I couldn't resist editing your piece, tightening it up a little. Just take it as a suggestion.

So many high school students out there today complain and whine about what an awful time they have in high school. Our parents tell us 'these are the best years of your life!', and for some time I was skeptical that it could be true. As I reach the halfway mark of my senior year, I can't help but agree with my parents. Even living through my parent's divorce, amazing twists and turns in one of my tight-knit friendships, holding down two jobs, building a relationship with my new nephew, playing in band, living in two different homes and preparing for college, I still had a blast.

High school has been one of the most exciting times of my life. I've made many wonderful friends and I really enjoy learning. Don't get me wrong! Getting up at 6 a.m. for class on Monday is not fun, but high school was still a blast. I find my Advanced Placement Calculus class very stimulating and Chemistry never fails to keep me enthused to learn more. Band is something I've always been involved in and we play at about two games per week over the winter. My English classes have been amazing and have opened my curious mind to many wonderful pieces of literature such as Hamlet, Jane Eyre and many more.

Over the span of three or so years, my parents have been going through a bitter divorce. In 2003, my mom made the drastic decision to move out, and ever since then they have been struggling to get divorced. I've moved three times in the past three years, luckily staying within the city limits so that I didn't have to change schools. Over the past year, my mother developed clinical depression, for which she declined treatment, and severely distanced herself from both my brother and me. We fought often, especially when I found she was lying to me, and this made it very hard to trust her or rely on her for support. My grades started to slip in my junior year, but now that my family life has stabilised somewhat, my grades are heading back towards my high-B, low-A average.

I've been anticipating college for quite a while now. I've been doing some research and talking to students at UWMC to find out more about the school. In particular, students have told me about the wonderful classes, the SMALL classes (nothing compared to highschool, where classes can reach upwards of 40 people!) and very friendly teachers. I'm very excited about the possibility of experiencing all the wonderful and stimulating aspects of UWMC myself.

Although I appear quite shy, don't let it fool you. Once I get to know people and my surroundings, I open up. I have always been more of a listener than a talker; I was always the child that stayed up late, fearing I would miss some stimulating conversations when my parents had friends over. I was always seen and not heard, and people always motivated me to speak up. Here I am, 18 years old, finally learning to speak up.

Ever since I was a small child, I have wanted to be a veterinarian, and that desire has never left me. I have a very strong passion for animals and feel a deep commitment to help them. Just ask my dad about the time I sneaked home two mice (my dad HATES mice) because they needed to be adopted at the pet store. One was blind and the other could barely walk; who could resist them? Nevertheless, they needed homes and I just happened to be there. I love animals of all shapes and sizes, from my two gerbils and two mice, to the 9 fish I have, to my aunt's horses and cows. I have a very caring personality and helping others is a goal I have always strived to achieve on a daily basis. I know there is a bond shared between human and animal, and I feel that helping people take care of their beloved animals is something in which to take pride. My goal is to someday become a successful veterinarian and possibly pursue a second goal on the side; photography.

I have a deep passion for photography, which developed nearly 4 years ago. I recently made a rather expensive purchase, a Canon S2 IS, the camera of my dreams. I always have my camera with me for fear of missing an opportunity to take a picture. I have thousands of images saved on my computer and I'm always adding more, oftentimes by the hundreds. People have also made offers to buy my work from me, which only pushes me to pursue this career further if the chance arises.

Overall, I'm overwhelmed with joy at the opportunity being presented to me. College is something both my parents have only dreamed of. Attending college has always been a goal of mine. Accomplishing that dream, either here or elsewhere, would be amazing.