parent job essay

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How Our Careers Affect Our Children

• Stewart D. Friedman

It’s the quality of time parents spend with their children, not the quantity.

What working parent hasn’t felt guilty about missing soccer games and piano recitals? Almost two decades ago, though, researchers surveyed nearly 900 professionals about their relationships with their work and their children, and found that parents’ working, even for long hours, did not hurt children. What they did find was that parents who were distracted by, or obsessed with, their work, did see an impact on their children. This is likely only more problematic today when digital devices are omnipresent. The lesson: don’t worry about whether you attend every soccer game. But when you do show up, put your phone down and be there for your kid.

What working parent hasn’t felt guilty about missing soccer games and piano recitals? When there are last-minute schedule changes at work or required travel to a client site, it’s normal to worry that you’re somehow permanently scarring your little one.

• Stewart D. Friedman is an organizational psychologist at the Wharton School. He is the co-author of Parents Who Lead .  For more, visit www.totalleadership.org , find him on Twitter @StewFriedman , or on LinkedIn .

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Family Influence: Choosing to Follow Your Parent’s Career Path

As you think about training and education for your career, some of you may be considering following in a parent’s footsteps. Perhaps you have always admired your mother's career as a lawyer or your father's job as a teacher -- or your parents own a family business that needs your expertise once you graduate from high school or college. Whatever the case, now is the time to give some thought to the pros and cons of all-in-the-family career choices. … Read More

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You might say that Usman Dhanani has been on a career track since the age of 5. “When people asked me what I wanted to do when I grew up, I never said an astronaut,” recalls Dhanani, now 18. “All I have ever wanted to be is a businessman, like my father. With business, there is no limit to how much you can achieve. My father has influenced me so much.”

Dhanani, a former state president of the student marketing group DECA who graduated from William P. Clements High School in Sugarland, Tex., in June, is headed to Fordham University in New York City this fall to study business administration. He plans to join the family business, Houston Foods. Dhanani’s dad, Shoukat, owns 60 Burger King restaurants and more than 100 convenience gas stations in Texas. “I worry sometimes that I won’t be able to do as much as he has,” says Dhanani, who works at a local Burger King to learn all aspects of the business. “My father will be there for me every step of the way.”

‘Do It Now or Wish You Had’ Dhanani is one of the countless teens each year who choose to follow a parent’s career path, whether it be dentist or construction worker, hair stylist or zookeeper. This decision can place young career explorers directly in the spotlight — or the shadows. Imagine the pressure if you don’t succeed. High-powered lawyer to the stars Gloria Allred recently gushed to a T.V. host that both her daughter and her granddaughter are pursuing law. Her daughter, Lisa Bloom, wrote this in the foreword to Allred’s autobiography: “My mother encouraged me to go to law school…. When Gloria Allred ‘encourages’ you to do something, your options are (a) do it now; or (b) years later, look back and wish you had chosen option (a).”

Sure, some sons and daughters don’t feel like they have much of a choice following their parents’ lead. Take Shreyas Chand, a high school senior in Edison, N.J., who plans to be an engineer: “Both my parents are engineers, and my uncle and grandfather. It’s part of my family,” he says. While Chand enjoys engineering, experts advise that getting into a career as a result of family pressure and not personal passion could end in disaster.

Still, many young people, like Dhanani, feel genuinely inspired, rather than required. They value their parents’ career advice and insight. “I love my mom’s stories about when she first started nursing,” notes Lynette Frey, who wants to be a nurse in the U.S. Navy. Frey, 16, just finished her junior year at North Forsyth High School in Cumming, Ga. “My mom is very giving and compassionate. I would love to be as willing to help others as she is. I don’t feel a lot of pressure.” Frey, who is volunteering on the surgery floor of a local hospital this summer, adds that she worries about surviving nursing school. But even if she fails, she will stay the course, with her mother’s encouragement. “I can always be an LPN [licensed practical nurse], which still involves helping patients and health care .”

Other teens pursuing a close-to-home career path perhaps have greater confidence – with parents as professional role models — to take their talents in new directions. Spencer Ng, a recent graduate of Haddonfield Memorial High School in Haddonfield, N.J., says her parents, one a surgeon and the other a professor with a master’s in public health , helped prepare her for the college interview process and identify valuable career-related internships. Her future plans reflect her parents’ influence both professionally and personally. “I’ve always loved science and interacting with people, so medicine became a logical step,” says Ng, who was accepted into an eight-year medical program at Widener University in Wilmington, Del., with an early assurance into Temple University medical school. “We live about five miles from the city of Camden [which has high poverty and crime]. My family goes to church there and provides food for church dinners,” Ng adds. “I want to help places similar to Camden in my career by getting into primary care or working with women in underprivileged areas.”

Bring Your Own Personality Your parents’ experience and knowledge are great resources to learn from in your career, says Domenick Celentano, a family business consultant and adjunct professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison, N.J., who used to work for his family’s packaged food business, Celentano Bros. But from there, he says, embrace your independence. “Focus on doing, creating and participating in your career in ways that tell the world you have credentials that are yours and not just an extension of your parents,” he suggests. “Remember that you will bring your own personality and identity to your career choice. It’s great to use your parents as a foundation and then build upon that, so you are viewed as having value in your profession as a result of your own knowledge, skills and accomplishments.”

As president of DECA at Nashua High School South in Nashua, N.H., Amanda Freeman, 18, has been honing her own business knowledge in hopes of eventually running the family roofing and real estate firms – or a business of her own. There’s nothing better, she says, than growing up surrounded by career counselors. Adds Freeman: “I see how hard my parents work and the direct correlation to how hard I’m going to have to work if I want to be successful in business.”

Related Links

• MarketWatch: Follow Your Parents’ Career Path
• Gloria Allred
• Domenick Celentano
• NYT Topics: Family Business
• Network Journal: The Upside and Downside of Following Your Parents’ Career Path

Conversation Starters

Domenick Celentano says, “It’s great to use your parents as a foundation and then build upon that.” What does he mean by this? Does your family own a business? Consider Celentano’s insights in that context. What strengths and skills might you build upon as you launch your own career?

Do you plan to follow a parent’s profession? Get together with a partner and discuss your potential choices. Why might you follow your parent’s path? Why not?

If your parents haven’t influenced your career path, who has? Do you have a mentor ? How has that person helped you recognize your own strengths and weaknesses?

2 comments on “ Family Influence: Choosing to Follow Your Parent’s Career Path ”

This works well if people come from middle and upper class families, my parents are working class and I struggled in circles trying to find what was best, but my parents did instill a good work ethic, working class people have no social life whatsoever, which means working 24/7 for a fear ‘you can’t pay the rent’ even if you are making six figures. I ended up being influenced by my peers in school and later by people I worked for early on, now I own a software startup ( http://virgrow.com ).

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Not your parents’ career—or is it parents exert significant influence on kids’ career choices.

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Did you pick your career—or did your parents guide you to it? A new study uncovers the extent of parental influence on the career choices of Gen-X, Millennials and Gen-Z.

Parents exert significant influence on their kids' career choices

Parents everywhere want the best for their kids—and they’ll often move heaven and earth to help their child succeed. But just how far does their power reach when it comes to the career pathway their kid chooses?

A new study by Joblist examines the extent of parental influence on education and career choices for currently employed Gen-X, Millennial and Gen-Z individuals. And this influence is, in a word, profound. A majority (65%) of respondents today work in the field their parents wanted for them. And even when young people chose a path other than what their parents wanted, most didn’t do it lightly.

Start them young

As a society, we tend to think that career exploration is something that happens near the end of high school as a young person prepares for the next chapter of life—whether that’s higher education, industry training, directly into the workforce or another path. In my work with educational organizations across North America, I promote the idea that career exploration ought to start much sooner. And it seems that many parents agree.

Though only 6% of the survey’s respondents said their parents started talking to them about careers at age five or younger, that number jumps to 24% for ages six to nine. Nearly 35% report that the topic came up when they were 10–15. However, another 35% say the conversation didn’t begin until they were 16 or older.

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Career exploration is too important to be tacked on as an afterthought near the end of high school. It’s a major facet of the self-discovery that children need to experience on their journey toward maturity. And needless to say, their education and career choices will affect the rest of their lives. Parents understand the stakes and it’s little wonder that most are starting the conversation young.

Kids who grow up in a home where thinking ahead, dreaming big and setting goals are normalized activities will bring all those skills to the fork in the road. The earlier the conversation starts, the better prepared they’ll be to make the best choice when that moment arrives.

Methods of influence

Of the various strategies parents used to convince their children of the best career path, almost 58% of parents talked about the importance of the career they preferred, with another 53% also discussing the benefits for the family as a whole. On a positive note, 37% of respondents said that their parents’ passion for their own career inspired their career direction.

But not all methods of influence are equal. Almost a quarter of parents tried to use guilt to motivate their child to choose their preferred career pathway—a method that could backfire in many cases. Gen-X reported the most guilting by their parents in the area of career choices. A good income was the biggest reason that parents (55%) said that they promoted a particular career, which 66% of their kids suspected. 

To college you go

To college or not to college—for a majority of Millennials and Gen-Zers, this question was answered for them by their parents. Almost 58% of Millennials said they felt forced to attend college by their parents, closely followed by 57% of Gen-Z. Gen-X isn’t far behind at 48% who reported parental pressure toward higher education.

With the best of intentions, parents who pushed their child to attend college may have done many of them a disservice. Student loans are the fastest-growing category of debt today , with educational debt in America reaching a staggering $1.57 trillion—and rising. The average amount owed by college graduates is just under $39k per borrower. In that number are those who took out loans to attend college, but weren’t able to finish their degree and are now burdened with the debt—and no way to adequately repay it.

Eighty-two percent of all respondents said their parents pushed them toward white-collar professions, while another 57% said their parents wanted them to enter the same field where they worked. Information/technology and business/finance were the top two fields which parents promoted—and interestingly, also the top two fields in which the survey respondents found themselves working today. Sixty-five percent of respondents ended up in the field their parents wanted them to enter.

