sample admission essay

This college admissions essay outline and sample paragraph is based on information sent by a reader of  our blog network.

Essay outline:

I.  Introduction

A.  Encountered challenges as a high school student
i.  My transition to middle school and high school wasn’t very smooth, which explains the not-so impressive grades I had early on.
ii.  I had difficulty with time management as a three-sport athlete and full-time high school student.

B.  Doing better in school
i.  In my sophomore year, things have gotten well as I’ve learned to overcome early challenges.
ii.  I’ve strived to do better in school and as an athlete.

C.  Reasons for applying to ____________________
i.  opportunity to learn at a higher level, attain a degree, and secure a good job
ii.  opportunity to grow as a person, socially and intellectually
iii.  having a great experience as a college student at _________________

II.  Going to ____________________

A.  Reasons for choosing a particular course/degree in __________________
B.  How to succeed in Western and stay on top
C.  Goals in life and important values I treasure

III.  Conclusion

A.  Why I make a good fit for ____________________
B.  My traits as an athlete and personal experiences that will help me succeed
C.  How college education at Western will help me secure a better future in my chosen field

First Paragraph:

Transition from middle school to high school wasn’t very smooth for me.  I also had difficulty managing time for after-school activities as a three-sport athlete.  But over time, I’ve learned how to set priorities and make time for school and other activities.  I was able to perform better at school since my sophomore year and have grown a lot as an athlete.  Using these hurdles as a stepping stone, I am ready to embark on a journey and discover my potentials on an entirely new environment away from home.  I believe that ____________________ can give me the best opportunity to be a more well-rounded individual and not just a talented athlete.  Leaving high school made me realize that there’s so much more in life that I have to explore.  I want to secure a bright future through college education and use the values I’ve developed as an athlete such as discipline and leadership to succeed.

This sample essay excerpt and outline is based on information sent in by a reader of our academic blog network.

Essay outline:

I. The importance of knowing your history

A. “A person or nation that does not know its own history has no future.” -Unknown
B. My history is an important influence on my decisions in life. Because of my past experiences, I’ve become a stronger and more determined person, especially when helping others.
C. I grew up in a troubled family. I had several homes and had an abusive stepmom.

II. Volunteer and work experience

A. My experience in ___________ in ____________ – I volunteered at this nursing home and I did learn a lot of things. During the summer of 2008, I learned what it truly means to be patient and understanding by interacting with a lot of nursing home residents.
B. My current job at ______________ in ______________ – I was actually complimented by one customer regarding my amazing kindness and patience toward an elderly who seemed to be confused and kept on attracting attention. This led to me earning the employee of the month award.

III. Why teaching is the perfect profession for me

A. History is very important to me and I want to help others by teaching them how to appreciate history.
B. I have a knack for giving advice to younger people.
C. I want to be a good role model among students.

IV. Why ____________ is the perfect school for me

A. _____________ can help me become a better person and teacher.
B. This school has the perfect environment that can motivate me more to achieve my goals.
C. _____________ has several options for aspiring History teachers like me.

First Paragraph of custom essay based on outline:

History is a very important aspect of the human society. Without knowing our history, we won’t be able to learn from our mistakes and move forward. This is probably the reason why an unknown individual has stated this quote: “A person or nation that does not know its own history has no future.” It’s true that in order to move forward, we have to let go of the past. But I’ve realized that history has a special purpose — to help you figure out what to do in the future. My own history is a big influence on the decisions I’ve made over the past years. I have lived in several places including ______and ________. I’ve also experienced an abusive relationship with my stepmom in ________. However, instead of dwelling on these difficult experiences, I’ve learned how to cope; these experiences raised an awareness in me that most people my age would not understand. These experiences and realizations are my guiding principles in wanting to become a history teacher. I want to teach people how to appreciate history and learn from past mistakes as I did with my own troubled history.

The nursing school application essay outline and sample essay below was organized using information a site visitor sent us.  Want a FREE sample essay and outline?   Check out our free sample essay writing program and send us your information today.

