Sample esei

I am currently enrolled in my third semester as a full time graduate student in the Master of Science
Degree in Counseling. Upon successful completion of this program, I will earn an M.S. in School
Counseling with the California Pupil Personnel Services credential, allowing me to practice as a school
psychologist in California.

My goal to pursue a career in the field of education has been a part of my plans since my early teen
years. From my first summer job to my current position, the majority of my work and volunteer
experience has involved counseling and children. To know that I can make a positive impact on a child’s
life is rewarding for me.

I was enticed to choose school psychology as my career by its varied and challenging nature within an
educational setting. The responsibilities of the profession involve, but are not limited to, counseling,
testing and assessment, behavioral intervention, and classroom observation. A school psychologist
never knows exactly what the day will include, much like my current position as a counseling assistant at
Castle Park Middle School in Chula Vista. From this experience I know that spontaneity and high energy
are vital for my growth and satisfaction within my career.

As an undergraduate I dedicated my best efforts toward my education and as a result, I graduated with
high honors from the University of California, Santa Barbara earning a B.A. in Communications. I soon
attained full-time employment with the San Diego Center for Children, where I continue to volunteer on
various weekends and holidays. This facility is a residential treatment program for children with severe
emotional disturbances resulting from abuse, neglect, homelessness, or abandonment. My main
responsibilities are to aid children in learning and carrying out daily living skills, counsel them in their
relations with peers and adults, serve as a responsible role model, and to work closely with other
members of the treatment team, such as therapists and social workers implementing the Center’s
programs. All of this has proven to be an invaluable learning experience.

Complementing this experience is my current position as a counseling assistant. My responsibility is to

provide various psychological and educational services to students who need additional assistance to
succeed in school and in the community. My day is usually filled with activities such as group, individual
and crisis counseling, conflict resolution, behavioral observation, and assessments. I also assist in
training and coordinating 25 students to become peer counselors. I feel very fortunate to be involved in
Castle Park’s counseling program. I am proud of my work there and feel it is excellent preparation for
my future role as a school psychologist.

Volunteer work has also been an activity that I like to include in my life. As I previously mentioned, I
currently volunteer at the San Diego Center for Children. During my senior year of college I served as a
volunteer, mentoring gifted children through my university’s honors program. Helping a child realize his
or her own potential gives me a strong sense of accomplishment. Both of these experiences have been
emotionally rewarding.
I hope that by sharing my activities and goals, I have been able to give you a glimpse into the person I
am and what I hope to achieve. I have included what I have felt to be the most significant influences on
my career choice. I expect graduate school to continue to be a journey which I embark upon with great
enthusiasm.

http://go.sdsu.edu/student_affairs/financialaid/sampleessay2.aspx

sample 2.

While adult students must overcome a vast array of hurdles in pursuing higher education, three of the
most significant are cost, access and balancing their many commitments.

Choosing to return to school can be a life-changing decision, whether it’s been one year since you
graduated or a decade since you sat in a classroom.

There are significant challenges posed to adults who decide to pursue education. The good news is these
challenges are being recognized by many educational institutions, and non-traditional educational
opportunities are becoming widely available. School and institutions are realizing the increasing
importance of making learning accessible to everyone and are, consequently, offering more flexible
options for students. Many institutions offer evening and weekend classes, as well as online or distance
education options. Bursaries and grants can assist with the costs of tuition and books. As more adults
return to school, more services and resources become available to assist with this challenging but
worthwhile endeavor.

Ultimately, adult learners face a very unique set of challenges when deciding to enter or re-enter the
educational sphere. Three of the biggest challenges facing adult learners are balancing school and life,
accessibility and costs:

1. School and Life Responsibilities – The Balancing Act

As any postsecondary student can attest, school is a huge time commitment. There is time spent in
class, time spent preparing for class and then the time needed for essays, assignments and other
homework. Above and beyond school commitments, adults who are returning to school face additional
demands on their time.

Many adult learners are pursuing their education while still working full time. Many also have families
and family obligations. This means less time available for school-related activities. These additional
responsibilities can lead to stress and frustration for adult learners.

2. Accessibility

A second challenge facing adult students is accessibility to classes. Sometimes getting to class is the
biggest challenge! As previously mentioned, many adult learners have extensive time commitments.
Whether it’s a full-time job or a growing family, other responsibilities make it difficult to attend classes
during regular school hours. This can lead to difficulty succeeding at school, or even reluctance to return
to school at all.

