Why I Chose College Application

When I was younger, I never planned to go to college in the state of Wisconsin. I absolutely did not want to apply to any colleges around here, because I wanted to get as far away from here as absolutely possible. That changed the summer of my junior year. I went to the Morgridge Institute Summer Science Camp. I did not go in expecting much. However, by the end of the week, I did not want to leave. We stayed in the dorms at UW-Madison, and every morning I would wake up at 5am and go for a run along the trail. It was so beautiful, and for the first time, I could picture myself doing that everyday in the future. As the week went on, I found myself realizing that more and more throughout the week. I could picture myself sitting in the classrooms,

My experience in Madison was incredibly eye opening. I loved the environment that the campus offered, and the opportunities that were at my disposal there. Ever since, I hoped that I would be able to return to UW-Madison, not just for a week, but for four years. From that week on, I knew that I wanted to apply to UW-Madison. I’ve visited many colleges since, but none of the colleges elicited as much excitement as my visit to UW-Madison. I am apprehensive while applying, because I know that while my application is strong, I fear it may not be competitive enough to gain me admission. My freshman year, I struggled with some personal problems, and as a result, I did not prioritize my studies. I maintained decent grades, but not grades that reflected what I am capable of academically. My disregard for school also resulted in poor study habits and left me unprepared for my sophomore year. I got myself on track, with the help of my school counselor and my parents, and was able to get myself back on track. By my junior year, I decided I wasn’t being challenged enough, so I elected to take some college courses through the local technical college. Having those classes go rather well for me, I decided to take a couple more my senior year, and advocate for myself to be able to take an online AP course, as AP courses are not offered at our school. My school

I have about 17 kids in my class, whom I have known since kindergarten. While the tight knit, small town community has been wonderful in many ways, it has also left me at a disadvantage academically since we are not afforded as many opportunities as those that live in more populous areas and attend larger schools. This being said, I made a point to take advantage of as many opportunities offered to me, including extracurriculars, camps, rigorous courses, and the chance to take courses through our local technical college. I worked hard my junior year to attain a good GPA, while taking the most rigorous courses offered to me. All of this has served me well in my own education, and in preparing me for college, yet it does not quite show up when looking at my class rank or GPA. While my ranking and GPA is not abysmal, it is also not reflective of my capabilities as a student. My rough start to high school caused a drop in both my rank and