<p>The following essay is for transferring to the University of Maryland.
Prompt:</p>
<p>"An essay describing your past academic experiences and your reasons for wishing to transfer to Maryland at this point in your academic career is required. Students who have been out of school for several years, or who have a personal circumstance that affected their academic performance, may wish to address that situation in their essay. Your essay should be no more than 300 words."</p>
<p>Art Without the Visual</p>
<p>During the early years of my life not only did I have a stutter, but I also was unable to say most words that began with the letter r, aside from my own name. Words such as World came out like Wahld, along with Really sounding like Weely. While I eventually grew out of this shortcoming, the years I spent remaining quiet in the back of the classroom due to my fear of slurring or mispronouncing words eventually took its toll. To this day I have trouble verbally communicating my thoughts and ideas. However, at the same time when I was hiding silently beneath the voices of my peers in the classroom, I found another way to voice the words I was unable to say: writing.</p>
<p>Ill be the first to admit Graphic Design turned out to be the wrong art form for me. While I can paint I am not a painter, and being able to sculpt does not make me a sculptor. Logically, being able to write should not make me a writer. Nevertheless I know that is what I am. With this knowledge in hand, I know for certain that the University of Maryland is the best fit for me in terms of accessibility to my family and academic quality. This past fall my mother was diagnosed with stage three ovarian cancer, and as a result underwent a full hysterectomy, splenectomy, and had to have a significant portion of her large intestine removed. Because of the extensive surgery, she is unable to perform simple tasks like bending over or taking care of herself independently for hours at a time. Although my father now goes into work late in order to help my mother in the mornings, his weekly yearlong commitments to my brothers travel hockey team keep him from staying with her for long periods of time on the weekends. Transferring to the University of Maryland will not only allow me to aid my family in the rough years to come, but allow me to further hone my abilities as a writer.</p>