It takes more than a glance by Ramonta

It takes more than a glance by Ramonta - July 2026 Scholarship Essay

When I first began my film analysis project, I underestimated how difficult it would be. I thought I would simply watch the movie, summarize the plot, and explain a few important scenes. Instead, I quickly realized that a true film analysis required much deeper thinking. Rather than describing what happened, I had to examine the symbolism, themes, character development, and the director’s purpose while supporting my ideas with evidence. It challenged me in ways that many of my previous writing assignments had not.
One of the biggest obstacles was learning how to look beyond what was happening on the screen. I had to analyze why certain scenes, symbols, and conversations were included and how they contributed to the film’s overall message. There were times when I struggled to organize my thoughts because I had so many different interpretations but wasn’t sure how to connect them into a strong argument. Finding reliable sources that supported my analysis while still allowing my own ideas to stand out also took much more time than I expected.
Another challenge was balancing creativity with evidence. I wanted my paper to express my own perspective, but I also needed to support every claim with examples from the film and scholarly research. This required multiple revisions as I worked to improve my organization, strengthen my thesis, and make my analysis more thoughtful. Although the process was frustrating at times, each revision helped me recognize weaknesses in my writing and showed me how to communicate my ideas more effectively.
Despite the challenges, completing the film analysis became one of the most rewarding academic experiences I have had. It strengthened my critical thinking skills by teaching me to ask deeper questions instead of accepting information at face value. I learned how to analyze ideas from multiple perspectives, identify patterns and themes, and support my conclusions with evidence. These are skills that extend far beyond writing assignments and will benefit me throughout college and in my future career.
As a psychology major who plans to become a children’s therapist, critical thinking is an essential skill. Therapists must carefully evaluate situations, understand different perspectives, and look beyond what is immediately visible to identify the underlying causes of a person’s thoughts or behaviors. Completing this film analysis helped me practice those same skills by encouraging me to think critically, remain open-minded, and develop well-supported conclusions.
Looking back, I am proud that I did not give up when the assignment became difficult. It pushed me outside of my comfort zone and made me a stronger writer, researcher, and thinker. More importantly, it showed me that growth often comes from overcoming challenges rather than avoiding them. Although the film analysis required significant effort and perseverance, the knowledge and critical thinking skills I gained made the experience worthwhile and have prepared me for future academic and professional success.