College essays that made a difference - Princeton Review 2010

Chelsea R. Stitt
The applicants

Chelsea served as president and secretary of her high school’s Student Council, secretary and treasurer for a local youth group, student representative to the school board, and a member of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), the French studies club, the ski club, Applebee Pond/SADD, and Big Brothers/Big Sisters Tutoring. In addition, she was on the Girl’s Varsity Basketball Team, and was captain of the Varsity Tennis Team and junior captain of The Sugar Busters Walk Team for Diabetes Research. Chelsea has also spoken in Harrisburg for the National Character Education Foundation and volunteered with local programs such as Camp Sunshine, KT Summer Library, Sunday School, Relay for Life, and Vacation Bible School.

Stats

SAT: 1730 (510 Critical Reading, 670 Math, 550 Writing)

High School GPA: 3.8

High School: Elderton High School, Elderton, PA

Hometown: Kittanning, PA

Gender: Female

Race: Caucasian

Applied To

Duquesne University

University of Pittsburgh

Villanova University

Essay

Chelsea submitted the following essay to Duquesne University and Villanova University (changing the school name for each)

How the school would affect my life and help me in my career

When I was a child, I frequently spent nights at my grandparent’s home. While I was there, I would watch the television program, “Law and Order” with them. It absolutely fascinated me. I admired the lawyers and their clever tactics and approaches to the interpretation of the law. I have known from the time that I was ten years old, that I was meant to be an attorney. Over the years, I have become increasingly interested in the political world and our country’s government as well. As I searched for a university that could enrich and prepare me for both of those fields, I discovered that Duquesne University is distinguished in these areas and that they could greatly assist me in achieving my goals in life.

If a person wants to get far in this world, they have to have goals. Mine are clear and I feel that I can reach them. I hope to attend a notable post-secondary school for Political Science and then continue on to graduate school for law. Upon graduation, I hope to start out at a legal firm and eventually advance and own my own firm or become involved in a partnership. I have attended several mock trials and I truly enjoyed each and every one. Throughout my educational career, we have discussed thousands of court cases and it amazes me how one small trial can affect the entire world. I hope to use my learned skills and creativity to win cases and become a great lawyer. After I have gained a solid reputation and a strong base, I then wish to get involved in my true passion, Politics.

I have chosen political science as my intended major because I want to make a difference for the citizens of our great nation. I hope to run for state representative and help to improve Pennsylvania. My greatest goal in life is to become a senator. I understand that this is incredibly difficult, and out of three hundred million citizens, only one hundred are senators, but I feel that if you can dream it, you can achieve it. After intense research between accredited universities, I have come to the conclusion that Duquesne has the most prestigious and beneficial program to enhance my skills and to make me into one of the best attorneys in our nation. I feel they will give me character and help to improve my speaking and political approaches. I personally feel that Duquesne University will help me to become the person that I want and need to be. They will be the difference between a mediocre lawyer and an outstanding United States Senator.

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