What does success in college or graduate school mean to you? How do you define success? by Brynna

What does success in college or graduate school mean to you? How do you define success? by Brynna - February 2021 Scholarship Essay

The meaning of success is personal for each individual. For me, success includes using my degree to obtain a job in the career I choose. A college degree is an opportunity to pursue your goals in life. It doesn’t mean that a job and money will just fall into your lap. It will still require effort after the fact. I have seen people graduate from college struggle to find a job. I do believe the major you choose in college can play a large part in how easy it is to find employment. Certainly, having a degree puts you ahead of those that do not have one in most fields, and improves your chance of advancing within that career.
It's important to think ahead into the future and not get lost in the ‘now’. You may love your grocery store job now, but what about in ten or twenty years? Maybe at that point you would want to be the manager or work in the human resources area of that grocery job. That would be difficult to do without a college degree. And going back later to get a degree is possible but much more challenging with a family you are responsible for. Even a two year degree is better than no degree, and in Tennessee those can be obtained for free, so there really is not a steep financial impact. I would highly recommend everyone plan to get a college degree after high school. The prices of the needs and wants in life continue to go up, put yourself in a good position for the future of yourself and your family. All of this circles back to my personal meaning of success. Staying the course and pursuing my dream of college is all part of the larger plan of success that I have for myself.