Newest College Application Essays

Thud!

The sudden noise interrupted the flow of dynamic movement. My passport had slipped onto the floor with the documents required for the flight. I let out a small sigh as I put the things back onto the desk.

Growing up as a third-culture kid,...

"As a Black man, you must work ten times harder than everyone to succeed."

My father's words hit home every time I commute to my predominantly white high school. I always lock eyes with several homeless people while riding the train.

They all look...

What do the wings of a flightless bird, a whale's pelvis, and a human's wisdom tooth have in common? They are all vestigial structures—organs or body parts of a species deemed useless. Like all vestigial structures, many perceive wisdom teeth to...

“We would get chased home because Italians didn't want us in their neighborhood.”

“It causes gentrification and…[section 8] people to move out…prices go up.”

These are 2 of the many testimonies I gathered while conducting research last summer. I...

After building the portable tennis court, I signal one of my eleven-year-old students to come and play. He returns every ball over the net despite having a racket with two broken strings. The uneven concrete does not hinder him from speeding...

I initially saw obtaining hearing aids as admitting defeat to a disability. Being Hard of Hearing, I struggled with following conversations for years. Even after learning three foreign languages to communicate better, I realized in college that I...

To the left of me, there were graves. To the right of me, there were mountains, and ahead were the beautiful seas of Çanakkale (Gallipoli). Standing in the center of the historic war zone, young and confused, I asked my parents “Did we win?”. My...

Starting in a dark, unknown place full of ‘enemies’, after passing the initial area, you will approach a desolate but welcoming town. Elderbug startles all travelers who enter Dirthmouth. Everything seems as simple as just traveling and meeting...

I was twelve years old the first time my ballet teacher looked at our class and told us she could see our lunches through our leotards. Before her comment, I had never really thought about the way my body looked in the mirror, I just enjoyed going...

After working at an ice cream shop for over a year, I have become familiar with more ice cream flavors than I would have ever imagined. Over forty I believe. Along with the flavors changing every month, I have seen a bit of myself change over the...

“A mi no querer takar la clase de español”, I fervently and somewhat jokingly argued with my mother after she DECLARED that I would take Spanish 1 in 7th grade. It’s sort of like those times when you know the battle has long been over, yet you...

“When are you coming home?” I anxiously asked my mother over the phone.

Home for Christmas break, I grew tired of playing with my two-year-old brother while my parents worked. Glen was adopted domestically from a Bengali and Puerto Rican family,...

"Hey Gran how have you been hol-"

"Graaan? Can you hea-"

"Great, she can't hear us. *Sigh*. Mom, I thought Dad fixed issues with her sound?"

"Well, what are we supposed to do?"During the initial lockdowns, I tried to keep in touch with my...

As a son of first-generation Indian immigrants, stories of hardship were not unfamiliar to me. Hate manifested in the form of chants like "Go back to YOUR country!". Hate manifested in the form of fear- fear of wearing our traditional kurtas or...

Nothing strips away the social constructs that divide us like an emergency. Having witnessed multiple people lying helplessly in need of medical treatment, I’ve been forced to acknowledge the universality of human fragility. As an EMT, my job can...

Come on Otis! I tugged on my dog’s leash. My feet pounded the ground, quickly accelerating in speed because the kitchen was awaiting my arrival. I opened the door and was hit with a wave of anxiousness and excitement.

What should I cook? All this...

Crystals fell from the sky, images of a never-seen winter wonderland falling into place. Snow flurries drifted through the air; a faded yellow fluorescent light from the rundown Chinese restaurant radiated through each flake, reflecting the...

How does one prepare for a test with no correct answer? There aren't flashcards to flip through, past practice tests to predict similar problems, or a study guide to fill out. How would a test like this even be administered? The answer - a...

In December of 2017, I traveled to Mumbai, India. What was supposed to be just a two-week, relaxing, and fun-filled trip visiting extended family, turned into a chain of eye-opening and life-changing events for me. My cousins were part of a local...

Grasping the air bulb in my hand, I squeeze till the arm cuff is snug around the nurse. Methodically, I turn the valve on the bulb, letting out a faint stream of air, still pressing my stethoscope firmly upon the brachial artery, listening for the...

I clock my final break on a brutally hot June Thursday. Stepping outside for a phone call, I have one thing on my mind: what is Saturday’s verdict? Dave, my Eagle Project counselor, has been corresponding with Portland Parks and Recreation (PPAR)...

While waiting at the Dunkin’ near Bardeen Quad, I noticed students took out caffeinated coffees, whereas visitors bought sugary ones. It was interesting correlating those two. Until my cousin bought Ice Tea. Finding such correlations – and...

I grew up in Canton, where the wealthiest Chinese cities were within hours. For a child and an expatriate, the bustling rich of China struck 10-year-old me. The stories behind Chinese affluence mesmerized me, and they still do.

For high school, I...

As much as I’m interested in the technical aspects of data science, I’m more intrigued by why a data result. Why New York City has higher covid cases than Atlanta; why Biden defeated Trump. I want to understand how human lives work, through...