This is an essay I had to write for a Nursing School application.

1. There are numerous personal influences and experiences that have led me to pursue a
career in nursing. For as long as I can remember I have wanted to be a nurse. Always fascinated
and intrigued by the medical world, as a little girl, I can recall watching episode after episode of
“Trauma: Life in the ER” and “The Untold Stories of the ER” with my dad. Not only has my dad
been influential in encouraging me to chase my dreams, but my uncle whom is a trauma
surgeon in Austin, Texas has also been a major influencer in my career path choice.
More recently, I have been experiencing a battle against cancer with a family member.
Cancer brings changes to people’s lives in many forms; one being a nurse that comes to the
house twice a week. This nurse has not only given exceptional care but has been so uplifting
and encouraging to my family through this challenging time. I would love to be able to give the
care and provide the missing spark to someone’s life when they really need it like she has done
for us.
Personal strengths, experiences, and aptitudes are qualities that I consider to be
important predictors of nursing school.
My personal strengths and aptitude will contribute to my success in nursing school and
a career in nursing in unique ways. One strength I have is my work ethic. I have always been a
highly self-motivated individual and ready to put one hundred percent of my heart and effort in
to the things I am doing. As well as a strong work ethic, my positive attitude and eagerness to
learn will guide me through nursing school and a nursing career. To me, one of the most
appealing parts of being a nurse is that you are constantly learning new things. There is not a
single case that will be exactly the same, because every single person is different. Another
strength that will enhance my experience is my caring and compassionate personality. Working
with older individuals and those facing the end of life has also given me an aptitude for nursing.
I have been able to shadow nurses and other medical professionals in action. Working in
hospice and senior care has really helped evolve my love and compassion for helping others. I
spent nine months working as a patient care assistant in hospice care and currently have an
internship with a hospice company in Athens.
Lastly, leadership is an imperative quality that will help with my future as a nursing
student and in the nursing profession. One role of leadership I have played over the past few
years as a student athlete at the University of Georgia is mentoring students and athletes in the
Athens community. I have had the opportunity to coach young athletes, in the pool as well as in
the classroom, who also have dreams of becoming Division I athletes. This experience has been
both eye opening and a reminder of how important it is to be a leader for others.
When thinking back on the academic challenges, successes, and obstacles that have
impacted my ability to achieve my goals there are quite a few that come to mind. One thing my
challenges, successes, and obstacles have in common is the sport of diving. Being a Division I
college athlete has brought incredible challenges, successes, and obstacles throughout the past
four years.
Coming in to college, I was completely unprepared for the academic challenges that
would come with it. Every day, I started with a morning practice, weight lifting session, three
classes, and then practice again. By the time evening practice was finished, I was physically and
mentally spent. My first semester at the University of Georgia, I felt like I was hanging on by a
thread. Although I was training and competing really well, my academics were suffering. After
experiencing my first and only F, yes, I said it, I had to sit down and reevaluate with my coaches

2. and athletic adviser. With the support of my professors, coaches, teammates, and tutors, I was
able to develop a plan to help change my direction and start thriving in all aspects of college.
Overcoming this obstacle has taught me perseverance, dedication, and time management. One
of the most difficult parts about being a student athlete is having to miss multiple classes and
learn on the road while competing against various schools in the country. Many times, I have
had to teach myself and use online resources to help explain material so that I could
understand it without being physically present in class. For example, in February of my
freshman year, I had to miss one week of class in order to attend the SEC Championships. One
month later, I had to miss another week for the NCAA Championships, which leads to a high of
my college career. That year, my teammates and I were able to win the Women’s Swimming
and Diving NCAA Division I National Championship
Although my grades suffered the first semester in college, over time I have continued to
work hard and turn my GPA around. I am so thankful for the opportunities and lessons being a
student athlete has provided me with. They have brought some of the toughest, as well as
some of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I would also say that my home life has also
played a role in my academic challenges. I experienced an unexpected divorce between my
parents, followed by an extremely quick new marriage and the gaining of five new step siblings
in the span of three months at the beginning of my freshman year. When I returned home from
college for the first time at Thanksgiving break, I had a new home and two of the most
influential people in my life not speaking to one another. Ultimately, there have been
challenging circumstances, but I take full responsibility for my academics.
In conclusion, I would love the opportunity to be a part of this nursing program and in
the future be able to give back to it. Nursing is truly my calling and my passion. I am so excited
for the opportunities to come.