Essay On Pursuing A Career In Cosmetology

“What sets this student apart?” This is arguably the most important question asked by an admissions team reviewing all of the well-qualified applicants to an immensely competitive program such as the University of San Francisco Nursing Program. While most applicants being considered have a minimum 3.5 GPA, what makes a student stand out for this opportunity? I believe the answer to this question is short and sweet: personality. When there is a deep talent pool of well-educated, hard-working individuals all vying for the opportunity to make a difference, it is important to look beyond the paper to see who these students are and how they will be able to represent the reputation of USF and the nursing profession. We are people hoping to make a difference in, not only the world around us, but more specifically in the world of health care, and the biggest difference
between excellence and mediocrity will boil down to personality. As one of these students hoping to make a change for the better, I believe my authenticity, optimism, and drive to eventually become a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) will allow me to stand out from the rest.

While reflecting on the topic for this essay, I took the time to look over the qualities USF values most in its students.
“The moral dimension of every significant human choice: taking seriously how and who we choose to be in the world” spoke most to me because, being a transfer student, I have lived a life prior to this journey towards health care. I have paved for myself a very successful career in the field of cosmetology and have worked tirelessly for over 6 years to form strong relationships with my clients built on trust, creativity, and dedication. While from the surface, cosmetology may seem like a vastly different field from nursing, I believe there is more that connects the worlds than that sets them apart. Both careers are heavily customer service-based and require a “people-person” personality along with the ability, flexibility, and willingness to serve and make others happy. Cosmetology, however, lacks the depth in which I crave to truly feel fulfilled in a career. Who I choose to be in this world and the path I choose to take is heavily influenced by my compassion and empathy for
others.

Expanding further on personality, my Myers-Brigg personality type is INFP. INFPs are considered “mediators,” and we comprise of only about 4% of the population (https://www.16personalities.com/infp-personality). What stands out most about this personality type is our authenticity, openness, and flexibility. All of these characteristics are fundamental for success as a healthcare worker. My ability to actively problem-solve and think outside the box (but still within reason) is inherent to my personality. My adaptability will help me excel in a position that is constantly changing from day to day, and patient to patient— where, even on the best of days, nothing will consistently go according to plan. My personality naturally tends to follow the Jesuit tradition with a few of my highlighting traits: authenticity, empathy, and altruism. I have always gone to the beat of my own drum, rarely being motivated by outside pressures that don’t adhere to my own moral compass. My selfless and empathetic nature allow me to have a level of sensitivity and vulnerability when it comes to delicate situations, as many experiences on the other end of health care often are. Despite the more earnest personality traits I have, at the forefront of who I am, I possess a bubbly, playful, and sanguine disposition, that ultimately showcases my well-rounded nature.