Admission Into A.D.N. Program, Personal Statement Example

As far back as I can remember, it seemed so natural to care about those hurting: a bird flying too close to a window–my grandparent’ straining to take a step–my high-school friends hurting from affairs of the heart. This caring was so innate and part of me that I never questioned it; like jelly and toast, it made me complete. These feelings reached a pinnacle ten years ago: I still find myself wincing back tears even today when I reminisce an incredible human experience. Through our church, my parents heard of a pregnant teen mom in Mexico whose parents had abandoned her. Her family ousted her from their home and forbid her return until she found someone to adopt her unborn baby. Having already four brothers, I admit I was somewhat surprised when my parents chose to adopt the infant. Still in my early 20s, I was unprepared for the emotional roller coaster I was about to ride. The hospital allowed my mom and me to stay with the young mom throughout labor and delivery as we helped her breathe and then calm down through each contraction. The baby’s birth was such an emotional experience for us that I felt I had just witnessed a miracle as I welcomed my new little sister Sophia.

During my teens, I attended a large public high school and had little or no guidance when applying to colleges and hoping to get into their premed program. No one in my family had ever graduated from college. Since I had always wanted to be a pediatrician, I chose Biology as my major. Remembering back, I was unprepared for the intense bioscience courses like Chemistry, Physiology and Anatomy because I had no introduction to these in high school. Mentally, I was still in high school—I felt like I had been thrown into a deep chasm and there was no way out. That frightful semester resulted in Ds and Fs which hurt my ego and made me drop out of premed entirely. After recovering from the shock, I changed my major to Business and achieved a B.S. in Business Administration.

I succeeded in business. For three years, I owned and operated a Quizno’s Sub and Sandwich Restaurant, a fast-food franchise. Besides running the business, I developed some wonderful relationships with customers and employees, which proved to be one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Aside from the fact that I owned my own business, the business itself taught me about responsibility, sacrifice and commitment—things which I thought I already knew, but what I soon discovered there was a lot more to learn from direct experience. Academics had taught me a lot about how to run a business from a textbook, but I learned so much more from running a business myself. I was an astute believer in the adage, “The customer is always right,” and this fueled my desire to please each customer that walked into my restaurant until the time that customer walked out the door. At times, it became a challenge to please all personality types and balance the importance of all jobs, but I made the extra effort so that the business could flourish. I encouraged my employees to always be friendly to each other, customers, inspectors, vendors, suppliers, sanitary help and anyone that came in contact with the restaurant. Days were often long and hard, and sometimes I worked over twelve hours a day to keep the business running smoothly. Even though I managed the restaurant, I did whatever needed to be done. These duties included making sandwiches, operating the cash register, cleaning tables, ordering food supplies, paying the bills, mopping the floors, and even washing the dishes. When one is a manager, there is always something to do! The business was mainly fueled by its sales and marketing aspect, but the longer I ran the business, the more I saw that customer experience and service was the most important aspect of all. After three years in this business, I sold the restaurant for a profit.

I also worked as an Executive Assistant in retail and have continued in this field for over seven years. With ten years of success as a businesswoman, my maturity has come full circle, and I feel I am mentally and physically ready for the challenge of a new career. The structure and courses of your A.D.N. program fits my present situation like a glove: I can still hold my day job while I attend classes at night. This career appeals to me because even though I have a knack for business, the retail industry where I work leaves me unfulfilled and I find myself groping for something else more meaningful in life.

To fill this empty space and have something to do besides school, I volunteered throughout high school and college as a candy striper for Long Beach Memorial Hospital and Riverside Community Hospital. As a volunteer, I introduced newborns to their mothers and helped moms get out of bed and walk the Maternity floor after birthing to revitalize their muscle tone and avoid clots. I loved working in an atmosphere where I could accommodate new mothers as they welcomed their precious babies. Presently, I volunteer for Sandpiper, a philanthropic organization in the South Bay community that raises money and sponsors events for charities that help poor families and their children cope during tough economic times. I am immensely rewarded from giving my time to others, and when others tell me I am great with people because I make them laugh and feel better, this phrase just touches my heart and makes me want to do even more in this capacity.

Lastly, even though I am cognizant of the urge to help others, I want to prove to myself that this time I can master the required science courses in the A.D.N. program. Therefore, this March I am scheduled to take an evening Phlebotomy program at UCLA which allows me to continue working during the day. Upon completion, I will graduate as a certified phlebotomist. The course offers both didactic and clinical experience and consists of lectures, interactive presentations, skill labs and simulations; I am very anxious to resume studies in the medical field again and have a much clearer head as to where I want to go in life so I am confident I will succeed.

My short-term goals are to become a phlebotomist and set a solid foundation for similar coursework in the A.D.N. program. I plan to continue my volunteer work sporadically after I begin the A.D.N. program at Mount St. Mary’s. Somewhat bored with retail, I have an interview at a local university medical center for an Executive Assistant where I would be supporting medical staff working in the administration wing of the hospital. My long-term goals are to complete the A.D.N. program and then seek employment as a labor and delivery nurse within a hospital.

I sincerely believe that everyone deserves a second chance to rectify life’s failures during earlier years. At 34 years of age and on the brink of making a major career change, I find myself at a career crossroad. I believe that failures and wrong choices made during one’s youth can become building blocks for strong character and dedication to something one feels one was destined for all along. In the face of challenge, I never gave up but took a different path. Now, after working for ten years in business, I am confident that I can excel in my true calling in life—to become a nurse and help patients and families as they encounter life’s major events. I truly hope you choose me as a candidate for Mount St. Mary’s A.D.N. program in the fall.