A Very Real Problem by Christopher

A Very Real Problem by Christopher - August 2019 Scholarship Essay

Recently, I found out that there was a problem with the financial aid at my school. I now have to find a way to gather $50,000 by the end of the year. Additionally, I need to find a way to gather $10,000 by the end of the month. This situation was what led me to start thinking about what I would have to do if I had to take a gap year. Most people use their gap year to find themselves. They might travel the world, go to concerts, or visit family. However, as someone who has this bill hanging over me, I would think of a different approach to my GAP year.
As a son, I felt terrible telling my parents about the bill. Many emotions flashed through my head: guilt, fear, and disappointment. I vowed that such a thing would never happen to me again. Thinking of this, I realized that my version of a GAP year would have to be the most productive time in life. First, I would amass a list of scholarships that I could apply to during the year, in hope that I could gather enough for tuition. This is my only viable way of getting most of the money for tuition because my family already used a lot of credit to get my older brother through his first two years of college.
The second thing I would do is to save as much money as possible on college. Recently, I learned that students are able to self-study for AP exams. This would allow me to get credits at my college without actually having to go through it. With this option, I could receive three or four credits from my college depending on my effort. This would take up a lot of time, but this is the best option for me if I don't manage to gather the money.
The last thing I would do would be to get the highest paying job I can so I can gather money for college. This would be my first job, so the experience would also allow me to gain great exposure in working with others. In other words, I could gather experience that could land me an internship in college, and I could make money for college at the same time.
To conclude, due to my urgent situation, I created a plan to make the most of my GAP year experience if it ever came to that. Although a gap year is not my favored option, if I have to take one, I can ensure that it will be a year well spent.