Newest College Application Essays

Staring out at the rain pouring down onto the sidewalk beside the airport exit, I thought one thing. This is foreign territory. Just moments before, I had found myself facing down a horde of about 60 squealing EXO (a Kpop idol group) fangirls....

I am a wilderness survivalist. Over the years, I have found myself thriving in conditions ranging from torrential rain in the Valley of the Kings to white-out conditions on top of Mount Lassen. Some would call these situations miserable, but to me...

The sound of the rhythmic clave at the very beginning of the opening number of In the Heights brings me back to my childhood -- yes, even more than my favorite Disney television show theme song does. This rap hip-hop musical, written by and...

"Taking care of plants is a meticulous task. It’s not at all easy like people think, young lady. Do you see how these leaves were burnt by the sun? It gives this plant such a dislikable appearance. See how by pruning the burnt leaves, you’ll make...

It’s just my luck to play the first match of the season on one of the windiest days of the year. However, that doesn’t faze me by now. My head is in the game, and nothing can break my concentration. My partner prepares her serve, tossing the...

I wanted to scream in frustration. It was Mother's Day and my family and I had gone out for lunch. After some small talk, I finally blurted out that I had been looking at art schools and wanted to apply to a few - a confession that I had been...

When I was younger, my mother attended ESL classes every Wednesday evening at our local church. When she came home, it was straight to the dining table to complete her given assignments. It would not be uncommon for her to take hours just...

Monsoon season began the day after I arrived at Jeongok, a small town where the rushed lifestyle found in most Korean cities was in abundance. My grandmother, who owned a grocery store in the town, asked me to take over during a particularly rainy...

July 19, 2012. On that day, 23 people lost their lives in a violent shooting. I was less than 100 miles away from this, sitting in the Cinemark Theater dressed up as Two Face as my friends and I waited eagerly for the same movie; unknown to me was...

My one place of contentment, in all of time and space, actually is a place where I am constantly moving. Literally. That one perfect, happy place for me is sitting atop the saddle of a horse. Although a saddle is not the most comfortable thing in...

Poker is Life. Life is Poker. So the saying goes. Now, my life does not revolve around poker, but I do learn a few things from it: luck, logic, forbearance, and risk. Life is full of uncertainty, and so is poker. Some people bet on luck, just like...

It was three o’clock in the afternoon. My first race was full of middle-aged men, and the decals on their cars weren’t all stickers like mine. They had been painted professionally. But paint jobs don’t impact speed and, to my advantage, I had the...

As I shoulder my bedroom door open, the cardboard box once secure in my hands flops to the ground. The resulting thud echoes off the walls, but my attention has already shifted. I start a calculated walk around the room, taking it in from multiple...

Each pounding step sends shockwaves up my body. My breathing is labored, but controlled. Inhale for two steps, exhale for two steps. Repeat. Midway through my run, my body has begun to complain. Amidst a sea of thoughts fighting for my attention,...

My hair used to fall out because I thought I was strong, my heartbeat used to waver because I thought I was in control, and my hands used to shake because, for the first time, I thought I was beautiful.

My hands have done great things. I used my...

The stress of the last-minute cram for a test could be seen in each and every one of my kids’ faces, which were contorting from determination, to anxiety, to confusion, and back again. My students were huddled in the back of the dojang, reviewing...

There’s a line out the door. Our youngest customers teeter on their tip toes to see inside the long glass cases. I work at Kilwin’s Winter Park, one of 90 locations in a growing confectionery franchise. We serve 32 ice cream flavors (memorized by...

One of my favorite TED Talks, “Why Some of Us Don’t Have One True Calling” by Emilie Wapnick, begins with a loaded question: what was the first time someone asked “what do you want to be when you grow up?” Wapnick explains that this question can...

Picture your dream getaway: White sandy beaches, crystal blue water, palm trees swaying in the breeze, waiters acting on your every command to bring you the finest foods and drinks available. If you ask any travel agent to send you to this...

What eventually becomes “intellectual curiosity” begins as a parent’s nightmare. “Noah… Stop! What are you doing?... We need that.” Eventually my parents bought my “toys” at thrift stores, old toasters, food processors, clocks… anything that I...

Two dogs with bladder problems, one screaming six year old, and one painful, fifteen-hour drive. After suffering through traffic jams, vehicle smog tests, and no privacy, my parents decided to uproot our San Diego routines and begin a new life in...

We arrived at Ho Chi Minh cancer hospital for the first time, full of determination. The moment we entered the hall, a scene captured my eyes: young children (between the ages of 4 and 9) lying prostrate in the aisle. The countenance of the very...

Above my fireplace is a framed 8x10 photograph of me before my first day of second grade. A half smile limps across my face, at the request of my mother of course. I’m dressed in a brand new white Old Navy tank top; the scratchy lace and fit made...

I watch quietly as one of my peers speaks at the podium, exposing the inadequacies of her life, and pouring her heart out for all to view. When she is through with her story, everyone lines up to share embraces and offer a kind word. Everyone is...