Personal Statement

Personal Statement

I have chosen Master of Counselor of Education as my profession for a number of reasons. I love to work with people and I enjoy helping those in need. I believe the combination of empowerment and self-motivation to be the key to overcoming any obstacles someone might encounter in his or her life. I believe that everyone in this world can make a difference, no matter how small or how big the change is. I believe that while all of us need an opportunity to do something with our lives, many do not know that they possess the ability to make a change in their lives. Hence, I am willing to help these people to find their skills, motivation, and willpower to set their goal, keep dreaming, and to find it within themselves to accept success in their life and begin changes that will occur throughout this process.

Since I was a child, there was a desire in me to help others who were less fortunate than I was. Throughout my life, this desire to help people stayed with me. As a child I wanted to pursue a career as a lawyer and to prosecute those that had broken the law. I attended Delaware State University for a year after I graduated from high school where I stayed on campus, met new people and no parents to be in my business. Classes became secondary and hanging out was primary. I received my first semester grades and was in awe because I knew that my parents were not going to pay for my education if I was not taking it seriously. Needless to say my parents gave me an ultimatum, which was either I take school seriously and assist with paying for my education or not to take my education seriously and pay for it myself. I then worked in a several companies that specialized in customer service and the money was good but I started to realize that I wanted to further my education and wanted a career helping others. I attended Hudson County Community College and graduated with Associates in Arts in Criminal Justice in 2002. I then attended Kean University and obtained my Bachelors of Arts degree in Criminal Justice.

I want to attend Montclair State University Graduate School since it is an accredited university geared toward preparing students to work in the different areas of counseling has to offer. Montclair State University recognizes the value of dealing with important societal issues, beginning with the foundational role of the family in today’s world. Montclair State University also caters to working adults, offering a part-time schedule and the option of taking Saturday classes; this is a big plus to those individuals who have full-time jobs but still wish to pursue further studies. Montclair State University's convenient location also would enable me to easily commute from work to school. Another factor drawing me to Montclair State University is its affordability. Considering all that I will gain from the opportunity of attending this university, I believe Montclair State University is the best choice for me.

In addition, I feel that the Montclair State University Graduate School of Counseling, because of its prestige, is just the right school for me to attend to obtain my Master of Arts degree in Counseling. I have been fortunate to have worked with professionals who have graduated from Montclair, and I see gratitude, energy, desire, and an excellent academic preparation. I want to become part of this group by extending my academic education in the field of social work and becoming an outstanding counselor. When applying for a job, I want to feel qualified to do that job and then be able to do it well after being hired; I know that Montclair State University will prepare me for this.

I have chosen to become a counselor so that I can contribute in the betterment of social change and social justice. Because I work as a social worker for the Division of Youth and Family Services, I have seen the injustices of unfairness, inequality, and many other times, prejudice. It is my belief that there is no one who knows better than the one who lives the experience; I feel that it is unfair to go through such experiences. By becoming a professional counselor, I envision turning that bad experience into a lesson by which one learns to survive.

I want to be a counselor to advocate and help the lives of many children whose innocence is taken for granted. Our society seems to have forgotten that our children are our future, and that they need to be spared from abuse, neglect, and poverty. Despite our nation’s economic prosperity over the years, there has been an increase in child abuse and neglect. I have been working with families in which I have heard and witnessed the cruelest narratives of clients concerning social injustice and life deprivations. I have had the opportunity to work with children that were on my caseload who experienced real-life dramatic stories.

In obtaining my master’s degree, I will be able to further serve the people in a more specified role. Not only will I have learned the basic expertise in identifying, analyzing, and finding solutions to societal problems, but I believe I will learn how to work with affected individuals in finding courses of action that best suit their needs while also upholding their civil liberties and expectations. I have experienced the injustices these children have faced, including abandonment by their parents. I have also seen how much pain is experienced by these children and how often