College Essay Examples About Yourself

Get some inspiration from these college essay examples about yourself. These are also known as personal statement essays, and these are common essay prompts for college admission essays and college scholarship essays.

UC Berkeley Engineering

Finding my X

Personal statement essay, one of our college essay examples about yourself,  by Jency from California

Finding X, finding Y, solving for the standard equation of an ellipse. These have been the plagues of my mind ever since I made a discovery in the 5th grade- I hate math. I don’t like it, I’m not good at it, I just don’t understand it. Call it sine or sin, either way I detest having to deal with it and its partners in crime.

Sitting me in front of a typical pre-calculus warm up was the equivalent of having a toddler perform heart surgery- it was simply an experience of confusion and one that led to disastrous consequences. Even the lingo of the subject was baffling and threw me into a state of confusion where the simplest concepts brought tears of frustration to my eyes.

I wish I could say struggling with math was the extent of my problem with it. But this weakness of mine hit much closer to home even outside of the classroom. As a girl of Indian heritage, one of the many expectations I faced was the ability to be a mathematical genius. The feeling of panicking despair during a lesson in class was nothing compared to the disappointment and frustration my father expressed in his attempts to help me with my math homework. Math not only seemed to prove I wasn’t cut out for a career as an engineer- it fractured my sense of identity as well.

But my aversion to math led to me to find a different identity. Unlike my struggles in trying to understand math, this identity was one that fit effortlessly without feelings of incomprehension and frustration. I discovered writing and the beauty of discovery and reflection it provided in a way math and its world of black and white answers never could. Through writing, I was able to voice my thoughts and express myself in a way I never thought possible. My love of writing evolved into a love of journalism and I made my way up the hierarchy of my school newspaper to become Editor-in-Chief and even gained an internship at the city’s local newspaper.

Although the concept of graphing hyperbolas never stuck, I learned other skills from math that resonate with me. My ambitious character developed through the struggles I had in math. It was through coming in to get help at all hours of the day that taught me perseverance. Making my own study guides taught me to seek creative ways in learning. Although I won’t be an engineer anytime soon, my struggles in math have allowed me to forge my own path while becoming an individual.

Writing has not only become part of my identity-it helped me form the person I am today, down to my philanthropist personality and over-achieving self. Through writing I have decided to make a difference. I may not have the math skills to invent an ozone-restoration machine but as a journalist, I can inform the public about the dangers of ozone depletion and offer a call to action for the one who can invent such a device.

So in a problem of solving the global issues of tomorrow, my X is bringing awareness and providing solutions through writing.

Engineering Essay

College Essay Examples About Yourself

Engineering Essay written by Adalee from Tennessee. This essay helped me gain acceptance into the engineering program at Washington University. - Early know-how = Acceptance to engineering school!

It is eight o'clock on a bright Saturday morning. The smell of slightly burnt toast, eggs, and potatoes hang low in the air of my kitchen. In front of my plate is a yellow sticky note with the Pythagorean Theorem written on it, with a triangle drawing included. I attempt some example problems between bites of breakfast.

Ever since I was old enough to recognize numbers my father, a mechanical engineer, has been introducing me to the fields of mathematics and physics. Over the years, these little lessons have elicited more complaints than gratitude, but as I prepare to enter College and ponder my future dreams, those bits of knowledge have made all the difference.

While being taught the value of Pi as a nine year old seemed useless at the time, I found as I reached higher level math and physics classes that those morning lessons were immensely helpful in understanding my teachers. I now love taking the time to figure out

any problem and do not see lengthy algebra as a chore because my Dad fostered the rewards of problem-solving skills in my brain since early childhood. Not only has he introduced me to theoretical applications he has facilitated theory into practical life situations. I have been dragged into the garage on countless occasions to view the guts of our vehicles, help torque the tires on our car and changed a spark plug on the mower. Through much observation, I am a proud seventeen year old girl who can change a car's oil, rotate tires and name major parts of the engine.

Physics lab classes at my high school also provided a means to stimulate my inquisitive side. We built and raced cars, experimented with a water clock, and made a pendulum big enough that it had to hang from the ceiling. These labs further fueled my love to build and create.

I cannot leave Mom out of this equation for my love of engineering. She is the opposite of my Dad and grew up with a fear of the math and sciences. She is instrumental in fostering and encouraging me to pursue a career that seemed unreachable to her. She took it upon herself to learn about E=MC2, and is always there to listen to me when Calculus 11 problems confound me.
I know that the seeds of math, physics, and science at an early age will prove to be an asset as I take my knack for tinkering, to pursue a career in the field of engineering. Who knows, one day I may be involved in an engineering project that will have a long term positive impact on our daily living. I feel confident in knowing that engineering is the right fit for me.

