Personal Statement: Life After High School
College After High School?
Education has become an important factor in the ever-volatile world, from elementary school to junior high-to-high school. Individuals who are fortunate to obtain an education do so, but they never think much of it until the concluding days of their high school years. Concerns about life beyond high school strikes many profoundly, while others possess a clear vision of their desired future, which may include college. Personal growth and success derives from the experiences one obtains and encouragement one receives, all in which leads one to pursue a higher education. All the years’ students invested in primary and secondary school had lead them to believe that grades ultimately reflect one’s knowledge and …show more content…
abilities, however straight A’s do not merely represent one’s intelligence; rather, the experiences he or she acquires do. When I was younger I remember my oldest sister was always out and about, “volunteering,” as she would call it. However, I never understood the purpose of it because she wasn’t getting paid; it was like she was just wasting her time, but she assured me that I will one day come to understand. As time progressed, my brother and sisters went off to college and I was constantly encouraged by my family to do well in school so that I can one day attend college also. I began to realize that something about college must be important and all I knew was that I must obtain good grades in order to go to college. I believed that students who received 4’s and A’s were the educated ones, so I, too, tried my hardest to obtain 4’s and A’s to succeed along with them. However, throughout my time in high school I begin to realize that one can easily obtain straight A’s if he or she chooses to take non-challenging classes. Thus grades do not ultimately reflect one’s knowledge. Also, to be educated doesn’t mean that one must be really smart. In my belief, an educated person would not only receive good grades, but receive good grades in advance placement classes while also beholding a variety of experiences, such as: interning, working, and volunteering. Internships enable you to get hands on experiences and jobs will pay you for your duties. Also, helping out within your community will not only let others know that you care, but that you want to help yourself and your community grow. Through experiences you will acquire much needed skills and insight applicable for the real world. Experience plays a much larger and significant role in life than you may expect. Experiences will not only polish your resume and profile for college and job interviews, but they will also present you with advantages as opposed to inexperienced peers. Regardless of what field you have experience in, you have a better chance at landing a job and/or career because experience “equips you with certain soft skills such as team working, communication skills and commercial awareness,” all in which are required in the competitive world of jobs (“The Benefits”). In addition, you can effortlessly apply your experiences to your everyday life, especially in school, thus making you stand out from the rest of the crowd. The experiences you acquire through your involvement within your community and school both plays a part for college; hence there are numerous reasons as to why college remains a priority. Obtaining all the experience one can get will be highly beneficial to one when entering college, but without the encouragement and support from one’s family, he or she will not be exposed to the importance of furthering his or her education. I have witnessed my older siblings go to college and my sister would always tell me that it doesn’t matter which college I decide to go to: expensive or inexpensive; she claims I will be in debt one way or another for some other reason, so I might as well let my education be the cause because she believes I shouldn’t let the issue of money get in the way of my education and I. I have watched my sister grow in her years in college. She claims that attending college had changed her life and I believe her because I am a witness. Her upbeat, active, and friendly personality, in addition to her broaden view of the world serves as evidence that there is much more offered in college. My sister was given scholarships and able to study abroad. She obtained her college degree and is currently teaching in Taiwan. My sister has proven to me that you cannot grow and learn if you do not step out into the real world, thus my sister continues to inspire me to continue my education. Not only do my sister inspire and encourage me to attend college, but my father also continuously urges me to do well in school because he expects me to attend college as well. When it is family day for my family, my dad would constantly remind my siblings and I of the importance of education. He would share stories of when he was still in his home village and how he was the better-educated son. My father continued his education and learned English as a second language despite the difficulties he faced back at his home village and was able to bring my mother, brother and sisters to the United States in hopes of a better life. My father greatly stresses the significance of obtaining a college education because he understands the benefits that will be presented. Of-course, growing up, performing well and bringing home good grades has always been what I’ve done; it enables me to be a good student and somehow I always knew I was going to college. Obtaining an education has been a tradition within my family, yet despite all these contributing factors; I maintain my own goals for furthering my education. College education offers a variation of opportunities in which one can take into his or her advantage to contribute to his or her motivation to grow and succeed.