It’s a dialogue, not a lecture

Even if it doesn’t feel like it sometimes, parents can have an immense impact on their child’s future life and career. Mom, dad—they really are listening, even to the things you aren’t saying. So it’s critical to use that influence wisely.

As a dad, I understand the temptation to sway our kids toward what we believe is best. It’s a delicate balance between our greater life experience and their emerging interests and strengths. That’s why the career conversation is just that: a conversation. It’s not a monologue where the child is a passive recipient of our hopes and dreams for their future. Our role is to educate ourselves first about the vast range of viable careers available today—and then plant seeds that may or may not take root. Ultimately, that part’s not up to us.

‘What do you love to do?’ and ‘what do you do well?’ are two questions to get the conversation started. As a parent, it can be tempting to answer these questions for our kid—after all, who knows them better than we do? But if your children are anything like mine, they never stop surprising you.

Empower their voice in the career conversation by asking questions and then truly listening to the answers. Because a meaningful career conversation is a dialogue—not a lecture.

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• My Parents Essay

500 Words Essay On My Parents

We entered this world because of our parents. It is our parents who have given us life and we must learn to be pleased with it. I am grateful to my parents for everything they do for me. Through my parents essay, I wish to convey how valuable they are to me and how much I respect and admire them.

My Strength My Parents Essay

My parents are my strength who support me at every stage of life. I cannot imagine my life without them. My parents are like a guiding light who take me to the right path whenever I get lost.

My mother is a homemaker and she is the strongest woman I know. She helps me with my work and feeds me delicious foods . She was a teacher but left the job to take care of her children.

My mother makes many sacrifices for us that we are not even aware of. She always takes care of us and puts us before herself. She never wakes up late. Moreover, she is like a glue that binds us together as a family.

Parents are the strength and support system of their children. They carry with them so many responsibilities yet they never show it. We must be thankful to have parents in our lives as not everyone is lucky to have them.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

While my mother is always working at home, my father is the one who works outside. He is a kind human who always helps out my mother whenever he can. He is a loving man who helps out the needy too.

My father is a social person who interacts with our neighbours too. Moreover, he is an expert at maintaining his relationship with our relatives. My father works as a businessman and does a lot of hard work.

Even though he is a busy man, he always finds time for us. We spend our off days going to picnics or dinners. I admire my father for doing so much for us without any complaints.

He is a popular man in society as he is always there to help others. Whoever asks for his help, my father always helps them out. Therefore, he is a well-known man and a loving father whom I look up to.

Conclusion of My Parents Essay

I love both my parents with all my heart. They are kind people who have taught their children to be the same. Moreover, even when they have arguments, they always make up without letting it affect us. I aspire to become like my parents and achieve success in life with their blessings.

FAQ of My Parents Essay

Question 1: Why parents are important in our life?

Answer 1: Parents are the most precious gifts anyone can get. However, as not everyone has them, we must consider ourselves lucky if we do. They are the strength and support system of children and help them out always. Moreover, the parents train the children to overcome challenges and make the best decision for us.

Question 2: What do parents mean to us?

Answer 2: Parents mean different things to different people. To most of us, they are our source of happiness and protection. They are the ones who are the closest to us and understand our needs without having to say them out loud. Similarly, they love us unconditionally for who we are without any ifs and buts.

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Essay on Parents Role in Our Life

Students are often asked to write an essay on Parents Role in Our Life in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

100 Words Essay on Parents Role in Our Life

The importance of parents.

Parents play a crucial role in our lives. They are our first teachers, guiding us through the early stages of life. They teach us values, morals, and skills, shaping our character and personality.

Our Support System

Parents provide emotional and financial support. They encourage us when we face challenges and celebrate our achievements. Their unconditional love and care are irreplaceable.

Role Models

In conclusion, parents play an essential role in our life. Their love, support, and guidance shape us into who we are.

250 Words Essay on Parents Role in Our Life

Introduction, the foundation of character.

Parents lay the foundation of our character. From teaching us basic etiquettes to instilling moral values, they prepare us for the real world. They influence our behaviors, attitudes, and beliefs, thereby molding our personality and identity.

Support System

Parents are our primary support system. They provide emotional stability, helping us to cope with life’s ups and downs. Their unconditional love and care foster a sense of security and confidence in us, enabling us to face challenges with courage.

Educational Role

Parents serve as role models, influencing our aspirations and ambitions. Observing them, we learn the importance of hard work, perseverance, and resilience. Their life lessons guide us in making informed decisions and pursuing our goals.

In essence, parents play an indispensable role in our lives. Their immense contribution is beyond quantification. They shape us into responsible individuals, preparing us for life’s challenges and opportunities. Therefore, it is imperative to acknowledge and appreciate their role in our lives.

500 Words Essay on Parents Role in Our Life

The quintessential influence of parents, parents as role models.

Parents are our first role models. From a young age, we observe and imitate their behavior, attitudes, and responses to various situations. This process of modeling is intrinsic to human nature and is a key method through which we learn about the world and our place in it. Parents’ actions, therefore, leave indelible imprints on our psyches, influencing our values, ethics, and interpersonal skills.

Parents as Nurturers of Dreams

Parents also play a significant role in nurturing our dreams and aspirations. They provide the necessary resources, guidance, and emotional support that enable us to explore our interests and cultivate our talents. Whether it’s a mother staying up late to help her child with a science project or a father sacrificing his leisure time to coach his child’s sports team, parents’ contributions are instrumental in our journey towards realizing our potential.

Parents as Pillars of Resilience

Parents as guides in decision making.

As we mature and begin to make important life decisions, parents serve as our guides. They share their wisdom and experiences, helping us evaluate our options and make informed choices. By doing so, they equip us with the tools necessary for independent thought and action, thereby preparing us for the future.

Parents as Emotional Anchors

Parents also serve as our emotional anchors. They are our confidants, our cheerleaders, and our comforters. They celebrate our victories, empathize with our struggles, and provide reassurance during our moments of self-doubt. This emotional support is crucial for our mental well-being and self-esteem.

The Lasting Impact of Parents

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• Essay on Education

Good Example Of Essay On The Impact Of When A Parent Loses A Job

Type of paper: Essay

Topic: Education , Parents , Job , Students , Family , Business , Children , Workplace

Published: 03/29/2020

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A job loss can mean a nightmare to any parent. Its implications are severe because of the devastating fall in income and economic security for a family. It has an impact on the parents’ mental and physical health. In addition, it affects family relationships and can result to marital conflicts. When a person is laid off, economic concerns come up. He starts to ponder on how he will be able to sustain his family without any job. In a case where an individual has savings, his main worry will be how long the savings will sustain the family. An individual is also affected emotionally when he or she loses a job. The parent will first experience shock, disbelief and denial. Afterwards, anxiety and fear come in due to the unknown future. People experience fears of: paying bills, sustaining their families, finding another job and maintaining their current living standards. In addition, an individual gets depressed. This may result to a parent stopping doing his daily activities. Similarly, anger and frustration are experienced in some parents. In some cases, these parents may direct their anger to other persons in the community or family. Finally, some people experience shame after a layout. Social impacts are evident after a job loss. The relationship that people have changes after a layoff. This leads to the feeling of isolation and loneliness by the parent affected. In addition, a layoff affects the personal identity of a person. This mostly affects those parents who identify themselves with the jobs. These parents usually feel empty after a layoff and question whom they are. Consequently, they have an impact on the families. It could lead to a reversal of roles and a change in the living standards. In addition, the children are greatly affected in terms of school performance, and the support they get from parents. The children usually are the ones that pay the price of a layoff. Also, it can lead to less support and conflicts in marriages. In some circumstances, a layoff can lead to divorce. Valentin was a renowned man in the Juna village. His great stature was due to the wealth he had accumulated over the years. He was one of the lucky fellas who had been employed by the Kingsley Company. Kingsley Company dealt with selling and repair of electric appliances. Every person in the village envied him and wished to be like Valentin. Pearl, a beautiful charming lady in the village, worked her way and got married to Valentin. She had been attracted to Valentin because of his wealth. She did know life is like a box of chocolates; one never knows what to get. In the Juna Village men who had many children were highly respected. Valentin did not want to miss among that list. They had five children in quick succession. They were able to raise their kids well and took them to good schools. After some years, an economic crisis affected Kingsley Company, and it was forced to lay off some workers. Unfortunately, Valentin was among the workers laid off. Upon hearing the news, he drowned into a sea of grief. He entered into a state of shock, disbelief and denial. He could be heard gabbling statements like: “this cannot be happening”. When her wife heard about the news, she broke into tears. She knew that their main source of finance to the family had been cut off. The family had now to rely on a few pennies they got from Pearl’s business. She had started a business of selling foodstuffs to the village. Depression engulfed Valentin Completely. It did not take time for the whole village to know what had befallen their man of great stature. The job loss affected Valentin emotionally, and his pride tremendously reduced. In addition, it affected the performance of their children in school. After a while, the parents were forced to transfer them to cheaper schools where they could afford school fees. In addition, they had to sell some of their belongings and cars in order to sustain their lives. Quarrels and fights became the order of the day. Pearl could not find Valentin lovable again. They fought like cats and dogs when they disagreed slightly. After untenable disagreements, they divorced and agreed on a scheme supporting their children. Pearl’s love that was as deep as the ocean existed no more. Valentin could not believe how the world had turned upside down. He spent his time in the house pondering his next move. Also, he did not want to intermingle with people. He had sold almost all his belongings, and his stature in the village was no more. After a year, he suffered from high blood pressure. This was a result of the high stress he was experiencing. Their children were affected in their school performance. This was due to the scorns and insults they got from their fellow children at school. The school fees, though minimal, was sometimes difficult to get, and they were often sent out of school. Valentin is now selling second-hand clothes to make ends meet. A job loss of a parent has negative impacts not only on the parent but also the family. It affects the parent emotionally, economically and socially. In addition, it deprives the parent’s personal identity. Therefore, a job loss has depressing effects on the parent’s family.

