The failed class by Joseph

The failed class by Joseph - February 2025 Scholarship Essay

In 2007 I took an English course at SCSU. It was my first class of my first year in college. Every day I showed up to class at 7am tired and sipping my coffee. I was not ready for life as a college student at that point in my life and my instructor knew it. He would allow students to turn in assignments even if they were late for half credit. I ended up passing the class with a C but spent a lot of time in my professor's office lobbying for my assignments.

I'm starting college again after being a framer for seventeen years. I started this journey because I got into a couple of car crashes causing injuries that hinder my ability to continue framing. I decided to start a career in the other part of my life I love. Teaching children as i have three of my own and hopefully more. That is if my wife will agree to let me. In starting my degree online, I found that I am short of financial aid by $1500 for this year. So, I have embarked on the trial of applying for scholarships. This way my wife and I won't have to take on more hours of work instead of being home with our boys.

I wasn't ready for college when I was eighteen but now, I see the benefit it will bring my family. I am at a point in my life that drives me to do all I can and show my kids that you can do anything you want. I think my older professor knew that I wasn't ready and did his best to help me. I hope I can be that for my future students and my three sons.

I call this essay "The failed class" because, for all intensive purposes I should have failed this course. I turned every assignment in late other than the final. This meant that I received fifty percent on all my assignments and aced my final getting the twenty percent the finally was weighted on my grade. If my professor wasn't understanding and accommodating of new students. I would have never completed the course and probably wouldn't have even thought of college as a option in the future. I learned in his class more about the goodness of people then even the syllabus he taught. I took that mindfulness with me and taught many carpenters the same mentality.