Quality Psychology by Madison

Quality Psychology by Madison - December 2023 Scholarship Essay

When someone says their aspiration in life is to help others, one of the first professions to come to mind is a medical doctor. But there’s only so much doctors can do, and when someone’s problems are in the abstract realm of the mind, not in physical reality, there’s nothing they can do. There’s no bandages to fix Depression, no vaccine to stop Anxiety. No physical treatments can fully heal and correct mental illness.

So when I say my aspiration in life is to help others, I do not think of being a doctor. I think of being a clinical psychologist, like both my parents. They run a mental health clinic, which working at has increased my desire to pursue a degree in Psychology. I’ve learned about the need of our society for high quality therapists in my work there, and the standards needed to achieve that high quality from my parents.

And the fact is, even though the quantity of therapists is increasing, the quality is decreasing. There was a point in my younger sister’s life where she seeked therapy, and she ended up cycling through therapists, none of which gave her the care she needed to improve her mental health. None of them had the skills to address the areas of her life that needed attention. My parents have noticed this drop in quality while training new therapists too. I hope to compensate for that decrease in quality of care, through both going to an academically-rigorous college and striving for the standards of my parents.

I also wish to help others through what I’ve experienced. Getting bullied and excluded in elementary school triggered the development of my social anxiety, which changing schools frequently did not help, with my father being in the Army. I felt isolated from my peers, even though I hadn’t meant to estrange myself. I experienced extreme dread leading up to interacting with others, discomfort during the interaction, and harsh self-critique after the interaction. I don’t want anyone else to undergo what I did, which also contributes to my aspiration to be a clinical psychologist.

I know with these past experiences and my future education, I’ll be able to improve many lives. I’ll teach people the skills needed to walk a better path, while listening to what they won’t tell anyone else. To be able to benefit society in this way would be much more impactful than a physical doctor, as well as many other professions. Mental health is one of the most influential aspects of a person’s life, and I’d be able to guide people through it.

However, to do this I would need a degree in Psychology. The money from this scholarship would be a major help in pursuing that education. Thank you for the opportunity to assist in the fulfillment of my ambitions.