BCC ESSAY on my academic life and career goals - need help and ideas

i have to write a one page essay on my academic and career goals. i dont know where to start and what to say, worst of all i dont even know what do i wanna do in future (as my job). i really need some ideas... plz help.

Invent something. Specifically, invent a career you might be interested in that maps on to the program you are applying for. This sort of essay is all about convincing the university you'd be a good fit with their program, so do some research to find out what the university most prides itself on, and write an essay that makes you seem to reflect that.

There are many fields that you can consider:

- Business
- Accounting
- Finance
- Health Care/ Medical
- Information technology
- Computer Science
- Counselling
- Music
- Art
and so on...

I totally agreed with Sean. "Invent someting". Sit down and think what is your interest? Let's say you like drawing, may be you can choose the art program, for instance, graphic design.

Career goal is something you want to achieve in future. For instance, to become a project manager in 5 years time.

thanks, these are all great ideas. you know what is my real problem? I'm going to study something like medicine, or engineering. but niether of those are what I really like to study. I would prefer to study art, graphic design, animation, Literature or austronomy. but everybody is telling me that there is no future in those fields...
thats my problem. i cant write about a lie. or even if i do the results wont be much prettier than a lie. :o( i guess thats something i should figure out...

What is the essay for ? To apply for a Unversity or class work?

to apply to a college. Bellevue college

Very interesting thoughts! Well, being a physician is very different work from being an engineer.

You have to decide what you want to actually DO every day. You may envision yourself as an engineer, but is that the kind of work you would like to DO? As a graphic design artist.... why major in it? You can learn everything from playing with Photoshop? Get excited about an academic program that will enable you to make a living by doing something you will look forward to every day. I think, for you, that might be something that involves working with people. As a RN, you can make $27/hour while you try to decide what to do when you grow up! And nurses are always in demand... :) However, with that much education you may as well become a physician. How about you start with nursing and then go to med school. Maybe you will decide that you love Chinese or Indian medicine...

Get a high-paying job so you can have the time and money to explore art, graphic design, animation, Literature or astronomy.

thanks kevin. thats what my parents are telling me, "get a high-paying job so you can explore art later." i guess thats what i'll do.
:o) thanks for caring and suggestions. they mean a lot to me.

A few decades ago, Campbel started a cool philosophy: "Follow your bliss." Follow your intuition and bliss.

To add notes from above:

You may ask yourself, "Are you a follower or a leader?"

Describe yourself as a person like what qualities do you already have so you can apply them to specific career opportunity you're in search of.

Share traits:

Determination
nurturing
Responsible
people person
detail oriented
Assisting
Managing
independent
go-getter
patience
dedication
organize
devoted
care-giver
supervisor

Those words I describe may not be the ones you chosen, but I think it will describe the type of person you become, when you relate descriptive words to your career goals. Good luck!

Thanks, Teri! Where did this list come from?

From the top of my tongue I listed them in sharing my own detailed experience, so I apply them.

I had the thought, I made the connection. FYI, There is no listing involved, Kevin.

I was inspired to share.

Apr 27, 09, 09:09pm - Attached on merging:
BC essay. career and academic goals.

so probably some of you will remember this, but its not the same essay. i changed some stuff to fit the subject. but the problem is i still dont think it fits the subject...and thats why i am asking you guys' help. :)
tell me what do you think ;)

