essays about excellence

A business journal from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania

Why Striving for Excellence Matters More Than Perfection

May 30, 2019 • 9 min read.

Anne Klein took a big risk by leaving her job and founding her own public relations firm in 1982. In an interview, Klein talks about what she has learned along the way and why doing your best – not winning – is the real goal.

In this interview with Knowledge at Wharton , conducted in collaboration with Wharton Magazine , Klein, 77, talks about forging her own path, the perils of perfection and the friendly ultimatum she gave her husband before they married.

Edited excerpts from the conversation follow.

My parents had a strong influence on me as I was growing up. I learned a lot from my parents about caring, especially taking care of the elderly (I had three elderly aunts who were not married) and giving back, being honest, and working hard. I was very hard on myself. Once I started my own business, my parents became my mentors. My father used to say: “A giraffe never took a step forward unless she stuck her neck out.”

I didn’t read a lot when I was young, but three books that influenced me are Black Beauty , The Ugly American and Games Mother Never Taught You. Black Beauty taught me about love and caring and being kind to living things. The Ugly American made me realize that money we donate doesn’t always go to the people who need it. And Games Mother Never Taught You showed me that women needed to learn to be good team players.

Aspirations – Then and Now

I often feel like the character Fiyero who sings “Dancing through Life” in the Broadway musical, Wicked . I tried to mold my life around whatever things opened up for me. My parents thought I could do anything, and I was raised with [the belief that] “you can do anything you want.” But I discovered that I could not really do everything I wanted. The environment tempered my aspirations. Over time, my aspirations changed to the point where I knew I wanted to be in business for myself. I knew I wanted to run a firm.

“When I graduated, a woman was expected to become a secretary, a nurse, a social worker or a teacher. You didn’t have a lot of aspirations.”

Perceptions about women in business were different back then. The first Women’s Liberation Day was an interesting time. It was 1970, and the women in our office decided we were going to wear slacks and tunic tops instead of dresses. I was working at a bank at the time and my senior vice president told me it looked “cute.” Then he said, “Make sure the pants go by lunch.” So I had on a tunic top that barely covered my butt, and that was okay — but the pants had to go!

My aspiration when I retired two years ago was to write a book capturing the time right after graduation when none of us women had too many opportunities. When I graduated, a woman was expected to become a secretary, a nurse, a social worker or a teacher. You didn’t have a lot of aspirations. I wanted to capture that moment in time. I would now like to write about how things are today and what women have gone through.

I don’t know if the advice I have is relevant anymore, but some things I do know. I tell students: “Get the broadest background you can get. Try to expand your horizons, because whatever you do, you’re going to need marketing, you’re going to need economics, you’re going to need accounting, you’re going to need some management. So learn it.” I look at everything from a business point of view. If somebody wants to go into teaching or nursing, or be a housewife, I can’t be helpful. But I can be helpful for somebody who wants to go into business.

Making Tough Decisions

The biggest decision I made was to start my own business. It was scary going out on my own, but I had been in banking for seven years and I had been in the oil industry for four years and I felt I wasn’t going to get anywhere. I knew I wanted to be at a higher level than I was. One night, I went for a walk on the beach with my father and I was moaning and complaining. And he said to me: “Why don’t you think about starting your own business?” I wasn’t sure about it, but my husband, who had just finished law school, was at a large law firm and was very supportive. So I thought about it.

When my boss heard that I was thinking of leaving, he offered me a retainer and a year’s contract, and then he said: “If it doesn’t work out, you can come back and I’ll have your job waiting.” Well, needless to say, I didn’t go back. But it was a scary thing to do because I had always had paychecks. It was probably the most frightening step I have ever taken. But it was also the only logical step. The oil industry was contracting, and within nine months, my department at the company went from about 75 people down to about five. So, in retrospect, it was a good move. My husband joined me in the business, and we worked together for more than 30 years.

“If you hang on to bad things, you find yourself very limited in what you’re going to do.”

People Philosophy

My guiding philosophy in dealing with people is teamwork. I think the only way you can teach teamwork is to show it. You have to involve people. You have to be honest and credible. For example, when I hired Chris [Lukach], who’s now the CEO of my firm, and who owns it, I took him to a new business meeting because I wanted him to get the experience, and also for him to see how you do it as a team. When I told him that I was hoping to find a young person who would someday take over the business, and he said he would be interested, we put a plan to make it happen. We hired an attorney, we got an accountant, and we put together a program that would have a 10-year transition. Our accountant was shocked that it actually worked out. But it does, if you involve people in the decisions.

Coping with Devastation

The only experience I had that I consider devastating was when I found out I couldn’t have children. I thought I was the super-woman. I thought I could have kids when I was 40 or whatever. I don’t know if I’ve really made my peace with it. I guess I had my business and I had to move on, but I worry sometimes about what’s going to happen to me if something happens to my husband. But I don’t actually think about it much. I have the remarkable faculty of just pushing bad stuff away. I can ignore it. My husband has the same philosophy: Don’t agonize over everything that could occur, because some things never happen. Deal with it when you have to. I don’t think you should hang on to bad things that happen in your life. If you hang on to bad things, you find yourself limited in what you can do.

Life Lessons

One of the things I learned from my parents was to help others. I always manage to find a way to help people. That’s what I think my agenda has been in life — helping others to succeed. When I was young, I was always striving for the perfect answer. I had to win. I had to be number one. I had to do a great job. As I’ve gotten older, I have realized that you can’t always be perfect but you can strive to be excellent. For this, I give credit to my boss at the ad agency where I worked for a year. He used to say: “Excellence, not perfection.” I think being honest, having integrity and helping people are ideals that don’t change. But the idea of striving to be perfect and having to win — that goes farther in the background as you get older.

“You can’t always be perfect, but you can strive to be excellent.”

