sample admission essay

When putting together your college application package, you will probably be required to submit an application essay.  While your transcripts, resume, and SAT scores will probably be the first thing that schools look at, your college application essay may just be the x-factor that gets you into the school of your choice.  Because of the importance of the application essay, it’s important to think of topics that are interesting and relevant to your application.  If you have had job experience in high school, you may want to focus on that topic, because it shows a sense of responsibility, hard work, and independence.(1)  Read on to learn more about focusing on your high school job experiences in your college application essay or personal statement.

Why including high school job experiences in your application essay or personal statement is helpful

The main purpose of the application essay is to serve as an introduction.  You are introducing yourself to the admissions committee and the college or university that you want to study in.  Writing about your high school job experiences and how they have helped to develop your character is a good way of introducing yourself through your college application essay.  Even just the ability to balance school life and work life is a great advantage of those who worked through high school, which is why it can be favorable for you to write about such a topic.  Working while studying helps to build work ethic, responsibility, and character – three key traits that many admissions committees look for in applicants.(2)

How to discuss what you’ve learned from high school job experiences in your college application essay or college entrance essays

When writing your college admissions essay about your high school job experiences, the number one pitfall to avoid is listing and enumerating.  The resume and personal information that you submit along with your application package will already have the basic information on your achievements and practical experience.  Try to avoid merely listing the jobs or experiences that you have had as a working student and, instead, tell the story of how you have learned valuable lessons, developed important values, and practiced certain virtues.(3)  For example, instead of talking about the kind of work you did, try to single out an instance when you had to make an important decision that helped you learn a lot about yourself, your work, and your life in general.

Aside from the subject matter, you should also concern yourself with the mechanics of the essay and how you present yourself in the essay.  First, make sure that your essay does not have any typographical or grammatical errors.  Take time to edit your essay well and eliminate any and all technical mistakes.  Second, be as truthful and honest as you can.  If the admissions committee finds out that the information in your essay or your other records is not true, then you can forget about getting into the college, because they probably won’t accept you.  Finally, make sure to let your personality shine through.  Remember, you are trying to introduce yourself, so you should let your character and personality come through in your essay.(4)

How a sample application essay focusing on previous work experiences can help you write your personal statement

If you are having a hard time writing your personal statement, try taking a look at some sample application essays that also focus on work experience.  Reading sample essays is a great way to get ideas, inspiration, and motivation for your own essay.  Take note of the theme, tone, and format of the sample application essay so you can get an idea of how to go about your own essay.  Just make sure that you are using the sample admission essays to get inspiration and not to copy from.(5)  You may even want to use sample college admission essays to learn.  For example, you can critique certain sample essays to see what they did wrong and learn from their mistakes to make sure that the essay you write is better.(6)

Why comparing your personal statement draft with a sample application essay can be helpful

So you have finally finished your essay and you are looking for ways to improve on it.  One great way of editing your personal statement draft is to compare it with a sample application essay.  Read both of the papers side-by-side and see if there are any areas that you can edit to make your essay better.  Some of the changes you will make can be as simple as spelling corrections, while other changes may require you to rewrite an entire paragraph.  Make sure to go over your essay a few times until you are happy with it.  You may even want to have your essay read by a parent, teacher, advisor, or counselor to see if they have any helpful suggestions, corrections, or comments.  In the end, what you are aiming for is an excellent college application essay that will help get you a slot in the college of your choice.

(1) http://www.sampleadmissionessay.com/category/college-university-admissions/
(2)  http://www.sampleadmissionessay.com/category/college-university-admissions/
(3) http://collegeapps.about.com/od/essays/a/essay_tips.htm
(4) http://apps.carleton.edu/admissions/apply/essay_tips/
(5) http://businessmajors.about.com/od/applicationessays/Sample_Application_Essays.htm
(6) http://collegeapps.about.com/od/essays/a/EssayYouthBoard_3.htm

If you haven’t decided on a career path yet, you might want to consider going into the fields of humanities and social sciences. Programs specializing in these areas can prepare you for various kinds of jobs. This is because the humanities and social sciences provide education and training to students by covering a wide variety of subjects. Below are some of the most common careers in the humanities and social sciences.

