Biochemistry Major: Personal Statement

When I began my college career, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I was going to be a genetic engineer which is why chose to major in genetics and biochemistry. During the first year, it became clear/apparent that I was not enjoying any classes within my majors. I rationalized this away by saying that these were just introductory courses and once I got to the upper-level courses it would become more interesting to me. That never happened. The combination of lack of interest in my coursework and bad study habits left my grades in a major slump. So after my second year I was struggling and decided to drop the biochemistry major, which meant that I would need a minor to graduate. After perusing the undergraduate course catalog and evaluating …show more content…
Actually, I wanted to study neuroscience, but that was not offered as a major or a minor. So I settled for psychology. Luckily, the psychology department had a trained neuroscientist in the faculty, Dr.Simon-Dack, who teaches two neuroscience courses (I took both) and with whom I spent a year assisting with her research. This also led to an opportunity do a presentation at the Midwest Undergraduate Cognitive Science Conference. I eventually change my major to psychology, and I can honestly say that was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. It led to one of the most fulfilling periods of my life. But it was during this time that I realized I was close to finishing a general biology degree with no concentration in genetics. I only needed three more courses. For how much I had come to loathe those biology courses, I knew that I owed myself that degree. For three and half years I slogged through those courses, and I would not be able to forgive myself for not finishing. In the end, I graduated with degrees in psychology and biology. The psychology degree always felt like a labor of love. The biology degree felt like running a marathon. One thing I learned about myself from my experience in undergrad was my ability to …show more content…
At the time I was an AmeriCorps member working at the Cook County Justice Advisory Council learning firsthand about the intricacies of Cook County’s justice system. Daily I confronted the data on the justice system’s effect on individuals, families, and communities. After perusing the data, learning about the conditions that the youth detained there experience I finally saw it myself. In that moment, despair and sorrow overwhelmed. Since I was immersed in the data I knew so much about them. It was in that moment that I decided that I needed to do what I could to keep people out of there. Taking stock of my skills and what I care about led me to school psychology.

My goal is to become a licensed school psychologist working with CPS students disrupting the school-to-prison pipeline. And this interest in particular has led me to apply to this specific program. The emphasis on social justice is important to