Some life lessons I would love to pass on to future generations are: Be honest, care for people, don’t be too sensitive, be a team player, work hard and strive for the best. You may not always win, but do the best you can. I believe in that line, “If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” You have to love what you’re doing. You have to know who you are. And you have to figure out what gives you joy. What do you love to do? And you can’t be very strict. I learned to love country music, because my husband loves country music. I learned to love ice hockey, because he loves it, too. He learned to ski because I told him I’d never marry anybody who didn’t ski. So you have to be a little flexible. You have to do what you enjoy, and if you don’t enjoy something — if it makes you miserable — then don’t do it.

Giving Back

Giving back becomes part of who you are. It’s part of how you grow up. Giving back means taking care of your family, taking care of your friends, helping out where you can, mentoring, coaching, doing good. I’m now trying to figure out what to do next. I’m not going to wither up and go away.

What Matters Most

What matters most to me is family — my husband and my friends. What would really make me happy now is to spend time on all the things I had to let go over all those years. I would like to sit back and relax, to be able to just do what I want to do. And I would love to travel more — and not have the responsibility of running a PR firm.

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Achieving Academic Excellence Essay

Studying at college is much like studying at high school, except for the fact that most college students leave on campus and have to search for a part time job to pay for the tuition. This begs the question what makes college education so important to suffer the lack of free time and the pressure of academic life, mainly grades. Despite the intense and often challenging academic life, college education is priceless in terms of the skills in self directed learning that it helps develop and train.

The ability to learn on one’s own and evolve as a professional starts not with learning a set of particular rules, but with changes in personality, and college education will help shape my personality greatly. In other words, studying at college will teach me how to be independent in my learning process and rather be wisely guided by my academic advisors than follow the instructions blindly. Education at college will teach me the reasons for boundaries, whether of academic or of any other type, to exist, and how to be creative within these boundaries.

More to the point, college education will help me develop and shape the qualities that are required for the so-called “lifelong education” (Barros 119). Understanding the algorithms of the learning process after conducting researches at college will help me explore new areas and remember new information easier.

Speaking of boundaries and the means to cross them, information seems to have become the major tool for achieving success in the XXI century. The people, who are capable of searching for data efficiently, acquiring and processing it fast, and use it for business purposes, have everything what is needed for economic and financial success in the information society that we live in nowadays.

For example, noticing a certain niche in a specific market and taking it before everyone else does is what may bring a leader of a third-rate company to the top of the world’s most influential entrepreneurships. Seeing how a college provides ample opportunities for learning the basics of information location, acquisition, processing and use by providing students with academic assignments, college education is unbelievably valuable for people who care about their future, me being one of these people.

The last, but definitely not the least, college education will teach me the art of communicating my ideas in a coherent and convincing manner. True, communication skills can be acquired not only in college, but also in daily conversations; however, the latter will not provide me with the skills that I strive for attaining, i.e., the ability to convey my ideas to a vis-à-vis flawlessly, convince the opponent about a particular issue, be a good listener by not simply keeping silence when someone else is talking, but also by showing that the speaker’s point of view has been understood and accepted as a viable and reasonable one, etc. (Prashini 46).

Though these qualities can also be developed and trained by interacting with peers, I assume that college lectures, presentations and other activities involving direct communication between a student and a teacher will help me acquire important communication skills faster and train them in a much more efficient manner.

College education is not the only path to one’s professional, academic and personal evolution. However, it doubtlessly provides the opportunities for acquiring the skills that will be used for becoming a successful leader and a lifelong learner. Thus, college education is an integral and essential part of my social life and future career.

Works Cited

Barros, Rosanna. “From Lifelong Education to Lifelong Learning: Discussion of Some Effects of Today’s Neoliberal Policies.” European Journal for Research on the Education and Learning of Adults 3.2 (2012): 119–134. Web.

Prashini, Naidoo. “Education: Communication Skills – Giving Effective Feedback.” GP 1.2 (2013): 46. Web.

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Academic Excellence, Essay Example

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My academic performance for the past four years has been awe-inspiring. I have been scoring A’s in most of my subjects, with Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology and English being excellent. Since I joined high school, I developed a significant interest in gaining practical skills, especially in the sciences. Surprisingly, I have been the best performing student in Chemistry and Biology practices all four years, with a few awards from contests I have participated in. Being a top performer in my class has motivated my desire to pursue medicine in College.

In my second year of high school, I attended a Biology symposium in a neighboring school. At the seminar, I was recognized as the most creative student for suggesting students’ importance of being taught first aid as an introductory course in all high schools. My academic records prove my potential for pursuing medicine and my great desire to help and be a problem solver in society. However, schooling has helped me attain advocacy skills of being a problem solver and a helper.

I believe that my academic background is excellent to motivate me to pursue medicine. I intend to be a better and faster student compared to when I was in high school. From my academic records, never have I ever missed any of my exam papers. I have arrived on time, completed the papers even before time, and been a top performer. I know how much dedication and commitment are needed in pursuing medicine. I feel I can become one of the best medical students, and later best Doctor professionally. Consistency in performing well in my previous years is an excellent assurance of excellence in pursuing medicine.

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• How to Write Dazzlingly Brilliant Essays: Sharp Advice for Ambitious Students

Rachel McCombie, a graduate of St John’s College, Oxford, shares actionable tips on taking your essays from “Good” to “Outstanding.”

For ambitious students, essays are a chance to showcase academic flair, demonstrate original thinking and impress with advanced written English skills.

The best students relish the challenge of writing essays because they’re a chance to exercise academic research skills and construct interesting arguments. Essays allow you to demonstrate your knowledge, understanding and intelligence in a creative and relatively unrestricted way – provided you keep within the word count! But when lots of other people are answering the same essay question as you, how do you make yours stand out from the crowd? In this article, we’re going to show you the secret of writing a truly brilliant essay.

What are essays actually for?

