Getting by Is Not Enough by Carolina

Getting by Is Not Enough by Carolina - April 2015 Scholarship Essay

Since I was very young, my parents instilled the importance of education in my mind. My mom immigrated from Mexico during her elementary education. She had to overcome many cultural and language obstacles in a public school setting where teachers didn’t have enough time to cater to her individual needs. Because of my family history, I was raised with a knowledge of my good fortune. I have parents who want me to go to college and have a good career. I have always been very self motivated in my school work, but my parents have helped me gain a greater perspective of the future.

As I’ve advanced in my high school education, I’ve seen that some students care less about learning and more about grades. Some try to cheat the system and do as little work as possible while still maintaining good GPAs. When I ponder the purpose of an education, I look back to my mom. Because of her example, I aspire to preserve the passion behind my school work. We are in school to learn. Getting by is not enough. Not only do I hold myself to the standard of good grades, but I work hard in school because I want to. Even when it’s hard to see when I’ll use a certain skill in “real life”, I’ve come to love learning. I love filling my head with new facts, and understanding how people’s opinions have evolved over time. I’m in school so that I can challenge my mind continually no matter what the cost.