The Common Application Essay Question #1 Alec Cameron Edelson

Ever since I was a young boy I have been curious and excited to learn new things. My favorite books where the Curious George books, as I thought the little monkey, George, was very much like me. George was certainly lovable, but he was always in some sort of predicament. I could relate to George.

From my earliest memories of elementary school, I felt as though I was not meeting the expectations of my teachers. I particularly struggled in reading, writing and math, and was diagnosed with a non-specific learning disorder. I felt as though I was always lagging behind the other kids and I had a great deal of trouble being organized. I spent hours doing my homework each night, but usually got in trouble anyway because I couldn’t find it to turn in. My backpack always looked like a bomb had exploded inside it.

In junior high school, things got even worse as the course load increased. I had a hard time adjusting to changing classes and trying to meet the expectations of many different teachers, all in the course of one day. Organizational skills were still a distinct weakness and I had tutors in almost every subject. It was a very frustrating time in my life.

My parents worried about sending me to the local public high school, as it...