My continuing struggles and achievements as an Artist and College student - Essay

Hello this is my first post! I am writting an essay for a scholarship and really would love to have some fresh eyes look over it! It is a bit longer then most essays I have to write and I apologize for it but I had a lot to cover and I will show you the requierments for the essay as well:

Attach a typewritten essay, limited to two pages, covering the following topics. Put your name on each page.
1. Why did you choose to enter this profession?
2. What is your ultimate goal in this profession?
3. How would this grant affect your educational plans?
4. What efforts have you and your family made toward obtaining your degree?
5. What unusual family or personal circumstances have affected your achievement in school, work experience, or your participation in school and community activities?

Illustration is something that intrigues me so much because I have always believed the reason to be an artist is to tell a visual story. As an illustration major I am required to take advertising classes because these fields do work closely together. It did not take long for me to realize that advertising and graphic design was a field I wanted to pursue. Not only do I enjoy working on the visual imagery of an ad or web page but I love designing the copy with it as well. I feel that just being able to create an interesting picture is not enough. I want to be able to handle the page and it's layout as well. Having these skills will set me apart from other artist and convey how versatile I truly wish to be.

My goal while working in the field of advertising is that I want to be the person who not only can create an interesting image through something more than photography but the person who can create an eye catching page. I want to be able to pull a reader in and evoke feelings through the way I handle both the imagery and the words. As a busy body I would not be content only working a 9 to 5 job, which is why I also wish to pursue my career as a gallery artist. I want to contribute more to my culture than just persuasion of potential consumer. In central Columbus, Ohio there is a monthly event called Gallery Hop. In this event artist and art lovers alike gather just north of our busy downtown to enjoy free art shows in the many galleries featuring local, national and international artist. It's been a goal of mine to be in one of these shows since first attending this event my senior year of high school.

My junior year of college I was ineligible for an academic competitiveness grant that was only offered to freshman and sophomores. Also through financial difficulties of the government funding I lost an Ohio awarded grant. This set me back over $5,000 in grants and my FAFSA only covered part of my tuition while I was relying on these grants to help relieve some pressure off of me to pay for the rest. I managed to scrape enough money together to attend another semester of college by taking out double in the amount of loans as previous years. My tuition has raised an average of $2,000 a year and with my expected tuition to be over $28,000 my senior year of college I am unsure if I will be able to afforded continuing my education. This external grant could be the difference in me being the first in my family to receive a college degree. Any amount of money put toward my tuition would be stress taken off my shoulders and would help me focus more on my career goals and less on my financial difficulties.

I have put much effort in gaining the financial assistance needed to continue my education. I work twenty-five to thirty hours a week during the semester and try to gather as much work time between semesters to pay tuition and supplies. Though I have only won one external scholarship and qualified for tuition assistance once it is the reason for me attending my junior year of college. I have begun applying for internships and I am scheduled for an interview at the beginning of 2012. I have also begun volunteering at the McConnel Arts Center to network with other artist in my area. As well I try to take the max amount of credit hours at CCAD so that I can obtain as much from my college experience before graduating.

In 2007 my father was diagnosed with Spondylolysis which is also known as a pars defect. This put him out of work and he was later scheduled for a major back surgery. That was also the year both my parents lost their jobs working for a company that did floor prep for the construction of houses. With no money my parents had to use ever last bit of their savings. Even money that had been saved for me to go to college was used to help pay the mortgage. I unfortunately had to ask a family member to borrow the thirty-five dollars needed to apply to CCAD. I moved out of my parent's house before the end of my senior year and began working out of high school. With no car I used public transportation to get from school, work and home. While paying for tuition and other bills it took me two years and a second job to save up for a car. Now I have more bills to pay and continuing car troubles, I am uncomfortably living paycheck to paycheck and I am unable to save for school like I wish to. This grant is potentially the reason for me see my senior year of college through and help me be the first in my family to receive a college degree.

Your responses really answer the scholarship questions. Your troubles and personality comes through.