Aside from the inspiring role models I gratefully have and the never-ending encouragement my family provides me with, my personal motivation for proceeding onto college are countless. Some of the larger reasons why I choose to go to college are because I see that college offers a variety of opportunities that is not offered anywhere else. For instance, college offers courses that will further one’s experience in a certain field, preparing one for the real world before one can successfully thrive in the fast-paced and volatile world. Not only will I obtain and expose myself to “the tough stuff,” which includes countless demanding college courses, I am also building a stronger profile of myself with the challenging classes I will partake for professionals who will review my resume when I apply for a job or go to a job interview (Graff 225). Going to college will allow me to be an independent individual because it will be essential for me learn how to make a living on my own. I will no longer have my parents or siblings to help and look out for me anymore. I am required to take control of my life and basically learn how to survive on my own. My college education will be highly beneficial because obtaining a college degree and/or a Bachelor’s Degree (BA) will open more doors for me considering that the fact that some employers “do not even interview applicants who do not hold a B.A.” (Graff 233). Therefore, I will have an advantage over those who do not have a B.A. Many may argue that there have been successful stories that did not involve a college education, however the chances of that are very low. Furthermore, my desire to be influenced by a new and diverse group of people leads me to go to college. I wish to be influenced by more and intelligent people who hold perceptions contrary to mine, so I can
expand in the way I think. Watching my sister grow as she went away for college inspires me to do the same. College is an adventure I am yet to discover for myself. The ultimate decision to proceed to college after high school is a very big step for many, however others do not plan to take that step at all. College enables you to build strong and weak ties, thus it opens doors for you that will inevitably contribute to your overall personal growth and success. With the encouragement and experiences one receives, the pursuit of a higher education to success is within grasp.
Works Cited
"The Benefits of Work Experience." - The IET. N/p, n.d. Web. 08 Oct. 2013.
Graff, Gerald, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel Durst. "They Say, I Say": The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing : With Readings. New York: Norton, 2012. Print.
Education has become an important factor in the ever-volatile world, from elementary school to junior high-to-high school. Individuals who are fortunate to obtain an education do so, but they never think much of it until the concluding days of their high school years. Concerns about life beyond high school strikes many profoundly, while others possess a clear vision of their desired future, which may include college. Personal growth and success derives from the experiences one obtains and encouragement one receives, all in which leads one to pursue a higher education. All the years’ students invested in primary and secondary school had lead them to believe that grades ultimately reflect one’s knowledge and …show more content…
abilities, however straight A’s do not merely represent one’s intelligence; rather, the experiences he or she acquires do. When I was younger I remember my oldest sister was always out and about, “volunteering,” as she would call it. However, I never understood the purpose of it because she wasn’t getting paid; it was like she was just wasting her time, but she assured me that I will one day come to understand. As time progressed, my brother and sisters went off to college and I was constantly encouraged by my family to do well in school so that I can one day attend college also. I began to realize that something about college must be important and all I knew was that I must obtain good grades in order to go to college. I believed that students who received 4’s and A’s were the educated ones, so I, too, tried my hardest to obtain 4’s and A’s to succeed along with them. However, throughout my time in high school I begin to realize that one can easily obtain straight A’s if he or she chooses to take non-challenging classes. Thus grades do not ultimately reflect one’s knowledge. Also, to be educated doesn’t mean that one must be really smart. In my belief, an educated person would not only receive good grades, but receive good grades in advance placement classes while also beholding a variety of experiences, such as: interning, working, and volunteering. Internships enable you to get hands on experiences and jobs will pay you for your duties. Also, helping out within your community will not only let others know that you care, but that you want to help yourself and your community grow. Through experiences you will acquire much needed skills and insight applicable for the real world. Experience plays a much larger and significant role in life than you may expect. Experiences will not only polish your resume and profile for college and job interviews, but they will also present you with advantages as opposed to inexperienced peers. Regardless of what field you have experience in, you have a better chance at landing a job and/or career because experience “equips you with certain soft skills such as team working, communication skills and commercial awareness,” all