Defining Success in Higher Education by Damon

Defining Success in Higher Education by Damon - February 2021 Scholarship Essay

I've made it through the first 12 years of your education now it's time to start my higher education at Indiana University. As I reflect over the last four years of my schooling I can say last year was by far the hardest. Not because of the academics but because of the Covid 19 pandemic. This pandemic has effected every student in one way or another. My biggest issue was from going to school five days a week to going online every day. Online or virtual school has its benefits but I personally feel the benefits did not out weigh the hardships. However, it did teach me what I need to do to be successful not only in the present time but also as I enter college.

I have learned that in order to be successful I have to take initiative and be proactive in my own education. I can't wait for the teacher to better explain things to me, if I do not understand a lecture or have questions I need to take the initiative to seek an explanation. As students teachers offer us the tools we need to be successful but students need to be willing to use the tools to actually be successful in learning.

To me success in higher education means that a student has used the tools provided by the teacher to understand the topic being learning, but it doesn't stop there. A successful student will go beyond the tools provided to reach deeper into the topic at hand.