I Have To Earn It by Ashleigh

I Have To Earn It by Ashleigh - March 2014 Scholarship Essay

When someone asks me "What is your greatest academic achievement?" I sometimes wouldn't know what to say. I've always gotten good grades in high school, I think of myself as a good student, but my greatest academic achievement in college is the fact that I made Dean's List my first semester of my sophomore year.

Making Dean's List was extremely important to me because my first year of college I didn't do as well academically as I thought I would. Adjusting to college life three hours from home was difficult and frustrating and a quite scary. I didn't do my best academically my freshman year, and I was disappointed in myself. The consequences for my academic setback was my financial aid was taken away. I wrote a letter to my financial aid department and I ended up receiving financial aid again. I knew after that moment that I had no other option but to get my act together and study hard and go to class. After all, that's why I'm in college; to get good grades, earn my degree and make something of myself.

I worked so hard my first semester of my sophomore year, and I still am. I studied hard, went to every class and did all my homework. I'm the type of person who is usually too proud to ask for help, but I realized that if I'm going to succeed, not only in college, but in life, I need to ask for help when I need it. I worked so hard and I realized that if I want to better myself through my education I have to want it more than anything. I'm not going to be given a degree, I have to earn it.

After all my hard work I received a letter saying that I had made the Dean's List. I was so proud of myself when I got that letter. I had proved to the faculty and staff of the University of Maine at Machias, to my friends, my family and most importantly, to myself that I can do whatever it is I set my mind on. Making Dean's List has shown me that hard work and dedication is always rewarded. I've proved to myself that I can work hard and that I want to better myself through a higher education. I want to be in college, I want to make something of myself and have a better life. Being on the Dean's List has shown me that I am capable of academic success.