3. Cost

The cost of education can be challenging for anyone. Tuition costs, books, supplies — it all adds up.
Throw daycare costs or mortgage payments into the mix and the cost of pursuing an education as an
adult learner can become prohibitive.

Adult learners often do not qualify for student loans, which makes paying for an education difficult. On
top of the costs of education itself, there is the potential lost income from unemployment, as many
adults return to school following a job loss

Sample 3 (Essay on Challenges of First Year College Students)

Posted on June 25, 2012

First year college students have to deal with the wide range of challenges. The successful integration
into college life depends on the ability of the student to make transition into the new role of a college
student. There are several inside and outside issues determining the successful college experience such
as: student’s commitment, experience at college, academic performance, social network, peer groups,
and communities outside the college. For many students, the first year at college is an important step in
their life passages. Nevertheless, despite of the expected challenges, it is hardly possible to avoid social
and academic integration challenges, department from families and control of parents, and opportunity
to have fun while forgetting about the importance of studying.

The first challenge freshmen students face is having too much fun and no time for studying. In other
words, they lack time management skills. Staying away from the home for the first time, students take
advantage of every opportunity they have to enjoy their newly gained freedom. As the result, they end
up with poor grades, missed deadlines, and inadequate test outcomes. The need to study is realized only
when the finals are approaching and the student realizes that no material has been learnt. In order to
overcome this challenge, college students need to develop proper schedules and allow sufficient time
for studying.

The second challenge is cultural and social integration. While high school seniors enjoyed popularity in
their schools, they may find it difficult to join the social groups at college as they are newcomers and
their achievements may not be impressive for the college community. Inability to fit the culture, for
example, may result in the social exclusion and contribute to stress, depression, and lack of interesting
in studying and communication with peers. Instead of walking up to other students and introducing
themselves, some students prefer staying in their rooms or going to the library. Lack of friendship and
peer support make the student feeling overwhelmed, isolated and lonely. At this point, the decision to
return home is rather common. In order to overcome this challenge, first year students should not be
shy to talk to other students, to introduce themselves, and strive to participate in diverse college
community projects. In other words, first year students should be visible to others.

The third but not the least important challenge is academic workload. Many students are not prepared
for the academic workload at college and they do not keep up with all assignments and homework. They
have to read and write a lot and are expected to have deep understanding of the course materials.
Students are no longer treated as irresponsible children; they are treated as adults with responsibilities.
In addition, academic challenge requires being self-reliant in time management. Some students may end
up cheating (coping homework from online resources) with the hope of not being caught. The
consequences of such a choice are immediate and the trust to student is lost. In order to deal with this
challenge effectively, students should ask professors and tutors for help and clarification. Most college
professors are rather friendly and willing to help a student.

In conclusion, first year college students may find it difficult to make successful transition into college
life. Yesterday’s high school students are today’s freshmen who have to deal with newly gained
freedom, plan their time carefully, make new friends, fit the new social groups, and handle academic
workload.

Sample 4-First -> Year Challenges

COLLEGE PARENTS CAN HELP FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS OVERCOME CHALLENGES

As your college student heads off for the first year, you know that there will be challenges ahead - both
for him and for you. This is a year of transition for everyone. The challenges facing your student will exist
in many areas, and you may feel that you will be unable to help him face his challenges if you are not
there with him. It is true that your student must do the work of college, but you will provide an
important and necessary support system for him as he copes with his new life.

Some students will find reasonable challenges in many areas of their new life, and some students will
find smooth sailing in several areas and massive challenges in other areas. In this post, we'll consider
nine major areas in which many college students encounter challenges during their first semester
transition to college. Parents can consider how they can best help their student gain mastery and
independence in these areas:

Academic Challenges

Social Challenges

Challenges of Responsibility

Challenges of Independence

Physical Challenges

Time Management
Life Skills

Financial ChallengesThe Challenge of Balance

As college parents, it is easy to feel overwhelmed as we consider the challenges that our students will be
facing during their first year of transition. It is important that we arm our students with skills and a
positive attitude so that they will be able to overcome challenges as they anticipate them and make
some thoughtful decisions. The path may not be easy; there will be rocky times throughout the first
year, but we can be especially proud of our students as they move forward to face these challenges.

