SUNY Old Westbury Essay - Challenges you expect to face

Hey, I would be very grateful if someone could proofread this for me before I send it in. Also, is "jotting" a word? Thanks.

Please describe the challenges you expect to face at the College at Old Westbury and how you are prepared to meet those challenges.

I believe that I have a good idea of what challenges to expect when I enter the College at Old Westbury my freshman year and how to overcome them. The biggest challenge to most freshmen is getting acquainted with the campus and dormitories. Socrates once said "True knowledge exists in knowing that you know nothing." I relate to this because I have no first hand experience of living in a dormitory or campus at any school.

Besides dormitory living conditions and a substance free-living environment, the most significant challenge I will have to face is adapting to the environment of the school. The campus will be by far much larger than my current high school and there will be a lot more students present. I can already foresee myself being overwhelmed my first day there. Even though everything will seem larger to every other freshman, I feel that I have a slight advantage coming from my high school background. St. Francis Preparatory School, which I now attend, is the largest Catholic high school in the nation and I believe also the most diverse. I consider myself well prepared because the school itself has prepped me for the environment I expect to ingress at the College at Old Westbury.

The other challenges that I expect to face are the teaching styles of the professors. There is a great chance that they may be different from the styles in high school because the teacher will be lecturing the class most of the time rather to jotting down notes or ideas on the board. Also I am well aware that the curriculum will be far more difficult and challenging. I am prepared to meet this challenge by adjusting my learning style to attune with the professors teaching styles therefore my chances of succeeding in his or her class will be much greater. This will make me take on a more independent responsibility because, sadly, in the real world the only person who you can rely on is yourself.

The challenges that lie ahead are most certainly intimidating, but are no reason to quit what you started or will start. I feel that I am almost ready for any challenge that life throws at me so therefore; I strongly believe that I will be able to cope with any struggle or challenge that may come up during my stay at the College at Old Westbury.

"Besides dormitory living conditions and a substance free-living environment, the most significant challenge I will have to face is adapting to the environment of the school."

I don't think it would be wise to say that a substance free living environment would be a challenge! :)

Also, I am well aware that the curriculum will be far more difficult and challenging.

This will make me take on a more independent responsibility because, sadly, in the real world the only person you can rely on is yourself.

Jotting is fine!

Good luck!
:)

Kevin