Critiquing My Grade Report

I remember the moment I opened that envelope. It was the summer of my junior year, and I was looking at the most disappointing grade report I had ever received. I saw two bulging B's on my grade report. I remember running into my mother's room and crying. I had received B's before, but never as a final grade for a class. Dealing with this failure was very challenging for me because I have always pressured myself to be the best and get a 4.0 GPA to make my mother and myself proud, but through this experience, I was able to learn that failures do not define who I am.

This was one of the first times I had actually faced what I see as failure. I did not want my grade report to reflect negatively to colleges on the type of student I am. I was

This meant that I had to allocate my time appropriately. That included missing out on my favorite television shows, getting fewer hours of sleep, and staying at home instead of going out with my friends. This was very difficult, but I continued to push myself and not make excuses.

Even though my hard work paid off in some areas, I was not able to reach my goal completely. Through all the tears, the sleepless nights, and over-studying for my IB classes, I still felt like I had not worked to my potential. It showed because my GPA suffered, my class rank fell, and the two B's stuck out like sore thumbs on my transcript.

I constantly push myself to do more and try to come out on top no matter what situation I endure. This has always been my mindset during high school, which has helped me along the way. This dedication comes from trying to make my mother proud and from the satisfaction of knowing I put my all into my work. As I grew up, I had seen my mother struggle. She had to go back to school while working her way up in the world and had to raise me as a teenage, single parent. I knew from her experience that I would do anything possible to make sure I did not have to endure the same things she did, and I would be financially secure for my family in the future. For all the sacrifices she has made for me, I want to put