College Admissions Essay

Information Technology High School
Ms. Hyde
English 6/ Period 7
February 23, 2008
Breeonna Reed

College Admission Essay:

Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.

I believe that it has been inscribed within my DNA to be a shy person. In my toddler years I didn’t want to sit on Santa’s lap at Christmas time, take professional photos with my sister, or talk to anyone who wasn’t apart of my immediate family. Childhood photos of me on my fourth birthday is clear evidence of how terribly shy I was. I could have been seen cuddled up in my dad’s arms crying, not even wanting to blow out the candles on my cake. This should have been a joyous celebration however, it was the total opposite. Being shy was never a big issue until I had to start school. My parents would always nurture and console me when I would cry probably hoping that I would wean myself once I started to interact with other children.

Throughout elementary and middle school I noticed there was something different about myself from all the other children. I was anti-social. I constantly wondered how I could shed this awkward behavior. The answer never came to me until I reached high school. My elementary and middle school was overly populated with kids who weren’t fully committed to their school work. I wasn’t apart of that crowd so I would often keep to myself. Once I got to high school I found people just like myself; goal oriented. I became more comfortable with opening up to people so they could get to know me and I could get to know them.

During my sophomore year I was inducted into the National Honor Society. When the talk of community service sprung up in a discussion I began to recollect on my shy habits because I hadn’t fully withdrew from it. For community service we had to tutor students at P.S. 31 who were going to take the state math and English test. I had mixed feelings about the opportunity but knew I would disappoint the kids and myself if I didn’t cope with my fears. I think I was more worried about the kids accepting me and wanting me to help them. Up until the moment I walked into the fifth grade classroom my heart was pounding and racing. The hour and thirty minutes I spent with them was blithe. This was my personal challenge and I’m pretty sure I rose to the occasion. I gave the students all of myself without any thought or regret.

The students at P.S.31 may not have realized but they helped me become more self-assured. I was able to communicate with them as if they were my little brother or sister. I’ve realized that my shyness was actually insecurity. I always wanted to be different; however I didn’t want the backlash that came along with it so I would slip into the background. Tutoring at P.S.31 truly impacted me because it allowed me to come to terms with the real problem that I finally solved.