The Privilege of Opportunity by Colette

The Privilege of Opportunity by Colette - January 2018 Scholarship Essay

"Why go to college?" is a question I believe isn't thoughtfully considered enough today. On the one hand, there are students who lack motivation to further their education, and on the other hand there are students who assume that going to college is the next step in their life without even considering if it is worth the cost. On both sides there is error. While it is in many cases true that college is the wisest option to take, it is important to ask ourselves the "whys" in life so that our decisions are not aimless but directed toward a solid goal. For me, going to college is an opportunity.

I choose this word because college is the gateway to achieve my career goal. Since I was ten years old I wanted to be a teacher. I loved playing school with my little sister and as a teen I enjoyed babysitting and working with kids at my church. As I grew older, I realized more deeply what an impact a teacher can make on a student, and how a young mind's perspective on the world is formed during these crucial years of schooling. College is the place where I have the opportunity to actually do what I want to do --work in the classroom and be a light to young people.

So many of us, myself included, forget what a privilege is ours in our opportunity to education in the United States. I recently sponsored a little girl in Uganda through Compassion International. Compassion writes that "Among Uganda’s population, only 66 percent of those over age 15 are able to read or write" and "Among women, fewer than 58 percent are literate" (Compassion 2017, "Uganda Eastern Region"). The association can be seen between the prevalent poverty and lack of education. You can imagine how much not being able to read would hinder your job opportunities! Education is one of the greatest privileges we take for granted in the United States.

Attending college not only will give me the opportunity to achieve my career goal, but will also give classrooms of kids opportunities to thrive and grow. What a privilege it is to live in a country where I have access to the gateway of opportunity: a college education.