Begin with the End in Mind by Zachary

Begin with the End in Mind by Zachary - December 2015 Scholarship Essay

One must have a plan in order to achieve the goals they have set for themselves. Everyone envisions the life they want to live. The thing that sets successful people apart is their ability to put a plan in place to achieve their goals.
As an incoming high school freshman, I set academic and leadership goals for myself. From the start, I knew that success in the classroom would translate to success on college entrance tests. As it stands, I am ranked second in my class and have an overall ACT score of 32. My math score for the ACT was a 35, and science a 33. I have been a leader on my High School campus and in the community. Leadership roles that I have held include: Rotary Youth Leadership, Texas Boys State, Class President, and Football Captain. I am certain these experiences have prepared me to excel in a college environment.
As an incoming college freshman, my goal is to be a doctor. In order to achieve this goal I have set a few benchmark goals for my time in college. First, I want to begin with the end in mind. My interest and ability lead me to math and science, I plan to pursue a Bachelor of Science with a major in Biochemistry. This will allow me to take the prerequisites needed to prepare me for the MCAT and medical school. I find anesthesiology the most interesting of the medical specialties as this point. I hope to match with University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. UTMB Galveston was the highest awarded Texas medical school in funding for the Anesthesiology department as based on the National Institutes of Health funding information released in 2014. However, I realize my interests may change, so I am keeping my mind open to other specialties as well.
Also, I want to continue to set the bar high when it comes to my GPA. A student aspiring to enter medical school should have no less than a 3.75 GPA. Therefore, my undergraduate goal is to graduate magna cume laude or better. I have always expected nothing but excellence from myself in regards to my academic achievement. My intellect and work ethic have allowed me to maintain my high standards. I see no reason to change my attitude toward academic excellence as a student in college. My approach has been successful so far.
I am applying to programs that can best prepare me for medical school. I hope to gain access to additional career seminars, customized academic advising, and on-going professional growth activities while in college. I want to set myself apart from the masses in a great sea of medical student applications. I plan to attend a liberal arts college that has an academic community whose values and actions encourage contributions toward the well-being of humanity. I cannot think of a better way to help develop myself as a well-rounded doctor than to pursue a liberal arts education and have the added opportunity to collaborate in research with faculty.
All of the years spent in rigorous study during high school, college and medical school will finally culminate in a profession that is rewarding. I am not alluding to rewarding in the monetary sense, but rewarding in the fact that I will have used my intellect and abilities to help out my fellow man.