in which are required in the competitive world of jobs (“The Benefits”). In addition, you can effortlessly apply your experiences to your everyday life, especially in school, thus making you stand out from the rest of the crowd. The experiences you acquire through your involvement within your community and school both plays a part for college; hence there are numerous reasons as to why college remains a priority. Obtaining all the experience one can get will be highly beneficial to one when entering college, but without the encouragement and support from one’s family, he or she will not be exposed to the importance of furthering his or her education. I have witnessed my older siblings go to college and my sister would always tell me that it doesn’t matter which college I decide to go to: expensive or inexpensive; she claims I will be in debt one way or another for some other reason, so I might as well let my education be the cause because she believes I shouldn’t let the issue of money get in the way of my education and I. I have watched my sister grow in her years in college. She claims that attending college had changed her life and I believe her because I am a witness. Her upbeat, active, and friendly personality, in addition to her broaden view of the world serves as evidence that there is much more offered in college. My sister was given scholarships and able to study abroad. She obtained her college degree and is currently teaching in Taiwan. My sister has proven to me that you cannot grow and learn if you do not step out into the real world, thus my sister continues to inspire me to continue my education. Not only do my sister inspire and encourage me to attend college, but my father also continuously urges me to do well in school because he expects me to attend college as well. When it is family day for my family, my dad would constantly remind my siblings and I of the importance of education. He would share stories of when he was still in his home village and how he was the better-educated son. My father continued his education and learned English as a second language despite the difficulties he faced back at his home village and was able to bring my mother, brother and sisters to the United States in hopes of a better life. My father greatly stresses the significance of obtaining a college education because he understands the benefits that will be presented. Of-course, growing up, performing well and bringing home good grades has always been what I’ve done; it enables me to be a good student and somehow I always knew I was going to college. Obtaining an education has been a tradition within my family, yet despite all these contributing factors; I maintain my own goals for furthering my education. College education offers a variation of opportunities in which one can take into his or her advantage to contribute to his or her motivation to grow and succeed.
Aside from the inspiring role models I gratefully have and the never-ending encouragement my family provides me with, my personal motivation for proceeding onto college are countless. Some of the larger reasons why I choose to go to college are because I see that college offers a variety of opportunities that is not offered anywhere else. For instance, college offers courses that will further one’s experience in a certain field, preparing one for the real world before one can successfully thrive in the fast-paced and volatile world. Not only will I obtain and expose myself to “the tough stuff,” which includes countless demanding college courses, I am also building a stronger profile of myself with the challenging classes I will partake for professionals who will review my resume when I apply for a job or go to a job interview (Graff 225). Going to college will allow me to be an independent individual because it will be essential for me learn how to make a living on my own. I will no longer have my parents or siblings to help and look out for me anymore. I am required to take control of my life and basically learn how to survive on my own. My college education will be highly beneficial because obtaining a college degree and/or a Bachelor’s Degree (BA) will open more doors for me considering that the fact that some employers “do not even interview applicants who do not hold a B.A.” (Graff 233). Therefore, I will have an advantage over those who do not have a B.A. Many may argue that there have been successful stories that did not involve a college education, however the chances of that are very low. Furthermore, my desire to be influenced by a new and diverse group of people leads me to go to college. I wish to be influenced by more and intelligent people who hold perceptions contrary to mine, so I can
expand in the way I think. Watching my sister grow as she went away for college inspires me to do the same. College is an adventure I am yet to discover for myself. The ultimate decision to proceed to college after high school is a very big step for many, however others do not plan to take that step at all. College enables you to build strong and weak ties, thus it opens doors for you that will inevitably contribute to your overall personal growth and success. With the encouragement and experiences one receives, the pursuit of a higher education to success is within grasp.
Works Cited
"The Benefits of Work Experience." - The IET. N/p, n.d. Web. 08 Oct. 2013.
Graff, Gerald, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel Durst. "They Say, I Say": The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing : With Readings. New York: Norton, 2012. Print.