Works Cited;

McNaught, Denise. When a Parent Loses a Job: A Workbook About My Parent's Job Loss. New York: Delta/National Children's Grief Center, 1993. Print. Stewart, Sheila, and Rae Simons. When My Dad Lost His Job. Broomall, Pa: Mason Crest Publishers, 2011. Print.

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, getting college essay help: important do's and don’ts.

College Essays

If you grow up to be a professional writer, everything you write will first go through an editor before being published. This is because the process of writing is really a process of re-writing —of rethinking and reexamining your work, usually with the help of someone else. So what does this mean for your student writing? And in particular, what does it mean for very important, but nonprofessional writing like your college essay? Should you ask your parents to look at your essay? Pay for an essay service?

If you are wondering what kind of help you can, and should, get with your personal statement, you've come to the right place! In this article, I'll talk about what kind of writing help is useful, ethical, and even expected for your college admission essay . I'll also point out who would make a good editor, what the differences between editing and proofreading are, what to expect from a good editor, and how to spot and stay away from a bad one.

Table of Contents

What Kind of Help for Your Essay Can You Get?

What's Good Editing?

What should an editor do for you, what kind of editing should you avoid, proofreading, what's good proofreading, what kind of proofreading should you avoid.

What Do Colleges Think Of You Getting Help With Your Essay?

Who Can/Should Help You?

Advice for editors.

Should You Pay Money For Essay Editing?

The Bottom Line

What's next, what kind of help with your essay can you get.

Rather than talking in general terms about "help," let's first clarify the two different ways that someone else can improve your writing . There is editing, which is the more intensive kind of assistance that you can use throughout the whole process. And then there's proofreading, which is the last step of really polishing your final product.

Let me go into some more detail about editing and proofreading, and then explain how good editors and proofreaders can help you."

Editing is helping the author (in this case, you) go from a rough draft to a finished work . Editing is the process of asking questions about what you're saying, how you're saying it, and how you're organizing your ideas. But not all editing is good editing . In fact, it's very easy for an editor to cross the line from supportive to overbearing and over-involved.

Ability to clarify assignments. A good editor is usually a good writer, and certainly has to be a good reader. For example, in this case, a good editor should make sure you understand the actual essay prompt you're supposed to be answering.

Open-endedness. Good editing is all about asking questions about your ideas and work, but without providing answers. It's about letting you stick to your story and message, and doesn't alter your point of view.

Think of an editor as a great travel guide. It can show you the many different places your trip could take you. It should explain any parts of the trip that could derail your trip or confuse the traveler. But it never dictates your path, never forces you to go somewhere you don't want to go, and never ignores your interests so that the trip no longer seems like it's your own. So what should good editors do?

Help Brainstorm Topics

Sometimes it's easier to bounce thoughts off of someone else. This doesn't mean that your editor gets to come up with ideas, but they can certainly respond to the various topic options you've come up with. This way, you're less likely to write about the most boring of your ideas, or to write about something that isn't actually important to you.

If you're wondering how to come up with options for your editor to consider, check out our guide to brainstorming topics for your college essay .

Help Revise Your Drafts

Here, your editor can't upset the delicate balance of not intervening too much or too little. It's tricky, but a great way to think about it is to remember: editing is about asking questions, not giving answers .

Revision questions should point out:

• Places where more detail or more description would help the reader connect with your essay
• Places where structure and logic don't flow, losing the reader's attention
• Places where there aren't transitions between paragraphs, confusing the reader
• Moments where your narrative or the arguments you're making are unclear

But pointing to potential problems is not the same as actually rewriting—editors let authors fix the problems themselves.

Bad editing is usually very heavy-handed editing. Instead of helping you find your best voice and ideas, a bad editor changes your writing into their own vision.

You may be dealing with a bad editor if they:

• Add material (examples, descriptions) that doesn't come from you
• Use a thesaurus to make your college essay sound "more mature"
• Add meaning or insight to the essay that doesn't come from you
• Tell you what to say and how to say it
• Write sentences, phrases, and paragraphs for you
• Change your voice in the essay so it no longer sounds like it was written by a teenager

Colleges can tell the difference between a 17-year-old's writing and a 50-year-old's writing. Not only that, they have access to your SAT or ACT Writing section, so they can compare your essay to something else you wrote. Writing that's a little more polished is great and expected. But a totally different voice and style will raise questions.

Where's the Line Between Helpful Editing and Unethical Over-Editing?

Sometimes it's hard to tell whether your college essay editor is doing the right thing. Here are some guidelines for staying on the ethical side of the line.

• An editor should say that the opening paragraph is kind of boring, and explain what exactly is making it drag. But it's overstepping for an editor to tell you exactly how to change it.
• An editor should point out where your prose is unclear or vague. But it's completely inappropriate for the editor to rewrite that section of your essay.
• An editor should let you know that a section is light on detail or description. But giving you similes and metaphors to beef up that description is a no-go.

Proofreading (also called copy-editing) is checking for errors in the last draft of a written work. It happens at the end of the process and is meant as the final polishing touch. Proofreading is meticulous and detail-oriented, focusing on small corrections. It sands off all the surface rough spots that could alienate the reader.

Because proofreading is usually concerned with making fixes on the word or sentence level, this is the only process where someone else can actually add to or take away things from your essay . This is because what they are adding or taking away tends to be one or two misplaced letters.

Laser focus. Proofreading is all about the tiny details, so the ability to really concentrate on finding small slip-ups is a must.

Excellent grammar and spelling skills. Proofreaders need to dot every "i" and cross every "t." Good proofreaders should correct spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and grammar. They should put foreign words in italics and surround quotations with quotation marks. They should check that you used the correct college's name, and that you adhered to any formatting requirements (name and date at the top of the page, uniform font and size, uniform spacing).

Limited interference. A proofreader needs to make sure that you followed any word limits. But if cuts need to be made to shorten the essay, that's your job and not the proofreader's.

A bad proofreader either tries to turn into an editor, or just lacks the skills and knowledge necessary to do the job.

Some signs that you're working with a bad proofreader are:

• If they suggest making major changes to the final draft of your essay. Proofreading happens when editing is already finished.
• If they aren't particularly good at spelling, or don't know grammar, or aren't detail-oriented enough to find someone else's small mistakes.
• If they start swapping out your words for fancier-sounding synonyms, or changing the voice and sound of your essay in other ways. A proofreader is there to check for errors, not to take the 17-year-old out of your writing.

What Do Colleges Think of Your Getting Help With Your Essay?

Admissions officers agree: light editing and proofreading are good—even required ! But they also want to make sure you're the one doing the work on your essay. They want essays with stories, voice, and themes that come from you. They want to see work that reflects your actual writing ability, and that focuses on what you find important.

On the Importance of Editing

Get feedback. Have a fresh pair of eyes give you some feedback. Don't allow someone else to rewrite your essay, but do take advantage of others' edits and opinions when they seem helpful. ( Bates College )

Read your essay aloud to someone. Reading the essay out loud offers a chance to hear how your essay sounds outside your head. This exercise reveals flaws in the essay's flow, highlights grammatical errors and helps you ensure that you are communicating the exact message you intended. ( Dickinson College )

On the Value of Proofreading

Share your essays with at least one or two people who know you well—such as a parent, teacher, counselor, or friend—and ask for feedback. Remember that you ultimately have control over your essays, and your essays should retain your own voice, but others may be able to catch mistakes that you missed and help suggest areas to cut if you are over the word limit. ( Yale University )

Proofread and then ask someone else to proofread for you. Although we want substance, we also want to be able to see that you can write a paper for our professors and avoid careless mistakes that would drive them crazy. ( Oberlin College )

On Watching Out for Too Much Outside Influence

Limit the number of people who review your essay. Too much input usually means your voice is lost in the writing style. ( Carleton College )

Ask for input (but not too much). Your parents, friends, guidance counselors, coaches, and teachers are great people to bounce ideas off of for your essay. They know how unique and spectacular you are, and they can help you decide how to articulate it. Keep in mind, however, that a 45-year-old lawyer writes quite differently from an 18-year-old student, so if your dad ends up writing the bulk of your essay, we're probably going to notice. ( Vanderbilt University )

Now let's talk about some potential people to approach for your college essay editing and proofreading needs. It's best to start close to home and slowly expand outward. Not only are your family and friends more invested in your success than strangers, but they also have a better handle on your interests and personality. This knowledge is key for judging whether your essay is expressing your true self.

Parents or Close Relatives

Your family may be full of potentially excellent editors! Parents are deeply committed to your well-being, and family members know you and your life well enough to offer details or incidents that can be included in your essay. On the other hand, the rewriting process necessarily involves criticism, which is sometimes hard to hear from someone very close to you.

A parent or close family member is a great choice for an editor if you can answer "yes" to the following questions. Is your parent or close relative a good writer or reader? Do you have a relationship where editing your essay won't create conflict? Are you able to constructively listen to criticism and suggestion from the parent?

One suggestion for defusing face-to-face discussions is to try working on the essay over email. Send your parent a draft, have them write you back some comments, and then you can pick which of their suggestions you want to use and which to discard.

Teachers or Tutors

A humanities teacher that you have a good relationship with is a great choice. I am purposefully saying humanities, and not just English, because teachers of Philosophy, History, Anthropology, and any other classes where you do a lot of writing, are all used to reviewing student work.

Moreover, any teacher or tutor that has been working with you for some time, knows you very well and can vet the essay to make sure it "sounds like you."

If your teacher or tutor has some experience with what college essays are supposed to be like, ask them to be your editor. If not, then ask whether they have time to proofread your final draft.

Guidance or College Counselor at Your School

The best thing about asking your counselor to edit your work is that this is their job. This means that they have a very good sense of what colleges are looking for in an application essay.

At the same time, school counselors tend to have relationships with admissions officers in many colleges, which again gives them insight into what works and which college is focused on what aspect of the application.

