The Security of a College Degree by Tamiah

The Security of a College Degree by Tamiah - October 2024 Scholarship Essay

Over half of the number of working adults in the United States possess a college degree or equivalent credential. These working, qualified adults are less than half of the American population, signifying that a college degree can be essential for a successful life.

Throughout my life, the media (movies, television shows, books, and video games) has displayed a college degree as a normal step to adulthood. Disney shows and movies from my childhood regularly concluded with the college search of fictional characters. Their families, friends, and peers valued a college education and degree after required education.

However, this is something I only understood through a fictional understanding. Much like the typical, cliche comical and romantic plots of Disney and other entertainment companies I have been exposed to, the idea of a college degree was no different. The college degree was a vital part of the well known American dream. This dream that was displayed through the traditional, high and upper-middle class, white families, was not presented as conceivable for me.

As an African American girl from a middle class family, I grew up in ways not demonstrated in the media I was raised with. Neither of my parents graduated from a four-year college or university. As a child, I never considered the idea of obtaining a college degree. It was not discussed nor introduced as an option for me.

It wasn’t until my sophomore year of high school that I was introduced to the idea of attending and applying for college by my peers and teachers. Even then, I discovered that the highest level of education of my immediate family was an associates degree that was left unused. Instead of using their associates, they pursued an unsteady career in a different field. After noticing this, I realized that I wanted a stable path for myself following high school.

That school year, I began my mission to be the best student I could become in hopes of becoming accepted to a four-year university or college. I joined multiple clubs, received high grades on assessments, and involved myself in my community to work to complete my mission and receive the greatest benefit of a college degree: secureness. With the help of outside and merit-based scholarships, I hope that I can provide myself with a cemented and reliable future with the obtainment of a college degree.