Newest College Application Essays

“Do you see now?” The voice rang in my ears as I shook my head for the umpteenth time. My eyes were tightly shut, trying to hold back the tears of anger and frustration. When I opened them again, the world looked to me as it always did; only now...

He never complained. He loved to make people smile, he loved his family, and most importantly, he loved waking up to each new day. Shawn has become an inspiration to many, including myself, with his overwhelming strength. Most people look up to...

Please write a personal statement.

The day Kurt Vonnegut died my friend Becca called me crying. “So it goes,” I said, and we chuckled in spite of our sadness. We had become devotees of Vonnegut since our introduction to Cat’s Cradle two years ago,...

Why Swarthmore?

I consistently bite off more than I think that I can chew, but end up loving what I’ve digested. To feed my intellectual appetite I wish to go to a college with endless options and opportunities, and I believe that Swarthmore is...

Why Brown?

I consistently bite off more than I think that I can chew, but end up loving what I’ve digested. To feed my intellectual appetite I wish to go to a college with endless options and opportunities, and Brown is that college. With Brown’s...

Personal Statement

I have sworn on my biology textbook instead of the Bible since my sophomore year because I have an obsession with truth. After reading The Sound and the Fury a month ago I thought that I had the truth of mankind in terms of the...

Pose an original question and answer it.

The traditional greetings of the hipsters in my area never really caught on with me. A “What’s popping?” or “Holla at yo’ boy?” coming out of my mouth would’ve screamed “trying too hard,” so I always...

She was the toughest; she was the best. She was also the most influential teacher I have ever had. Ms. William, my sixth grade teacher, was never one to settle for second-best. As a demanding teacher, she hadn’t always been popular. In fact, my...

Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud and how does it relate to the person you are?

I stood at the edge of the small...

Describe the world you come from - for example, your family, community or school - and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations.

I am a 'them'. In the 'us vs. them' mentality, I have been the 'them' to most people throughout my...

Open-Ended This question seeks to give students the opportunity to share important aspects of their schooling or their lives - such as their personal circumstances, family experiences and opportunities that were or were not available at their...

Write about a topic of your choice.

Point. Shoot. Develop. Print.

My daring choice to enroll in photography my sophomore year has awoken a slumbering giant. Initially, this giant (like most giants) didn't awaken as much as it slipped from deep...

Describe your dream internship and what it would entail.

When I walk into a room of real human corpses dissected and put on display, my initial response is not to shudder in horror as others might, but to inquire how it was possible to take an...

How, in your life, have you drawn strength from weakness?

Family turbulence, a new school, my grandmother’s illness – all have made me feel weak and sometimes hopeless, but I have emerged more emotionally secure and confident from those challenges....

Choose an issue of importance to you—the issue could be personal, school related, local, political, or international in scope—and write an essay in which you explain the significance of that issue to yourself, your family, your community, or your...

Write an essay in which you tell us about someone who has made an impact on your life and explain how and why this person is important to you.

I think it’s safe to say that, though he may not know it, Ian Lokey made me who I am more than any other...

The statement of purpose will provide an opportunity to explain any extenuating circumstances that you feel could add value to your application. You may also want to explain unique aspects of your academic background or valued experiences you may...

One of the most important events in my life was, oddly enough, a calculus project.

The assignment was to make a short film about trigonometry, which made sense given that our teacher was also president of the Movie Club. We had to make a movie and...

Why would you make a good candidate for our school?

I maintain that if we all spoke before thinking and took action without leadership, communication and leadership could not exist. As a result of this observance, therefore, I will try to describe...

By now, color and form are two essential ways I express myself. In my art I often draw myself as a stick figure with a shock of bright red hair. My family, friends, and even strangers have always commented on the thousands of freckles that pepper...

Growing up a vegetarian with hippy parents, reading feminist and pacifist literature, and listening to Jimi Hendrix and the Beatles has shaped me into a very politically charged person. Thus, while I admit that the Great Pyramids are amazing and...

The primary focus throughout my high school career has been the mastery of the Spanish language. For the past four of my six years in Spanish class, it has been my privilege to study the tongue of Cervantes under the fine tutelage of Mrs. Maria...

When the clear automatic doors opened to the humid air of New York City, my life would never be the same. The busy traffic with dozens of yellow cabs overwhelmed a girl who grew up in a place where a bike is an expensive transportation tool. While...

I grew up with my grandparents in a rural town near the coast of eastern China. I have never seen my biological father. This is not an obstacle, however, because my mother has always been my source of motivation. She first introduced me to the...