University of Vermont Application

I. Why is UVM a good college choice for you?

The University of Vermont is the best college choice for me because it fulfills all the requirements I am looking for in a University. First off, location is a very important part of my college decision. I want to be in a place that is not too far away from my home in Philadelphia, but that is far enough away that I don’t feel strangled by the same environment and surroundings that I have lived in for the past seventeen years. My high school career has been spent at a small college prep school (only 110 people in my graduating class), and I am looking for a college in which I would have contact with a larger pool of people. UVM is the perfect size! 7,500 students is large enough for diversity but not so large that I would feel lost in the community.

I am also a nature lover. The mountains and beauty of Vermont’s landscape bring a sense of peace to me. I have spent the past three summers doing various outdoor activities including backpacking, camping, rafting, climbing, etc. In the summer of 1994, I went to the four corners region of the United States for a six week program with America’s Adventure. In the summer of 1995, I enjoyed the beauty of the Pacific northwest on a six week program with Wilderness Ventures. Most recently I had the extraordinary opportunity to participate on an Outward Bound twenty-two day alpine mountaineering course in the North Cascades. The outdoors means a lot to me because it has allowed me the opportunity to grow as a person. For this reason I have every intention of making them a continual part of my life. The University’s Outing Club is attractive to me because it suggests there will be other people at UVM who appreciate the outdoors.

The most important reason for my wanting to attend the University of Vermont is because I agree with the teaching philosophy. I believe that it is important to have skills in writing and public speaking. I like the way the University stresses the importance of becoming a strong writer in much the same way my high school has. I have worked hard in high school to improve my writing skills and like that this will not just end in high school. In this way, I agree with the University of Vermont’s liberal arts background in order to succeed in a rapidly changing world. The University of Vermont also seems to be a hands on learning experience. This is very important to me because I believe it is the most dynamic and fulfilling way of learning. I learn best in an environment in which there is more to learning than just books and note taking. The class in which I have learned the most about the world around me is in Biology II nature studies course. In this course we do more than just learn in the classroom we branch out and do field studies and plot surveys in order to learn more about the world in which we live.

The University of Vermont’s "work hard, play well" philosophy is very much what I believe in as well. I am a very active person and I believe that my college learning experience involves more than just academics. I like that UVM has hundreds of clubs for me to get involved in.

II. How accurately does your academic record accurately reflect your intellectual ability?

Unfortunate to say, I believe that my academic record does not reflect my intellectual ability at all. I have recently acknowledged this, and am ashamed of myself for my poor display of academic talents and effort in high school. I consider myself to be an intelligent person. I never really pushed myself to my

limits in high school and find this to be one of the biggest regrets I have been faced with in my life so far. Despite what my grades reflect, I am a person who loves to learn. I soak in all the new knowledge that I am exposed to and enjoy the feeling of being able to apply that knowledge to everyday life. Where as I don’t consider my grades and academic record to be horrible, I certainly wish I could say that I was proud of them. From this I realize that I am responsible for my actions and from my mistakes I can only grow more determined as a person. I feel that from my grades I have learned a life long lesson. If I want to be successful according to my own standards then it is important for me to go at everything I do with tremendous effort and determination.

III. Please describe how your intended major relates to your career plans.

Although I’m not sure what I want to be when I "grow up", I’m almost positive that it will have something to do with the environment or be nature oriented.

I intend to apply "undeclared" to the college of natural resources. I have not yet decided on my exact career plans or goals because I still have a lot to learn about myself and the impact in which I would like to have on others in the future. I believe that conserving the environment is crucial in our path into the twenty-first century. People have a lot to learn through nature and the environment. I know that the experiences I have had with nature have been very rewarding. This past summer I spent my time on a twenty-two day Outward Bound course. Being alone with nature, does remarkable things for me. My time on Outward Bound has changed my life forever. I want to spend my life helping people to better understand our natural world and appreciate it in the same way I have done by becoming part of nature. Our natural world is a powerful force and I want to try to provide people with the opportunity to grow through their interaction with the environment. I believe that the School of Natural Resources is my best choice for this.