assumed that I could focus on the biology section, while my group members worked on the story and the drawings. Unfortunately, my assumption was nowhere near the truth. I ended up trying to balance all three components while struggling to motivate my group into helping. To my genuine surprise, most of them honestly didn't care about school or their grades.

As a group, we began to fall behind, and I panicked. Failing a project would be horrible, but failing a project in my favorite subject would be unbearable. So finally, feeling that there was no other choice, I talked to the teacher about my group members' lack on contribution to the comic book. I was assured that they would be docked points for their refusal to help, and that it wouldn't impact my grade. When I got home, I sat at my computer, and began to work on the project.

It took me nearly twelve hours to finish the project. By the time I was done, I didn't bother going to sleep since I knew I'd have to go to school in less than three hours. So I rehearsed and read the story, feeling rather proud of myself. Once I reached school I realized that there was one little problem. None of my group members knew what the comic book story was, since I had been the one to write it. I ended up explaining the entire comic book, cringing at some of the details that I had forgotten. I did receive a high grade for that project, to my surprise.

This project stands out in my mind because of the amount of stress that I put on myself to create a perfect product. I ended up failing at that goal in my mind, but received a high grade anyways. It was a starting point for the realization that perfection is unattainable, and that failure isn't always what it seems like in my mind. I do struggle with my expectations of myself, but I also know that failure is a part of life.

Undergraduate / 'Medical Spelling and Medical Reading - topics I studied constantly'; Accelerated Health Professions [2]

Prompt- The Accelerated Programs Admission Committee is interested in learning more about you. Please write an essay of no more than 750 words on why you wish to enter the health professions, including what experiences have led you to this decision and what you hope to gain from your chosen profession. Please make sure your essay is completely distinct from the one you submitted on the Common Application.

It wasn't until my second year of high school that I walked into the biology lab and knew that I wanted to stay there. Most of the other students cringed at dissections and fell asleep during lectures, but I couldn't get enough. My Biology teacher joked that I was the best and worst student that she ever had, because I was so enthusiastic about the subject, I kept bugging her for extra credit assignments. I couldn't help myself. I feel like there is something so special about being able to see and understand how the human body works, and how complex it is. Everything in the human body is relatable to every person on earth, for obvious reasons. Ever since, I've taken every class I can find in the science field at my school, including Physics and Chemistry.

My interests started out as only biological, but through volunteer work, expanded to the medical field as well. I spent nearly a year volunteering at the emergency room of my local hospital, and it was definitely a life changing experience. I had never spent time in a hospital before, and I had never been to the emergency room. At first, I expected it to be loud and frantic, like the ones on TV. That assumption shattered quickly, as I spent more time putting together IV kits and folding bags. One of the nurses told me that the slow days were good and bad, since people weren't getting hurt, but the nurses had nothing to do. On the busy days, I saw injuries that I wasn't sure that people could get, especially in a relatively quiet city.

The police would occasionally saunter in with a convict or two. We would get lots of potential heart attack or stroke patients. I would escort patients and family members back and forth from rooms to the cafeteria, and help put away wheel chairs. It didn't seem very real to me, at least until a man that came in with heart attack symptoms died. I didn't realize that the patient had died until someone mentioned bringing in a priest. It shook me, because this had been my first personal experience with death, even if it had been someone I hadn't known. The memory definitely helped establish a lot more respect in me for the organs and cadavers that we would talk about during class. Those nameless parts had instead become the missing pieces from someone who used to laugh, breathe, and live.

I had taken a tour through the local Career and Technical Education Academy with the rest of my class. To be honest, I really wasn't paying attention until we went into the Biomedical Science classroom. The teacher of the class gave a speech, and let us spend some time with the current students. I never wanted to leave. The way the forensics worked was the way I liked to learn. Know the question, see the answer, and work out the steps in between. I signed up the first chance I got, and I have never regretted it. Those classes taught me that, yes, squealing in excitement at the thought of dissections and cadavers might be weird elsewhere, but not there. Everyone in those classes was there because they chose to be, which meant no one slacked off, and every student got their hands dirty occasionally. It was like coming home, if home had clay skeletons, bad science jokes, and lots of lab equipment.

When my CTE teacher brought up the idea of starting a HOSA chapter, most of the class was enthusiastic. I had originally decided to back out of joining, because being a part of the first year of HOSA was kind of intimidating. Two years later, I'm glad I mustered up the courage to sign up. I chose my topics, Medical Spelling and Medical Reading, and studied constantly. When state competitions came, they were small, but fun. I managed to place 1st and 3rd place in my categories, and qualified for nationals. Talking my parents into letting me leave home for days without them was difficult, but Nashville, and the competitions, were worth. I got a glimpse at how students from different states were unique and similar at the same time. Through seminars, I also got a glimpse at other fields of medicine and science, ones I hadn't ever considered previously.

Undergraduate / Accelerated Program - Health Profession [3]

Prompt- The Accelerated Programs Admission Committee is interested in learning more about you. Please write an essay of no more than 750 words on why you wish to enter the health professions, including what experiences have led you to this decision and what you hope to gain from your chosen profession. Please make sure your essay is completely distinct from the one you submitted on the Common Application.

