An Unforgettable Transcript

When I was in elementary school, I thought I might get into a university one day. It became my dream after I entered middle school. Competition in Hong Kong is stronger than it is in the United States for high school students who are looking to be accepted into colleges. Applicants who do not have the required grades will be excluded. However, the academic competition in Hong Kong has created too many perfect scores. Students who have satisfied the grade requirement still not can be sure that they will get into a college.

I believed my luck would help me get a good grade on my college exams in middle school. Unfortunately, my score showed that I was not acceptable. My parents blamed me for not preparing for the exam, and they were right. I thought it would be easy to get high scores on college exams, and I did not thoroughly prepare myself to become a college student. My hope to enter a university was ruined.

When it was nearly the end of my ninth grade year I began to look for jobs. I thought that there was nothing that I could do, other than to give up. It was hopeless so why not just drop out of school early, and earn more work experience. However, my parents did not want me to work so early. They believe a person cannot find a good job without an education. Therefore, I went to high school in the United States to avoid a life of manual labor.

I started my sophomore year in an American high school in Oregon. My impression of the school was more negative than I thought it would be before I left Hong Kong. It was a Christian school. The church made me uncomfortable every Sunday, mostly because I have to wake up early on the weekend.

However, it was a good place to hang out with people. I played video games all the time, and there were not many restrictions. My parents funded my education and I did not have to worry about college exams because I was only a sophomore. I had a better life than I thought I would have had at first.

I did not study as hard as I did in Hong Kong, and sometimes I would even feel reluctant to do my homework. I even procrastinated on studying for tests. I thought my grades are supposed to be horrible. After I received my transcript, however, I was surprised that my idleness and reluctance got me all A’s, except one B in American History. Because I did not put much effort in my schoolwork, I was ecstatic that I did so well on my first year student report card.

That first year student report increased my self-confidence. I began to believe that I had a natural talent for scholarship, and I realized that I would have a chance to get into college if I kept up my grades. During my second year, I transferred to another high school in Maine because I heard that there are many good colleges on the east cost. I entered that school with great confidence. I believed that a great destiny was in my grasp and I felt I should do my best. I devoted myself in studying, and I rarely hung out with lazy people or played games. I also got involved in many different clubs and after school activities. Whenever I felt diffident or unsatisfied with my grades, the memory of my first year report card would give me confidence.

At the end of my junior year in high school, I got an honor student praise. That praise represented my endeavor and endurance during the year. The real significance of the praise was that it let me understand you should not quit. Finally, my dreams came true, I entered college.

I know that my future is bright and my life is a fabulous success. Entering a college started as a foolish thought, but I realize that even the slightest hope can be achieved with hard work and things happen for a reason. I would not have come to America if I had done a little bit better on my college exams. If I had never come to this place, I could not have received my first year report card. It was a memorable transcript because it gave me encouragement to learn and become a success.

Reference

• Scott Simon; Steve Inskeep; National Public Radio (U.S.) “Unforgettable : a son, a mother, and the lessons of a lifetime” New York : Flatiron Books, 2015