Newest College Application Essays

Tell us an accomplishment, talent, or quality about yourself. What about this accomplishment or quality relates to who you are today?

“State Champions.”

Those are two words any competitor would like to hear, and I had the privilege and honor of...

Who Are You?

Simple, yet complex, just like everything else – but unlike everything else, I am me as no one else could be. I am Ariel, and I want to speak.

Ariel- This is a snapshot of my mind: the black and white images I took, the photo collages...

Evaluate a significant experience....

It was the first night that I had seen the Western Wall, and all of the magic of that moment overcame me like an ocean wave, strong and powerful. As I walked towards the wall, holding hands with the other girls...

I once had a conversation with a young Catholic woman from Uruguay about becoming close to God. There was a bit of a language barrier between the two of us, but I was determined that we should understand each other on a topic of such importance....

A good university is, in many ways, a lot like a strong soccer team. Just as Lehigh does not have a single objective of teaching information, so also the aim of a strong soccer team is not only to win. Aside from teaching in the classroom, a...

On Being a Middle Child

As our annual family picture day approaches, disputes about matching attire, scenery, or whether or not our pets will be included continue to dominate our dinnertime discussions. I’m not keen on, nor do I oppose, this...

In 1999, my father and stepmother were married in a beautiful castle in Northern Ireland. She was dressed in a white lace gown with a bouquet of lilies clenched in her delicate fingers. He was suited up in a sharp black tuxedo with a smile...

Annie’s face is as vivid in my mind now as it was four years ago. I can see the passion for life that sparkled in her eyes and the crazy, intense grin that stretched across her face like a bridge across the sea. Although my experience with Annie...

Had someone asked me my nationality four years ago, I would have said American.

My father, unlike many fathers, is a stereotypical French man. He emigrated to the U.S. three years before I was born, yet worked hard to retain his culture, the same...

My palms were sweating. My heart was beating out of my chest. “When you go in, you might want to put on a mask so you don’t smell them, and make sure you are wearing your universal precautions!” I was about to see and explore inside of dead...

"English, math, chemistry…" I was panicked over all the work I needed to finish, which had become increasingly difficult after doubling my hours at the barn. Overwhelmed, I just wanted to get home. Then, after I finally mastered my barrel pattern,...

As I sit staring with droopy eyes at my computer, the mere thought of having to write another 1000 word essay describing the “most influential person in my life” or “a time that I made a bad decision” makes me cringe. With seven essays down, and...

I’ll admit it: I’m obsessed with fantasy football. I can vividly remember the call I received from “Pepe” (aka Colin) asking if I wanted to come to his “fantasy football” draft that night. Of course, being a 7th grader, I had never heard of the...

“Mom, I want to take the SAT.”

My mom lifted her eyes off the newspaper and looked at me suspiciously. “What on earth is the SAT?” I went on to explain it to her as she stared at me with increasing incredulity, as if I were no longer her daughter...

What a familiar sight, I thought to myself as I subconsciously stopped to stare through the display window. A couple of mannequins were dressed in half-finished garments, surrounded by waves of colourful fabrics cascading down the table. Pools of...

Eyes fixed upon the image in front of her, brows slightly furrowed, the girl appeared to be lost in thought. While the others walked on after stopping briefly before the piece, she stood there with her feet glued to the spot. I watched the girl...

“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...