Top Voted College Essays

My day in the sun had arrived – my magnum opus would be revealed. I had just delivered a memorized speech that I had labored over for weeks, and I was about to learn how the panel judged my performance. The polite but sparse audience leaned... (more »)

“Grande Cappuccino!” “Venti Caramel Mocha!” Caught in the coffee chaos at Starbucks, I stand impatiently in line waiting to order my chai latte. As I wait, I glance at the piles of low-fat blueberry muffins and stretch my neck to steal a... (more »)

I stood in front of the classroom like a specimen under the scrutiny of 23 pairs of eyes. The children were hunters on high alert, ready to pounce on any mistake I made. I began stuttering and gave wrong answers for simple math problems, only to... (more »)

The life-size castle had a slide and two floors; my daughter would have to have it. We were 10 years old and leafing through the Toys “R” Us catalog, picking out toys we would buy for our children. We sat on our knees around the coffee table,... (more »)

During the early days of the Clinton presidency, after years of war on antipoverty programs, struggling single mothers were all too common. Somehow, some found ways to provide for the children they loved and were willing to give the world for.... (more »)

He lay there, immobilized, while blood flowed down his arms and pooled in his hands. The concrete parking lot was not an ideal resting spot, but apparently he had no choice. I noticed his gray hair was taking on a reddish tone. He must have hit... (more »)

“Sir‚ name and rank‚ sir.” That was my most frequently used phrase ­during my first month in the United States at the Culver Military Academy. I was a second-class man (junior) but also a new cadet. As a Chinese student who had... (more »)

Gasps sounded as lightning flashed. In the two seats next to me, my friends were sleeping peacefully. I, however, was wringing my hands; I was scared. It wasn't one of those absolute horror moments, but just pure anxiety rearing its head. I was 16... (more »)

“I do not wish my house to be walled on all sides and my windows stuffed. I want the cultures of all lands to be blown about my house as freely as possible.” – Mahatma Gandhi Enchiladas, sushi, and mango chutney aren't exactly typical... (more »)

A black stool, as black as the night sky, stood alone. There was nothing special about it that anyone could see. It was simply a cheap black stool, but it was not ordinary to me. To me it symbolized something special in my life: time spent with my... (more »)