ACADEMIC CHALLENGES

Academic challenges are anticipated by many, but not all, entering college students. Most students
understand that college will be different - and harder - than high school, but many do not realize exactly
what those differences will be. College is significantly different from high school. Help your student look
at his course syllabi, talk to his teachers, and look carefully at the types of assignments and amount of
coursework required. Some of the students who have the most academic difficulty are those students
who are taken off guard by the academic differences.

SOCIAL CHALLENGES

Your college student enters a new social world as he enters college. He begins his college career with a
clean slate and will need to recreate his social world. He will need to make new friends, negotiate life
with a roommate, and once again be at the bottom of the school hierarchy as a first-year student. Your
student will likely feel social pressure to make friends, join groups (official or unofficial), find forms of
entertainment, and make decisions about alcohol, drugs, sex, and other social activities. Helping your
student anticipate the changes and decisions he will face will help him think carefully about what is
important to him.

CHALLENGES OF RESPONSIBILITY

Your college student will be held accountable for herself and her actions in college. She is more likely to
be expected to be responsible than she may have been in high school. Students are responsible for their
choices and their actions. They are responsible for making decisions about studying, eating, socializing,
finances, health, and managing their time. It may be a new experience for your student to be held
accountable and not be able to turn to parents to fend for her. You will still be an important source of
support and advice to your student, but she will need to assume ultimate responsibility for herself and
her actions.

CHALLENGES OF INDEPENDENCE

As your freshman enters college, he takes important steps in independence. He may be living a long
distance from home. He may have difficulty adjusting to the many changes of being away. He will make
decisions that you, as parents, will not know about. He will need to manage his money, his health, his
day to day existence. For many students, who come from close families, this is a major transition. The
more that you can do, as parents, to encourage his independence, the sooner your student will become
comfortable with his independent status.

PHYSICAL CHALLENGES

College students face several physical challenges because their lifestyle changes so dramatically. Your
student may face the dreaded "freshman 15" - the weight gain that so many new college students face
from college dining and increased snacking and junk food. Many students who were athletes in high
school are no longer playing sports and so are not getting exercise. Students are notorious for their lack
of sleep. Students who become ill at school must take care of themselves and/or visit Health Services for
care.

Students face decisions about alcohol and drugs. Once again, helping your student anticipate the
physical changes he may encounter will help. Encourage him to think about what he eats, to know how
to contact health services, to continue to get exercise and try to get sleep. Physical challenges are
inevitable, but prepared students are better able to confront them.

TIME MANAGEMENT

One of the biggest keys to success in college is time management. College students spend much less
time in class and are expected to do much more coursework outside of the classroom. Coursework is
often given in larger chunks rather than smaller daily assignments. Students spend less time in
structured activities than they did in high school. Many students have on campus or off campus jobs.
Help your student think about how she will keep track of her obligations and assignments, how to break
large assignments into meaningful pieces, how to say "no" to activities when she needs to study or
sleep. Help her find a good planner or calendar and use it to keep track of assignments, deadlines, and
appointments.

LIFE SKILLS

Many students who head off to college have not had to cope with general life skills prior to their first
year away. Help your student understand how to use a credit card responsibly, how to do laundry, how
to balance a checkbook, how to budget and shop for food. Buy him a good alarm clock. Let him practice
cooking and doing his own laundry before he leaves home.

FINANCIAL CHALLENGES

Attending college requires an important financial investment - we all know that. Tuition and Room and
Board comprise the bulk of the costs, but there are also costs associated with daily college life. In
addition to costs each semester for textbooks, students also wish to furnish dorm rooms, snack, eat out,
go to movies, shows, concerts, participate in on-campus activities, etc. Help your student think about
how he - and you - will handle money. Will you send money? If so, how often? Will your student be
responsible for his expenses? Help him learn how to budget. What will happen if he overdraws his bank
account or can't pay his credit card? Talk to your student about a plan, and try to make his financial
independence a goal toward which you are both working.
THE CHALLENGE OF BALANCE

Perhaps by adding up all of the other challenges which entering students face, we realize that success
during the first year (or any other year) of college relies on achieving a sense of balance. Help your
student realize that he will constantly be juggling. He will need to be flexible. He will need to be aware.
He must balance his academics with his social life, his need for sleep with his need for study and/or fun,
his desires and his budget, his desire for independence with his need for the security of home, his
freedom and his responsibility.

Sample 5 http://jhsap.org/self_help_resources/school-life_balance/

Sample 6