College Admissions Essay: A Career In Film

There are a few things I have been absolutely, clearly sure about in my life and none more so than my desire to pursue a career in filmmaking, which I’d acquired when I was just a little girl. I remember vividly the feeling I would get each time I would go to a theatre with my mother to enter a world of escapism, of endless possibilities and adventures. If there were to be a line to separate the world into two, geographically, economically and culturally speaking, I’d say I grew up right in the middle. Yes, I’m from Turkey, right in between the two continents. A country where people certainly appreciate as well as adopt the innovations of the “Western World” but never quite become the producers of those innovations themselves. I may be exaggerating
but I’m just generalizing my personal experiences so far. Through the end of my high school years I knew I wanted to study abroad and possibly move somewhere else where I can actually work in the film industry to achieve my goals and dreams.
It was hard feeling like something was holding me back. I have been lucky enough to travel through all my life, I had stayed long periods of time away from my family, I was one of the most academically successful students in my school, and I could speak English a lot better than almost anyone I knew back home. So why was I not leaving when my parents were also giving me options to do so? I just wasn’t sure about which path I should take in order to achieve my dreams. Most people I know would go to universities to figure out what they wanted to do in life and I knew exactly what I wanted. But I thought that it’s impossible to teach someone how to be a successful artist. As I felt this way, I was second guessing myself on whether or not it was worth the trouble to study for years abroad and still have to find a way to launch my career. All of these uncertainties have passed as I realized even when I was doubting my decisions I was only wasting my time and confusing myself. I wasn’t going to wait for a miracle to happen so that I could become a greatly acknowledged
filmmaker. I had to start somewhere. That’s why I did decide to give college a chance. I’m currently enrolled in Santa Monica College and I’m determined to transfer to a school that will help me towards my goals in life. If I could have the opportunity to study at NYU, I would greatly improve as a person and a student. I’m certainly an ambitious and competitive person, so I know I can be academically successful. I value people’s opinions and am always enthusiastic about intellectual conversations. I’m confident that I would be a great addition to your university. I can’t say that my goal is to change the world some day; I know how unrealistic that would sound for just about anyone. I would trade all kinds of successes in the world whether academically, socially, or financially for a better world full of good people with peace and happiness. So I know not to take myself too seriously no matter what I do in life. When I think about the entertainment business and its impact in the world I feel that it’s mostly being used in the wrong ways by people who think too much of themselves. I know that works of art and media, cinema in particular, have the capability to reach out to millions of people around the world and this power should always be used for making the world a better place to live in.