If I can think of a person’s attitude that signals potential in the school or scholarship application process, it is their insecurity about the possibility of attending and surviving graduate school (Shocking? I know!). When Sarah joined my mentorship program, she was unsure which graduate program would suit her best and had no clear vision for her essay’s grand narrative. She only knew that she was deeply and genuinely interested in sustainability and the environment. Often, when we delved into her academic interests, she expressed concerns about whether she would be capable of presenting her ideas effectively to school or scholarship committees, considering it is something that she herself just learned. We spent numerous hours and meetings addressing her questions and building her confidence.
Over the nine-month program, we spent almost three months on research and discussion just to find the one graduate major that would suit her future aspirations and align with the scholarship’s targeted field. Many would think that her state was not ideal; myths of the ideal candidate being supremely confident and verbose have dominated our understanding. However, Sarah successfully landed an offer from Stanford, and when LPDP announced their awardees in the first batch of 2024, she received a score above 1000, surpassing the passing grade of 700 for Ivy scholarship group. This story appeared more than once in my program which compells me to think that in many cases of scholarship and school hunting, insecurity can be a good thing, it’s how we repurpose it.
Your Insecurity Can Force You To Move Forward
Insecurity, often seen as a negative emotion, can actually play a pivotal role in your personal growth. In the context of educational journey, insecurity should be understood as a valuable signal for improvement. Here’s why insecurity can be a powerful ally for your study abroad journey:
1. Insecurity Promotes Self-Awareness
Insecurity acts as an internal alarm, alerting us to areas where we might be lacking. When we feel insecure about a particular aspect of our applications and profile, this alert forces us to confront our limitations and understand our knowledge gaps. This is a good first step, as only through the clarity of these gaps can we produce a powerful application profile. Recognizing and addressing these insecurities allows us to focus on targeted improvements, ultimately strengthening our candidacy and increase our habit to always self reflect on our self development aspects.
2. Encourages a Growth Mindset
Carol Dweck’s concept of a growth mindset revolves around the belief that abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work. Insecurity naturally fosters a growth mindset by highlighting that current shortcomings are not fixed traits but rather opportunities for growth. When we recognize that our insecurities point to areas we can work on, we become more open to learning and development. Additionally, based on my experience, students who are insecure about their abilities are often more receptive to feedback. They understand the value of constructive criticism in their learning process. This openness allows them to make necessary adjustments and improvements based on the insights and suggestions from teachers, peers, and mentors.
3. Drives Motivation and Persistence
Those who are aware of their weaknesses are more likely to seek out resources, ask questions, and put in extra effort to improve. This persistent drive to overcome insecurity leads to enhanced learning outcomes and a stronger grasp of the scholarship battlefield. Not only that, the drive will push us outside of our comfort zones and compell us to tackle challenges tactically. This eventually enhances our problem solving skills as we navigate and overcome our obstacles.
4. Builds Emotional Intelligence
Dealing with insecurity requires a level of emotional intelligence. During our study abroad preparation period, we learn to manage our emotions, cope with stress, and maintain a positive outlook despite our self-doubts. This emotional regulation is a critical life skill that will benefit us in various aspects of our personal and professional lives. Experiencing insecurity can also makes us more empathetic and humble. Understanding our own vulnerabilities helps us appreciate the struggles of others. This empathy fosters a supportive and collaborative learning ability, where we are more willing to help and learn from each other.
Repurpose Your Insecurity In Study Abroad Application Process
Insecurity often gets a bad rap, but when it comes to the study abroad application process, it can be a surprisingly powerful tool. This is not a call to succumb to your insecurities but rather a public initiative to repurpose them. By understanding and leveraging your insecurities, you can target areas for improvement and build a stronger application.
The first step is to acknowledge your insecurities. Whether it’s uncertainty about your academic achievements, fear of not standing out in your personal statement, or anxiety about your English proficiency, recognizing these feelings is crucial. This self-awareness allows you to pinpoint specific areas that need attention. Use your insecurities as motivation to improve. If you’re worried about your academic record, seek out opportunities to enhance your knowledge or skills in weaker areas. If you’re anxious about writing your personal statement, invest time in drafting, revising, and seeking feedback from mentors or peers.
Insecurity can highlight areas where you can grow. Embrace this as a chance for personal development, engage in activities that build your confidence, do more public speaking, volunteering, or taking on leadership roles. These experiences not only boost your self-esteem but also enrich your application profile. In your application, don’t just focus on your achievements. Highlight your journey, including the challenges you faced and how you overcame them. This narrative shows resilience, determination, and a willingness to grow—qualities that are highly valued by admission committees.
How Confidence Sometimes Ruin Your Chance To Learn
I met a student who joined my program with a list of impressive achievements and a strong sense of confidence in her profile. She expressed genuine interest in her field and a willingness to go the extra mile to secure an offer from one of the Ivy League schools. She shared her bafflement at how an ordinary coworker managed to get into a prestigious graduate school, and this realization strengthened her belief that the study abroad path was open to her as well. However, as she went on, this confidence manifested into something else: inability to accept feedback, a long recovery time from minor failures, and stagnancy in her application process. Her initial confidence, while admirable, became a barrier to growth and adaptation, and this–hindering her progress. Eventually, she dropped out of the program, as she began to see this route as no longer beneficial to her self-image.
Let’s sink this story into our mind and take a dip of example on how confidence may sometimes veil our understanding about ourselves.
My Takeaway
Friends, you have a choice: you can start now even if you feel unprepared, or you can wait until you feel ready and risk getting stuck in a never-ending vortex of insecurity. Alternatively, you can repurpose your insecurity and use it as a powerful long-term tool for your self-development.
A (V) in Writing: 