Newest College Application Essays

I pushed with all my might, exhaling slowly as my arms trembled, but I still couldn’t complete the pushup. I was embarrassed; I felt weak—physically and mentally.

Searching for tips for building strength and getting into shape, I was surprised by...

I was completely relaxed in the silence and darkness that surrounded me underwater. Holding my breath for minutes, I pushed past my limits, fighting the urge to emerge, knowing this was my only chance. When I eventually surfaced from the water, I...

A globe of diverging genres. An all-encompassing haven that houses birthdays, family time, dates, anniversaries, or simply satisfies a cinephile’s weekly cravings. My thirst for continual experiences within the realms of comfort and tranquility...

“Pass me a new toothbrush please!” I heard my father shout. As I opened the bathroom drawer, I was taken aback- why does it look like my family owns a toiletry business? Our drawer was stacked with a range of toothbrushes, soaps in different...

While we discussed how the Roman empire helps examine identity, I was disheartened that ToK lessons were coming to an end with the course of IBDP. This was until I discovered Columbia’s core curriculum. Divergently debating external focalization...

I carefully pour matcha into my glass mug, watching as the mug’s ice cubes go from reflecting sunlight to deflecting tea. The matcha rose latte I perfected consists of three clean stripes: red from the homemade rose syrup at the bottom, white from...

Overtime, I witnessed the story of my mother's hands, paintings of the Mekong River map, etched with the scars of countless knife cuts. Layered upon these scars were rugged patches of skin, evidence of hours spent toiling over heavy chores. Her...

Growing up in Vietnam, I witnessed firsthand the devastating consequences of unchecked industrial growth on the environment. The widespread pollution and its impact on my community ignited a deep desire within me to seek solutions that could...

The classroom was abuzz with whispers as I entered, an outsider in this unfamiliar setting. A poised, fashionably dressed girl eyed me up and down, her gaze dripping with disdain. "And how did you manage to find your way here?" she sneered, her...

As the plates clicked and voices grew louder, our heated debate overshadowed the familial bond that had always brought us closer at the dinner table. Once again, my mother and I found ourselves entangled in a recurring discussion regarding gender...

Growing up in a family that owned a hotel, I was immersed in the business world from a young age. Witnessing my parents build their business from the ground up instilled in me a deep fascination with the intricacies of business management. As I...

“It was a poor election campaign from Lionel Jospin.” I narrowed my eyes in skepticism at the latest sentence in my History essay, searching for a more precise phrase. “It was a consistently underwhelming campaign from Lionel Jospin.” Satisfied...

Angry Bohemian citizens throw their government officials out the window not once, not twice, but three times to protest rights violations. A future French Prime Minister escapes an enemy army besieging Paris by hot air balloon. A disgruntled...

“All Level 5s, gather in the middle of the parade square!”

As the oldest members assembled, I noticed how compact of a circle we formed. There remained no more than 11 of the 120 rowdy 12-year-olds that had packed four classrooms so long ago. Yet,...

I know you might’ve been wondering. Yes, the “C” is silent. You can call me Cajabo, Sophia, Cajabo-Sophia, or some nickname. You can switch back and forth, too (underrated option). Having one of the most common names and a name most people haven't...

As we biked past our neighborhood’s many red and blue election signs, my friends began relentlessly mocking the uselessness of voting in the upcoming election when the same old parties win every time. We left the signs behind in the dust, but my...

It was a moment of surreal disbelief, standing amidst the bright lights and resounding applause. My feet hurt, I was hungry, and one of the fake lashes that I had painstakingly glued on was causing my eye to itch. I just had a few more minutes of...

At the tender age of nine, both my hands clutching the glass of water I’d carefully poured, I made my way over to the table where my grandmother, or Halmoni as we say in Korean, sat before a war zone of cards strewn across the table. I was not...

I, now 17, still fondly remember sitting on the beach as a little girl with my grandmother. Half-asleep and warm, we, the introverted outcasts of family vacations, would read and chat for hours. I discovered the art of poetry through our...

Your word is maudlin. Maudlin. Can you spell that, please? I confidently rattle off “M-O-D-E-L-I-N-G,” only for my jaw to drop once I hear my coach rule Incorrect.

Since being coached that first night in Grade 6, I’ve been part of the Spelling Bee...

In a world where odds often dictate outcomes, consider the curious case of a piano and its player: 88 keys versus 10 fingers. In almost any other scenario, such odds would be laughable – imagine a soccer team fielding 88 players against 10, or a...

I’ve never been able to buy my Halloween costumes from a store. While my friends dressed up as ballerinas and princesses, I was Molly Pitcher and Clara Barton - not exactly costumes you can find at PartyCity. Instead, my mom made my costumes,...

In the spring of my sophomore year, an ordinary Tuesday took an unexpected turn. After the lunch period ended, I stood up to a world spinning with severe vertigo. Soon after, my speech began slurring, and my right hand trembled uncontrollably.

...

From a grade school classmate who mocked me by stretching out the corners of his eyelids (I’m Thai!), to people who thought it was okay to use Asian slurs because they didn’t include me (I’m not Thai!), to a middle school “friend” who texted me a...