Unfortunately, in many schools the guidance counselor tends to be way overextended. If your ratio is 300 students to 1 college counselor, you're unlikely to get that person's undivided attention and focus. It is still useful to ask them for general advice about your potential topics, but don't expect them to be able to stay with your essay from first draft to final version.

Friends, Siblings, or Classmates

Although they most likely don't have much experience with what colleges are hoping to see, your peers are excellent sources for checking that your essay is you .

Friends and siblings are perfect for the read-aloud edit. Read your essay to them so they can listen for words and phrases that are stilted, pompous, or phrases that just don't sound like you.

You can even trade essays and give helpful advice on each other's work.

If your editor hasn't worked with college admissions essays very much, no worries! Any astute and attentive reader can still greatly help with your process. But, as in all things, beginners do better with some preparation.

First, your editor should read our advice about how to write a college essay introduction , how to spot and fix a bad college essay , and get a sense of what other students have written by going through some admissions essays that worked .

Then, as they read your essay, they can work through the following series of questions that will help them to guide you.

Introduction Questions

• Is the first sentence a killer opening line? Why or why not?
• Does the introduction hook the reader? Does it have a colorful, detailed, and interesting narrative? Or does it propose a compelling or surprising idea?
• Can you feel the author's voice in the introduction, or is the tone dry, dull, or overly formal? Show the places where the voice comes through.

Essay Body Questions

• Does the essay have a through-line? Is it built around a central argument, thought, idea, or focus? Can you put this idea into your own words?
• How is the essay organized? By logical progression? Chronologically? Do you feel order when you read it, or are there moments where you are confused or lose the thread of the essay?
• Does the essay have both narratives about the author's life and explanations and insight into what these stories reveal about the author's character, personality, goals, or dreams? If not, which is missing?
• Does the essay flow? Are there smooth transitions/clever links between paragraphs? Between the narrative and moments of insight?

Reader Response Questions

• Does the writer's personality come through? Do we know what the speaker cares about? Do we get a sense of "who he or she is"?
• Where did you feel most connected to the essay? Which parts of the essay gave you a "you are there" sensation by invoking your senses? What moments could you picture in your head well?
• Where are the details and examples vague and not specific enough?
• Did you get an "a-ha!" feeling anywhere in the essay? Is there a moment of insight that connected all the dots for you? Is there a good reveal or "twist" anywhere in the essay?
• What are the strengths of this essay? What needs the most improvement?

Should You Pay Money for Essay Editing?

One alternative to asking someone you know to help you with your college essay is the paid editor route. There are two different ways to pay for essay help: a private essay coach or a less personal editing service , like the many proliferating on the internet.

My advice is to think of these options as a last resort rather than your go-to first choice. I'll first go through the reasons why. Then, if you do decide to go with a paid editor, I'll help you decide between a coach and a service.

When to Consider a Paid Editor

In general, I think hiring someone to work on your essay makes a lot of sense if none of the people I discussed above are a possibility for you.

If you can't ask your parents. For example, if your parents aren't good writers, or if English isn't their first language. Or if you think getting your parents to help is going create unnecessary extra conflict in your relationship with them (applying to college is stressful as it is!)

If you can't ask your teacher or tutor. Maybe you don't have a trusted teacher or tutor that has time to look over your essay with focus. Or, for instance, your favorite humanities teacher has very limited experience with college essays and so won't know what admissions officers want to see.

If you can't ask your guidance counselor. This could be because your guidance counselor is way overwhelmed with other students.

If you can't share your essay with those who know you. It might be that your essay is on a very personal topic that you're unwilling to share with parents, teachers, or peers. Just make sure it doesn't fall into one of the bad-idea topics in our article on bad college essays .

If the cost isn't a consideration. Many of these services are quite expensive, and private coaches even more so. If you have finite resources, I'd say that hiring an SAT or ACT tutor (whether it's PrepScholar or someone else) is better way to spend your money . This is because there's no guarantee that a slightly better essay will sufficiently elevate the rest of your application, but a significantly higher SAT score will definitely raise your applicant profile much more.

Should You Hire an Essay Coach?

On the plus side, essay coaches have read dozens or even hundreds of college essays, so they have experience with the format. Also, because you'll be working closely with a specific person, it's more personal than sending your essay to a service, which will know even less about you.

But, on the minus side, you'll still be bouncing ideas off of someone who doesn't know that much about you . In general, if you can adequately get the help from someone you know, there is no advantage to paying someone to help you.

If you do decide to hire a coach, ask your school counselor, or older students that have used the service for recommendations. If you can't afford the coach's fees, ask whether they can work on a sliding scale —many do. And finally, beware those who guarantee admission to your school of choice—essay coaches don't have any special magic that can back up those promises.

Should You Send Your Essay to a Service?

On the plus side, essay editing services provide a similar product to essay coaches, and they cost significantly less . If you have some assurance that you'll be working with a good editor, the lack of face-to-face interaction won't prevent great results.

On the minus side, however, it can be difficult to gauge the quality of the service before working with them . If they are churning through many application essays without getting to know the students they are helping, you could end up with an over-edited essay that sounds just like everyone else's. In the worst case scenario, an unscrupulous service could send you back a plagiarized essay.

Getting recommendations from friends or a school counselor for reputable services is key to avoiding heavy-handed editing that writes essays for you or does too much to change your essay. Including a badly-edited essay like this in your application could cause problems if there are inconsistencies. For example, in interviews it might be clear you didn't write the essay, or the skill of the essay might not be reflected in your schoolwork and test scores.

Should You Buy an Essay Written by Someone Else?

Let me elaborate. There are super sketchy places on the internet where you can simply buy a pre-written essay. Don't do this!

For one thing, you'll be lying on an official, signed document. All college applications make you sign a statement saying something like this:

I certify that all information submitted in the admission process—including the application, the personal essay, any supplements, and any other supporting materials—is my own work, factually true, and honestly presented... I understand that I may be subject to a range of possible disciplinary actions, including admission revocation, expulsion, or revocation of course credit, grades, and degree, should the information I have certified be false. (From the Common Application )

For another thing, if your academic record doesn't match the essay's quality, the admissions officer will start thinking your whole application is riddled with lies.

Admission officers have full access to your writing portion of the SAT or ACT so that they can compare work that was done in proctored conditions with that done at home. They can tell if these were written by different people. Not only that, but there are now a number of search engines that faculty and admission officers can use to see if an essay contains strings of words that have appeared in other essays—you have no guarantee that the essay you bought wasn't also bought by 50 other students.

• You should get college essay help with both editing and proofreading
• A good editor will ask questions about your idea, logic, and structure, and will point out places where clarity is needed
• A good editor will absolutely not answer these questions, give you their own ideas, or write the essay or parts of the essay for you
• A good proofreader will find typos and check your formatting
• All of them agree that getting light editing and proofreading is necessary
• Parents, teachers, guidance or college counselor, and peers or siblings
• If you can't ask any of those, you can pay for college essay help, but watch out for services or coaches who over-edit you work
• Don't buy a pre-written essay! Colleges can tell, and it'll make your whole application sound false.

Ready to start working on your essay? Check out our explanation of the point of the personal essay and the role it plays on your applications and then explore our step-by-step guide to writing a great college essay .

Using the Common Application for your college applications? We have an excellent guide to the Common App essay prompts and useful advice on how to pick the Common App prompt that's right for you . Wondering how other people tackled these prompts? Then work through our roundup of over 130 real college essay examples published by colleges .

Stressed about whether to take the SAT again before submitting your application? Let us help you decide how many times to take this test . If you choose to go for it, we have the ultimate guide to studying for the SAT to give you the ins and outs of the best ways to study.

Anna scored in the 99th percentile on her SATs in high school, and went on to major in English at Princeton and to get her doctorate in English Literature at Columbia. She is passionate about improving student access to higher education.

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Parents’ Influence on a Child Essay: How Parents Affect Behavior and Development

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

Do you wonder how parents influence their child? Read our parents’ influence on a child essay example and learn about the parental impact on behavior and development.

Introduction

• Financial Resources
• Education Level

Unemployed Parents

• Involvement of Parents
• Support from Parents
• Understanding of the Child’s Future
• Motivation from Parents
• Parental Goal-Setting
• The Importance of Discipline

Parents are means of structuring their child’s future. They have a very crucial role to play in their child’s growth and his/her conduct. During the days when schooling was considered to be accessible only to the children of the opulent, those who were not privileged enough to go to school, remained at home and helped their parents in daily chores.

Such children used to emulate their parents in their deeds and conduct. “In large part, we as children are shaped by what we see our parents do and how we see them act. I know that I have tried to model after my parents in many ways because I think they have done many things right” (Enotes, 2010).

But during the years, owing to the numerous opportunities available, parents have started devoting more time towards their work. Moreover, education has been simplified and has easy access. Children have started going to schools and as such, both parents and their children don’t have enough time to spend with each other. But still there are parents who devote time towards their children and try and teach them.

It has been observed that children, who have their parents’ guidance and participation in their school activities, achieve more in life as compared to those who totally depend on their schools. “…is that when parents get involved in their children’s education, they offer not only information specific to the classroom, but likely help in giving children a broader level of academic information” (Jeynes, 2011).

There are a few factors related to parents that have a major role to play in the child’s upbringing and education. These are:

Financial resources of parents

Financial resources mean the income of the parents. If the income of parents is good, they can afford to provide extra study material to their child at home. There is a lot of referencing material required by children and as such parents earning better can provide their child with books, periodicals, magazines, etc. Technological devices like the computer play an important role in a child’s standard of education. Parents earning handsomely can provide their child with a computer at home so that he/she can complete online projects. “Poverty takes a toll on students’ school performance. Poor children are twice as likely as their more affluent counterparts to repeat a grade; to be suspended, expelled, or drop out of high school; and to be placed in special education classes” (Education).

