<p>Hey guys, I just finished my first rough draft of my common app essay and would like some feedback on it. Please be objective as possible. Thanks!</p>
<p>Common App Essay, Option # 2: Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn? </p>
<p>Insert Title Here
Sitting in the front row of my first period math class, I laugh along with the rest of the class as our teacher makes a witty joke about of one the abbreviations for standard deviation, STD. Friendly dialog persists throughout the classroom while our teacher transitions to the next subtopic. Our teacher lectures about some of the applications of statistics. As the class continues, I lag further behind on keeping notes and became puzzled by the new information. In an attempt to get some clarification, I ask him a short series of questions. Although he gave great answers, I still didnt understand and started to worry because our second unit test of the year was in two days. </p>
<p>I ended up getting a 35% on the unit test. We were 4 weeks into the class and my overall math grade plummeted, along with my self-confidence. I started questioning and doubting my own abilities and what I was capable of. I began to withdraw in class. </p>
<p>Later that same week, I did something atypical for me at the time and went on an hour-long jog to clear my mind; it left me feeling great. Although, I was physically tired and made brutally aware of my lack stamina, my mood improved and I felt “present” than usual. In this new mind-state, I realized that my grades in math only reflected my understanding of the material at a definitive point and time, and at any present moment I could change. I couldnt change the past, but I could control what I think/do in each present moment and a compilation what one does in those moments influences the future. I made a commitment to doing everything in my power to become a better math student. The following day I sought out my math teacher and we arranged to meet twice a week before school to go over anything I was having trouble with. Before our sessions, Id prepare a list of things I wanted to go over in advance. Talking with him in an intimate setting really allowed me to get the help I needed. At first, our sessions mostly consisted of going over class material. But as the year progressed, most time was spent bouncing ideas off each other about different ways of problem solving, jesting around, and even talk about higher-level mathematical concepts. I was having a ball. By the end of the year, I developed a deeper appreciation and interest for math, had a solid A average and was even helping my friends in the subject. </p>
<p>Through hard work and utilizing my schools resources, I developed the skills to not only succeed but also help others, with a sense of empathy towards their situation, that wanted help but werent in a position to seek out a teacher due to conflicting schedules. Two new friendships stemmed from helping a few classmates in my free period. I didnt know this at the time, but in retrospect, my failure wasnt my poor test/class grade, but rather my sub-par assimilation to class. I now saw the added value of being an active member of a community.</p>