<p>Just saying that this is a rough draft, so it may not be at its' best yet. I just want opinions on it though to see what I can improve :) This is a common app essay that asked us to discuss a time we dealt with failure, how we coped with the situation, and most importantly of all what we learned. Thanks so much!</p>
<p>I looked down at my paper and bit my lip, trying to hold back the tears that I know would be unstoppable once I let them go. I was wallowing in a world of disappointment: a world that went completely unnoticed by those around me. I had failed my math test once again, despite the effort and persistence I had put into studying.
My family made a huge move from Virginia to Texas in the beginning of my freshman year. In Virginia, I was considered the paragon of a perfect student. I made great grades and friends, which I balanced almost effortlessly with two musical instruments and a sport. The top of my class, I had no sense that I could ever experience downfalls in my school career. However, the move to Shepton High School quickly changed that notion. Unaccustomed to such a competitive school environment and heavy course load, my grades started to fall dramatically. To top it off, my close knit friend group that I held comfortably in Virginia was with me no longer, and I found myself trying to balance my schoolwork while fitting in.
My grades were worst in Algebra 2. Whereas in my previous school we had gotten reviews exactly like that of the test, this class challenged us to think outside of the box and gave us problems that we had never learned to solve before. Not initially used to this method, I received extremely low marks on my first few tests. As a result, I did whatever I could do to raise my grades. I came to after school tutorials every day to ask questions. I studied for hours on end every night. I got my own personal tutor to help with concepts. I did more practice problems than even needed. Surely, hard work would pay off right?
Wrong. I continued receiving bad grade after bad grade no matter what I did, and my confidence was quickly dropping. By the end of the semester, in fact, I was on the verge of an emotional breakdown. I talked to numerous teachers and counselors, all of who which recommended dropping the course in the face of my struggles. However, despite half of my class dropping, I refused. I was never the type of person to give up a challenge, and I wanted to face my obstacle and defeat it.
From there, I tried to look at what I might be doing wrong in my ways of studying. I analyzed my learning habits, and even bought books that could help me understand how to study more effectively. After lots of thought, I pinpointed what I was doing wrong: I was memorizing math instead of fully understanding the concept. From there, I changed my ways and attempted to analyze and solve math rather than memorize certain problems as I had learned to do in my past schools.
This was a challenging transition for me, but it paid off with time. Although my grades in Algebra 2 weren’t exactly what I wished for by the end of the semester, the skills that I learned were valuable. I learned the importance of persisting in my endeavors, as well as the importance of working not only hard, but also working smart. I also learned to regain confidence in my abilities, especially the ability to be able to analyze and change stubborn habits. These skills were able to carry me through the rest of my high school years not only in terms of grades- which got increasingly better- but also in relationships and leadership skills. It just shows how overcoming the most challenging parts of our lives can turn into unprecedented positive consequences. I am glad that the teary eyed girl with a failing grade clenched in her hand never gave up.</p>