Why I Want to Attend Graduate School free essay sample

I would like to Attend Capella University’s Masters Program in School Counseling. I have always known that I wanted to work with children ever since I can remember. Working with children is something that I have always enjoyed doing even if it was tutoring, or just being around them. The reason I want to receive my Master’s Degree in School Counseling is to become a Guidance Counselor. Being a guidance counselor you can make a difference in a child’s life, whether it’s talking to them about their grades, peer pressure, or any of the things that children of all ages go through in school and in life. The moment I knew I wanted to be a guidance counselor was at the age of 14, and attending middle school. I can remember my guidance counselor talking to me about my grades, what I needed to improve in, helping me choose high schools to attend, and many other things. We will write a custom essay sample on Why I Want to Attend Graduate School or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I think that the help I received from her put me on the path to working with children. When I entered high school there was no doubt in my mind what I wanted to attend college for. I will never forget my guidance counselor in high school her name was Ms. Price. She helped with all the things you needed to get through in school such as passing statewide testing, filling out college applications, discussing issues that I had questions about, and even my personal life. I then attended Benedict College in Columbia, SC where I earned a Bachelors of Science degree in Child and Family Development. College is where I really got hands on experiences with children. Being that I majored in education I had to do numerous practicum experiences. The first one I can remember doing was at a child a development center at a church. I worked with the 4 year old class and it was the best experience ever. I helped out with creating activities, teaching lessons, dramatic play and much more. Looking at the children and seeing the joy just made me want to work with children even more. During My senior year I had to do an internship working with children. I Interned at The Columbia Bethlehem Community Center. It was a nonprofit organization that had programs for adults and children. The program that I was assigned to work with was the After School Program. At first I was just an assistant for the teachers, but then I became one of the lead teachers. I helped with homework, reading, planning activities, creating the curriculum and a lot more. I stayed with the center throughout the entire school year. When some of the kids came there they were struggling with certain subjects such as reading and math. When they received their first report card the grades were kind of low, but after a while there grades slowly progressed and they were so excited to show me there grades it made me so happy. It made me feel good to know that I made a difference in their lives. After I finished my needed hours for the internship I still stayed at the center because I felt like the kids there needed me and I made a difference in their lives. I guess the director felt I was such a huge help to the students that they decided to hire me full time. Due to lack of funding the center closed down and the students no longer had a place to go. I still keep in contact with some of the parents and students just to see how they are doing and they all say the same thing, I helped them stay on the right path. Every time I see one of them I know that I made a difference. I am now employed with the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services where I am a Medicaid Eligibility worker. I determine eligibility for Medicaid for pregnant women, children, and families. My overall reason for wanting a masters degree in school counseling is to better the lives of children, to guide them on the right path, to be there for them in their time of need, and to teach them. I hope that you will see that I am a perfect fit for this program, and that I am determined to do whatever it takes to become a guidance counselor because it is one of my life goals. I have been looking over my states qualifications for licensure and I know that I will meet every requirement, and that Capella University is the first step to making my dream a reality.