The Stepping Stone by Daniel

Danielof Sparta's entry into Varsity Tutor's March 2014 scholarship contest

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Daniel of Sparta, MI
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The Stepping Stone by Daniel - March 2014 Scholarship Essay

College. The name conjures up many thoughts and feelings. But the first word that many people may associate with college is “loans”. It is the tragic fate of many people, some of whom I have met, to be burdened with student loans. Clearly, it is a hard road to travel. Therefore, I am completely determined not the play the debt game, and ensure that my tuition fees are paid in other forms. My parents are willing to fund my education in part, but due to the fact that I have four siblings, with one already in college, they cannot provide for all the costs of my education. In order to conquer this obstacle, I have combined the efforts of holding my grades up, working during the summer, and applying for scholarships. However, several months ago, I was attempting to boost my scholarship rewards by obtaining a higher ACT score. At this point, I had already taken the test once, and received a 30, but I needed a score of 32 to earn higher scholarships.

One could make the case that the ACT is the main way that American high school students are compared to each other. In short, the ACT is a universal academic barometer, which determines a huge amount of questions regarding college, including admissions, and financial aid. My two choices for higher education are Grand Valley State University, or Hillsdale College. I needed a 32 on the ACT in order to be entered into the highest level of scholarship at Grand Valley. Also, Hillsdale, which is a private school, is certainly not cheap. Therefore, a higher score would also benefit me greatly, in my hopes of being admitted to Hillsdale College.

Well, I suppose I have a confession to make. Although I had spent months preparing for the ACT, test day did not go as planned. I assumed my parents would wake me up, so I didn’t set my alarm clock. Unfortunately, my parents slept in as well, because of a faulty alarm. This meant that I was woken up by my Dad, and then I had to quickly eat and leave. Suffice to say, I ended up eating granola bars in the car, in hopes that I would have enough fuel to last until the mid-test break. But, I have another confession to make. Clearly, I wasn’t at full capacity, since I was tired. Yet even worse, I was bored and apathetic that day, which are two things that rarely define me. Perhaps I was in the wrong, but I was dead beat, and I didn’t feel like hearing about some boy’s vacation in Sag Harbor. But I think this relaxed state of mind may have helped me to relax, and simply take the test. Although I am usually quite nervous on test days, on this day, I took the test, and was done with it.

Happily, I reached my goal. Realization that I had done so was as simple as opening an envelope and reading a number. Although I had aimed for a 32, I scored a 33, thereby surpassing my objective. It seems that I had managed to pass yet another stress filled standardized test, and at the same time, take another step towards my future education. For Grand Valley, I was now admitted into the highest level of merit based scholarship. For Hillsdale, I had strengthened my case for admission, and advanced my hope of financial aid. For me, it was quite gratifying to officially find out that I was above average. I am perfectly aware that the ACT score is only a test score, and the real test is college itself, but all the same, academic success is extremely important to me, so my score, however fleeting, meant the world to my tiny, obsessed brain.

An increase of two is usually a miniscule change. But it is not a minor shift when your future depends on it. To put it mildly, my chances of attending my college of choice hung on this ACT test. Although I knew I could easily attend Grand Valley State University, I was sure that Hillsdale College was by far a better fit. Therefore, on the day of the test, it is no small wonder that I did not psych myself out by thinking about these financial issues. Yet all the hours of studying paid off, and I completed the exam with confidence. But the day I opened the results envelope was best of all. As a nervous, unsure person, who possesses a self-esteem that is both nervous and unsure, this was one of the most reassuring moments of my life. However, now that I’m done patting myself on the back, the most important thing to remember about the ACT, is that it is nothing more than a stepping stone for my larger goals in life, and has boosted me on to college and my future career.

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