I.  Background in nursing

a.  Excelling as a registered nurse
b.  Experience in ICU
c.  Change in perspective

II.  Practical experience and the change

a.  Caring for patients with ventricular assist devices, ventilators, CVVH, etc.
b.  Significance of compassion and helping
c.  “You never know how strong you are…”

III.  Pursuing a master’s degree in Nurse Anesthesia

a.  Wholistic nurse
b.  Continued growth and development as a nurse/human being
c.  Sharing with others through education/interaction
d.  Teaching experience and being part of Confusion and Delirium committee
e.  Wanting more

IV.   Aspirations for the future

a.  Practicing nursing anesthesia
b.  Becoming a teacher
c.  Preparing the minds of the future
d.  Symbol of the circle

When I first entered the field of nursing, my main ambition was to excel in my practice as a registered nurse.  After completing my studies, I trained and worked as a registered nurse in the intensive care unit, taking care of patients and aiding doctors in the surgical intensive care unit, obstetrical suites, and the medical intensive care unit.  As I continued my nursing career, my perspective, goals, and outlook began to change.  Instead of simply wanting to be a great nurse, my direction and focus took a shift toward taking my profession to new heights.

When I was tasked to care after patients with ventricular assist devices, ventilators, CVVH, and Rotoprone beds because of multiple organ failure, my eyes and my heart were opened to new and profound revelations about my profession and my aspirations.  In order to work effectively and efficiently, nurses, doctors, and other medical staff need to have a compassionate heart toward their patients and toward life in general.  The stresses and challenges that have come my way throughout the years would easily have overwhelmed me if not for the care and empathy that I feel toward the patients and people that I deal with.  Having been fortunate enough to be exposed to the struggles and triumphs of the patients I deal with has given new meaning to one of my favorite quotes: “You never know how strong you are… until being strong is the only option.”  I now feel a deeper and more profound respect and responsibility toward the people around me, especially toward the patients for whom I do everything I can to play a part in saving their lives.  Now, I feel my own calling to show strength, fortitude, determination, and dedication toward my goal, that I can aid more patients on their journey to a healthy recovery.

My main reason for pursuing a master’s degree in Nurse Anesthesia is to fulfill my aspiration to become a holistic nurse who can provide services as a patient’s advocate, social worker, educator, practitioner, and comforter.  By earning a master’s degree in Nurse Anesthesia, I am hoping to encounter new and even more challenging experience that will help on my continued growth and development, not only as a practitioner, but also as a human being.  Not only will I play a critical role in life-saving procedures, but I will also have the opportunity to share my experience with others through educating patients and other colleagues in the field of nursing.  Following this path, I taught classes on hemodynamic monitoring while using the pulmonary artery catheter.  I also became a part of the Confusion and Delirium committee, which analyzes the amount of sedatives being used for every ventilated patient to evaluate if we are unnecessarily over-sedating patient’s due to delirium caused by other metabolic issues.  When I was given a performance award for providing education to other staff members, I felt extremely satisfied and fulfilled, although I had a hunger for more.

Providing education and being a part of such committees has allowed me to experience healthcare in a more holistic manner, and now I want to take that a step further by earning a master’s degree in Nursing Anesthesia.  As I pursue my studies and profession in nursing anesthesia, I hope to open the doors to new opportunities to help others.  By earning my nursing anesthesia education from this institution, I know that I will have the best chances of fulfilling my passion to help others and seeing the fruits of my labor.   Furthermore, I intend to spend the latter portion of my career as an educator, and earning a master’s degree will be essential for me to reach this goal.

Just the thought of being able to offer something as small as a few hours of my time to change or even save the life of another person is what motivates and drives me to succeed at bringing my career full circle, as a holistic nurse who will continue the tradition of education in the field of nursing, preparing those who will be the nursing and medical leaders of the future.

If you’re an aspiring lawyer or doctor, then you need to prepare yourself for going into medical school or law school. There are many schools offering pre-med and pre-law programs, but there are those that do not. If you find yourself wondering about what major to take up so that you’ll be prepared for graduate studies in either medicine or law, below are some suggestions on which majors you should take up.

What to major in when planning to go to medical school

Going to medical school will have you taking up many science classes. Some of the best majors that can help you have a smooth transition to medical school are those that include subjects such as biology, chemistry, physics, and psychology. This is because the training, experience, and education you will gain in these majors will be useful in medical school. You can also choose to major in the social sciences or humanities if you plan to go to medical school.