Education level of the parents

If the parents are well educated, they ought to understand the importance of education and will encourage their child to study better and up to high levels. Uneducated or less educated parents will not be able to understand the importance of moulding their child’s career from the early school days. On the contrary, well educated parents will understand that for achieving success and objectives, the foundation of their child should be strong.

Unemployed parents are disgruntled and as such the atmosphere at home is not conducive for a child to study. Children find it suffocating at home and as such can’t concentrate on their studies even at their schools. Nicole Biedinger remarked that “…it is hypothesized that the home environment and family background are very important for the cognitive abilities and for their improvement” (Biedinger 2011). He further continues that “Previous research has shown that there exist developmental differences of children from different social classes” (Biedinger, 2011).

Involvement of parents

It will not be contradictory to state that parents and schools have an equal effect on the development of children. Both have an important role to play and are links to a child’s future. Even if one of the links is missing, it will have a negative impact on the child. Parents can get involved in their child’s upbringing by keeping a constant vigil on his/her school work. They can also visit his/her school on occasions such as parent-teacher meetings, annual days, sport events, social get-togethers, etc. All this will help in developing confidence in the child and also a sense of safety and protection.

Once a child is grown up, the parents can still contribute towards building their child’s confidence and identifying his/her qualities by talking to him/her on various career related issues.

Support from parents

Even if parents are not able to contribute financially by providing the essential tools for education, they can at least act as moral boosters for their child. They can inculcate, in their child, the habit of studying hard in order to attain success in life. Such children can defy all odds and prove to fulfil their parents’ aspirations. Alison Rich emphasized that “A cognitively stimulating home need not be one that is rich in material resources. Parents can simply discuss issues of importance with their children, talk to them about what they are doing in school, or spend time doing activities that will develop their skills and abilities” (Rich, 2000).

Parents’ understanding of their child’s future

Simply by getting involved in their child’s school activities, parents cannot guarantee their child’s success. Parents should be well acquainted with the ongoing educational process and various courses available. Information on when to go for any particular course is very crucial. As for example, parents must be aware of any courses that their child might require before going to the college. There are various pre-college courses that improve the grasping power of students. Further, a child will not be able to tell as to what he/she wants to achieve in life. But parents, by knowing his/her interests, can assess their child’s inclination and can further encourage him/her to pursue those interests.

Motivation from parents

Usually, parents tell bed-time stories to their children. These stories have a great impact on the way a child thinks and are instrumental to quite some extent in moulding his/her behaviour and conduct. So parents should tell such stories that have some moral values. The child will get inspired from them and behave accordingly. Stories of heroes and successful people will encourage the child to be like one of them. Parents can also motivate their children by doing good acts themselves.

Parents to set goals for their child

Achieving one’s goals in life is a very important factor of success. Success comes to those who achieve their aims and objectives. Even though there are no fixed parameters for achieving success, it solely depends on the hard work, enthusiasm and motivation of a person. These qualities don’t come instantly but have to be nurtured since childhood. So parents, who want their child to succeed, should start giving him/her small targets to be completed in a given time-frame. Gradually, the child will be habituated to achieve targets and this will be helpful to a great extent in his/her future life, may it be his/her education or career.

Inculcating the importance of discipline

Being disciplined is one of the most critical requirements of being successful. Similar to the habit of achieving targets, discipline also doesn’t come instantly. It has to be inculcated since childhood.

Parents can teach discipline to their child by following certain rules. They can have strict time frames for different activities of their child at home such as study hours, watching the television programmes, having supper and other meals, and going to bed. A sense of responsibility can also be imposed on the child by allocating to him/her certain house-hold tasks.

Having mentioned all the above factors, it can be concluded that parents have an ever-lasting impact on their child’s education. It has been observed that in cases where parents have involvement in their children’s education, the children portray the following virtues: better grades at school, better rates of graduation, fewer absentees from school, better inspiration and confidence, abstaining from drugs, smoking, alcohol and other sedatives, transparency, and being responsible.

Both parents and the school have to work in mutual co-operation to enhance the educational experience of a child and to mould his/her career. In fact, schools encourage parents to be more involved in their children’s activities because the school authorities know that parents’ involvement can bring about great positive changes in the students. That’s the reason schools invite parents to attend various school activities and functions.

Biedinger, N. (2011). The influence of education and home environment on the cognitive outcomes of preschool children in Germany . Web.

Education. (n.d.). Out-of-school influences and academic success-background, parental influence, family economic status, preparing for school, physical and mental health . Web.

Enotes. (2010). How do parents influence children in life? Web.

Jeynes, W. (2011). Parental involvement and academic success . New York: Routledge.

Rich, A. (2000). Beyond the classroom: How parents influence their children’s education . Web.

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• The impact when parents loses a job

The impact when parents loses a job - Essay Example

• Subject: English
• Type: Essay
• Level: Ph.D.
• Pages: 2 (500 words)
• Downloads: 5
• Author: eulahmedhurst

Extract of sample "The impact when parents loses a job"

The Impact of Parents’ Job Loss on Children of the of the Introduction “The loss of parents’ job has a significant impact on children in the form of emotional distress, educational problems, and lack of career opportunities in the future”. In this paper, the impact of parents’ job loss on children will be studied. The main points discussed in this paper include emotional difficulties, lack of self-esteem, educational problems, and others.DiscussionThe Great Recession has hit several individuals and families in the United States and other parts of the world.

The statistics on job loss have shown that the rate of job loss has been increasing during recent times. The rate of joblessness is very high (Ananat, Gassman-Pines, Francis, and Gibson-Davis. 2011). There are many families where only one parents is working. In such families, the impact of job loss is higher. As a result of an increase in the job loss of parents, the rate of poverty among children is increasing. In the year 2011, 11% of children in the United States had one unemployed parent in the family (Strully, 2009).

DiscussionAccording to Rege et al. (2011), the loss of a parent’s job results in the loss of economic security of a family. Social scientists have revealed the devastating effects of parents’ job loss on families. The consequences of job loss are seen in the form of mental health problems, stress, and conflicts in relationships (Eliason and Donald, 2009). The job loss does not only increase marital conflicts, but also conflicts and disagreements among parents and children. This also results in ineffective parenting.

Children, who are raised in such environment, often face neglect from parents. The education of children also suffers in case of job loss of parents (Spera, Buhrfeind, and Pennebaker, 1994).According to Farber (2010), when a parent loses a job, children are likely to be suspended or expelled from schools. When children are in high schools, they are less likely to continue post-secondary education when a parent loses a job (Nomaguchi, 2012). The increasing cost of education and the credit crunch are two significant challenges faced by children.

The loss of a parent’s job also reduces the economic stability of the next generation. When parents endure unemployment, children are more likely to depend on welfare and other support programs. When parents struggle hard to get a job but lose their jobs, children are likely to become disillusioned with protestant work ethic (Gowan, 2012).Top of FormAs suggested by Coelli (2011), when a job is lost, parents suffer from stress. The level of stress faced by parents is also felt by children. An extended period of unemployment may force the family to get burdened by loans; whether from friend or from financial institutions.

When students receive less support and care from their parents, they are likely to engage in risky behaviors such as the use of drugs and unprotected sex (Shea, 2000). ConclusionIn a nut shell, the impact of parents’ job loss on children’s lives cannot be ignored. The research conducted on this topic is limited. It is important to conduct further research in order to determine the economic, social, and emotional impact of job loss. The research conducted on the topic lacks the perceptions of children.

It is important to determine the perceptions of children regarding parents’ job loss. The issue cannot be resolved unless policymakers take a new perspective towards unemployment.ReferencesAnanat, E.O., a. Gassman-Pines, D.V. Francis, and C.M. Gibson-Davis. 2011. “Children Left Behind: The Effects of Statewide Job Loss on Student Achievement.” North (June): 1–44. http://www.nber.org/papers/w17104.Coelli, Michael B. 2011. “Parental job loss and the education enrollment of youth.” Labour Economics 18(1): 25–35.

Eliason, Marcus, and Donald Storrie. 2009. “Job loss is bad for your health - Swedish evidence on cause-specific hospitalization following involuntary job loss.” Social Science and Medicine 68(8): 1396–1406.Farber, Henry S. 2010. “Job Loss and the Decline in Job Security in the United States.” In Labor in the New Economy, eds. Katharine G. Abraham, James. R. Spletzer, and Michael Harper. University of Chicago Press, p. 223 – 262.Gowan, Mary A. 2012. “Employability, well-being and job satisfaction following a job loss.

” Journal of Managerial Psychology 27(8): 780–798.Nomaguchi, K. M. 2012. “Marital Status, Gender, and Home-to-Job Conflict Among Employed Parents.” Journal of Family Issues 33(3): 271–294.Rege, M., K. Telle, and M. Votruba. 2011. “Parental Job Loss and Children’s School Performance.” The Review of Economic Studies 78(4): 1462–1489. http://restud.oxfordjournals.org/lookup/doi/10.1093/restud/rdr002.Shea, John. 2000. “Does parents’ money matter?” Journal of Public Economics 77(2): 155–184.Spera, S. P., E. D.

Buhrfeind, and J. W. Pennebaker. 1994. “EXPRESSIVE WRITING AND COPING WITH JOB LOSS.” Academy of Management Journal 37(3): 722–733.Strully, Kate W. 2009. “Job loss and health in the U.S. labor market.” Demography 46(2): 221–246.

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The Parents’ Role in the College Essay

To the ever-under-appreciated parents of teenagers,

We know how hard it is to be parents. You’re walking a fine line between wanting what is best for your children and trying to let them make their own decisions (and, let’s be honest, their own mistakes). Your child will only apply to college once, and it can be difficult to know how to balance your parental instincts with letting your student take ownership of the process. The good news is that we are here to make your life a little easier by allowing you to take a step back while we harangue your child to help get him where he needs to be in the admissions process.

Let’s address what’s probably the most stressful part of our journey together: the college essays. We will tackle this in three parts: first, we will discuss how most kids approach their essays, how Passport Admissions works with your child on their essays, and the best role of parents in this process.