Since I was a child, I have always been in love with the sky. The world behind the blue has always been a mystery; something both unknown and admirable. I had so much thirst for something new and untouched; I always wanted to go beyond the world that I knew, leave earth, experience new things, risk and discover. Well, unfortunately, it took me 16 years to understand that I don't need to pass the atmosphere to do so, not necessarily. Actually, it is all here on earth. It has always been.
When I was born my parents named me Newsha -meaning "a good listener" in Persian- and 13 years later, in middle school, I realized there was a gift given to me wrapped in my name: "It seemed like I really was a good listener." Soon I found myself listening to people who didn't have anyone but me to listen to them, and helping them as much as I could. I heard about other sides of people; the side that was always hidden to others because of either shyness or shame. I found a great joy in helping each of them, feeling more happiness than they would as I saw them succeed.
I started to discover people instead of the world by looking into the corners of their minds. I saw the world through their eyes, helped them find what they needed and in the process of doing so, I myself found a whole new world inside each person, a world much greater than the earth and the skies. After all, now that four years is passed, when I think of what I truly want to do for the rest of my life, nothing but one answer pops in my mind: "helping and discovering people".
Although, I have to confess that I still love the sky. After all this time, sky is still gorgeous and mysterious, but I don't think I would want to leave earth anymore, not as long as there are still people out there, millions of them; people that I can love, people that I can help, and people that I can be friends with. I think it will be a shame if I never dare to go out, find them and hold their hands.
I would like to stay on earth with people and their unique worlds.
Galaxies and stars? They will always have time for me.

Hi, ^^
you did a good job, here are my fixes ( just my thought :D)
I think that "mystery" also conveys the meaning of something unknown, so maybe you should replace "unknown" by another adj?
Soon I found myself listening to people who didn't have any audiences but me...
...feeling more happy than they would as I saw them succeed.
I myself found a whole new world inside each person, which is much greater than the earth and the sky.
...four years passed
However, I have to confess that I still love the sky
After all, sky is still gorgeous and mysterious

Here is some important advice for you: Add a paragraph that tells specific goals! Clear goals associated not only with your field of interest, but also with SPECIFIC aspects of that field. You will need to excel in your field, stand out, claim a niche, and only then can you help people in the way you intend. You have to be successful and distinct, distinguished. Write a paragraph about the school's particular resources and programs, even specific faculty members, and include it near the beginning of this essay.

You might even want to add a new intro paragraph. Your intro is great, but those lines will still be great as a paragraph 2. Your intro should include your ACADEMIC and professional goals.

You're right . . . it doesn't really fit the topic. If you are going to study medicine, or some field in which you spend your time helping others, you can probably make it fit the topic, with some specific examples of how exactly you plan to help. It will be much easier if you've decided to go into a field you are passionate about. I suppose you could go into medicine or engineering because your parents want you to and it will get you a high paying job, but that's 10 years of intense study of a subject you don't care about, followed by a lifetime of doing something you have no interest in. There isn't enough money in the world to make that worthwhile, unless its enough money to allow you to retire so you don't have to live like that. Plus, it makes writing this sort of essay way easier, because you actually have goals that you want to write about with true emotion. Then, you would probably be better off writing a new essay from scratch. That's normally quicker than trying to rework an essay written for a different topic anyway.

sean i agree with you. 100%! i wish i could convince myself and my family that i should study what i passionatly love... on one side i dont want to let my parents down, specially my mom. they have given up their convinient life so i could have a better education. on the other side its me. im afraid i study art or something like that and i dont be successful...
its really hard to decide... i wish i liked something else....

this is the most recent draft of this essay. but i have two essays here for you, one is better and more organized but its also a lie. but the other -the second- one is what i truely think and believe...
you tell me which one to turn in tomorrow.

One page essay stating your academic and career goals:

