My College Scholarship Essay

I am just a regular student. That may not be the best thing to say on a scholarship essay, but I'd rather be honest than bold. I graduated from high school last June, and I chose to attend OCC, against my parents' wish of me going to a UC school. Even though I was accepted to different UC and Cal-States, I think I made the right choice. The first semester at college is always detrimental and nerve wracking for a freshman. Thankfully, I was able to cope with the transformative changes.

I was a member of the Health Science Academy in high school. I was inspired by my teacher to help people and when I wasn't sure of what I wanted to do, she recommended that I try shadowing, or spending the day with the different professionals that I'm interested in. That is how I decided to follow the Respiratory Therapy field. Respiratory therapists are an important part of the team, from working in emergency situations to helping people in rehabilitation. When I heard about the Respiratory Care in the Allied Health program, I was ecstatic because the path to my dream career is paved right in front of my eyes. OCC was the only rational school for me and deservedly, it might be the best in the country.

As excited as I was with starting college, I was very nervous at the unknowing future: How much should I party? How much do I need to study? What if I fail a class? Etc. As the fall semester creeps into view, my worst fear is realized: I had problems with time management. I could not bring myself to prioritize my family, my schoolwork and my own self-enjoyment. I was also taking fifteen units, not a great way to start college when I was so uncertain about so many things. I struggled in Human Diseases, Microbiology and Film/Video. I was not able to organize myself and find time to study. Toward the middle of the semester, I finally got used to the rhythm of the fast-paced classes and pulled myself together. I developed myriads of flashcards to study in advance of tests and quizzes instead of procrastinating until the deadline. I quickly realized that online classes require as much attention as regular classes. I gathered all of my resources and studied extra hard. At the end of the semester, I was rewarded for all of my efforts with Bs in the classes that I struggled with and As for the rest.

This Spring semester, I feel more confident and decide to take 22 units. After an incredibly shocking wake-up call, I was able to take a look at myself and discovered my ability as well as my limitation. I know I'm taking an extreme challenge with a heavy-loaded schedule; but then again, I like challenges. I'm able to stay ahead of my peers because of my propensity to overcome challenges as they appear.