Graduate School Application Essay

I have always had the desire to find a career that enabled me to help others improve their quality of life. Growing up with my father as an elementary school teacher, I witnessed first-hand the positive influence you can have on a child’s life, as well as their future. He always stressed that each student is an individual, not just a number. Early on, I learned that every child is far more than their standardized test scores. Even though I felt the draw to work with children, I knew that little reward came from the hard work of being a regular classroom teacher. Thus, I pursued majors in Biology and Visual Disabilities when I first arrived at Florida State. Yet, they never seemed to be the right fit for me. I decided to take the introductory

Academically, I have dedicated my time, attention, and effort to the coursework offered by Florida State University’s Undergraduate Communication Science and Disorders Program. The necessary coursework has provided me with beneficial precursory knowledge. My classes in the Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech and Hearing Mechanism, and Language Development will help to ease the transition into the Master’s program. My extracurricular activity has included serving as a Freshman Interest Group Leader for the Helping Professions here at Florida State. This has allowed me to gain experience as a mentor for others and assume a leadership role. I have also been an active member in Camp Kesem, and The National Student Speech Language Hearing Association. Working with these organizations has allowed me to empathize with those affected by disabilities or illnesses. In terms of my professional life, I am currently employed at Explorations V Children’s Museum. I was brought on in the summer of 2014 as a Floor Manager and Camp Counselor. This has given me immense hands-on experience with children, including those with autism, learning disabilities, and ADHD. As a camp counselor, I work in conjunction with two other counselors throughout the day. We oversee planning and implementing of the daily schedule of activities. This has provided me with experience in organization and team