Highly Achieving in Academics Through Failure by Ciara

Highly Achieving in Academics Through Failure by Ciara - March 2014 Scholarship Essay

One of my greatest academic achievements is my hard work. I have always loved school and loved learning, but I have also struggled in certain subjects. For me, school seemed to be quite easy until it came down to math. Math was too straight-forward, every little number and symbol had to be accounted for, when I began to get low grades, I just gave up trying. It wasn't until my college counselor talked to me and told me that I needed math to graduate that it had sunk in, but by then it was too late. I had to take a college statistics course, and I was determined to work hard.

My hard work in my statistics class made me very proud of myself, out of all of the students who were taking the course with me, I was the only one at the same pace as our professors, and I was the only one who seemed to remotely understand the lessons we were going through. I was so happy to feel smart in math for once, I smiled when I thought about it, and I still do. At the end of the course I got my grades back from my college counselor, I passed the class with a B! I went from having an F in math to a B in a few months! I learned that I could learn math, that I just needed to study more and ask for help.

Throughout my school career I felt that I was just stupid when it came to math, I learned that was not the case, now I will have the confidence in knowing I can learn anything if I put effort in. My hard work pushed me forward, and I pushed my own limit. I will never have to say "I can't" when it comes to school again. Just doing something as simple as passing a math class has made me want to do more when it comes to school, to actually try and learn rather than just memorize for the upcoming test. I know that I can only achieve greatness if I show myself support, if I build myself up, and if I try not to slide by in my classes.