Before we get into the nitty gritty of how to write an outstanding essay, we need to go right back to basics and think about what essays are actually designed to test. Only by understanding the purpose of an essay can you really begin to understand what it is that tutors are looking for when they read your work. No matter what the academic level of the student is, essays are designed to test many things: – Knowledge – fundamentally, essays test and help consolidate what you’ve read and learned, making them an important part of the learning process, particularly for humanities subjects. –  Comprehension – they test your ability to make sense of and clearly explain complex concepts and issues. – They test your ability to understand the question and produce a considered response to it. – They evaluate your ability to absorb and condense information from a variety of sources , which will probably mean covering a lot of material in a short space of time; this necessitates appraisal of which bits of material are relevant and which are not. – They test your ability to write a balanced and coherent argument that considers a number of points of view. – They showcase your level of written English skills. – They even put your time management to the test – essays are a part of your workload that must be planned, prioritised and delivered to a high standard, to deadline.

Characteristics of the perfect essay

Now that we know why we’re asked to write essays, what are the characteristics that define the essays that impress? The tutors marking your essays may have their own preferences and things they look for in outstanding essays, but let’s take a look at a few of the irrefutable traits of the best.

Original thinking

The hallmark of the truly brilliant essay is original thinking. That doesn’t have to mean coming up with an entirely new theory; most of, if not all, the topics you’ll be studying at GCSE , A-level or even undergraduate level have been thought about in so much depth and by so many people that virtually every possible angle will have been thought of already. But what it does mean is that the essay stands out from those of other students in that it goes beyond the obvious and takes an original approach – perhaps approaching the topic from a different angle, coming up with a different hypothesis from what you’ve been discussing in class, or introducing new evidence and intelligent insights from material not included on the reading list.

Solid, in-depth knowledge and understanding

It goes without saying that the brilliant essay should demonstrate a strong knowledge of the facts, and not just knowledge but sound comprehension of the concepts or issues being discussed and why they matter. The perfect essay demonstrates an ability to deploy relevant facts and use them to form the basis of an argument or hypothesis. It covers a wide range of material and considers every point of view, confidently making use of and quoting from a variety of sources.

Clear structure with intelligent debate

The perfect essay provides a coherent discussion of both sides of the story, developing a balanced argument throughout, and with a conclusion that weighs up the evidence you’ve covered and perhaps provides your own intelligent opinion on how the topic should be interpreted based on the evidence covered.

No superfluous information

Everything written in the perfect essay serves a purpose – to inform and persuade. There’s no rambling or going off at tangents – it sticks to the point and doesn’t waste the reader’s time. This goes back to our earlier point about sorting the relevant facts from the irrelevant material; including material that isn’t relevant shows that you’ve not quite grasped the real heart of the matter.

Exceptional English

The words in the perfect essay flow effortlessly, and the reader feels in safe hands. Sentences need never be read more than once to be understood, and each follows logically on from the next, with no random jumping about from topic to topic from one paragraph to the next. Spelling and grammar are flawless, with no careless typos. So how do you go about writing this mythical Perfect Essay? Read on to find out!

Put in extra background work

Committed students always read beyond what the reading list tells them to read. Guaranteed to impress, wide reading gives you deeper knowledge than your peers and gives you the extra knowledge and insights you need to make your essay stand out. If you’re studying English, for example, don’t just read the set text! Here are some ideas to widen your reading and give you a good range of impressive quotes to include in your essay: – Other works by the same author – how do they compare with your set text? – Works by contemporary authors – does your set text fit into a wider movement, or is it very different from what was being written at the time? – Works by the author’s predecessors – what works inspired the author of your set text? How do you see them shining through in the text you’re studying, and how have they been developed? – Literary criticism – gauge the range of opinions about your set text by reading what the literary critics have to say. Whose opinion do you most agree with, and why? – Background history – so that you can appreciate and refer to the context in which the author was writing (we’ll come back to this last point a little later). It sounds like a lot of extra work, but you don’t necessarily have to read everything in full. It’s fine to dip into these other resources providing you don’t inadvertently take points out of context.

Know what you want to say before you start writing

You’re probably sick of hearing this particular piece of advice, but it’s important to start out with a clear idea in your mind of what you want to say in your essay and how you will structure your arguments. The easiest way to do this is to write an essay plan. This needn’t be a big deal, or time-consuming; all you need to do is to open a new document on your computer, type out the ideas you want to cover and drag and drop them into a logical order. From there, you simply start typing your essay directly into the plan itself. Your essay should include an introduction, a series of paragraphs that develop an argument rather than just jumping from topic to topic, and a conclusion that weighs up the evidence.

Answer the question you’ve been set, not the question you want to answer

A common problem with students’ responses to essays is that rather than answering the question they’ve been set , they try to mould the question to what they’d prefer to write about, because that’s what they feel most comfortable with. Be very careful not to do this! You could end up writing a brilliant essay, but if didn’t actually answer the question then it’s not going to be well received by the person marking it.

Give a balanced argument…

Good essays give both sides of an argument, presenting information impartially and considering multiple points of view. One-sided arguments won’t impress, as you need to show that you’ve thought about the evidence comprehensively.

…but your opinion and interpretation matter too

Show that you’ve made your own mind up based on your weighing up of the evidence. This shows that you’re not just hiding behind what other people say about the topic, but that you’ve had the independence of mind to form your own intelligent opinion about it.

Quote liberally

Use quotations from academic works and sources to back up points you want to make. Doing so strengthens your argument by providing evidence for your statements, as well as demonstrating that you’ve read widely around your subject. However, don’t go too far and write an essay that’s essentially just a list of what other people say about the subject. Quoting too much suggests that you don’t have the confidence or knowledge to explain things in your own words, so have to hide behind those of other people. Make your own mind up about what you’re writing about – as already mentioned, it’s fine to state your own opinion if you’ve considered the arguments and presented the evidence.