* Lawyers – Getting a background in the field of social science or humanities can prepare you for a career in law. Because students taking up programs in humanities or social science learn much about human behavior, history, and psychology, they can become equipped with knowledge that are helpful for law.

* Teachers – If you aim to teach and guide others, you might want to take up a program in the humanities or social sciences to become a teacher. The skills you’ll learn and develop during your college years in a humanities or social science program are important for a career in teaching.

* Political scientists – If you wish to study political systems and public policies, then it’s advisable for you to consider a career as a political scientist. In becoming a political scientist, you will have to deal with various social and political issues. Taking up a program in humanities or social science can prepare you for this.

* Sociologists – Another profession that is well-suited for you if you want to take up humanities or social science programs, becoming a sociologist will require you to study social behavior, human behavior, and the organizations that help facilitate them. Other subjects that sociologists are concerned in are social psychology, politics, business, and education.

* Anthropologists – When you become an anthropologist, you will be tasked with studying cultural development and human behavior. You also have do research, analyze, and interpret human behavior as well as deal with areas such as the cultural, physical, and social development of humans. Basically, anthropologists make it their mission to understand people in various contexts, mainly social ones.

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Careers in the fields of science and engineering are often among the most prestigious in the world. This is mainly due to the many contributions that engineers and scientists have made over the years, which have done a big part in making our lives more comfortable and making it easier for us to accomplish various daily tasks. If you’re interested in engineering and science, then you might want to consider going into one of the five careers presented below.

Science

* Hydrology – Hydrologists are professionals studying various aspects of the water cycle to figure out how much water there is at a certain reservoir or body of water, how water is circulated throughout earth, and how water makes its way to oceans and the atmosphere. Recognized by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) as among the fastest growing careers in science, hydrology is something you might want to pursue.
* Environmental science – When you pursue a career in the field of environmental science, you will have to research, analyze, and find solutions for environmental problems affecting people and wildlife. This career is advisable for you if you aim for career growth.

Engineering

* Civil engineering – Civil engineers deal with designing sewage systems, roads, bridges, water supplies, and airports. They also take responsibility for overseeing the construction of these infrastructures.
* Mechanical engineering – When you become a mechanical engineer, you can enter various industries because this field is one of the broadest and largest engineering professions. Mechanical engineers deal with designing, maintaining, and manufacturing mechanical components and equipment.
* Electrical engineering – Electrical engineers are responsible for designing, manufacturing, and developing electrical equipment. They can also be tasked with installing, configuring, and maintaining electrical systems.

Whatever career path you choose to pursue, be it in the field of science or engineering, it’s important that you prepare for it well. You can plan and prepare by taking up programs, attending workshops, and engaging in various activities that help you hone your skills and give you experiences that will be valuable in the specific field you wish to enter.

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Choosing a career path is an important and often difficult decision to make. Perhaps you are being forced by your parents to choose a career that will provide you with a high salary. Or perhaps you don’t really know what kind of career you want to have. What you need to do is assess your interests and skills. It’s going to be your career after all, and you need to find one that suits you well and makes you happy.

Know your options

Find jobs and career paths that will enable you to utilize your skills. Make sure that a certain career interests you before you go into it. Make a list of things you love doing and subjects you’re good at. You can then look at this list and look for professions that require you to have these skills or jobs in which these skills will be an advantage.

Hone your skills

When you already have a clear idea of what kinds of jobs interest you, you should then try to gain some experience in that field. If you’re on your way to college, consider taking up programs, seminars, extracurricular activities, and workshops that are related to the jobs you want to pursue. If you’ve already graduated from college, you can attend lectures and join organizations. Not only will doing these help you enhance your skills, but these will also be a great addition to your resume.

Consider following these tips

* Talk to your professors, guidance counselor, or friends who know you well. Ask them about their opinions of you and what kind of career they think you would thrive in.
* Find information regarding the qualifications and requirements you’d need to be accepted into jobs you want and do something about these.
* Allow yourself to experiment and explore. In case you’ve already gotten a job in a particular field and then realize that it’s not right for you, you can find a different job in a related field or in a totally different industry. It just takes a little perseverance and research, and you’ll surely be on your way to finding career satisfaction.

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