What to major in when planning to go to law school

There are a wide variety of majors suitable for students who want to go to law school. Common majors taken up by aspiring lawyers include political science, philosophy, criminology, and psychology. What makes these majors good preparation for law school is that these focus on research and analysis, human behavior, and logical thought.

The choice is yours

Many majors include courses that are related to law or medicine, but remember that it’s still your choice. Keep in mind that your college education is not only about academics, it’s also important that you make something of it. Perhaps it would be better for you to take a course that fits your skills, interests, and experience. Doing so will add to your knowledge and hone your talents, as well as give you training in that field. Although the major you pursue may not be ideal for law school or medical school, most graduate schools still accept applicants that come from different academic backgrounds. It would be good for you to talk to your guidance counselor to discuss your career options.

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When you go to college, you will be required to submit academic papers about various topics. It’s not only your writing skills that are important when doing these papers. You should also know how to research effectively as well. Whether you’re crafting an essay, a thesis proposal, or a dissertation, you will most likely have to make use of your research skills to find information and make sure that your paper is full of useful content. Below are some tips on how you can sharpen your research skills.

Get all the information you need about your assignment

Before you begin researching for material that you can use for your paper, you first need to have a good understanding of what you need to do. Take note of the following factors before you start doing your paper:
* objective of the assignment
* topic you’re required to discuss in the paper
* deadline for submission
* kinds of sources allowed
* minimum word count or page count for the paper
* type of citation needed
Once you already know what’s expected of you and what you need to do on your paper, then you can start researching.

Do some planning

Now that you know what to do and when you have to finish it, you should then schedule your time and plan your research methods. Make sure that you give yourself enough time for getting information for your paper, writing it, and editing it before the submission date. You can then begin your research by looking for books or newspapers in the library, checking the Internet for credible sources, or finding some information from books you already own. You may find yourself overwhelmed with the sheer volume of information you find, so make an outline of what you need to write and focus on the objective of your paper.

Implement some effective research strategies

* If the topic is too broad, narrow it down. It’s easier to do research on a narrow topic. In case you’re apprehensive about narrowing down a topic, you can create a list of research topics and ask your professor if doing your paper on one of these topics will be alright.
* Start your research by getting background information about the topic.
* In case your teacher gives you a list of references, make sure to get information from some of them.
* Use the Internet for finding articles and books that will help you with your paper. Just make sure that your teacher doesn’t object to the use of online sources.

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If you’re not familiar with plagiarism, then you should know that this is an offense that can lead to expulsion from college. Plagiarism happens when a person claims another person’s words and ideas as his or her own. Keep in mind that you must avoid plagiarism. Not only is plagiarism an offense, it is also academic dishonesty and theft all in one. Below are some suggestions on how you can avoid committing plagiarism.

Make sure to know what you’re up against

To avoid plagiarism, you need to have a clear idea on what plagiarism is and why people do it. But you also have to understand that there are two kinds of plagiarism: unintentional and intentional. Intentional plagiarism is an unpardonable offense for many academicians. Unintentional plagiarism, on the other hand, happens when citations aren’t done correctly. You can avoid unintentional plagiarism by doing some research on how to do citations.

Learn more about the rules

There are many different types and forms of citation. Your professor will most likely specify a specific type when asking you to write a paper. In case the professor doesn’t specify what form of citation to use, cite your sources properly anyway. This is better than just turning in a paper without giving credit where credit is due. Do some research on how to put citations, where they are need, where you should put them, and how to format your paper with citations correctly.

Understand why it’s important to follow the rules

It’s difficult to follow rules if you don’t understand why these rules were made in the first place. Rules against plagiarism are there for various reasons. One is because these rules are intended to protect the author’s right to be credited for his or her ideas or words. Another reason why these rules are implemented is so that students will be encouraged to think for themselves and formulate their own ideas and words. It will be good for you to challenge yourself and explore your own mind to think up new ideas and present them in your own way. By doing so, you will be avoiding plagiarism. But more than that, you will be imparting new knowledge to readers and expanding your own intellectual horizons in the process.

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