Howdy!
I've never posted on the Acad. Board but have been on TexAgs for a little while now so I guess a introduction of some sorts is necessary. Anyway, I have always wanted to be an Aggie (read below to see what has put that off so far), and I am currently applying for grad school to get a master's in Sports Management. I have spoken with advisors in person and via telephone. I do feel like I'm qualified, however, I heard they kind of "hang their hat" on your essay. I finished mine tonight and found it that it can be hard to put the way you feel about things into words. So I figured I would post it on here for criticism before I sent it in.
Constructive criticism is welcome, but please be gentle. ; )
They say about the Aggie Spirit that "from the outside looking in, you
can't understand it." I can. From the time I could walk, I feel like I have
been an Aggie. One of my first Halloween costumes was an Aggie football player
(Bucky Richardson and Aaron Wallace were my heroes back then). My father, who
attended Texas A&M along with my uncle, brought me up as an Aggie. Growing up
in southeast Texas meant that I would have to travel 180 miles to experience
events such as Muster, Bonfire, Midnight Yell, and everything else that makes
Aggieland so special. However, to me and my family, the distance did not
matter. I made many trips to College Station, and each one meant as
much to me as the previous. I learned everything I could about Texas A&M and
what it meant to become an Aggie. There was no doubt in my mind that I would be
the next to continue the Aggie tradition in my family.
Out of high school, I was accepted into the Fightin' Texas Aggie Class of
2009. It was one of the happiest days of my life. I had always dreamed of
receiving that letter, and its arrival in the mail was almost surreal. By the
time my story took a different turn, I had already had my major picked, dorm
room assigned, and was looking into my class schedule. However, a phone call
from the head baseball coach at Hill College, in Hillsboro, Texas, changed the
next four years of my life and my plans of becoming an 'official' Aggie.
Growing up, the only thing I loved as much as A&M was the game of
baseball. It took over most of my life outside of school. I was presented
numerous awards in high school and colleges began taking notice. The coach at
Hill offered me a scholarship to continue my education and baseball career at a
discounted price. My passion for baseball, along with the obligation I felt to
aide my parents financially, is what pushed me toward taking the scholarship.
My family had taken so much time and effort out of their lives (and wallets)
for me to become successful in baseball. It seemed to me that accepting the
scholarship was the least I could do to help them.
I spent one year at Hill College, learning what it was like to balance
school and sport at the collegiate level before I was offered another athletic
scholarship to McNeese State University, which I accepted. At the time,
baseball had taken over my life, and I had come to grips with the reality that
maybe I wasn't quite talented enough to play for the Aggies. I was skeptical
about my move to Louisiana, but it was close to home and offered me an avenue
to continue my playing career. I am extremely grateful and have no regrets
about choosing McNeese. For three years, I did my best to bleed Cowboy blue and
gold, while still holding a special place close to my heart for the maroon and
white.
Even though baseball has consumed much of my life, I always took pride in
my academic endeavors. My parents always pushed me in the classroom, and it was
through their motivation, along with my hard work, that led me to academic
success. I was presented many honors throughout my scholastic career, beginning
at Nederland High School. I graduated in the top ten percent of my class and
was a member of both the National and Spanish Honor Societies. I was proud that
my academic abilities were able to translate to the next level as well. Each
semester while in college, I was a member of the Dean or President's list at my
respective institutions. While at McNeese State, I really began to reap the
fruits of my scholastic labors. Due to being regular member of the Academic
All-Southland Conference teams, my name was submitted for more prestigious
awards. During my senior baseball season, I was selected to the
District XI CoSIDA All-Star team which is comprised of the best student
athletes college baseball has to offer from six regions of the United States.
Members of all six teams were sent to ESPN the Magazine where they compiled
their Academic All-American teams based on performance on the field and in the
classroom. In June 2009, I was selected to the ESPN the Magazine Academic
All-American team, only the third McNeese State baseball player to ever be
presented with Academic All-American Honors. My final scholastic award was the
culmination of all my efforts. I graduated cum laude from McNeese State
University in May of 2009 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mass
Communication, along with that same hunger and passion I had always had to
become an Aggie.
My background in sports and communication makes the Sports Management
Graduate Program seem like a perfect fit to continue my education. I understand
much of the on and off-field concepts that go along with running a sports
organization. Project concepts and ideas were easy for me to come up with most
of the time during my undergraduate career because I would work to make the
assignment sports related. The Master's Degree plan offered by Texas A&M in
Sports Management would open up a lot of avenues for future endeavors. I plan
to take my educational and athletic experiences with me from Texas A&M into the
job market with a belief that I will make some company, organization, or
athletic department better financially and ethically.
If I were to be accepted, a degree from Texas A&M is much more than an
accomplishment. It means becoming part of the Aggie family and wearing my Aggie
ring for the rest of my life. My lifelong dream of officially becoming a
student at Texas A&M. If I am honored to become a student in Aggieland, I can
promise that I will give every ounce of my heart and mind to the university and
my education. There is no doubt that I will do everything in my power to
improve on what is already a sterling reputation.
Finally, I hope I have sufficiently explained my spirit, love, and
unbridled passion to become a Fightin' Texas Aggie. It's hard to put the
feelings into words, as "The Spirit of Aggieland" says, "But there's a spirit
can ne'er be told." There are no more accurate words in Aggie lore than those.
Thanks and Gig'em!
