Motivation: College Admission Essay Sample

Every child is asked the inevitable question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” My response as far back as I can remember had always been, “Well, I want to be a lawyer”. I always received some strange looks from adults for my unusually mature answer, but I was always fascinated by the law. I looked up to my uncle, a lawyer practicing in Boston, whom I constantly barraged with questions about his latest case. I even became the resident lawyer of the 6th grade. At recess I would settle disputes between my arguing peers. Ever the professional, I carried around my purple unicorn-adorned binder full of signed contracts between the conflicting parties. Play time with friends often revolved around my mock court cases, and I loved every minute of it.

Always a quiet child, I became even more introverted during my teenage years. The more my family and other adults labeled me as shy, the more anxious I became over public speaking. I was always a bright student, but gaining the courage to raise my hand in the classroom was a daunting task. I began questioning my early career goal. How could someone who suffers from such bashfulness ever become a lawyer? After this realization, I immediately began exploring other options, none of which excited me as much as the law. I continued to be timid through most of high school until my senior year. Through my participation in various extracurricular activities, I was given the responsibility of making speeches in front of large audiences. Although nervous, I survived the experiences with more confidence than I had expected. Was I really that shy after all?

Little did I know, attending college was the next step in overcoming the shyness that worried me for so long. I remained relatively quiet during my freshman year, but noticed that I was no longer as hesitant to speak up in class as I had once been. I began college as a psychology major, and although I enjoyed the subject, the thought of becoming a lawyer still permeated my thoughts. I hoped that taking the Mechanics of the Courtroom course would provide me with some insight. The course was by far the most challenging I had ever encountered. Students were required to participate in mock trials overseen by our intimidating professor using the techniques and rules of the courtroom. The mere thought of standing in front of my entire class pretending to be a lawyer with the basic skills I read out of a book made me sweat. The first day of my assigned trial arrived. I had spent the last two days rehearsing my opening statement over and over again, yet my hands were still shaking when I walked into class. As I began to speak, my nervousness faded and the quiver in my voice I was so accustomed to was absent. For the first time in years, I felt completely comfortable speaking in front of my peers. During the next few weeks of my trial, my self-assurance grew and I realized that I was enjoying my brief stint as a lawyer just as I had during recess in the 6th grade.

I came to the realization that the only thing really holding me back was the label placed on me by others and the false fear this label instilled in me. Since the courtroom course, I was motivated to overcome my shyness; something that I can say I have accomplished during my four years of college through my rigorous coursework and extracurricular activities. I find it to be of the utmost importance to challenge myself in every aspect of life, as I did to conquer my timidity. I feel as though law school will provide me with the opportunity for the further personal and educational growth I desire. My motivation, perseverance, and willingness to take on a challenge lead me to believe that I would make an excellent addition to this law school.