The Scribe: College Admission Essay Sample

The clock strikes midnight, signaling we are into our tenth hour in the room. Hunched over computers, we work tirelessly on the school magazine, The Scribe. My creative journey to this moment began by writing for the features section, where I sought to unravel complex topics, from rape culture to voluntourism. Through photography and graphic design I enriched the visual impact of articles.

Now, as the senior editor, I am responsible for training incoming staff members and editing their articles. My unique position enables me to experience the best parts of both sides of the publishing process; I get to write an in-depth article for each issue while also planning lessons, managing class, editing across sections, and influencing the direction of the magazine. It’s hard work; late-night editing and continual rewriting are customary parts of the job.

During late-night week, the week we put the magazine together for publication, we can measure our weight in the takeout Thai boxes littered throughout the room, our stress levels in the cups of coffee stacked in the trash, and our sleep depravity in the volume of our off-pitch Taylor Swift covers. Yet seeing the final product makes it all worth it; the glossy pages are a kind of magic. The Scribe is more than just a magazine, it’s a home for creativity. We don’t spend hours in a tiny room with no air conditioning for a grade; rather we work for the simple gratification of expression.

Through writing, editing, photography and design, I engage complex topics and discover ideas, all of which I am able to express on glossy paper. So when midnight comes around, and I am sitting by the light of a desktop instead of asleep in bed, I never question the choices that led me to this moment. I know this room is where I belong.