Santa Clara U application essay.

[ketnet1]

Hi Stacy,

Santa Clara University's application essay 1 is:

Evaluate yourself, discussing your most significant accomplishment and a professional failure. What did you learn from these experiences? What changes did you make in your work style as a result?

Please advise if the significant accomplishment example can be from community service and the failure example be from work? OR does both examples have to be work examples?

Thank you!

[Lisa Anderson]

Dear ketnet1,

Unless the application specifies you need to write exclusively about professional experiences, then you can write about either a professional or personal experience. Based on the question you posted, it appears the failure must be professional in nature. The second part of the question, on how your work style changed, would lead me to believe you should be writing both about professional examples though. However, if neither the question nor the application specifies professional examples only, then I think you can use a community service example for the accomplishment. Keep in mind, you will need to find a way to make that work in relation to the second part of the question.

Good luck,
Lisa

[ketnet1]

Hi Lisa,

Thank you for your quick response. So based on the wording of the question, it seems like I have to use a work example for both "accomplishment" and "failure"? I wouldn't know how to connect my community service accomplishment to the second part, which is the changes I made to my work style.

I have a stronger solid community service example, and would find it somewhat difficult to come up with a significant accomplishment (Wow factor) at work.

Please let me know your thoughts if I should still stick with the work or community service example for the significant accomplishment essay.

Thank you very much in advance!