Paving a Road to a Better Future by Jessica

Jessicaof Berea's entry into Varsity Tutor's June 2013 scholarship contest

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Jessica of Berea, OH
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Paving a Road to a Better Future by Jessica - June 2013 Scholarship Essay

  
            If I were to ask what attending college meant to different people in my life, I would receive many different answers. Some people would think that attending college is a waste of time and money. Other people might think that attending college is a way to get out of poverty. Attending college means so much to me. For me, attending college means creating a path to a better future.
            My dream is to become a high school math teacher, and attending college is the only way for me to become the teacher that I hope to become. I want to make a difference in students’ lives. I want to inspire them while I am teaching them some difficult math concepts. During their teenage years, some students may need guidance or support, and I hope to give them the support and guidance they deserve. I want to show them that each of them is important in their own way, and they need to work hard to reach their goals and dreams. I want to make a difference in the community, so I want to become a high school math teacher. In order to become this teacher, I have to attend college.
            If I did not attend college, my choice for careers would be very limited, and I may not be satisfied with my career choice. Many of the jobs in the United States require a college degree, and many of the jobs that do not require a degree can be menial or unsatisfying to some people. They may also pay less than a job that requires a college degree. Therefore, if I did not attend college or graduate from college, I would have to choose one of these limited jobs. I may become dissatisfied with the job that I chose, and I may become unhappy with my career choice and life. I also may not be able to support myself financially. Also, I would not be reaching my goal to become a math teacher, and I may not be able to make a difference in my community or in students’ lives. My future could be dull and unsatisfying if I did not attend college or do not graduate from college.
            While I am attending college, I am also gaining valuable skills and knowledge that will help me create a better future for myself. I am gaining so much knowledge from my classes that I would not have learned if I did not attend college. For example, I am learning many new and interesting math concepts, more Spanish, and more about our universe through the classes that I am taking. I am becoming a more well-rounded character, so I can become a better person.
            I am also exposed to much more diversity than I have ever encountered before. My high school was very homogeneous, so I did not encounter much diversity from my high school. In college, students from many different walks of life appear. Students from different nationalities, religions, ages, and regions attend the same college, so there is a great deal of diversity. I have learned so much more about this world and the different people in this world from the diversity, so I am becoming a better and more accepting person.
            I have become more independent as a result of attending college. Before I began attending college, I was very dependent on other people. I always did the activities that my best friend did, but I never did anything that I wanted to do. I followed my friend’s wishes rather than my own. When I began attending college, I did not have my friend to follow. I had to take the classes that I wanted to take, and I had to join the groups that I wanted to join. I am not as dependent on other people now. I also commute to school, so I have gained some independence and responsibility to arrive at school in time for my classes. I have gained more independence and responsibility from attending college.
            Attending college means financial responsibility and taking difficult classes, but it means so much more to me. It means creating a path to a better future, and it allows me to become a better person. Although attending college takes a great deal of money and time, for me, attending college is the best way to have the future that I have always dreamed of having.

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