I moved here from Iran almost one year ago; I studied 10 years in Iran which included two years of high school. The education systems is widely different in Iran, therefore, in the first couple months of my residence in U.S., I was very confused about my school system and of course way more confused about colleges, SAT, and graduation requirements.
In Iran I had to choose my major in 9th grade, and then I had to continue the same major in college. My major in high school was Math & Physics; I was good both in math and physics, though I wasn't interested in math at all. I only chose this major because of my teachers' advices that with this major I can get a good job in future. What I really wanted to study was biology, I used to attend in science competitions from school, and I won a few awards during my middle school and elementary years, but when it was about college and my future job it was different. unfortunately the percent of people graduated from this major had increased in last 10 years in Iran, and the job opportunities has decreased for grads of this major, so it was a great risk to study in this major.
When I came here and I found that I have this great opportunity to study variety of subjects in high school I changed my mind about studying math in college. I wanted to experience studying different subjects, so I took few courses in art and social studies (which were my requirements).I didn't take any biology courses in high school, since I had to take other subjects which were required for graduation but now I'm thinking of studying something related to biology in future.
Now that I have to apply for college soon, I am thinking of studying medicine. I respect and value the job very much, I think of it not only as a job and a way of earning money but a very good way of serving other people. I think I will like this job since I've always liked biology, however to make sure that I'm making the right decision, I'm taking a volunteer job in Overlake Hospital, so I can observe more and get an idea that how this job would look like to me.



2nd. essay

SEE BELOW

First, I don't think the first one is so much better or well organized.

Next, I think it's very important to be as candid as possible without compromising your privacy or hurting your own interests. Truthful writing feels fresh and real. Lies always sound canned and stale, even when they are very clever.

So, it's not surprising that your more truthful essay is much more engaging. In that one, you sound like an honest and lively person with a distinct personality. The first essay, in contrast, could have been written by anybody.

At the same time, the second essay does have more errors and probably does disclose more than may be wise about your indecision. My challenge to you is to revise and clean up that essay, keeping the lively and honest tone. It's good that you are still questioning what you want to do. The undergraduate years are the years in which students learn what they are best suited to do. So, change the tone. Instead of saying "God, I don't know which one to take," say something about being excited by the possibilities and looking forward to the process of studying different subjects in order to, over time, learn more about yourself and the best way for you to make your mark in the world.

hey, thanks a lot Simone. I tried to revise it a little bit, i dont know if i could get any close to what you meants. i tried though. let me know what you think
:)

I can't believe it's already been twelve years since I first walked into school. It's been such a long but at the same time amazing way that I don't know whether now I should cheer or cry. School was a great experience and I was –and am- a big fan; a place where I was supposed to learn how to solve problems and get the answer to all my questions. However, after all these years, one familiar problem remains unsolved and a basic question unanswered: "What am I going to be when I grow up?"
From the first time that my first grade teacher asked me this question until now that I'm leaving school, I've changed my mind tens of times. I've considered a few new jobs every year- every time that I found a new interest and talent in myself.
I've thought of a great variety of jobs, from being a caring doctor to being an intelligent architect. I've even dreamed of being a courageous astronaut, and once I believed in my heart that I'll work in NASA someday. Of course I've ialso magined myself as a successful writer and a passionate painter, since I've got some talents in both from my father.
As you can see I've always been lost in between my own interests, but a lot of things made it worse for me; people's advices and personal ideas, my parent's dreams, our economic situation and job opportunities in society. In Iran, where I lived in for 16 years, I had my mind set, but when I moved here that idea was useless. Here I have way many more doors open to me and, wow, I don't know which one to take. I thirst for more to learn, and out there, millions of things are waiting for me. There are so many things I want to experience and I can't wait to start.
However there are still lots of questions to be answered, there's one thing that I know by heart. What I well know is that I want to be something in this world, and not only something like others; I want to be the best in whatever I do. I want to educate myself to the full exempt, and I'm beginning here in BC. I don't know where I will be standing in four years, because everything depends on our immigration statues and economic situation but I hope that I will be able to transfer to a university after a few years, and get the best education I can. Soon I will have to find an answer to that question, but whatever it's going to be, I'm not worried; for I know that I can do it, and I will.

This is lovely. I have a few suggestions and you will also have to make another read-through (or two) for grammar and punctuation.

Say "voyage" or "journey" instead of "way"

"I'd" rather than "I'll" work at NASA some day.

Instead of "made it worse for me," say "exacerbated that for me" and then follow that with a colon rather than a semi-colon.

"Although" rather than "However" there are still questions to be answered.

Good luck!

THANKS A MILLION. its a great help. :)