How Most Kids Approach the College Essay

Most seventeen-year-olds think, “What can I say that will make colleges accept me?” They write essays based on what they believe colleges want to hear. And as a result, most kids make crucial mistakes in their college essays.

Mistake #1 - Most kids brag too much in their college essays.

How many valedictorians apply to college? All of them. How many class presidents? All of them. How many team captains? You get the idea.

There is virtually nothing that kids can brag about that will sell themselves to an admissions office. When a student tries to brag about himself in his essay: a) it doesn't work, and b) the essay blends into the pile of all the other applicants who are trying to do the same thing.

Mistake #2 - Most kids write essays that look and sound the same.

A former admissions officer for UVA, Parke Muth, once compared the college essay to a Big Mac.  Not because the essays are tasty and not because they have layers (though it can be argued that the college essay, like the Big Mac, is hazardous to your health). No, the college essay is like a Big Mac, because no matter where you go, the essays look and taste the same. Thus, Muth coined the term McEssay to refer to the generic college essay.

McEssays typically fall into one of the following five flavors. You will want to avoid these topics at all costs.

• The hard work essay - "Being captain of the soccer team involved a lot of hard work, but I learned important lessons in leadership and perseverance."
• The family trip to Europe essay - "Going to France showed me just how different other cultures are."
• The summer program for gifted youth essay - "I am so fortunate to have been able to attend the National Youth Leadership Conference."
• The athletics essay - "We lost the championship, but we came together as a team."
• The saving the world through community service essay - "Building houses in Mexico was so rewarding."

We know these experiences have been meaningful to many of our students. But writing a McEssay makes a student blend in with every other applicant, so we have to find a unique topic.

Mistake #3 - Most kids polish all of the personality out of their essays.

Most students write their college essays by committee, seeking input and feedback from multiple teachers and parents, who - despite good intentions - will polish all of the life and personality out of the essay. Your teenager should sound like a teenager in his college essay. Consider the following excerpts:

"My nascent drum career began when I was twelve. Learning to play the drums was quite challenging at first, because I had little formal training and needed to learn more about rhythm and chord structure in order to contribute to my band. After rehearsing for innumerable hours, I eventually was able to keep up, but I still needed more help. I decided to get lessons to help improve my overall musical knowledge and particularly improve my music theory. In the end, the lessons paid off, and our band was better than ever."

"A band's drummer is the stupid one. He is the one paid not to write songs or to think, but to sit in the back and hit his instrument, as he is clearly far too idiotic to do anything more. I am a drummer, and while I like to think I am above this stereotype, I do sit in the back, behind all the “real musicians,” blissfully ignorant of ongoing deliberation over “What capo he needs to be in to be in the key of G”, perfectly happy that I understand none of it and absolutely satisfied with my lack of involvement, or responsibility to the band’s success. This being said, I am a good drummer, and when a musician needed a moron - I was a solid choice."

Which sounds like a high school student, and which like a parent? In revising an essay, it is crucial to keep the voice of the student and not to make it sound like it was written by a 40-year-old.

The Primary Purpose of the College Essay

The primary purpose of the college essay is to let the college get to know you and like you. That's it. When evaluating a college essay, we ask:

• What do we learn about you?
• Do we like you?
• Is it interesting?
• Is it generally free from grammatical and stylistic errors?

What role should parents play?

You know your kid a lot better than we do. We can't tell you exactly how much parental involvement will be the right amount for your student.

But we can at least share this insight about the college essays: the students who have had the most success have been the ones whose parents have been involved the least. Almost without fail, the students who have been accepted into their top choice colleges have been the ones whose parents have trusted their student to write great essays, helped their student only when asked, and otherwise stayed out of the process entirely.  And of course, these are the same families that seem to most enjoy the last year of their child living at home.

So there you have it. We hope that you are as excited as we are to help your student write the best essays she can write. Remember that we are not only experts on this stuff, but we really, really enjoy doing it. For us, editing is fun, and getting to know your student and his passions is what makes our jobs interesting and worthwhile.

If you have questions or want help with your college essay, schedule a free introductory meeting with one of our college advisors.

Talk to our experts

1800-120-456-456

• My Parents Essay in English for Students & Children

Essay on My Parents for Students & Children

An essay is basically a short version of expressing the writer’s perspective. It is very similar to a story or a short article. Essays can be written in a formal manner and also an informal manner. However, writing an essay at an early age helps to develop many skills in a child. 

Essay writing is included from the Class 1 to 4 English syllabus. That is why we, at Vedantu, have brought up this sample essay on ‘My Parents’ for your reference. You can take a look at it and use it as study material for your child’s learning.

My parents are my superheroes. They are my strength. They stand by me in every crisis of my life. They are the most important people in my life. I love my parents very much. I feel really happy and safe whenever I am with them.

We live in Bangalore but my parents are actually from Mumbai, Maharashtra. My mom is a nutritionist and my dad is a software engineer by profession. Both my parents are good at playing badminton and various other indoor games. My mom is also a good swimmer. I go to the swimming club in our society with her every Sunday to learn how to swim. 

My mom wakes up in the morning and prepares food for everyone. My dad also helps my mom. Then my dad helps me in getting ready for school every day. Meanwhile, my mom prepares my lunchbox and keeps it in my bag. She also keeps books and notebooks in my school bag as per my daily routine. My mom prepares really tasty food and so does my dad. I am really happy to have such great parents.

They take care of our health. While keeping unwell, my dad calls the doctor or takes me to the doctor so that I get recovered soon. They pray to God every day for my health. In addition to household chores, my mom also helps me out with my homework. 

We spend a lot of time together on the weekends and holidays. We go out to the movies or eat in the restaurant. During long vacations, we go to beautiful beaches or mountains to calm our nerves and refresh ourselves. My dad loves beaches while my mom is fond of hill areas. I like both. I just love spending my vacations with them. 

Everyone loves their parents because they support and save you from every evil thing. Not only do they protect us but also they sacrifice our well-being as well. The value of our parents cannot be described in words. We cannot rise and shine without them. They play a great role in our lives so that we can gain all the success and happiness in the world.

My parents are my biggest source of strength. They stand by me and help me whenever I am in trouble.  My parents make me feel safe at all times.

We live in Varanasi, but my parents are from Mumbai. My mother is a nutritionist and my father is a doctor by profession. My parents are good Badminton players, and I am also learning the game from them.  My mother is also a good swimmer and I accompany her to the swimming club in our society on all Sundays to learn how to swim.

 My mother makes breakfast and our tiffins every morning. Before she leaves for work, she makes sure to finish all the cooking for the day too. My father helps my mother with a lot of things. My father helps me and my brother in getting ready for school every day., while my mother is in the kitchen. Mother takes care not to forget to put our tiffin boxes inside our bags.  She also makes sure we have all our necessary books and notebooks in the schoolbags as per the daily routine. My mother is a great cook and prepares very delicious food. My father is a very good cook too and he enjoys cooking.

Parents take care of our health and look after us properly, and make sure I and my brother are very well taken care of. In addition to household chores, my mother also helps me with my homework, whenever I need help.

We spend a lot of time together and on weekends and holidays, we go out to the movies or eat-in restaurants. During vacations, we go for long holidays. My father is very fond of the sea and my mother prefers the hills. So we enjoy an equal share of both. And like my father, I also love the sea. 

I enjoy spending time with my parents, and I also get to spend time with my friends. My parents are very loving and understanding. The value of our parents cannot be described in words. They play a great role in our lives so that we can gain all the success and happiness in the world.

FAQs on My Parents Essay in English for Students & Children

1. What is Essay writing and why is it important?

An essay can best be described as a formal piece of writing which has only one topic. Essay writing  is very advantageous, especially for children. It gives children a chance to collect their thoughts and ideas together and put them down in words, in an elaborate manner. Essay writing is often considered a fun activity. It helps young children to use their imagination. Essay writing is recognized as very useful for kids, and it builds their linguistic skills as they grow older.

2. How can you teach young children to write an essay?

Teaching young children to write an essay involves certain steps, which will help them understand the flow that is required to write an essay. Steps like i) Teaching the young child the use of basic grammar and of writing skills, ii) teach them to make an outline, iii) encourage them to think, iv) note down all the points. Following these steps, the young child will learn how to place all the words together. This in turn, will become a fun activity for them too.

3. Why is My Parents' Essay important?

Essay writing is a habit that children learn from a young age. Essay writing encourages students to think and to write their thoughts on paper.’ My parents’ topic is a basic and very easy essay topic  every child is able to relate to. Writing their thoughts down is a way of encouraging them to utilize their brain power and their creativity, which will help build their writing skills.  Essay writing helps children think over a topic and then put those thoughts down on paper.

4. How can you help children write an essay on ‘My Parents’?

Helping children to write an essay on My Parents is not a difficult task as long as you have a few handy tips which should include the following points: names of both mother and father, their individual professions, their hobbies and how their hobbies are helping the children, the nature of both parents, etc. Once the children have answers to these basic questions, writing them down on paper will not be much difficult.

5. Where can you get samples of essays on ‘my Parent’?

Essay writing is important for all children and enables children to develop  many skills. It is also important to be able to practice some of the sample essays that are available for practice. The online portal, Vedantu.com offers sample essays for students of Class 1 upto Class 4,, that have been formulated in a  well structured, well researched, and easy to understand manner. These study materials and sample essay writings are all important and are very easily accessible from Vedantu.com and can be downloaded too.

So what if Gen Z applicants bring their parents to a job interview?

Bring your parent to school, bring your child to work, bring your mother to a job interview.

That last one may stick out as odd, but it is apparently a growing phenomenon in the workforce. A recent study indicates that as much as 25% of Generation Z job applicants have brought a parent with them to a job interview in the past year.

The image may seem ridiculous. But there’s a clear path that led us here.

Let’s start with employers saying younger applicants are unprepared. That should not be altogether surprising given the havoc the pandemic played on the world’s education system and the lives of young people during formative years. The ramifications stemming from years of interruption in learning and social development are beginning to show up in the workforce.

