University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Undergraduate College Application Essays

It was pouring rain as night crept in. Hauling heavy packs and tools, we trekked down the 19-kilometer unmaintained Galene Lakes Route, on our way back from constructing a campsite for BC Parks. Upon reaching a ravine, we ground to a halt - the...

Bang! I am deafened by the sound of a gunshot, and suddenly I see hundreds of fourth-graders sprinting towards me. I am temporarily mesmerized by the massive blob of energy consisting of tiny legs moving in unison and tight fists swinging with...

I met her when I was six. Though she stood two inches shorter, her intimidation towered over me. Yet, I saw beyond her hard exterior; I saw a friendship that has lasted over a decade. She’s more of a listener, only speaking when spoken to. She is...

"Someone must watch, it is said. Someone must be there."

When I first read this Kafka quote, young and ambitious, I set my goal as an artist to be "the watchman "of the world - to reveal the truth to the audience. Like many children, I was brought...

Nickelback, Green Day, and Blink 182 shook the walls in my room as I let my mind wander. Tap, two, three, four, I thought, as the beat of Photograph vibrated around my room and slid into my ears. My pillows became a drum set and the carpet...

For the last three years, a friend and I teamed up to lead Spartan Swipe, a school fundraising program that raises scholarship money for students in need. Leading this program has been very important to me. Not only does it feel great to help...

“Eww, what is that?” were words I remember as I brought out the bento box my mom had packed for me.

My middle school lunch consisted of typical Japanese cuisine, and I didn’t see anything wrong with it when I was 13 years old. Hurt by those words,...

“Hiza magatende!”

Translated into English, this phrase is, “your knees are bent!” These words were what I listened to on a daily basis while I was training gymnastics in Japan. Because I heard these words every day, I realized the values of...

“Hey, dude! Bet you can’t run a 5k,” goaded my friend.

He was the track all-star at school. The student-athletes would joke about the rivalry between us, as I’m a competitive swimmer. So, I took up his bet and registered for the Dublin Distance...

How can some children let complete strangers take care of their aging parents?

Even at their advanced age, my grandparents join us every evening in prayer and stand by our stove stirring in their special blend of spices for our family dinner. Back...

The painting is enormous. Its carved golden frame hangs squarely in the center of a muted red wall in the Philadelphia Museum of Art. I lean in and read the information plaque to the right: Breaking Home Ties by Thomas Hovenden. Stepping back, I...

It is no secret that northern New Jersey is home to one of the most vibrant Italian-American communities in the country. Although The Sopranos might have taken their portrayal of us a bit too far, it is definitely true that our culture is defined...

In my senior year of high school, my piano teacher introduced me to Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Prelude in G Sharp Minor. It was a daunting prospect; it was November, and I had to memorize and perform it along with two other pieces by February. This was...

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...