Context matters

As we’ve already touched on, if you can demonstrate knowledge of the context of the subject you’re writing about, this will show that you’ve considered possible historical influences that may have shaped a work or issue. This shows that you haven’t simply taken the essay question at face value and demonstrates your ability to think beyond the obvious. An ability to look at the wider picture marks you out as an exceptional student, as many people can’t see the wood for the trees and have a very narrow focus when it comes to writing essays. If you’re an English student, for instance, an author’s work should be considered not in isolation but in the context of the historical events and thinking that helped define the period in which the author was writing. You can’t write about Blake’s poetry without some knowledge and discussion of background events such as the Industrial Revolution, and the development of the Romantic movement as a whole.

Include images and diagrams

You know what they say – a picture speaks a thousand words. What matters in an essay is effective and persuasive communication, and if a picture or diagram will help support a point you’re making, include it. As well as helping to communicate, visuals also make your essay more enjoyable to read for the person marking it – and if they enjoy reading it, the chances are you’ll get better marks! Don’t forget to ensure that you include credits for any images and diagrams you include.

Use full academic citations and a bibliography

Show you mean business by including a full set of academic citations, with a bibliography at the end, even if you haven’t been told to. The great thing about this is that it not only makes you look organised and scholarly, but it also gives you the opportunity to show off just how many extra texts you’ve studied to produce your masterpiece of an essay! Make use of the footnote feature in your word processor and include citations at the bottom of each page, with a main bibliography at the end of the essay. There are different accepted forms for citing an academic reference, but the main thing to remember is to pick one format and be consistent. Typically the citation will include the title and author of the work, the date of publication and the page number(s) of the point or quotation you’re referring to. Here’s an example: 1. Curta, F. (2007) – “Some remarks on ethnicity in medieval archaeology” in Early Medieval Europe 15 (2), pp. 159-185

Before you ask, no, a spell check isn’t good enough! How many times have you typed “form” instead of “from”? That’s just one of a huge number of errors that spell check would simply miss. Your English should be impeccable if you want to be taken seriously, and that means clear and intelligent sentence structures, no misplaced apostrophes, no typos and no grammar crimes. Include your name at the top of each page of your essay, and number the pages. Also, make sure you use a font that’s easy to read, such as Times New Roman or Arial. The person marking your essay won’t appreciate having to struggle through reading a fancy Gothic font, even if it does happen to match the Gothic literature you’re studying!

Meet the deadline

You don’t need us to tell you that, but for the sake of being comprehensive, we’re including it anyway. You could write the best essay ever, but if you deliver it late, it won’t be looked upon favourably! Don’t leave writing your essay until the last minute – start writing with plenty of time to spare, and ideally leave time to sleep on it before you submit it. Allowing time for it to sink in may result in you having a sudden brilliant revelation that you want to include. So there we have it – everything you need to know in order to write an essay to impress. If you want to get ahead, you might also want to think about attending an English summer school .

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Home — Application Essay — National Universities — Striving for Excellence: My College Journey

Striving for Excellence: My College Journey

• University: Stanford University

About this sample

Words: 559 |

Published: Feb 15, 2024

Words: 559 | Pages: 1 | 3 min read

I am filled with a profound sense of personal growth and determination. In this essay, I aim to convey my journey towards excellence and my aspirations for the future, providing a comprehensive view of my true potential and suitability for college.

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One of the key traits that sets me apart is my unwavering commitment to academic excellence. From an early age, I have demonstrated a thirst for knowledge and a hunger to excel. I have consistently challenged myself by taking advanced courses, engaging in extracurricular activities, and pursuing independent research projects. These experiences have not only broadened my intellectual horizons but have also honed my critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Outside the classroom, I have actively contributed to my community through various leadership roles. Serving as the president of my school's National Honor Society, I organized several fundraising events that generated significant funds for local charities. Additionally, I volunteered at a local homeless shelter, providing assistance to those in need. These experiences have instilled in me a deep empathy for others and a strong desire to make a positive impact in the world.

Furthermore, my passion for the arts has allowed me to explore my creativity and develop a unique perspective on the world. I have participated in multiple theater productions, showcasing my acting abilities and collaborating with a diverse group of individuals. Through my involvement in these projects, I have learned the importance of teamwork, adaptability, and effective communication – skills that are essential not only in the arts but in all aspects of life.

Another defining aspect of my journey is my commitment to personal growth and self-improvement. Recognizing the value of a well-rounded education, I have actively pursued interests beyond my academic curriculum. Whether it be learning a new language, mastering a musical instrument, or delving into philosophical texts, I have embraced every opportunity to expand my knowledge and broaden my intellectual horizons.

Furthermore, I have faced and overcome numerous challenges in my life, which have shaped my character and shaped my resilience. As a first-generation college student, I have not had the privilege of familial guidance on the intricacies of the college application process. However, I have sought out resources and support from mentors and teachers who have been instrumental in guiding me through this often daunting journey. Through their mentorship, I have honed my ability to navigate unfamiliar territory, adapt to new situations, and persevere in the face of adversity.

Looking ahead, my college years represent a continuation of my quest for knowledge and personal growth. I am eagerly anticipating the opportunity to immerse myself in a diverse academic community, surrounded by individuals who share my passion for learning. I am excited to explore new fields of study, engage in thought-provoking discussions, and contribute to the intellectual and cultural fabric of the college community.

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In conclusion, my journey towards excellence has been marked by an unwavering commitment to academic achievement, active community involvement, a passion for the arts, a thirst for personal growth, and the ability to overcome challenges. I am confident that these qualities will not only allow me to thrive in college but also enable me to make a significant impact in whatever field I choose to pursue. I am ready to embark on the next chapter of my life, eager to embrace the opportunities that college has to offer and dedicated to leaving a lasting and positive legacy.

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Home / Essay Samples / Life / Experience / Excellence

Excellence Essay Examples

Cultivating an excellence in mindset and habits to improve life.

Excellence is a quality that is highly valued in society, and it can play an important role in the development of the mind. As the key theme, excellence in this essay analysed as a way to success and personal growth. There are some examples of...

