The Opportunity to Learn About Learning by Lauren

The Opportunity to Learn About Learning by Lauren - November 2015 Scholarship Essay

As a citizen of the United States, higher education is extremely accessible for me in comparison to the majority of places around the world. College is costly and a major commitment, however the effort, time, and money put in is worthwhile. I believe in taking advantage of the opportunities a university has to offer because we live in a country where hundreds of options exist in terms of college. After two months of studying at Oregon State University, I have found several reasons to be thankful for my education. I am a woman with the legal and financial ability to earn a degree, which will allow me to follow my dreams and pursue a career from a wider range of options.

The most important aspect of college for me so far has been the ability to learn about what I would like to learn. I will be forever thankful for this part of my education because it changed the course of my life for the better in a very short amount of time. I was given the option to take an exploratory course where students listen to lectures and do research on each discipline of engineering offered on campus. Through this class, my future was changed. I was introduced to the field of nuclear radiation health physics and immediately fell in love with the curriculum and the importance of the profession. Being able to learn about my options of what to study helped me make a decision quickly yet thoroughly about what major to pursue with. This will save me the time and money of taking unnecessary classes while providing a clear life path for me that is filled with passion.

I hope that everyone receives the same chance in their education as I had to explore different majors, careers, and interests. Without that opportunity, I would have never heard about the field I am now going to work in someday. College is such an important investment and it is crucial that students are able to get the most out of their education in order to have a brighter future.