Don't Judge This Book by Carter

Don't Judge This Book by Carter - February 2017 Scholarship Essay

Although no one views failing as enjoyable or pleasurable, it is incredibly precious in our ability to grow and develop. I learned this lesson recently while taking the ACT.

You see, I have been lucky. I have performed well in school and have been enrolled in advanced and honors classes throughout my schooling. My classes have always been rigorous, and I have risen to the challenge. Going into this test, I expected it to be challenging, but I figured I would perform relatively well. However, the results of the test told a much different story. Let’s just say that the dreams I had for the schools I might attend shattered, at that very moment.

You have to understand; I was not only embarrassed and ashamed by my performance; I was humiliated. I am surrounded by friends and classmates who take pleasure in comparing their academic successes; how in the world could I share something like this. Sure, I knew there was certainly enough time to improve the score, but I was overhearing their exceptional scores and knew I had a huge uphill battle in front of me. I did receive tutoring and my score improved, but it was still not as competitive as I had hoped. It seemed the more I took the exam, the more I plateaued. The test was a gateway to so many things that I began to obsess and get tunnel vision over what this score meant.

I have faced the disappointment regarding my scores firsthand. I was asked about my results, and when I recited them, the other party’s interest in me waned. I knew some would choose to define me solely by those scores and would not look at my academic rigor and success, the impact I had made with individuals around me or the character I strived to define within myself. They would choose that one measure to determine if I made the cut. This will happen over and over, outside of standardized test scores. Life dishes up standards that people are judged on within a vacuum. Decisions and even accolades are often made without considering all factors, and that won’t change. I have learned to focus on the opportunities in front of me and not to dwell on what is unchangeable in the past. I have applied a lesson that has been taught to me in the locker room and applied to the field, “How will you face adversity?”. My motto has been to buckle down, weather the storm, and determine how I can become better in the situation. This adage has provided me with much success on the field and honestly, it is a lesson I will carry into all aspects of my life. Little did I know how fully applicable that challenging question could be.  I could have let the adversity win, but that is not who I am.  I was determined not to have this score define who I was or who I would become. I have been a successful student who has been driven to produce the results that truly represent me. I have been able to demonstrate a broad range of interests that help round me into a whole person. I have been compassionate about activities that have meaning that will drive me well beyond who I am today. I was able to deal with the underachievement, develop a strategy to do better, and continue to seek and ascertain achievements that allow me to discover who I am and provide further growth and development for myself. Perhaps without this setback, I may not have known who I can become.

I can still feel the sting from my failure, but as I look to the future, the pain subsides. This will not be the last time a disappointment and failure comes my way, but having the resiliency to face these challenges is half the battle.