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Scholarship Essay Examples Financial Need

Why this scholarship essay worked.

This scholarship essay example effectively conveys the applicant's financial need and their determination to overcome the challenges associated with it. Here's why this essay worked:

• Personal Storytelling: The essay begins with a personal anecdote that establishes a connection between the applicant's background and financial constraints. This helps create empathy and demonstrates the genuine impact of financial challenges on their educational journey.
• Resilience and Resourcefulness: The applicant showcases their resilience and resourcefulness in navigating financial hardships. They highlight their proactive approach to seeking part-time employment and actively pursuing scholarships.
• Academic Commitment: Despite the financial strain, the applicant emphasizes their commitment to academic excellence by maintaining a high GPA. This showcases their dedication and ability to prioritize their studies amidst challenging circumstances.
• Community Involvement : The essay also highlights the applicant's involvement in community service. This demonstrates their desire to give back and make a positive impact.
• Connection to Scholarship: The applicant clearly articulates how receiving the scholarship would benefit them. This demonstrates a strong alignment between their goals and the purpose of the scholarship.

Want more examples, check out these winning scholarship essay examples.

Financial Aid Scholarship Essay

Scholarship Essay for Financial Need

Scholarship Essay Examples About Yourself

Why this essay worked.

This scholarship essay worked for several reasons, such as:

• It effectively showcases the applicant's passion for mathematics, community engagement, and resilience.
• It compellingly conveyed the applicant's dedication, ambition, and potential for making a positive impact. This makes them a deserving candidate for the scholarship.
• Clear connection to the scholarship's goals and how it would further the applicant's educational journey and impact.

Here are some scholarship essay examples about yourself; get an idea from them, and create a successful essay.

Scholarship Essay Example About Yourself

Scholarship Essay About Yourself

Scholarship Essay Examples for Nursing

Why this essay worked.

This essay worked due to its compelling portrayal of the applicant's genuine passion for nursing, coupled with their unwavering dedication to making a positive impact in patient care.

The essay effectively demonstrates the applicant's well-rounded preparation for a nursing career and their clear alignment with the goals and mission of the scholarship, making them a strong candidate for consideration.

Below are some more examples of scholarship essays for nursing.

Nursing Scholarship Essay

Scholarship Essay for Nursing

Scholarship Essay Examples About Career Goals

This essay worked for the following reasons:

• Clear and Specific Career Goals: The essay effectively outlines the applicant's career goal of becoming a clinical psychologist specializing in mental health support. The clarity and specificity of the goal demonstrate a well-defined path and a strong sense of purpose.
• Demonstrated Preparation and Commitment: The essay showcases the applicant's comprehensive preparation for their career goals. It also demonstrates their readiness and dedication to excel in the field.
• Alignment with Scholarship Objectives: The essay effectively highlights how the scholarship will contribute to the applicant's career aspirations. This includes attending conferences, workshops, and advanced training programs.

If you find difficulty writing the scholarship essay about career goals, get help from the below-mentioned examples, and submit a well-written essay.

Scholarship Essay Examples About Leadership

Three reasons why this essay worked are:

• Demonstrated Leadership Experience : This essay effectively highlights the applicant's practical experience in leadership roles, showcasing their ability to lead teams, organize events, and coordinate volunteers.
• Commitment to Personal Growth : The essay demonstrates the applicant's proactive approach to leadership development by seeking formal training and participating in workshops focused on honing their skills. 
• Emphasis on Collaboration and Empowerment: The essay emphasizes the applicant's belief in collaborative leadership. It promotes inclusivity and empowers team members to contribute their unique perspectives. 

Here we gather some good scholarship essay examples about leadership that help in your writing.

Leadership Scholarship Essay Example

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Scholarship Essay Examples About Community Service

Here are the reasons:

• Genuine Passion and Commitment: The essay effectively conveys the applicant's genuine passion for community service, highlighting their long-standing involvement and the transformative impact it has had on their life. 
• Integration of Service with Education: The essay demonstrates the applicant's proactive approach to integrating their passion for community service with their educational pursuits.
• Aspiration for Social Change: The essay goes beyond personal experiences and highlights the applicant's aspirations for broader social change.

Here is an excellent community service scholarship essa y that can help you write for community college.

Scholarship Essay Example about Community Service

High School Scholarship Essay Examples

• Clear and Convincing Goals: The essay effectively communicates the applicant's strong desire to pursue higher education despite financial constraints.
• Demonstrated Leadership and Well-Roundedness: The essay showcases the applicant's involvement in extracurricular activities. It highlights their ability to balance academic responsibilities with active participation in clubs, sports teams, and community service initiatives.
• Emphasis on Giving Back and Community Engagement: The essay not only focuses on the applicant's personal aspirations but also highlights their commitment to giving back to their community.

The following are the best high school scholarship essay examples, use this for your help, and write an attention-grabbing essay.

Scholarship Essay Example for High School

Scholarship Essay for High School

Scholarship Essay Examples for University

Why this essay works.

Three reasons why this essay works are:

• Strong Personal Motivation: The essay effectively communicates the applicant's unwavering commitment and determination to pursue a university education.
• Articulation of Long-Term Goals and Social Impact: The essay goes beyond highlighting the applicant's academic achievements and financial needs. It emphasizes the applicant's desire to contribute to their community and make a positive impact on society.
• The connection between Scholarship and Applicant's Potential: The essay effectively illustrates how receiving the scholarship would directly address the financial burden. Plus, it will enable the applicant to fully embrace the university experience.

Here are some excellent scholarship essay examples for university students that help you in writing the essay.

Scholarship Essay Example for University Students

Scholarship Essay Examples for Engineering

This essay worked because of the following reasons:

• Passion and Commitment: The essay effectively conveys the applicant's deep passion for engineering. It also shows their genuine commitment to making a positive impact in this field.
• Alignment with Scholarship Objectives: It clearly establishes the connection between the scholarship and the applicant's goals in engineering.
• Future Impact and Growth: It also communicates the applicant's aspiration to contribute to the field of engineering and make a positive difference in the world.

