Making the most out of what you recieve by Caitlin

Making the most out of what you recieve by Caitlin - February 2017 Scholarship Essay

As long as I can remember, I have known that I wanted to go to college. And as long as I can remember, I have heard my parents talking about how to pay for it. My parents were never able to make enough money to save up for my college education. However, I always have done very well in school, so my parents believed that I would be able to get a full scholarship to college.
All of my high school years, I worked very hard to try and get a full scholarship. I was involved in a variety of activities, such as Key Club, National Honor Society, tennis, and Class Council. I also volunteered with a nursing home and assisted riding facility. I also completed my Girl Scout Gold Award, which was a 190-hour project creating and implementing a bilingual Raptor Camp for Hawk Mountain Sanctuary. Simultaneously, I was earning straight A’s, was seventh in my class, and was working a job as a waitress on weekends. Based on all of this, I felt confident that I would be able to get a full scholarship and never have to worry about paying for college.
When I applied to college, I chose schools that offered very good merit scholarships. Three of these colleges offered full scholarships, while the three others offered partial scholarships. I felt that my chances were very good to receive one of these scholarships. To my surprise, I did not receive any of the full scholarships, although I did receive two partial scholarships. I was devastated, but I decided to make the best of the situation.
I chose a college, and took out student loans. My parents were able to help me with some expenses, while I used the money from my job to pay for the rest of my semester. When I got to college, I was determined to make the most of my years. To my surprise, I fell in love with my college. I joined a variety of activities, including tennis, pre-health society, biology club, and an honor society. The college has given me many opportunities that I never thought would be possible. I will be able to do internships, research, and travel during my time here. The lesson I have learned from all of this is that everything happens for a reason, and that you have to make your experience your own.