Opportunity and How It Has Affected My Life by Kevin

Opportunity and How It Has Affected My Life by Kevin - January 2018 Scholarship Essay

Countless words may describe one’s desire to attend college. Some might say “learn” and others “tradition”. Still some might list “challenge” or “money” as their word. The word that summarizes my desire to attend college is “OPPORTUNITY“.
Opportunity is defined by Merriam-Webster as “a good chance for advancement or progress”.
To be a high school senior on the brink of graduation, with letters of acceptance to a few colleges, and a plan for my future, “a good chance for advancement or progress” feels like an understatement.
I believe the word “opportunity” defines my life just as well as it defines my desire to attend college. I was given the chance at an early age to become acquainted with the engineering discipline at my elementary school by working with LEGO robots. This developed into a role on my middle school’s Technology Student Association chapter, where I placed 4th in the state in three separate events. I became even more involved in high school when I became Vice President of that chapter.
I have earned the opportunity to attend a college come this fall by taking a rigorous course load of classes every year, and making time for extracurriculars, volunteer opportunities, and (most recently), employment. It has been quite demanding to stay on top of everything, but as Thomas Edison once said, “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” I am passionate about my future and I pursue goals to help me achieve my dreams.
College is the ultimate training ground for a student like me. College exposes students to people with diverse interests, skillsets and lifestyles, much like the typical workplace. In college, students are taught by some of the best in their fields, people who have spent years, if not decades, researching and studying their subject of choice. To have the opportunity to obtain even a small amount of the wealth of information they possess would be a blessing.
Nevertheless, “opportunity” is what drives me to pursue a college education. An opportunity to grow into my own independent person who is successful and a role model to others. An opportunity for me to work for a top engineering company such as NASA, Lockheed Martin or Google. An opportunity to take everything I learn in college, inside the classroom and out, and apply it for a greater good.
I have learned that opportunities can come from anywhere, at any time. However, they mean nothing unless you act on them, and I am determined to not let this one pass me by.