The following is another scholarship essay example that can help you in creating the perfect essay on your own.

Scholarship Essay Examples for Masters

This essay worked for several reasons:

• Clear Purpose and Goal: The essay effectively conveys the applicant's clear purpose and goal of pursuing a master's degree. It highlights the transformative impact that a master's degree can have on personal and professional growth.
• Financial Need and Scholarship Alignment : The essay addresses the financial challenges associated with pursuing a master's degree. It demonstrates the direct alignment between the scholarship and the applicant's needs.
• Impact and Giving Back : The essay goes beyond personal aspirations and emphasizes the applicant's intention to make a broader impact on their community and society.

Here is an example that you can use as a guide and write a perfect scholarship essay.

Why Should You Receive this Scholarship Essay Examples

Three brief reasons why this essay worked are:

• Clear and Convincing Arguments : The essay presents concise and compelling arguments to support the applicant's case for receiving the scholarship.
• Personal Connection : It demonstrates how receiving the scholarship would directly impact the applicant's academic journey
• Gratitude and Future Commitment : It expresses sincere gratitude for the opportunity and emphasizes the applicant's commitment to making the most of the scholarship.

Here is an example, take help from them for your scholarship essay.

Why Should You Receive this Scholarship Essay Example

Why I Deserve This Scholarship Essay Examples

• Compelling Personal Story: The essay effectively presents the applicant's personal story and highlights their dedication and commitment to their education
• Addressing Academic Excellence and Financial Need : The essay successfully addresses both academic excellence and financial need, which are two crucial aspects considered by scholarship committees.
• Commitment to Making an Impact: The essay goes beyond the applicant's personal goals and emphasizes their dedication to making a positive impact in their community. 

Here’s another example for this scholarship essay below:

Why I Deserve This Scholarship Essay Example

Tips for Writing the Effective Scholarship Essay

When it comes to writing an effective scholarship essay, there are several key tips to keep in mind. 

By following these guidelines, you can maximize your chances of standing out and impressing scholarship selection committees. 

Here are some essential tips to help you craft a compelling scholarship essay:

• Understand the Prompt

Take the time to thoroughly understand the essay prompt or topic provided by the scholarship provider. Pay attention to any specific instructions or guidelines given.

• Research the Scholarship

Familiarize yourself with the organization or institution offering the scholarship. Understand their values, mission, and objectives. This knowledge will help you align your essay with their goals and demonstrate your fit for the scholarship.

• Tell Your Unique Story

Use the essay as an opportunity to showcase your personal experiences, like obstacles you might encounter, achievements, and aspirations. Highlight what sets you apart from other applicants. Be authentic and genuine in conveying your story, like overcoming personal failures.

• Start with a Compelling Introduction

Grab the reader's attention from the beginning with a strong and captivating introduction. Consider starting with a compelling anecdote, a thought-provoking question, or a powerful statement.

• Structure Your Essay

Organize your essay into a clear and logical structure. Start with an introduction, followed by body paragraphs that support your main points, and end with a concise and impactful conclusion.

• Be Concise and Specific

Scholarship essays often have a word or character limits, so make every word count. Be concise in your writing and avoid unnecessary fluff. Focus on providing specific examples and details that support your claims.

• Showcase Your Achievements

Highlight your academic accomplishments, extracurricular involvements, community service, leadership roles, or any other relevant achievements. Link them to the values and goals of the scholarship.

• Address the Selection Criteria

Ensure that your essay addresses the selection criteria specified by the scholarship provider. If they are looking for specific qualities or skills, tailor your essay to showcase how you possess those attributes.

In conclusion, writing an effective scholarship essay is a crucial step in securing the financial aid you need for your education. 

By following the tips outlined here, you can enhance your essay-writing skills and create a compelling narrative that captivates scholarship selection committees.

Be authentic, concise, and specific in your writing. Tailor your essay to align with the values and objectives of the scholarship provider. And above all, believe in yourself and your potential to make a difference through education.

If you're seeking further guidance and support in your scholarship essay writing journey, consider partnering with our AI essay writing tools !

We also have a team of experienced and professional essay writers who can provide personal essay writing service with valuable insights. 

Hire our college paper writing service  today and take the next step towards securing the financial aid you deserve.

Barbara P (Literature, Marketing)

Barbara is a highly educated and qualified author with a Ph.D. in public health from an Ivy League university. She has spent a significant amount of time working in the medical field, conducting a thorough study on a variety of health issues. Her work has been published in several major publications.

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“Strive for Excellence, Not Perfection”

Perfection is impossible except in scientific laboratory experiments and mathematical applications. Most of the time, emphasizing perfection rather than excellence acts as an obstacle to progress.

The title of this article is a quote from H. Jackson Brown, Jr. People often put the emphasis on perfection without realizing that perfection is impossible except in scientific laboratory experiments and mathematical applications. Most of the time, emphasizing perfection rather than excellence acts as an obstacle to progress. As such, we will explore the cons of perfection and the pros of excellence in this article, as it will enable individuals and institutions to strive for excellence and effectiveness.

What Is Excellence?

Colin Powell said, “If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude.” Excellence is about being the best, striving to be better, with an eye to delivering quality goods and services. People are not born with excellence. They cultivate it over a period of time through hard work, wise work, and smart work. It emerges from continuous improvement over the past. It is a corollary of passion and performance.

Excellence differentiates extraordinary people from ordinary people. Those who strive for excellence will have longevity in their endeavors. It is both the yardstick and the benchmark. When you benchmark against other achievers, you tend to improve and grow.

How to Achieve Excellence?