Last fall, when I started teaching a college class, it took weeks for me to get my students to make eye contact and speak in class to one another — and some of them want a career in communication. I’ve spoken to friends who are also educators, and they have seen the same.

Which is why some young people would opt to bring a familiar face into an unfamiliar setting. And in some cases, they’ll choose the only adults they interacted with in person while we were sheltered in place: their parents. The image doesn’t seem so ridiculous when you think about it like that. Because of the applicant’s understandable social awkwardness — anxiety, avoiding eye contact — the presence of a parent can bring reassurance. That doesn’t mean the young person can’t do the job without Mom or Dad. It means that job interviews are stressful. It means the pandemic’s full toll is still becoming apparent.

What we have been experiencing in this post-pandemic world is a cultural shift in labor that is redefining what it means to work. Now society is welcoming into this uncertain world of work young people who didn’t get a chance to decipher human interaction like everyone else because they spent so much time isolated and worse: on social media.

Sure, bringing your dad to a job interview is unusual. But what exactly about the past four years screams “usual”? We just went through a once-in-a-century pandemic during which children couldn’t see their friends and parents couldn’t find work or toilet paper.

The weirdness isn’t all distant memory. About a month ago, there was a strip of the country that experienced 100 tornadoes in a week . No wonder Gen Z’s No. 1 issue is climate change. The weather can’t capture much attention, though, because even 100 tornadoes isn’t the strangest news. We’re all pretty distracted by the felon running for president.

So again, what has been normal about the times in which today’s young adults have come of age?

Perhaps instead of ridicule — which I’ve seen a lot of in response to the reports about parents being brought to interviews — why don’t we try some compassion?

Between 2018 and 2022 the math and reading scores of 15-year-olds fell by 15% and 10%, respectively . That most likely means many of today’s high school seniors are still playing catch-up. Not because they are entitled or have poor work habits but because at the age when they were supposed to be learning to adult, they were watching the world go to hell.

The narrative that Gen Z is immature is unfair for singling out this bloc, but not entirely wrong about young people in general, throughout history. It’s a legal fiction to imagine adulthood begins for everyone on their 18th birthday. In reality the prefrontal cortex — the part of the brain that handles decision-making — doesn’t fully mature until 25. Maybe mentoring is needed instead of mocking. Because in the big picture there are worse ways to emerge from a chaotic childhood than needing a parent for reassurance at some early stressful moments.

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Monroe County parents left crying infant on lake shore when they boated, police say

• Updated: Jun. 20, 2024, 11:05 p.m. |
• Published: Jun. 20, 2024, 2:22 p.m.
• Glenn Epps | For lehighvalleylive.com

A pair of Monroe County parents who left their infant alone on the shores of Lake George, New York, this week are now facing child endangerment charges.

New York State Police of Queensbury said the infant was left crying for an “extended period.” The parents were away for about 15 minutes, according to a news release.

The parents left their child about five feet away from the shore line while they went boating, police said. A passerby discovered the crying child and summoned authorities.

Following an investigation, both parents were arrested and taken to the New York State Police Department at Chestertown for processing. The parents were issued appearance tickets returnable to the Lake George Town Court and released, authorities said.

State police would not comment on the matter as of June 20. A spokesperson confirmed that the Department of Child Protective Services was contacted. Following the incident, the infant was released to a separate family member “not either one of those individuals,” she said.

Lake George is located in Upstate New York, about 70 miles north of Albany, Schenectady and Troy, N.Y., in the Adirondack Mountains. The lake’s shoreline spans more than 80 miles.

Glenn Epps can be reached at [email protected] or glenn_epps_ on X (formerly known as Twitter.com ), Facebook and Threads.

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Guest Essay

Dad Brain Is Real, and It’s a Good Thing

By Darby Saxbe

Dr. Saxbe, a professor of psychology at the University of Southern California, is writing a book about how fatherhood changes the brain.

A father of three recently told me that if he could go back in time and give himself one piece of advice, it would be to have kids sooner. Fatherhood changed him; it gave his life purpose, he said. It turns out neuroscience agrees with him.

My research lab investigates how the brain changes when men become fathers, and we are discovering that fatherhood can be transformative for their brains and bodies. The brain and hormonal changes we observe in new dads tell us that nature intended men to participate in child rearing, because it equipped them with neurobiological architecture to do so. They, too, can show the fundamental instinct for nurturing that’s often attributed solely to mothers.

Not only that, but men’s involvement in fatherhood can have long-term benefits for their brain health — and for healthy societies. At a time when boys and men seem to be experiencing greater social isolation and declining occupational prospects, the role of father can provide a meaningful source of identity. But the transition to fatherhood can also be a time of vulnerability, which is why supporting fathers should be a priority for policymakers.

In a 2022 study , my colleagues and I collaborated with researchers in Spain to gather brain scans of a small number of first-time fathers before and after their children were born. Our results echoed studies of mothers done by some of the same researchers. In several landmark studies , they found that as women became mothers, their brains lost volume in gray matter, the layer of brain tissue rich with neurons, in regions across the brain, including those responsible for social and emotional processing.

Although a shrinking brain sounds like bad news, less can be more: These changes may fine-tune the brain to work more efficiently. The teenage brain also trims its gray matter as it develops. Women who lost more brain volume showed stronger attachment to their infants after birth, indicating that the shrinkage promoted bonding.

Our findings for fathers were similar. Men also lost gray matter volume in new fatherhood, in some of the same regions that changed in women. But volume reductions for dads were less pronounced. The findings for mothers had been so striking that a machine-learning algorithm could tell mothers and nonmothers apart by their brain scans alone. The picture was noisier for fathers. My hunch is that men’s brain changes looked less clear-cut because fathers vary so much in their levels of engagement in parenting.

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26% of Gen Z respondents brought parent to job interview: Survey

• ResumeTemplates surveyed 1,428 U.S. based Gen Zers
• Majority of on-camera parents spoke directly to hiring manager
• 'It does not signal confidence to a hiring company': Resume writer

( NewsNation ) — Some Gen Z respondents need help from their parents during a job interview, according to a new survey.

Resume Templates survey  found that 26% of the Gen Z respondents actually involve their parents in the interview process; 31% of those respondents had a parent accompany them to an in-person interview, and 29% had them join a virtual interview.

For those that said they had a parent come with them to an in-person interview, 37% of respondents said they had their mom or dad come into the office, and 26% of respondents said one of their parents physically sat in the room while the interview took place.

For those that said they had a parent near them during a virtual interview, 71% said their parent was off-camera, while 29% said their parent was visible on camera.

The majority of on-camera parents spoke directly to the hiring manager, according to the survey.

“It’s understandable, parents wanting to ensure that their child does well in an interview or that an employer is reputable. Conversely, it’s hard to see where a parent being directly involved in an interview is appropriate,” executive resume writer Andrew Stoner told Resume Templates. “It does not signal confidence to a hiring company on behalf of the child. I recommend a ‘help at a distance’ approach of being available and advising the child during the recruiting process.”

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• Celebrity Family Dynamics

All About Jessica Alba's Parents, Mark and Catherine Alba

'Trigger Warning' actress Jessica Alba credits her parents for her success

Katie Mannion is a contributing writer at PEOPLE. She has been working at PEOPLE since 2022. Her work has previously been published in Healthline, SheKnows and more.

Eric Charbonneau/Getty

Jessica Alba has been family-oriented since her childhood years in California with her parents Mark and Catherine Alba.

The actress and entrepreneur was born on April 28, 1981, a few months after her parents tied the knot. Due to her dad’s career in the Air Force, the family, including Jessica's younger brother Joshua, moved around the United States throughout her childhood.

“My parents were young when they had my brother and I, and they did what they could to get by,” she told Porter in 2019. “I definitely grew up in a home where we were living paycheck to paycheck; both of my parents were juggling up to three jobs each.”

Along with an ambitious spirit, Jessica’s parents also offered her support and encouragement throughout her life. In 2024, the actress thanked both of her parents in a sweet Father’s Day post .

After a heartfelt message to her husband, she went on to praise her dad, Mark. “You have been there for me no matter what through thick and thin which has meant the world,” she wrote in the caption. “You (and mom) were the first to really encourage my independence and I’m so grateful. I love you dearly.”

From their careers to their family values, here’s everything to know about Jessica Alba’s parents, Mark and Catherine Alba.

They got married in 1981

Stefanie Keenan/Getty

Mark and Cathy met and fell in love as teenagers before getting married in January 1981.

The couple, who renewed their vows in 2011, have been married for over four decades. For their 43rd wedding anniversary in 2024, Mark celebrated with a heartfelt Instagram post.

“We love being married and having such a wonderful family. Our two beautiful children found their true Loves and gave us 5 wonderful grandchildren. We’re so proud of all of them,” he wrote.

They share two children

Jessica Alba Instagram

A little over a year after Jessica was born, Mark and Cathy welcomed their son Joshua.

Being so close in age, the two developed a strong bond with one another and even did a joint interview on the Sibling Revelry podcast with Kate Hudson and Oliver Hudson in 2021.

That same year, Jessica gave her baby brother a shout-out on Instagram . “Happy Birthday to my lil bro. I’m grateful for you and I love you dearly, my OG roll dog,” she wrote. “Wish we lived closer and saw more of each other."

Along with their two children, Mark and Cathy are grandparents to Jessica’s three kids, Honor, Haven and Hayes, and Joshua’s two kids.

Mark was in the Air Force

Jessica was born in California but, due to her father’s military career, spent some of her childhood in Mississippi and Texas.

In a 2012 interview with Fortune , the actress explained that, after he learned he was going to become a father, Mark decided to join the Air Force. “My mother was 18, and he wanted to get an education, and he wanted to support his family, and so the military allowed him to do that,” Jessica shared. “He went into the Air Force.  We lived on a couple different bases.”

Mark served in the Air Force until Jessica was 9. After that, he started a real estate company, and the family moved back to Southern California, where they lived with her grandparents until she was 16.

