Daniel J. Hering Personal Statement While I was still in high school, I originally planned on majoring in computer criminology.

I loved taking criminal justice as an elective and due to the computer science aspect of the career, I thought it was a great way to apply my excellence in math, as it was my favorite subject. However, even though I entered college with 12 credit hours in mathematics, there was a time where I struggled when I took precalculus and trigonometry at the same time during my senior year, and so I pulled off a C in precalculus.

As far as science went in my high school career, I learned a lot from the natural science classes that I took, yet was I was simply an average student who got pulled off Bs and Cs. During my freshman year in college, however, I started to build a stronger foundation in biology, and so I decided to change my major to biology.

I strive to go to medical school, but not exactly to be a doctor; I want to pursue a career in forensic pathology as a medical examiner, since criminal justice is still a critical interest of mine, considering I even took Introduction to Criminal Justice as an elective during freshman year in college before I decided to change my major during the middle of the semester, completely shining in that course. The State College of Florida offered me the SCF Academic Scholar Award, which pays for an entire year of tuition. With this, I plan on redeeming myself of a simply average GPA in high school, and pushing for a much more competitive GPA for not only transferring to a university for a Bachelors degree in Biology, but also making a noble impression to any medical school I apply to. In the meantime, I am searching for volunteer and career shadowing opportunities in at least a medical environment so I can see for myself what I am getting myself involved in, but I prefer to find grasp opportunities like these in a medical examiners office. I also plan on taking courses at a university that highlight the medical aspect of biology and, hopefully, I will have space for a few courses in forensic science to supplement my coursework. Independent research and honors programs are definitely possibilities that I am also considering throughout my college career. I strive to obtain an education in medical school, not to be a doctor, but to forensic pathologist. I want to apply knowledge of medical practice and forensic science to assist law enforcement. I have a stable basis for problem-solving and diligence, as well as a passion for biological science, and I find this career as a perfect fit for me, even if it does involve a morbid environment of uncovering evidence among the dead.

I am aware that the Florida Gulf Coast University offers an excellent undergraduate program in Biology that awards a Bachelors of Science degree. I also notice that the Florida International University is one of the best places to attend graduate school, with the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine not being an exception at all. I hope to

overtake this huge journey ahead of me and tackle the major goals Im planning to be able to reach where I want to be in life in the field of both science and law enforcement.