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College Admission Essay: Gets the Point Across Clearly Essay Example

by Geraldine Woods
Source: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Topics: College Admissions Tests and Essays, Writing the College Essay

To write a good college admission essay and to leave a good impression of it, it is important to "get your point across".  Below is an essay example that gets the point across clearly.

When I first decided to attend my high school in tenth grade, I thought I had made the perfect choice. This school would offer me one of the best academic experiences possible, and by taking advantage of the sports and other extracurricular experiences, I would become a well-rounded student. I was aware that entering as a new student, I would have to make new friends, get accustomed to different workloads, and get a general feel for the school. However, the one thing I didn’t foresee were the problems that come with having a two-hour commute to and from school.

When I first considered my commute to school, I thought that two hours merely seemed a long period of time and that it wouldn’t be of any consequence. However, after serious contemplation, I realized that over the course of a week I would spend a total of 24 hours traveling to and from school. Needless to say, I began to feel a bit apprehensive about my daily commute. After my first two weeks of traveling to school, I was exhausted. I was going to sleep after midnight due to homework and would then have to wake up at 5:30 to get to school on time. I would get on the train, where I could neither find a place to sit and rest nor anywhere quiet enough to do my work. Because I had to transfer four times, I was constantly stopping whatever I was doing to change trains. I no longer thought that it would be feasible to play a sport or to be involved in any other after-school activities. Though at first my situation seemed hopeless, over time things began to improve.

As the months went by, I learned that my cursed commute was actually a blessing in disguise. Once I had learned to tune out the noise and chatter around me, I found myself with a four-hour block of time every day. I had always liked to read for enjoyment, and soon discovered that by using my train time for reading, it was quite possible for me to finished an entire book within a day or two. I was able to borrow four library books on Monday and return them all by Friday. I quickly realized that not only could I read for pleasure, but I could also finish my reading homework. I learned how to study on the train, which proved an invaluable skill. Instead of staying up until midnight studying, I could go to bed at ten and finished studying on the train the next morning, refreshed and rested. After I figured out how to write neatly on the train, I could do all my assignments on the train except those that had to be typed. When I learned how to sleep on the train either sitting down or standing up, my routine became complete. I was now able to function fully on the train, able to study, read, sleep, or complete homework.

Since I entered my high school, I have learned how to do more than just deal with my train ride. I have learned how to use my time to my advantage. By using my train ride effectively, I am able to take on more work and participate in more activities than I would have if I had lived a half hour away. Given the chance, I wouldn’t change anything.

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