As my excitement for journalism grew, my interest in practical application became paramount.
Hmmm.. my first thought was that you could do better with this last line of the first paragraph. But then I settled into it and appreciated what you are doing. It is right for you to highlight this great, proactive effort you made... and the steps you took for practical application.
Here, maybe you can do this: After six marathon-like weeks of study, I concluded ...---ha ha, maybe I am wrong, actually. With your essya, I for some reason lack confidence in any ideas I have!
You made a strong case. With your great writing skill, I'm surprised you had trouble with the GPA.
My best advice is like this: Add a sentence to the end of the intro para and the conclusion para, both of which express some clear goals in your envisioned future. Show the reader that you know precisely what you intend to do and why. That really motivates the reader to feel emotionally invested in your success.
:-)