Decisions

It’s not what you decide so much as how you get there. Life is more than a journey just to get to get to a destination. It’s about how you go about the choices you make along the way. Life is not about finally reaching the culmination of all your achievements but how you went about working each day.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about which college I am going to go to. I got accepted at a lot of top notch schools. One of the most important factors I am considering in the college decision is the cost. I am paying for college by myself without aid from my parents.

My two top choices are incredible schools. Both have a long history of strong academics. One is private though and one is public. The private one has more oppertunities in the major I want to study. It’s geographic location offers vital internships and ability to explore a wealth of resources related to my major right outside of the school. However the private one is more expensive by at final total of 20,000 difference after four years of being an undergraduate.

The less expensive public university is offers less oppertunity with my major. The university does, however, offer a more conventional college experience. It is a public university with a good football team and well rounded student life oppertunities.

I don’t know. They’re both great. With one I could go into more debt to get a better education and more ability to gather critical internship experience. With other I could save money and have less student loans with a good degree but not as much options as the more expensive private university.

In the end though, I think it’s not about what school I went to but what I did when I was there. It would be infinelty better for me to graduate from a community college and be very intelligent than  for me to graduate with honors from Yale but be an idiot.

Besides, they say that your undergraduate degree is meaningless anyway. It’s the graduate degree that’s important. Right?

George Washington University

 ”Read, every day, something no one else is reading. Think, every day, something no one else is thinking. Do, every day, something no one else would be silly enough to do. It is bad for the mind to continually be part of unanimity.” This quote by Christopher Morley has been my inspiration and my motivation. Ever since I was a little boy I have always sought to do things which set me apart. Whether it was going the extra mile on a project or helping out at church I have continually been involved a wide variety of things. This desire for the unique and different is what probably most contributed to my love for foreign affairs.
 I can remember beginning Spanish class in middle school and being utterly enthralled by the rich culture and fascinating language. My interest soon spread to other areas of the world and I even began following foreign policy on the news. As I learned about people groups and places my eye settled on one area in particular: the Middle East. The diverse and historical origins of these unique people became my main focus in international affairs. Soon my bookshelves filled with titles such as Understanding Islam and The Arabs: Journeys Beyond the Mirage. It was from these strands which tied my dream of one day working for the Central Intelligence Agency. 
 I hope to join the CIA as a specialist in the Middle Eastern because want to bring change. In my personal studies I have found that Arabs, and specifically those who follow Islam, are among the most misunderstood people in the world. September 11th opened the eyes of many Americans however few actually know much about the Arabs. Many think they are a suicidal group of virulent religious fanatics who abhor America and all those in it. I want to be able to one day impart understanding to my fellow countrymen. I believe as we all know more about each other and see past differences the world will change. I hope to be a contributor to a world of unity and peace that is not beaten by the walls of ignorance. That is my dream in the CIA and that is why I want to go to George Washington.
 I want to get the best education possible so I can be the most able to do the most good. George Washington has a long history of academic excellence but also an equally long history of superior international studies programs. The Elliott School of International Affairs has been ranked one of the best in the nation. With the tools and skills I will get from George Washington I will be able to go forth and live out my drive and my passion. Most importantly though, I will be able to make a difference in the world in which we live. If peace begins in the individual, then let that individual be me and let it begin at George Washington.

College Applications

     Does anyone feel like I do? These applications are looming over my head. I’m thinking, why didn’t I go early decision like the smart kids, haha. Yeah this time is full of stress especially considering all of the homework I’ve got to do on top. It doesn’t help that I feel utterly lost in Physics right now. School is tough. It’s definitely trying on me but as I’ve been typing this I was just reminded of something I read this morning:

“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith-of greater worth than gold… may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”

1st Peter 1:6-7

     So perhaps if I’m doing all things as if they were for the Lord and not men then maybe the trials I face with stress are testers of my faith. Not to say that God is purposely weighing me down with anxiety but that he can use the opportunity as a tool for my growth. I’m encouraged and thank my Father who gives me strength.