My Future Wasn't Built in a Day by Treyton

My Future Wasn't Built in a Day by Treyton - December 2016 Scholarship Essay

My mother is a teacher and my father is a retired government employee. Their hard work and life-long dedication to service taught me that by focusing on my education and applying myself fully, I could open doors to opportunities and experiences that may otherwise remain closed. My quest for knowledge has led me to many great accomplishments, but what I am most proud of, academically, is my tenacity and determination to take a full load of AP courses my junior year, and to achieve my goal to finish the year with a weighted GPA above 4.2.

Many of my peers advised against such a rigorous course load, and attempted to persuade me to join them in a leisurely endeavor of one or two AP classes, but I felt confident in my decision and enrolled in six. Even my parents were concerned about the rigor and whether I would be able to manage it, given that I also played soccer, was a member of several school clubs and worked as a soccer referee. I persevered, I set my sights on an ambitious goal, and I willingly sacrificed many of my nights and weekends to schoolwork. It was the first time in my life that it truly felt like a self-motivated decision and not one that my parents or teachers or friends were orchestrating or even encouraging. I was in charge of my own destiny, and I wasn't about to let myself down.

I am most proud of this academic accomplishment because I faced critics and skeptics and could have chosen an easier path, but I made the choice, endured the challenges and hard work, and finished my junior year with a weighted GPA of 4.31. This journey taught me that I am capable of great things if I am willing to put in the effort. My future is up to me, and now that I know what I'm capable of, look out world!