'A Difficult time in my life' - How I faced a hard time in life and overcame it.

Hi im new here I was wondering if someone can help me shorten my essay to 250 words and help correct my grammar. Current word count is 337 words.

Does this have potential to be a great scholarship essay?

Thanks
-Steve

Mechanical Engineering Goal

A Difficult time in my life

The most difficult time in my life had to have been middle school. Sometimes, in middle school people may seem like your friends yet they aren't. I was one of those kids who drifted from different social groups trying to fit in.

In my 8th period English class, I met this group of kids who I thought were the cool kids. The kids were named Joe, Tyler, and Simon.

By the end of the first marking period my grades had plummeted from B's to C's. My grades dropped dramatically since I hung out with the kids.

One Thursday it began as a typical English class. It was close to the end of the class and seemed like a typical class. But towards the end of class Simon pulled my pants down with my trousers. I was humiliated, all 20 kids in my English class all turned back looked at me half naked and all laughed at me.

How could these guys be my friends and do that? That was the question I asked myself. For the next couple weeks I was the laughing stock at school.

I stopped wandering between different social groups and found my real friends. I am now an A student and beginning to take my first AP class next year.

My perspective on life changed from the events in middle school, I realized that trying to fit into a group of people doesn't work out. You should try to be friends with people who accept you for who you are. I learned that trying to change myself to be friends with people doesn't work.

I joined the robotics entering freshman year of high school and have met peers who share my passion for engineering. I have learned many valuable skills from robotics that I can use to in my future when I go to college to be a mechanical engineer.

With this scholarship I hope to further my education by studying at a college or university and get my bachelors of mechanical engineering.

it began as a typical English class. It was close to the end of the class and seemed like a typical class => don't repeat yourself

all 20 kids in my English class all turned back => repitition again

I think you should shorten the narrative part; write more about HOW you overcame the difficulty, for example: did you realize that "trying to fit into a group of people doesn't work out" just by yourself or was there anyone, any real friends or family that stood by you through that tough time and encouraged you to move on and stay true to yourself? If there were, what did they say to you and how did you feel about it? or How did you find your real friends?

Add some emotions to make the story even more believable.
If the essay touches the reader and shows how well you dealt with difficulty, and how much want to go further and prove yourself, you will stand a high chance of getting it.

Just my opinion. I'm not really experienced in this but hope that helps.

Good luck!

Alright ill edit some more. Thanks :)