Overwhelming Odds: College Admission Essay Sample

When I joined my high school basketball team as a freshman, I had no idea the kinds of perseverance I would need to make it through even a couple weeks of practice. As the practices went by, I started to really listen to what the coach had to say, because it applied to our lives outside the basketball court. Every practice, he would line us up and tell us that men need three things to make it through a tough situation (he was referring to basketball, but I applied it to my own life): order, patience, and courage. Little did I know I would need all three to persevere through the toughest time in my life: my parents’ divorce.

Order is important in life, because it makes life organized and not just a jumbled-up mess. When my parents were in the process of divorce, I found out that they both wanted to have custody of me. Being only 16, I had no say in the matter, but when it came time for the judge to decide, he chose to give my mother three days of the week with me and my father four, and then the next week they would switch. Everyone seemed to like this surprising compromise. I think it is important to note that order kept from tearing my family apart more than it already was.

Patience is especially important, especially when dealing with someone’s divorce. With the time I spent with my mother and father, I found that they both were confused and troubled because of both of their financial situations. My mother was thinking about pawning her jewelry, and my father was thinking about selling his expensive TV. I told them not to rush, to slow down, and think about the situation at hand. It is in this way that we can clear our heads and have order in our lives.

More important than order or patience would be courage. I like to think back to our founding fathers, without whom we would have no USA. I found that I have enormous courage when I was able to talk my parents into at least meeting with each other to try and reconcile their differences, and if they wouldn’t do it for themselves, maybe they would do it for me. It was a hard thing to do, standing up to them to tell them that I needed them there, but as J.K. Rowling wrote in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, “It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to your enemies, but a great deal more to stand up to your friends.” I found that my courage was enough for them to reconcile their differences, and get back together.

Because of my ability to appreciate and sustain order, patience, and courage, I was able to persevere through my parents’ divorce and reconciliation. I expect that college will present some of the same obstacles for me, and I plan to use the same process to overcome my obstacles. The challenge may feel overwhelming at times, but I rest assured that I will find order, have patience, and be courageous throughout my college career.