QUESTION: Why do you want to attend? Why are you qualified? For your college personal statement, you will need to select the accomplishments that have the most meaning to you and best express your individual strengths and character. HOW and WHY the events that you describe have shaped your attitude, focus, and, most of all, your intellectual vitality. What accomplishment am I most proud of, and why? What incident/event provides evidence of my responsibility, and how?
Although my last name is Calvin, I am fondly referred to by family as another "Taylor girl". This is a reference to my great-grandfather, Thomas Taylor, who grew up very poor in Washington, DC but used his intellect, imagination and the resources around him to be successful and make more of his life. Being a "Taylor" is not only working hard in whatever you do, but learning new skills to move further and using your imagination to find new opportunities. I had 12 years with my great-grandfather and the time I spent with him and the stories my family continues to tell of his accomplishments pushes me to live up to his name and to excel in all that I do.
The events in my life that have shaped my character and also shown me the type of person that I want to be are the days I've spent volunteering at the Mount Juliet Help Center and completing a class in mythology for the Entrada program at Calvin College. When I volunteer at the Help Center, I leave my wants behind and focus on the needs of the families that come in for help. It is a humbling experience to know that at any point in my life, I may be the one in need and not being looked down on and being greeted and helped with a smile would ease the stress of hard times. When I attended Entrada over the summer, I had no idea that the course we chose would actually be a full semester course condensed to fit within a month. Through determination and really long nights, I finished the class with a B.
It is one of my fondest memories of my great-grandfather that drove me to volunteer at the local food help center. Almost every weekend, he would drive to my grandmother's house with vegetables from his garden to give out. He told me once that he had to grow up hungry, but he promised himself that his family would never live that way. I can see why he always had a smile when he pulled up with food to give away. When I'm volunteering at the Help Center it feels so rewarding to help out those who need a little extra.
No one told me that taking a college course would be easy; in fact, everyone was telling me how hard it was going to be. Just like everyone told my great-grandfather that he couldn't build an extra room to the back of his two- story house all by himself. He never had any experience in building a room, let alone wiring the electricity, but he still accomplished what he set out to do. Like him I like to challenge myself and passing that mythology class was a way proving to my family that I can do anything I set my mind to.
My great-grandfather succeeded in everything he did and never half did anything. Carrying on his name gives me the drive to be the best that I can. By going to Arizona I will be able to have the opportunity of getting the best education for my future and the push I need to excel.
Although my last name is Calvin, I am fondly referred to by family as another "Taylor girl". This is a reference to my great-grandfather, Thomas Taylor, who grew up very poor in Washington, DC but used his intellect, imagination and the resources around him to be successful and make more of his life. Being a "Taylor" is not only working hard in whatever you do, but learning new skills to move further and using your imagination to find new opportunities. I had 12 years with my great-grandfather and the time I spent with him and the stories my family continues to tell of his accomplishments pushes me to live up to his name and to excel in all that I do.
The events in my life that have shaped my character and also shown me the type of person that I want to be are the days I've spent volunteering at the Mount Juliet Help Center and completing a class in mythology for the Entrada program at Calvin College. When I volunteer at the Help Center, I leave my wants behind and focus on the needs of the families that come in for help. It is a humbling experience to know that at any point in my life, I may be the one in need and not being looked down on and being greeted and helped with a smile would ease the stress of hard times. When I attended Entrada over the summer, I had no idea that the course we chose would actually be a full semester course condensed to fit within a month. Through determination and really long nights, I finished the class with a B.
It is one of my fondest memories of my great-grandfather that drove me to volunteer at the local food help center. Almost every weekend, he would drive to my grandmother's house with vegetables from his garden to give out. He told me once that he had to grow up hungry, but he promised himself that his family would never live that way. I can see why he always had a smile when he pulled up with food to give away. When I'm volunteering at the Help Center it feels so rewarding to help out those who need a little extra.
No one told me that taking a college course would be easy; in fact, everyone was telling me how hard it was going to be. Just like everyone told my great-grandfather that he couldn't build an extra room to the back of his two- story house all by himself. He never had any experience in building a room, let alone wiring the electricity, but he still accomplished what he set out to do. Like him I like to challenge myself and passing that mythology class was a way proving to my family that I can do anything I set my mind to.
My great-grandfather succeeded in everything he did and never half did anything. Carrying on his name gives me the drive to be the best that I can. By going to Arizona I will be able to have the opportunity of getting the best education for my future and the push I need to excel.
