Making a Difference in Chemistry by Juliana

Making a Difference in Chemistry by Juliana - October 2016 Scholarship Essay

If the roles were reversed, I would definitely become a chemistry teacher. I am currently a student at the University of Georgia and I am seeking a bachelors’ degree in chemistry. Before I even enrolled at this institution, I heard a plethora of horror stories about the chemistry department here. It is considered a “weed out” class, and the professors that teach in this department have adopted teaching methods to discourage students from pursuing a career in this field. It seems nearly impossible to comprehend the information that is necessary to pass the class. I have several friends that graduated from high school with me, and also had aspirations of going to the medical field. But because they have chosen UGA for their secondary education, they have struggled throughout their first semester in science classes and have now decided to switch to the College of Business. There is nothing wrong with this, I understand that college is the place/time for people to discover new things that they truly love and enjoy. However, there is a surplus of people with business degrees and a lack of medical professionals in our country.

I think that sciences as a whole, is made to be much harder than it needs to. Having a good teacher that thoroughly explains the subject makes a difference. Chemistry is the basis of all sciences, it is a foundation course that is a pre-requirement to all upper level science classes. I feel that having a solid teacher in this course, will provide students with the foundation necessary to excel in their upper level courses. I know that personally, I get discouraged because several times my teacher will be unsure of the information that pops up on the pre-made slideshows that he goes over in class. I also get discouraged when I go to him for help, and he tells me directly that he has no idea of how to help me. It really makes me consider my major and ask myself “if he has a degree and cannot figure out the answers to my clarification questions, then how am I supposed to figure out the answers on any assessments that the department gives?”. Thankfully, my persistence has allowed me to look past the current situation that I am in and realize that in the long run, I will reap more benefits for continuing down this pathway.

Chemistry is a very difficult and intense subject, and if the roles were reversed, I would love to teach it and encourage students pursuing their dreams to not let their chemistry classes stand in their way.