When I was little, people would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up. The only problem was, I didn't know. I went from career to career, searching for something to look forward to. It wasn't until my second year of high school that I walked into the biology lab and knew that I wanted to stay there. I feel like there is something so special about being able to see and understand how the human body works, and how complex it is. Ever since then, I've taken every class I can find in the science field at my school, and looked for opportunities like job shadows that would help me find what I was suited for. I only recently became interested in Arts and Humanities subjects like anthropology. Both science and anthropology are bound together. One studies the physical aspects of humans, and the other studies the cultures, background, and histories of humans. I guess you could say that I'm fascinated by humanity altogether. This semester, I will be taking a course on World Religions, which I'm hoping will give me an insight into how people interact when religion comes into play. I'm not still completely sure what I want to specifically be. All I know is that I need to find a job that I can't wait to get to in the mornings, and don't want to leave at night. I need a career that will consume my time, because I'm a workaholic, and proud of it. I feel like the right college and program will lead me to the job that fits me.

Undergraduate / Religion and anthropology have recently become interests for me - Personal Statement [6]

Prompt- Write a personal statement that shows you'd be a great student - to persuade unis and colleges to accept you on their course. 1,000-4,000 characters

I want to apply to the University of Manchester because the chance to study in a unique country is an amazing opportunity. Biomedical Sciences is a personal favorite subject, and being able to actually use the skills you learn about sounds like something that I would love. Taking a hands-on approach to learning is something that I am very familiar with, and a learning style that I will hopefully continue to utilize in college. When I finish my course, I hope to find a career in research, specifically in oncology or genetic disorders.

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Scholarship / I hope to bring a new perspective to the men and women that I meet through the Marines. [5]

Prompt- How might your background and experiences enhance the U.S. Marine Corps? (Limit 2500 characters)

As a female who grew up and spent most of her time with males, I'm not uncomfortable with them. Nor am I often intimidated. Being African American distinguishes me from my class mates because I am in the minority. I'm not uncomfortable with that sentiment because it means that when I make friends, it's for reasons other than skin color or gender. I realize that a majority of the Marines I work with won't necessarily have the same beliefs or background that I have, and that's a good thing. Everyone can learn a lesson from a friend or co-worker, and everyone can teach others something new. I hope to bring a new perspective to the men and women that I meet through the Marines.

As the middle child, I was the peacemaker. This led to a perspective where violence is sometimes necessary, but not eagerly used. I am willing to defend, and I'm willing to help. Both are good characteristics, especially when paired together. If I have a conflict with a person, I won't react with violence, unless it is to defend myself or others. I'm known for keeping a level head, and an even keel.

I am experienced with professional environments, and have no problem speaking in front of others. My schooling in a project-based environment gave me good collaboration and communication skills. I understand that talking in front of a crowd is nerve-raking, but that shouldn't hinder my words or composition. I love to learn. Whether or not it is something that interests me, I will listen, because it is something that I didn't know before. This is the unique perspective I can bring to the Marines.

Scholarship / Marine NROTC Scholarship- Discuss your reasons for wanting to become a Marine Officer. [16]

Full Prompt- Discuss your reasons for wanting to become a Marine Officer. Specifically comment on leadership positions you've held, the challenges you have faced and the lessons you have learned. (Limit 2500 characters)

Becoming a Marine Corps Officer through the NROTC Scholarship is ideal because it combines the use of my ambition, volunteerism, and hunger for knowledge. College appealed to me in the way that the American dream might appeal to a new arrival. But as I looked, I began to wonder about giving back to my country as thanks for the gift of freedom. The colleges I looked at focused on the idea of gaining success for myself. So I chose the Marines and scheduled a meeting with a recruiter. It was the best decision I ever made. The idea of giving back while feeding my ambition and growing as a person through an elite service was amazing, and I found it with this scholarship.

I would call myself a leader because that is what I have evolved into. My peers look to me when they think of someone who is a friend and leader. I believe that being approachable and knowledgeable are aspects of leadership. Those ideals developed through my experiences, along with others.

As a student at New Technology High School, I was expected to lead. Each student always has that one group where no one else is willing to step up and take charge. That's when I realized that if I wanted to succeed, stepping up to lead was going to be a huge part of my life. Giving presentations in front of actual business owners, being featured in newspapers for personal or project accomplishments, and giving speeches are all part of being a New Tech student and a leader.

To succeed at Girls State, you had to be willing to put yourself out there for people to see. Participating in that week taught me more about how to be a leader that I thought possible. I also learned first-hand the stress and diplomacy required to campaign. During Girls State, I campaigned for and won positions for City Attorney, County Coroner, and one of seven Supreme Court Justices.

Searching for advanced opportunities was something I worked on alone. I would search for programs, volunteer opportunities, ways to gain college credits, and various scholarships. I learned independence, and the ability to search for opportunity through this experience.