Aidan Anderson

College English

College Application Essay

11 September 2020

My journey on becoming an orthodontist

Andrew Carnegie once said, “If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your

thoughts, liberates your energy, and inspires your hopes” (Sweatt). Carnegie was one of the

biggest philanthropists and steel producers in the United States in the nineteenth century

(“Andrew Carnegie”). He worked hard for his money by setting and accomplishing his goals.

Though my goals don’t involve steel production, they do involve philanthropy. However, I can’t

reach my goal of becoming a philanthropist without attending college, which I want to attend to

become an orthodontist. When I first went to the orthodontist, I wasn’t big on the idea of

someone having their hands in my mouth. I thought it would be painful and full of fear but the

more I went, the more fear subsided and eventually I began thinking, “Wow, this is pretty cool!”

It inspired me to want to learn more about what dentists do. Becoming a dentist, going to my

dream college, and working on myself has always been my goal.

Dentistry has impacted my life drastically. I had braces put on when I was 11. At first, I

hated going to the appointments and getting my teeth worked on, but then I started to fall in love

with the process. I noticed my teeth were starting to get straight and I started to feel confident

about my smile. A few appointments went by and my orthodontist, Dr. Cavanah was explaining

what he was doing whenI started to understand the process. Not only did I begin to understand it,

but it also began to fascinate me. He eventually asked me if I wanted to job shadow him. Of
course, I said yes. When I first arrived, I was very eager. He showed me what each machine does

and taught me how to talk to patients. He also let me help in the back room while he was making

molds and retainers. After shadowing Dr. Cavanah, I knew that dentistry was indeed the career

for me.

Dr. Cavanah inspired me to start taking college classes in high school to help me towards

achieving my goal. I applied to be in many college classes, such as College Anatomy, Algebra,

Psychology, College Comp and Research, and Chemistry. These classes will help me get a head

start in college and help me succeed in what I want. In addition, once Dr. Cavanah knew I was

serious about orthodontics, he told me about UMKC and how amazing its dentistry program is. I

did research on UMKC and grew a strong connection to it. I went to many basketball games and

even toured the campus. That was when I knew I belonged there. I want to be a UMKC Roo.

Another big part of my life is being happy. I had few friends growing up. I would always

be seen with the same three or four friends I’ve had since third grade. I have had a tough high

school career dealing with depression, anxiety, and an eating disorder, but I never let any of that

stop me from being myself and going after the things that I want. In my sophomore year of high

school, I started this “mental health journey” to becoming a better me. So when I go to college, I

plan on joining a sorority because I love the concept of philanthropy. It makes me joyful

knowing I did a good deed for someone else in need. It will help me be a better person in the

long run. I was voted varsity cheer captain for being helpful and consistent about everything I do.

They told me I was a good leader because of the things I have accomplished throughout the

years. Getting this position made me realize that if I just try to make more friends and make the

most out of every day, I can do anything.

 My journey to accomplishing my goals may be rigid and tough, but I know that if I work

hard and try my hardest right now that I will eventually become the person I want to be. Going to

my dream school, and doing everything I can to make myself better will help me succeed in

becoming an orthodontist.

References

"Andrew Carnegie". En.Wikipedia.Org, 2020,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Carnegie.

Sweatt, Lydia. "18 Motivational Quotes About Successful Goal Setting". SUCCESS, 2020,

https://www.success.com/18-motivational-quotes-about-successful-goal-setting/.