Taking the Dare

Excellent College Admission Essay written by Josh from Arizona -This essay helped me get admitted to Barrett, the Honors College, the honor college at Arizona State University.

“I shall be telling this with a sigh / Somewhere ages and ages hence: / Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – / I took the one less traveled by, / And that has made all the difference”. These words of Robert Frost in his poem “The Road Not Taken” have been inspirational to me, daring me to traverse the unfamiliar road of new experiences. Daring myself to travel down this road, regardless of the chance of success or failure, “has made all the difference” in my educational journey, and my life.

My parents say I was “born with a mouse in my hand” (a computer mouse, that is). I was five when I got My First Laptop™. At nine, I was checking computer programming books (Java, C++, HTML, MySQL, and more) out of the library and even taught myself these languages during the time I was playing Little League baseball. The computer programming trumped baseball, and I began insularly learning about the computer during my freshman and sophomore years in high school. In addition, my math skills became an enormous asset to my computer endeavors. However, something was missing. “Yet knowing how way leads on to way, / I doubted if I should ever come back,”  continued Robert Frost in his illuminating poem. Thus, I had to depart from my comfort zone.

When one transcends their fears and takes on a new challenge or attempts something foreign to their norm “in leaves no step had trodden black,”  they gain invaluable experience and clear the way for others to follow in their footsteps. This is what I did at the end of my sophomore year. The insular Josh “diverged in a wood,” or more precisely at Pinnacle 

High School. I wanted something I hadn’t attempted before: total involvement in my high school journey. And, what a marvelous journey it has been.

With this divergent path, I created more enjoyment and knowledge in my life and education – I didn’t stick only to what I knew. I honed my leadership skills by being elected into Student Government as well as taking on the responsibility of being a Freshman Mentor and guiding younger peers. I was inducted into the National Honor Society and joined other clubs. I became a real part of Pinnacle. Now, my senior year, I’m vice president of the senior class and of Calculus Squad, secretary and “Big Boss” of Freshman Mentors, and still in NHS. I have been enriched by these travels and have become a more balanced and well-rounded individual, not only in high school, but in my life.

When I reflect on Robert Frost’s poem, I think of myself and how I was in past years, how I am currently, and what the future has in store for me. Hopefully, it takes me to ASU and Barrett, the Honors College, where both of my roads will become one. “…And be one traveler, long I stood / And looked down one as far as I could…”.

My Future Journey

College Essay Examples About Yourself

A college essay from a homeschooled student, by Elizabeth from California.

This essay helped me win the Pine Valley Improvement Club 2010 Scholarship. 

As I face my last few weeks of high school and my future journey to college, I look back on the events that have taken me to this point. I have always been Elizabeth Barrett, home schooled student and sister to three younger brothers. I have been blessed to be home schooled for all but one year of my education. My family attends our home school co-op Class Days under the auspices of Heritage Christian School twice every month where I am currently taking classes in drama and economics. I also sell my handmade jewelry at Class Day during my free period and lunch, although it is more of a hobby than a real business; I enjoy being my own boss.

On the other hand, I have been working in Housekeeping at the Pine Valley Bible Conference Center for the past ten months where I clean the dorms and lodge rooms as well as the meeting halls. I have been an active participant in The Pine Valley Players theatre group for the past two years, playing Lady Olivia in an abridged version of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, Jo March in a scene from Little Women, Elizabeth Bennet in a monologue from Pride and Prejudice, and the Victorian Mother/Civil War Soldier's Wife in A Journey Through Christmas. Currently my friends and I are attempting to restart the group with a production of Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest. I also am the Youth Representative to the Mountain Empire Creative Arts Council (MECAC), volunteering my time during their summer children's art program “A Taste of Art,” as well as with helping with the booth and donation bake sales on Pine Valley Day. I have also had one of my poems published in Celebrate!

Young Poets Speak Out.

I recently turned 18 and will be attending beautiful Point Loma Nazarene University next year where my mom went to college and also taught for a few years. I am going to major in Journalism, with perhaps a minor in either Theater or Media/Communications. I enjoy watching and analyzing movies and want to be a film critic. I love old movies and I am a big Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn fan. I also love film masterpieces like Sunset Boulevard which always gives me the chills. I am hoping to take part in a semester interning behind the scenes in Hollywood. Also, during my junior year at PLNU, I plan to be part of the PLNU London Term where I'll spent a semester abroad in London, England and study Theatre, Creative Writing, Poetry, and Art. I'm looking forward to traveling up and down the country and over to Ireland and France during three-day weekends and the fall vacation, not to mention enjoying all the glories of London itself.

I have been so very blessed by both the atmosphere and community of Pine Valley during the past eight and a half years that I have lived in this beautiful town. My years here will always bring me fond memories as I look toward my future home-away-from home.

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