I'm a high school junior with some military experience (through ROTC) and I'm starting to think about my college applications. I'm wondering how I should approach writing my essay. Should I incorporate my military experience into it? If so, how can I effectively do that? Thanks in advance!
Absolutely, your military experience through ROTC is a unique aspect of your profile that can indeed set you apart from other students. However, simply mentioning your involvement in ROTC won't be enough. The key is to focus on the personal growth and lessons you've learned from your experience, and how these have prepared you for the rigors of college study and for contributing to a diverse academic community.
You can approach this in various ways, here are a couple of suggestions:
1. You could highlight a particular moment or event during your ROTC training. Don't just narrate the events, but rather, delve deep into how this experience changed you, what it taught you about the world or yourself, and how it has influenced your aspirations. For example, if there was a challenging training exercise that initially seemed insurmountable, you could talk about how you overcame it, and how this experience taught you resilience.
2. Another approach could be discussing the values and skills that ROTC has instilled in you, such as discipline, leadership, team work, problem-solving, and adaptability. These are qualities that colleges value and are transferable to academic settings as well as larger life scenarios.
Do ensure to pivot this discussion towards your educational goals. For instance, if your ROTC experience has influenced your choice of major or future career, include this in your essay.
Lastly, ensure your essay still reflects your personal voice and narrative. It's not about the military experience in itself, but rather, your unique journey through it and the impact it had on you as an individual.
Remember, an effective essay is more about self-awareness, growth and potential rather than simply a recitation of achievements or experiences. So, in your essay use your military experience as a framework to showcase these qualities.
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