People first must develop the mindset that achieving excellence is a journey, not a destination. They must set their goals in order to achieve excellence. There are certain tips that will help you achieve excellence, irrespective of your area of interest. Here are some nuggets of wisdom for achieving excellence:

• Be passionate: When you do what you love, you don’t feel that you are working any more, as you derive pleasure from it. Hence, you have to be passionate about whatever you do. In addition, involvement is essential for excellence. When you involve yourself, the sky is your limit.
• Spot your talents: Once you know your passions, it becomes easy for you to hone them. Acquire skills and abilities in tune with talents. People often search for skills by ignoring their inherent talents. Hence, spot your talents and build your competencies and capabilities in and around them.
• Read good books: Read good books and upgrade your knowledge constantly. Continuous learning broadens your horizons. Never become complacent with your existing knowledge. Keep reading good books that enrich you with the latest knowledge from multiple perspectives. Books provide diversified knowledge, information, and ideas that you can choose and that can help you grow. Constant learning is a boon. Reading good books by great authors will inspire you. If possible, note key points for future reference. Sometimes people think they know everything. There is always something that can be learned from each book, provided you have an open mind to learn and grow. In addition, different authors present content from different perspectives, thus enriching your knowledge.
• Work smart and wise: You must learn to work smartly, wisely, and hard in order to achieve excellence. There is a difference between working hard and smart work. Working hard is all about perspiration without any planning and preparation. In contrast, working smart is about thorough preparation with a proper blueprint to proceed, along with perspiration. Hard work consumes a lot of time, money, and resources, while smart work conserves time, money, and resources.
• Share your knowledge: Knowledge grows when it is shared. Develop an attitude to help and serve others. We brought nothing into this world and will take away nothing from this world when we die. What we can do is share our knowledge so people can benefit. Sharing your knowledge, writing articles, and mentoring others will sharpen your mind. You will get great pleasure when you see people growing in front of you.
• Solicit continuous feedback: Continuous feedback is essential for excellence. As feedback is the breakfast of champions, people must take feedback from others without any false ego. Feedback spots the chinks in the armor. It helps people to know their weaknesses so they can work toward improvement. In fact, continuous improvement paves the way for excellence.
• Manage constraints: There will be several constraints and obstacles in the path to achieving excellence. Some are internally created by human errors, and many are externally created by forces beyond human control. Hence, learn to manage both external and internal forces and factors that prevent you from achieving excellence.

Excellence vs. Perfection

Do not confuse excellence with perfection as it is easy to achieve excellence, but tough to achieve perfection. Michael J. Fox once remarked, “I am careful not to confuse excellence with perfection. Excellence, I can reach for; perfection is God’s business.” Perfection is a phobia. When you emphasize perfection too much, you tend to make more mistakes, resulting in failures. However, when you emphasize excellence, you tend to be comfortable as you find it easier to execute and deliver.

Excellence paves the way for improvement, while perfection paves the way for stagnation, limiting one’s creativity and innovation. People often fail to deliver goods when emphasis is laid on perfection. However, excellence tolerates mistakes and failures, thus allowing people to explore and experiment, and, in turn, paving the way for excellence. Excellence is feasible and possible, while perfection is a fantasy and often difficult to attain. Excellence is pleasure, while perfection is pressure.

Tale of a Carpenter

Excellence is about how you contribute to others. What goes around comes around. If you deliver something good, you get back good things in return. If you deliver something poor, you get back bad things in return. Here is the story of a carpenter.

A carpenter was very good at his work. He delivered his best and dedicated his entire life to his profession and services provided to his employer. Having reached old age, he told his employer about his intention to retire from service. The owner did not appreciate losing a dedicated carpenter. Since the carpenter had grown old and wanted to be relieved, the owner gave him his final assignment of constructing a home. The carpenter accepted the assignment unwillingly. He did his work without any interest for months, and somehow completed his final assignment. And then the carpenter went to the employer and informed him about the completion of the construction.

The employer asked the carpenter to come the next day, as that would be his final working day. The next day, the employer gave the carpenter the keys to the newly constructed home as a gift for his retirement, and thanked him for his long service of dedication and excellence. The carpenter was shocked as he had not realized that the home he had made without any interest actually belonged to him. He regretted not maintaining enthusiasm and excellence during the construction. Had he maintained excellence toward the end of his career, he would have ended up with a better home. The moral of the story: What goes around, comes back to us.

Excellence Is Not an Act, but a Habit

I have collected many quotes from the last 30 years that I use when I write articles. I also have newspaper clippings from many years, detailing important events and activities. Whenever I write articles or teach students, I refer to them. Above all, I have the habit of jotting down key ideas and insights that help me write articles and teach my students better. Every time I write an article, I always think of presenting it better than I did before and in a more succinct way without compromising the essence, and that has paved the way for my excellence in writing. However, I still need to improve a lot. Aristotle rightly said, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”

There is a growing interest in excellence on the part of organizations. For instance, McKinsey’s Tom Peters and Robert Waterman published a book, “In Search of Excellence—Lessons from America’s Best-Run Companies.” The book was famous for the 7S framework, where 7S stands for strategy, structure, systems, staff, skills, style, and shared values. It was researched at 43 of the Fortune 500 list of top-performing companies in America. In addition, Jim Collins’ book, “Built to Last,” was researched at 18 companies.

Currently, companies crave excellence to beat their competition and stay ahead of others. Excellence is the only thing that makes people walk on their toes to deliver amazing results.

