I’m completing an application for a scholarship from the community college I am attending. It is for the Pre-Professional Medical & Health Sciences group; basically, anyone that wants to go into the medical field in one way or another. They would pay for my tuition next year if I am awarded a scholarship.
The only roadblock? I have to write an essay, maximum length 1 page, about why I want to be ___________. So for me, it is why I want to be a pharmacist.
There are a few problems with this essay. First of all, I am such a cliche Libra. I can never make up my mind. I realize that they won’t hold me to the major or degree that I write on my essay, but at the same time I worry. What if I don’t want to be a pharmacist? What if I get through a good portion of my degree and change my mind? I hate to commit to being a pharmacist if I am not sure that is what I want. Ugh! Second, why do I want to be a pharmacist? Is it just because aptitude tests say that it would be a good fit for me? Is it because my dad is a pharmacist, albeit not one on a daily basis? Is it because the starting salary for a pharmacist is so attractive, especially after being overworked and underpaid for some time in the legal field?
I realize that their point with this question is to make me think about it, but I also realize that it wouldn’t look good if I just wrote, “I want to be a pharmacist because the pay is good and I want to save lots of money up so I can travel Europe in the not too distant future. Right after I put my son through college.” See? That isn’t going to fly. Plus it isn’t anywhere close to being a page long.
Somedays I just want to toss it all aside and be a professional photographer. Now wouldn’t that be fun?!?
Which reminds me – my photography teacher informed me today that he was told that all entries into the art show were accepted, and are all up for consideration for the various scholarship prizes! The exhibit opening is tomorrow; it is going to be interesting to see my own photographs hanging up in the Fine Arts Gallery on campus. (Yes, I will take pictures and share.) I need to find out if it is too late to put prices on the prints; I learned when I turned them in that that was an option. How much should I put? I was considering $20, but that sounds high. Watch me find out that some prints were sold for $200 or something like that. I wish I knew what to do. See? Decisions? I suck at them.
17 replies on “What I Want to Be When I Grow Up…”
Yea for Libras!
“What I want to be….” has to be one of the toughest questions anyone will face. I’ve struggled with it for years.
Amy
I work at a pharmacy college and at the essay on the applications we review we look most for experiences that lead to the decision to study pharmacy. So your dad being a pharmacist is a good start and you could maybe find a parallel for being a slight above average age student.
Heh, I still don’t know what I want to be. 🙂 Congrats on having photos in the art show!
I don’t think $20 sounds high for good prints – sounds sort of low, actually…
oh i hate writing things like that. those, and coverletters. blech!
but i totally hear you on the professional photographer dream! it keeps popping into my mind on these beautiful spring days where i’m stuck in an office all day.
I guess it probably wouldn’t help your case down in TX if you wrote that you want to be a pharmacist so that women can have access to a caring pharmacist who actually cares about their health and well-being, instead of one of these extremist Christian assholes who want to make it all about them and their religious beliefs, eh? *grin*
My advice? Do not weigh the question down with every possibility – you want to be a pharmacist now, and you want a scholarship, so it’s not somehow deceptive for you to behave as though you want to be a pharmacist so you can get a scholarship. 😉 My advice is to think about the qualities of the job that attracted you to it – helping people, organizing things, managing things (insert other technical pharmacy/science talk here) and talk about how those things appeal to you across the board and show up in other areas of your life. I, for example, like knitting because it’s creative, but it also taps into the side of my brain that loves to organize things and is goal-oriented You discovered you like pharmacy because it fits into your larger picture of who you are. I hope this helps!
Congratulations on the art show–very exciting. As far as writing the essay, just pretend. Look at it as a writing excercise. You are an excellent writer. No one is going to hold your feet to the fire on the topic. Also, you can pretend. Imagine your life as a pharmacist and play out all the things you’d love about your life. Fun fun. Go exhibit your skils my dear. You rock!
OMG! I’ve been having the same conversations in my own head! Is it time to get my tinfoil hat?
I’m going back to school for pharmacy too, and basically, redoing all the basic science and math since it’s been 15 years since I’ve taken them the first time.
There are days when I worry that I’ll get my degree, get a job, and realize I HATE it. Then I remind myself that I worked as a Pharm Tech all through college undergrad the first time and enjoyed the atmosphere.
Then I worry that I’ll be partway through school and suddenly find a course I can’t pass no matter what I do. Or that I change my mind and don’t want to be a pharmacist. (I’m an Aquarian, we are known to be fickle and flighty).
Then there are the occasional daydreams I have where we win the lottery, so neither my husband or I have to work and we will both be happy not to have that pressure.
GAH.
Well, good luck! My aunt is a pharmacist and she is quite good at it. In fact, she has been one for almost 50 years. Perhaps you might want some help or advise from her, because she is not only good on her job, she also managed to take care of a family of three kids and two grandchildren.
Tag!
Sorry to tag you, but it’s your own fault because you’re interesting! The Suburban Goddess has requested your presence at her blog…
No do not set the price at $20. You need to set the prices higher than you think. If it is a photo that you really like, set the price higher. Otherwise, I would say go somewhere around $75 to $100 if the photos are framed and matted. You need to make back the money from the frames and mats. Good luck!
Elle gave you some great advice. I think you’re a terrific writer and your essay will undoubtedly turn out just fine. I’d probably reframe the question to make it easier to write though. If you said to yourself, “I’m going to write about why I’m interested in becoming a pharmacist at this point in time,” I bet you’d be able to put pen to paper much more easily. Keep in mind, the committee reviewing these essays wants to learn what makes you who you are and to have some proof that you’re able to express yourself. This is an opportunity to make your application more personal, rather than just a series of forms full of impersonal data, i.e. GPA’s, etc.
I hear you about the being overworked and underpaid in the legal field. Maybe I need to consider pharmacy 😉
$20 seems way too low a price for photos. Mia has some good points.
Does anyone know what they want to be/do when they grow up? I know I’m still figuring it out! Good luck with the essay though, and I hope you get a scholarship 😀 Congrats on your art show, too!
With your dad as an inspiration, you understand the demands on pharmacists and since you are coming to this decision on your education after you have achieved some maturity, you are confident that good pharmacists will always be needed in the community and you are seeking the stability of a meaningful and respected profession.
Use what you can. They’re looking for commitment and creativity and thoughtfulness. Higher levels of reasoning – don’t get distracted with what-ifs. Focus. You’ll do fine.
I am in pharmacy school right now. I recommend that you just really make sure that it’s waht you want to do. I thought it was but i may be having second thoughts now. If you need any help writing your letter, I am the Lady to ask. just let me know. I’ll sneak you a copy of mine.
Hi Pharmaniac, Im doing my paper on the same subject with her right now. Would you give me some advise too? ^^
thanks
if you are a health professional you dedicate your lie to save others, it requires huge amounts of effort and years of your life, but at the end of the day you’re more important to society than anyone else