“I was lucky that my grandparents were super involved in helping raise us whenever my parents needed the extra hands or financial help when times got tough,” she told Porter.

The Trigger Warning actress celebrated her military upbringing in 2022 with a Veteran’s Day post on Instagram . “Honoring those who have served to protect us and our freedom 🙏🏽 Sending so much love and gratitude ❤️,” she wrote. “A special thank you to my family - uncle Bobby, my grandma, grandpa and of course, my papasito.”

Jessica’s mom helped her navigate early fame

When she was 11, Jessica won an acting/modeling competition that opened the door for Hollywood auditions. She landed her first role soon after and began her career at the age of 13.

Being a child star can come with its own set of struggles, but Jessica was able to navigate the industry with the guidance of her mother.

“I could have been a potential target for a predator, but luckily, I wasn’t. There were a few times when things felt uncomfortable, but they never escalated too much, thankfully. I’m truly grateful to God for this because many others haven’t been as fortunate, especially starting out young as I did,” she told Elle India in March 2024 . “Having my mom with me all the time really made a difference.”

In a Mother’s Day post on Instagram , she thanked her mom for being so supportive.

“We got to grow up together and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. Thank you for being my biggest cheerleader since day 1 - I love you so much 💞,” Jessica wrote.

Cathy helped inspire Jessica's company

Although she started out as an actress, Jessica has since become well-known for building a wellness empire. She co-founded The Honest Company , a lifestyle brand of clean beauty, baby and household cleaning products, in 2012.

Over the years, Jessica has spoken about the inspiration behind her brand , including an experience with an allergic reaction during her first pregnancy. But, Honest was also largely inspired by her mom, Cathy.

Speaking to Romper about her motivation in 2021, Jessica opened up about her and her mom’s health struggles. “My mother had cancer at a really young age, in her early 20s. I grew up with chronic illness,” she shared. "That's really what motivated me."

In 2015, she expanded her brand to include skincare and makeup products with the launch of Honest Beauty . Again, Cathy was a large inspiration for her.

“I've always been a makeup and beauty enthusiast. My mom wouldn't leave the house without her face on—not even to take me to school or to just go to the grocery store. And we never had any money growing up, but she still always had her face together,” she told Coveteur in 2021. “My mom loves a red lip, black eyeliner, strong blush situation.”

Jessica's mom is also intimately involved in her daughter's business. Since 2014, Cathy has been a senior brand educator at The Honest Company, per her LinkedIn .

Mark was diagnosed with cancer in 2021

Christopher Polk/Getty

Cathy isn’t the only one in the family who has been affected by cancer. In 2021, Jessica revealed that her father was diagnosed with thyroid cancer .

She made the announcement with a sweet father-daughter video on Instagram .

“My #papasito is about to SLAY #thyroidcancer -starting his radiation therapy mañana,” she wrote alongside a video of the pair dancing.

Jessica’s feminist beliefs were encouraged by her parents

The multi-hyphenate talent has always been outspoken about the sexism she has faced in Hollywood and her passion for gender equality and, it turns out, that empowerment comes from her father.

“I’ve identified as a feminist since I could remember identifying as anything,” Jessica told Glamour UK in 2022. “I believe that women should be equal to men. And so does my dad. My dad’s a feminist, too.”

In another interview with Glamour , the actress praised her mom for teaching her to be an independent woman.

“Where I was from, you had to answer to a man if he was the breadwinner. My mom told me that didn't need to be the case for me—I didn't need to rely on a man,” Jessica said in 2014. “She taught me how to hustle. I was determined to be financially independent. So I started making my own money when I was 12. That was freedom.”

Jessica credits her parents for her success

From an early age, Jessica has had an entrepreneurial spirit and she credits her success — both in business and in acting — to her parents.

In a 2015 interview with Vanity Fair , the Kids' Choice Award winner described how her parents modeled a strong work ethic from the moment she was born. Mark was in the military for years before starting his own real estate company while her mother worked multiple jobs to help support the family.

“There was nothing [she] didn’t do. She was the manager of a movie theater; she went to cosmetology school; she was a bartender, waitress, and then my manager,” Jessica said.

The actress' parents also taught her persistence in the face of adversity.

“I was on a swim team, and I was chubby and slow and dead last—a full two laps last. I was crying and couldn't breathe. My mom and dad were like, ‘You started this, you're going to finish it!’ ” Jessica told Self in 2015 . “My parents made me stick to stuff, pick myself up. It's painful to go through, but I appreciate that tough love.”

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Elektrostal

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Elektrostal , city, Moscow oblast (province), western Russia . It lies 36 miles (58 km) east of Moscow city. The name, meaning “electric steel,” derives from the high-quality-steel industry established there soon after the October Revolution in 1917. During World War II , parts of the heavy-machine-building industry were relocated there from Ukraine, and Elektrostal is now a centre for the production of metallurgical equipment. Pop. (2006 est.) 146,189.

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Elektrostal

Elektrostal Localisation : Country Russia , Oblast Moscow Oblast . Available Information : Geographical coordinates , Population, Area, Altitude, Weather and Hotel . Nearby cities and villages : Noginsk , Pavlovsky Posad and Staraya Kupavna .

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Olympic track hopeful Eric Holt quits job, moves in with parents to focus on making Paris Games

Eric Holt competes in a heat in the men’s 1500-meter run during the U.S. Track and Field Olympic Team Trials Friday, June 21, 2024, in Eugene, Ore. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Eric Holt responds to questions during a news conference before the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials, Thursday, June 20, 2024, in Eugene, Ore. Holt will compete in the 800m and 1500m races. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

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EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Middle-distance runner Eric Holt quit his job and moved back in with his parents. They pay his cellphone bill and let him use the car for a long commute to practice. He works out in any pair of running shoes he happens to get for free and babysits at his sister’s place for extra meal money.

Anything to keep his costs low and his training high.

Never quite fast enough to earn a lucrative shoe deal, he’s put everything on hold to chase a spot on the U.S. Olympic team in the 800 meters at the track and field trials.

The 29-year-old from New York is making a big investment in himself.

“All of the struggles he’s had, all of the people that have said he can’t do it, that he’s not talented enough — this is the great American story,” his coach, John Trautmann , said. “Hopefully, it has the All-American ending, too.”

Holt also runs the 1,500 meters and made it to the semifinal round but didn’t advance Saturday night. He faded down the stretch.

“I ran a dumb race. I deserved not to qualify,” Holt said. “I’m about to shock the world. I feel I’m in an event (the 800) I’m better at.”

Holt was a state champion in high school and a multi-time conference champion at Binghamton University . After that, he figured his running career was wrapping up.

His good friend, Jacob Sweet, wrote a lengthy paper on him as part of a creative writing project at Yale.

The title: “Running with Eric.”

The theme: Holt’s relentless quest to break the four-minute barrier in the mile. It included the lengths Holt traversed to achieve it, even shoveling snow from a lane of a track to train. It was an admirable determination from the “most tenacious and inspiring person I’ve ever met,” Sweet said in a text. “Just the nicest, most genuine guy in the world.”

What it really did was rekindle Holt’s drive.

“I mean, for me, just having someone believe in you goes a long way,” Holt said. “Having a friend like Jacob writing a paper about me, how he was so enthralled with my success, it just made me want to work hard. It made me love the sport again.”

Holt would center his training around working the late shift at a psychiatric ward as a mental-health worker. Sometimes, he’d log 13-hour shifts at his arduous job and then go to practice.

“I’ve been kicked in the knee. I’ve been punched,” Holt said. “I’ll never forget one day where I was struggling through a workout because my knee was swollen, because I got kicked right in the knee. It could be really tough.”

But his times were improving, even if the respect didn’t always follow. At the 2019 Monmouth Mile , he remembered the words of someone who was concerned he might “slow down the field,” Holt recalled. “It just motivated me.”

He won that day — in 3:58.88. At long last, he broke the 4-minute barrier.

“From there I saw light at the end of the tunnel,” Holt said. “I knew I could get a lot better.”

His late-night workouts drew the attention of Trautmann. He and fellow coach, Tom Nohilly, were looking at performances on Strava, an app that tracks exercise with a social network component, when they noticed this runner in the area posting his training sessions at all hours.

They were intrigued. They discovered his background. They reached out.

That’s how Holt ended up at the Empire Elite Track Club with Trautmann, a standout at Georgetown and a 1992 Olympian in the 5,000 meters . Like Holt, Trautmann rediscovered his love of running. The 55-year-old Trautmann got away from the sport, steadily worked his way back into the running world and into coaching.

They just clicked.

“He believed in me,” said Holt, who made it to the semifinal round of the 1,500 at the 2021 Olympic trials. “The sky was the limit.”

First, some life modifications. He switched to the day shift at work before going all in and stepping away from his job about a year ago.

He had a nest egg built up.

To preserve his bank account any way he could, he followed his parents to Connecticut, which meant at least a 90-minute one-way commute to get to practice in Westchester County. He borrows his parents’ car for the trips and ate at home.

Holt sometimes received free shoes from local running stores (“I’ll wear whatever,” he said). But he did splurge on racing spikes. His girlfriend pays when they go out, with his solemn vow that someday, should he earn a sponsorship deal, he will treat.

“I’m frugal,” Holt said, “and I’m careful with my money.”

He said he received a $10,000 stipend from the USA Track and Field Foundation to help make ends meet. Even earning a little bit of prize money at small races is reason to celebrate — inexpensively, of course.

The idea of being sponsored?

“Getting paid a livable salary and doing what I love, it just sounds too good to be true,” he said.

Holt recently flashed his talent at the USATF NYC Grand Prix , finishing runner-up in the 1,500 meters to 2022 world champion Jake Wightman. It showed he was on the right track.

“I’m betting on myself,” Holt said. “I’m putting in the work and believe I’m talented and deserving enough to get a good contract.

“I want to show sponsors and the world that I am a contender, that I’m a good runner.”

AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games