Why I Want to Return to School, Admission Essay Example

We all go through different life circumstances which help shape our path. Sometimes, we create the circumstances ourselves through our life choices and sometimes we are simply thrown into them but ultimately, we build our own destiny. I was the first individual in my family to go to college but dropped out of it to raise my daughter as well as manage my husband’s law firm. I had planned to return to college after few years but started enjoying my work a lot and becoming an integral part of the organization also made it difficult to leave work life. But I never lost sight of the goal to be a role model for my children as demonstrated by my professional achievements. By coming back to school, I want to reinforce the message that we are what we choose to be and it is never too late to be what you might have been.

I have mostly been an exception rather than a norm among my colleagues in terms of professional achievements despite having no college degree. This fact particularly surprised new acquaintances who would be impressed by my leadership, people, and communication skills. I have extensive experience in various aspects of business including legal counseling, marketing, operations management, and human resource management. I have served as my employer’s liaison with several Fortune 500 companies and was even nominated for Wisconsin Law Journal’s Unsung Hero Award for the year 2010 due to my professionalism. Similarly, I hold memberships in as diverse organizations as my skills set such as Association of Legal Administrators and Society of Human Resource Management.

While I have always taken my professional commitments seriously and continue to seek ways to improve myself, I soon realized college education has its own value and importance. First of all, everything I learnt about management and operations, I had to learn on my own and the learning curve would usually be longer than those who would come from college background. In addition, those with college degree had advantage in terms of career opportunities even if I would posses greater skills and experience. But I didn’t let this discourage me and continued to progress on the basis of my performance and value to my employers. While this perseverance and dedication to work has served me well throughout my 26-year career, the world has changed in tremendous ways over the last few decades and America has been no exception. Today, one doesn’t only need greater skills and knowledge but also enhanced knowledge and flexibility which is why I have decided to come to college to advance my academic credentials and get a better understanding of the realities on the ground.

I am attracted to Blended Options Format because instead of going for specialization in one particular field, it emphasizes delicate balance among different sets of knowledge and skills. This helps student become more flexible and better adapt to the professional environment which is continuously evolving. This program will also enable me to make better sense of my experiences and career insights I have gained. I also hope to interact with other professionals and benefit from their experiences and knowledge to further expand my thinking horizon. And more than anything else, I will teach my children the importance of learning, no matter what stage of life you may be at.

My circumstances led me to leave college earlier but I never lost sight of my commitment to excellence and my professional achievements are a testament to that. I have gained knowledge and skills in various functional areas and am also strong in soft skills such as leadership and communication. The world have been evolving at a tremendous pace and I have realized that the timing is right to resume my formal education career to make better sense of what I have learnt so far in my career and further enhance my professional competitiveness.