Professor M.S.Rao , Ph.D., is an international leadership guru and leadership educator, executive coach, speaker, and consultant. He has 34 years of experience and is the author of 30 books including 21 Success Sutras for Leaders ( http://www.amazon.com/21-Success-Sutras-Leaders-ebook/dp/B00AK98ELI ) that was ranked as one of the Top 10 Leadership Books of the Year – 2013 by San Diego University. His award-winning book “ Success Tools for CEO Coaches: Be a Learner, Leader, and Ladder,” is the Community Award Winner for 2014 by Small Business Trends ( http://bookawards.smallbiztrends.com/management-2014/success-tools-for-ceo-coaches-8/ ). His award-winning book, “Smart Leadership: Lessons for Leaders”  ( http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D9S8SCW ) has been published as a Spanish language e-book. His vision is to build 1 million students as global leaders by 2030 ( http://professormsraovision2030.blogspot.in ). He has been honored as an upcoming International Leadership Guru by Leadership Gurus International ( http://www.globalgurus.org/leadership/upcoming.php ) and listed as one of the leading achievers around the world in Marquis Who’s Who in the World in 2013. He serves as an advisor and judge for several international organizations, including Global Leadership Awards, Malaysia. He received the International Coach of the Year 2013 Award from Comprehensive Coaching U, Inc. http://www.terrilevine.com/coachoftheyear/winners.html Professor Rao coined an innovative teaching tool called Meka’s Method; a leadership teaching tool, 11E Leadership Grid; and a new leadership tool called Soft Leadership Grid, based on his new leadership style, “Soft Leadership” copyrighted with Jossey Bass. He led a Webinar on Soft leadership organized by International Leadership Association ( http://www.ila-net.org/Webinars/Archive/Rao082012.html ). A No.1 ranked speaker in India, reviews can be found at: http://speakerpedia.com/speakers/professor-msrao . Books can be found at: www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A16SKI0396UBRP . Most of his work is available free of charge in his three blogs http://profmsr.blogspot.com http://professormsrao.blogspot.com and http://professormsraoguru.blogspot.com Contact him via e-mail at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter at @professormsrao.

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Donor honors former English professor with new UD award for writing excellence

By Dave Larsen

A new award for excellence in writing at the University of Dayton was created by a former student to honor a beloved English professor who taught him the value of literature and the humanities. However, neither the student nor the professor was affiliated with UD.

Bart Ng, dean and professor emeritus at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, wanted to make a gift in honor of John D. Groppe — professor emeritus of English at St. Joseph’s College in Indiana, where Ng received his bachelor’s degree in 1968 — and his spouse, Rose Marie Groppe.

“The day I left St. Joe’s, I felt I must do it because it was such a life-changing experience for someone like me,” said Ng, a first-generation college student who was born in China shortly after World War II. “I am lucky that I am in a position now to actually deliver, but unfortunately my alma mater no longer exists.”

St. Joseph’s College closed in 2017 after 128 years.

Ng and the Groppes considered a number of institutions to house the John D. and Rose Marie Groppe Award for Excellence in Writing, including those where the Groppes’ children attended school or now teach, as well as Benedictine University, where Ng served as dean of science for five years after he retired from IUPUI in 2011.

A Catholic college or university wasn’t a “must,” but it was an important consideration, Ng said. Their focus was on an institution with a strong writing program that offers a course in rhetoric as a foundation for preparing students for public reasoning and leadership positions.

Ng said they chose the University of Dayton because of its “robust writing program,” exemplified by the UD Department of English’s Line by Line: A Journal of Beginning Student Writing . The honorees’ daughter, Elizabeth Groppe, is a professor of theology in the UD Department of Religious Studies.

They worked with Andy Slade, professor and former UD Department of English chair, and Margaret M. Strain, professor and director of the writing program, to bring the Groppe Award to Dayton.

“I feel very comfortable it will be in a good place,” Ng said. “It will be a welcoming place for ideas, as well as responsible stewardship for the endowment.”

The first Groppe Awards were presented in March at a luncheon ceremony in UD’s Kennedy Union attended by Ng and John Groppe, along with many of Groppe’s children, a grandson and several of his former students.

The recipients were Daniel C. Napoli, a junior English and adolescent to young adult education major from Highland Heights, Ohio, and Eleanor Yates-McEwan, a junior philosophy major from Centerville, Ohio. In addition, the UD Department of English’s Barbara Farrelly Award was presented to Alexandria Ford, a sophomore English major from Kettering, Ohio.

In his remarks, John Groppe noted the differences among rhetoric, which involves argument and persuasion; essays, which are more personal and reflective; and academic papers, which focus on procedure and evidence. He said the three winning papers were “excellent examples of the academic genre.”

“I hope to see, and I think Rose Marie concurs, that the awards in the future represent the full spectrum of human experience — argument, reflective essays and very careful procedural analyses of all aspects of experience,” Groppe said.

John McCombe, professor and interim UD Department of English chair, extended his thanks to Ng and the Groppe family. “Professor Groppe has inspired Dr. Ng and so many other students in their commitment to language, writing and studies in the humanities,” he said.

St. Joseph’s alumnus Ray Leliaert, a retired reporter, city editor and business editor for the South Bend Tribune , recalled taking several writing courses with Groppe. During his senior year, he sent writing samples from those courses to the Tribune .

“As a result of that, the day after our graduation I was in the South Bend Tribune newsroom writing stories,” Leliaert said. “That would not have happened without John’s influence.”

Ng, a mathematician who holds a doctoral degree from the University of Chicago, said he had no interest in the humanities when he arrived at St. Joseph’s College and couldn’t be bothered with “any ideas or principles that can’t be boiled down to some equation.”

Ng said Groppe took him under his wing and changed his mind about writing.

“He made me appreciate the humanities — that people outside of science can actually think about things in as rigorous a way as a scientist would do,” Ng said. “Perhaps they even have a much harder time because in science you have many guideposts and can easily discern what is valid or not valid, but in the humanities, you are facing a much bigger challenge. In any case, writing is the foundation of it all.”

For more information, visit the UD Department of English and Line by Line: A Journal of Beginning Student Writing websites.

Photos, top: John Groppe (left) and Bart Ng. Middle: UD Department of English’s Barbara Farrelly Award winner Alexandria Ford (right) and Professor Margaret Strain. Bottom: John Groppe speaks at the ceremony.

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College Faculty in the News: May 10, 2024

News agencies across the region, the nation and throughout the world often reach out to our faculty experts for their perspectives on today's issues.