American University

Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. Darkness permeates the early hours of a weekday morning as sleep wraps a blanket around New York City. The beaming moonlight … Read more Two and a Half Rotations

Common App Essay : Describe my life story I felt an unequivocal sense of community when I gazed at my dinner plate one night at Chewonki and acknowledged that the beets, potatoes, and lettuce on my plate were plucked from the earth by me and my best friends. The hours that we expended on the … Read more Common App Essay

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. I am not a religious person. I cringe at the sound of Christian rock, think Broadway’s The Book of Mormon is shamelessly hilarious, … Read more Full Color

Imagine that you are the editor of a major national news magazine. Write the cover story you would choose for the issue that would be on the newsstands January 1, 2025. At the turn of the twenty-first century, the United Nations committed to eradicating poverty by the year 2025. Many foreign nations were skeptical at … Read more The Face of Poverty

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. “Entonces, Max, ¿dime porque has venido a España?” I stared blankly at my host Dad while trying to catch a glimpse of how … Read more Familiarity

Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you. The thought that nearly eight hours later we would be dragging a canoe through a swamp in the dark never crossed anyone’s mind as we began to film. Clad in American Revolution-era attire, my friends … Read more Life in a Canoe

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. Every time I strap on a guitar, a joyous juxtaposition of feeling washes over me. Sweet harmony glides on a smooth, still surface … Read more Outlets of Sound

Personal Statement My mother was diagnosed with cancer. It all started in April of my sophomore year when she complained of exhaustion, nausea, a back ache, and bad breath. I remember the day perfectly. It was Easter morning and my mom was scheduled for a procedure to examine what was predicted to be a blockage … Read more My life defining moment

The lessons we take from failure can be fundamental to later success. Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? I have never loved math—in fact, it’s always been my least favorite subject. I spent years attempting to keep up with … Read more The 72 Point Trophy

Topic of your choice (Common App essay) “Repeat Dojo-kun. Seek perfection of character. Be faithful. Endeavor. Respect others. Refrain from violent behavior,” I call out. To my left, the line of kneeling students repeats my words. “Sensei-ni, rei,” I call to the line, and we bow to our teacher. He bows to us, dismisses the … Read more The Dojo-Kun