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Member Since Jan 2016
Location: N/A
Posts: 60
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#1
For the past 3 weeks, I have been trying to finish my honors application. The main obstacles have the 2 entrance essays I have to complete. There are no deadlines but I have to finish soon. The prompt for the first essay was about gun violence. I finished the first one. The second essay is not as straightforward because the prompt is asking me to define academic success as a member of the program and in the university. I'm stuck on the 2nd one and I am going to the tutoring center to look for ideas. I just want to get this done soon because it is affecting my concentration in my classes.
I am taking a microeconomics class (I'm a communication major and minoring in marketing) and I am lost. I have a test next week and I feel really overwhelmed. I am frustrated because they ask for 2 essays. Then the GPA requirement for their program is 3.50 but I have a 3.67 GPA already. I should get in by GPA alone and not have to write these essays. I have been feeling lazy and tired because of all of this. The main reason why I want to join the honors program is because of the guaranteed scholarships $$$. I don't really care about doing "fulfilling" research or doing forced volunteering. I am just overwhelmed and stressed. |
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bpcyclist, MrsA, WastingAsparagus, winter4me, zapatoes
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Member
Member Since Apr 2019
Location: Nevada
Posts: 308
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#2
I remember how stressful school was and having to worry about tuituon and fees. The mind can blank out a bit when you're under that much pressure.
In application essays, they are always looking for you to name an achievement other than financial gain or good grades. Maybe something along the lines of describing academic success as developing specific skills that would benefit society or communities. It will probably help to mention personal growth and areas you want to improve on because that sounds both humble and aspirational. Good luck. You sound reslly stressed so maybe a little break will help you think better. |
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Sometimes psychotic
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Location: Portland
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#3
In my experience reading hundreds of these over the years as a faculty member, what we were usually looking for was something very personal. The applicant's personal story. Taking care of a sick relative. Climbing Mt. Everest. Riding a bicycle across Nepal. Volunteering at the puppy dog shelter. Anything personal to you that tells your true story and what matters to you, personally. And it has to be legit. Meaning, it has to be you. That's what we were looking for. It has nothing to do with grades.
__________________ When I was a kid, my parents moved a lot, but I always found them--Rodney Dangerfield |
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MrsA
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#4
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Legendary
Member Since Sep 2019
Location: Portland
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#5
I should have been more explicit. What I meant to communicate was that, once you are in the game, as you are with your 3.67, where I was (multiple big US medical schools), the grades were seldom if ever the deciding factor. People want a person in their program, not a GPA. Does that make sense?
__________________ When I was a kid, my parents moved a lot, but I always found them--Rodney Dangerfield |
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MrsA
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WastingAsparagus
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#6
Yeah, I'd echo what bpcyclist said.
GPA is a major factor, of course -- they want to know if you have the aptitude to do it -- that is, do you have what it takes? And it seems like you do. However, the essays are to get to know you as a person. You've already done all the hard work in getting a high GPA so congrats for that! The essays are just to get to know you -- so if I were you I wouldn't stress so much about them. You don't have to be Hemingway in your essays. Just describe something that is personal to you. Or maybe you do want to be Hemingway in your essays! Whatever you think is a good way of showing who you are! Anyway, if I were you, I would pat myself on the back for getting such high grades already, because that's a difficult thing to do and you've achieved that already. But just sit down and write something that's personal to you, and hopefully they'll accept you! Wishing you luck. |
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bpcyclist
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#7
@scarejoy Why not use your school's writing center? They have writing tutors who help students with these sorts of essays. They will talk through the essay question with you, help you brainstorm some ideas, then will help you create an outline that you can follow, by filling in the blanks with your own content. This will take the pressure off of you, so that you can focus on your microeconomics class. It's about balancing your school workload with help from resources available to you on campus.
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bpcyclist
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bpcyclist
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Member Since Oct 2009
Location: Florida
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#8
Had the same questions for my honors program.
There is no such thing as academic success because success implies you are finished. Education is constant, even beyond college. Education is more than academics because it exists outside of universities also. The "success" exists in the lesson of "how to think" not "what to think" and the love of learning, not the wealth of knowledge. If they want a success story relating to their college, then says the success only begins there, that's the starting point, and you are eager to begin the adventures which come not from knowledge itself, but in the endless pursuit of it. Colleges don't exist just to spit out successful people. You change the way a single student sees the world and that's worth more than 100 graduates who just "temporarily retained the information." Good luck! __________________ "I know you believe you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant." |
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