The Marks Left in Red Pen - How Feedback Helped Me Grow by Julia

The Marks Left in Red Pen - How Feedback Helped Me Grow by Julia - August 2026 Scholarship Essay

Throughout my life, I have received feedback at many times, and in many forms. But one particular time comes to mind - and it really changed the way that I look at my own growth and approach to learning.
One of my favorite classes in college so far was my Humanities 101 class, which dove deep into questions of life, love, and our ultimate purpose. For this class, we were required to submit three different essay projects throughout the semester, which would broaden our understanding of each unit by applying various readings, our own thoughts, and lecture notes into one synthesized piece. And yes, as I'm sure you could have guessed, these essays were rather infamous among the generations of students who have passed through this (mandatory) class. But I liked to write, so although the process was a bit grueling, I was happy with my final result.
Throughout high school, I had always been praised for my writing, and so I was a bit surprised when my first essay of the college semester was returned with a less-than-perfect score - and some notes from the professor on how I could better support my thesis with evidence from the text. Of course, I had received feedback on other writings throughout school, but I remember this feedback particularly - as I had thought that the essay I submitted was particularly thorough and well-written. Wonder of wonders, I wasn't a perfect writer - there was still room for me to improve!
The professor's feedback forced me to take a look at how I approached my writing and my schoolwork; and I found that my attitude was far from a growth mindset. I began to look at my own work with more humility, instead of unhealthy pride, and for the next essay, I tried my best to evaluate my work from all angles - not just assuming that my argument was sound, but trying to acknowledge other sides of the story as well. And as it turns out, this professor's feedback was the best thing that could've happened to my writing. The remaining essays of the semester were scored perfectly - but much more importantly, I became a much better writer. By learning to look critically at my own work, I was able to more readily find ways where I could improve; and of course, I can look at my own life in a similar light.
In short, feedback is one of the best ways for us to learn and grow. Even though it may seem negative at first, it can help us to recognize the "blind spots" in our own approach to life, and transform us into a better version of ourselves - which wouldn't have existed without those red pen marks left by the "professors" in our lives.
Thank you for your consideration!