Help on Essay

[doublej237]

<p>Explain your interest in the major you selected. You may describe a related experience you’ve had to that area of study and/or your future career goals. Please limit your response to approximately 300 words.</p>

<p>Should I just get straight to the point and explain why i chose the major, or should I actually make a story about it?</p>

[digmedia]

<p>Forget the essay for a moment. Can you answer that question if a friend of yours asked it? There are several reasons why people choose majors: did well in that class in high school; the major will be financially lucrative later; you have developed a true passion for it and have a little experience in that area; etc.</p>

<p>The very best is if you can point to a specific time which led you that way. Did a tour of a factory lead you to a passion for mechanical engineering? Did a particular movie spark your interest in computer graphics? If so, use that to tell your story. Here’s the example from my book I’ve used several times:

Blood had always made me queasy but I
couldn’t turn away. The leg was a gory,
tangled mess. As the anesthetic began to
work, the dog seemed to at last be free of
what must have been terrible pain. His long
tongue lolled to the side. The car had done
a job on this little fellow, and I wondered
if he would make it. “It doesn’t look good,”
the Vet said quietly. “We’ll need to
amputate.” He shaved the leg above the wound
and gently sterilized the skin. He then used
the scalpel to expose the bone, which
glistened white in the bright overhead
light. He reached for his bone saw. The
surgical mask I wore while I observed the
procedure began to feel claustrophobic.</p>

<p>I got hired at the veterinary clinic to
clean kennels. As far as I was concerned, it
was just a job - a way to make some money
for the upcoming school year. But the more I
worked in the clinic, the more interested I
became in the veterinary work itself,
especially trauma cases. Again and again I
saw the vet trying desperately to save the
lives of dogs and cats. Sometimes they
didn’t make it, but most times had happier
outcomes. The vet’s knowledge and quick
actions not only saved the lives of animals,
but saved families from the tragedy of
losing a loved pet.</p>

<p>In this latest case, the amputation was a
success and the dog recovered and lived a
long happy life. He got around so well on
three legs that I sometimes wondered if he
even knew he was missing a limb. </p>

<p>That summer job did something for me far
beyond the seven dollars an hour I got
cleaning kennels. It redirected my future.
Could I ever have a career that had such an
impact? Whether I reach my goal of becoming
a physician or veer into some other medical
area is still to be determined. But I am
starting on a path that will allow me those
options. </p>

<p>Thanks to a three-legged dog.

</p>

<p>Whatever you do, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER start an essay with, “I want to major in economics because…”</p>