I've never posted on the Acad. Board but have been on TexAgs for a little while now so I guess a introduction of some sorts is necessary. Anyway, I have always wanted to be an Aggie (read below to see what has put that off so far), and I am currently applying for grad school to get a master's in Sports Management. I have spoken with advisors in person and via telephone. I do feel like I'm qualified, however, I heard they kind of "hang their hat" on your essay. I finished mine tonight and found it that it can be hard to put the way you feel about things into words. So I figured I would post it on here for criticism before I sent it in.
Constructive criticism is welcome, but please be gentle. ; )
They say about the Aggie Spirit that "from the outside looking in, you
can't understand it." I can. From the time I could walk, I feel like I have
been an Aggie. One of my first Halloween costumes was an Aggie football player
(Bucky Richardson and Aaron Wallace were my heroes back then). My father, who
attended Texas A&M along with my uncle, brought me up as an Aggie. Growing up
in southeast Texas meant that I would have to travel 180 miles to experience
events such as Muster, Bonfire, Midnight Yell, and everything else that makes
Aggieland so special. However, to me and my family, the distance did not
matter. I made many trips to College Station, and each one meant as
much to me as the previous. I learned everything I could about Texas A&M and
what it meant to become an Aggie. There was no doubt in my mind that I would be
the next to continue the Aggie tradition in my family.
Out of high school, I was accepted into the Fightin' Texas Aggie Class of
2009. It was one of the happiest days of my life. I had always dreamed of
receiving that letter, and its arrival in the mail was almost surreal. By the
time my story took a different turn, I had already had my major picked, dorm
room assigned, and was looking into my class schedule. However, a phone call
from the head baseball coach at Hill College, in Hillsboro, Texas, changed the
next four years of my life and my plans of becoming an 'official' Aggie.
Growing up, the only thing I loved as much as A&M was the game of
baseball. It took over most of my life outside of school. I was presented
numerous awards in high school and colleges began taking notice. The coach at
Hill offered me a scholarship to continue my education and baseball career at a
discounted price. My passion for baseball, along with the obligation I felt to
aide my parents financially, is what pushed me toward taking the scholarship.
My family had taken so much time and effort out of their lives (and wallets)
for me to become successful in baseball. It seemed to me that accepting the
scholarship was the least I could do to help them.
I spent one year at Hill College, learning what it was like to balance
school and sport at the collegiate level before I was offered another athletic
scholarship to McNeese State University, which I accepted. At the time,
baseball had taken over my life, and I had come to grips with the reality that
maybe I wasn't quite talented enough to play for the Aggies. I was skeptical
about my move to Louisiana, but it was close to home and offered me an avenue
to continue my playing career. I am extremely grateful and have no regrets
about choosing McNeese. For three years, I did my best to bleed Cowboy blue and
gold, while still holding a special place close to my heart for the maroon and
white.
Even though baseball has consumed much of my life, I always took pride in
my academic endeavors. My parents always pushed me in the classroom, and it was
through their motivation, along with my hard work, that led me to academic
success. I was presented many honors throughout my scholastic career, beginning
at Nederland High School. I graduated in the top ten percent of my class and
was a member of both the National and Spanish Honor Societies. I was proud that
my academic abilities were able to translate to the next level as well. Each
semester while in college, I was a member of the Dean or President's list at my
respective institutions. While at McNeese State, I really began to reap the
fruits of my scholastic labors. Due to being regular member of the Academic
All-Southland Conference teams, my name was submitted for more prestigious
awards. During my senior baseball season, I was selected to the
District XI CoSIDA All-Star team which is comprised of the best student
athletes college baseball has to offer from six regions of the United States.
Members of all six teams were sent to ESPN the Magazine where they compiled
their Academic All-American teams based on performance on the field and in the
classroom. In June 2009, I was selected to the ESPN the Magazine Academic
All-American team, only the third McNeese State baseball player to ever be
presented with Academic All-American Honors. My final scholastic award was the
culmination of all my efforts. I graduated cum laude from McNeese State
University in May of 2009 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mass
Communication, along with that same hunger and passion I had always had to
become an Aggie.
My background in sports and communication makes the Sports Management
Graduate Program seem like a perfect fit to continue my education. I understand
much of the on and off-field concepts that go along with running a sports
organization. Project concepts and ideas were easy for me to come up with most
of the time during my undergraduate career because I would work to make the
assignment sports related. The Master's Degree plan offered by Texas A&M in
Sports Management would open up a lot of avenues for future endeavors. I plan
to take my educational and athletic experiences with me from Texas A&M into the
job market with a belief that I will make some company, organization, or
athletic department better financially and ethically.
If I were to be accepted, a degree from Texas A&M is much more than an
accomplishment. It means becoming part of the Aggie family and wearing my Aggie
ring for the rest of my life. My lifelong dream of officially becoming a
student at Texas A&M. If I am honored to become a student in Aggieland, I can
promise that I will give every ounce of my heart and mind to the university and
my education. There is no doubt that I will do everything in my power to
improve on what is already a sterling reputation.
Finally, I hope I have sufficiently explained my spirit, love, and
unbridled passion to become a Fightin' Texas Aggie. It's hard to put the
feelings into words, as "The Spirit of Aggieland" says, "But there's a spirit
can ne'er be told." There are no more accurate words in Aggie lore than those.
Thanks and Gig'em!