From Average to Exeptional: College Admission Essay Sample

And there I was: sitting in front of a school computer on a cheap plastic chair, my hands resting on a desk stained to look like wood. It was early in the morning and in the middle of my second semester of my freshman year of high school. Little did I know that my academic habits, and subsequently my overall life, would change in the fraction of a second. All I did was look at my neighbor’s computer screen – and what I saw was nothing but his outstanding grades. Yes, you heard me correctly: his grades we’re so good that I started to compare my academic habits to his.

I was an average student, statistically speaking. All my grades were C’s, and I rarely had a B. Compared my neighbor’s grades, I thought, mine were those of a delinquent. He had nearly a 98 percent in all of his classes. And then I started to think, if he could be that successful in his grades, why couldn't I? I was not a dumb kid, I just didn't care. I was so obsessed with my dream of becoming a musician to a point where I thought education wouldn’t matter. This was my wake up call.

After this moment, I made a commitment to get A’s in every class I ever take. It is safe to say I fulfilled that commitment. I started taking honors and AP classes and by the time I was halfway through my sophomore year, my life had unexpectedly changed. I had cut my long, scraggly hair to a shorter, more approachable style. I had improved my social life twofold. I had gotten rid of the insecurities that were holding me back from achieving my full potential. I even had acquired a great desire to be successful in life, regardless of what I would do.

I still don’t even know his name, but that person sitting next to me changed my academic ways, and as a result my life changed. He probably doesn't even remember checking his grades that day, and he would probably be extremely surprised that a little thing that he did out of habit changed one’s life so much.

I had found out that by being more involved in academics, I start becoming smarter in everything, including my own life. I had undergone a complete transformation. I unleashed my full potential to the world. I had realized that school is not merely a place to learn about other things, but a place to learn about oneself. One thing that did not change was my dream of becoming a musician. I still want to do that, but now I know that I need a backup, just in case.

And here I am.