Mortuary Science School Admissions Essay

To apply for mortuary science school, I was required to write an essay. 

"In 500 words of less, explain why you have selected funeral service for your career." 

This is the essay I submitted:

             Entering college, I was not sure what I should major in or what profession would be the right fit for me, but I did know that I need to be, and am meant to be, in a profession that strongly involves helping people.

            It was last May, after the death of my maternal grandmother, when I first contemplated funeral directing as a profession. My paternal grandmother had passed away a month before and my sister-in-law’s father in February. Our family was experiencing tremendous grief after the loss of three family members in the span of only four months. 
            In May, I went to the funeral home with my family to meet with the funeral director. The funeral director was not cold or rude, but also did not seem to be very sympathetic to the grief we were experiencing. It was a surprising and disappointing experience and very different from what we had experienced with other funeral directors in the past. This experience helped me to realize the importance that a funeral director possesses tremendous amounts of compassion and empathy, as well as communication and social skills, in order to successfully help families through such a difficult time.

            I recognize that death is a natural part of life, but I also understand that losing a loved one is an extremely emotional and difficult experience. I believe funerals are extremely important to celebrate the life of a person who has passed and to help survivors grieve the loss of their loved one.

            One specific aspect of funerals that I find extremely important to the grieving process is the viewing. When my paternal grandmother passed away in April, I was at her bedside when she took her last breath. Sadly, she did not resemble the Grandma Rose I had known and loved my entire life. Fortunately, the funeral home did an amazing job with her embalming and makeup. I was incredibly impressed with how beautiful they were able to make her look for her viewing. I am so thankful that my last memory of her is how she looked in her casket, peaceful and wearing a red sweater, not in a hospital bed, wearing a hospital gown. I would love the opportunity to provide this type of comfort and last memory to other people who have watched their loved one pass away.

            In conclusion, I feel I am meant to dedicate my life to helping people grieve the loss, as well as celebrate the life, of their loved ones. Death is inevitable and how we help those who have experienced loss and are grieving is tremendously important. I want to be a person who provides and can be that help.