Yes, History Is Relevant: College Admission Essay Sample

“Frances Perkins!” I yelled as our car sped past the U.S. Department of Labor Building. Constitution Avenue! The Smithsonian Museum of American History! I was in utter ecstasy as I walked past the flag that had inspired the national anthem and the booth that hosted the Greensboro sit-ins, past the memorial service for Justice Scalia at the Supreme Court, past the reading of George Washington’s Farewell Address in the Capitol building. The East Coast was heaven for my inner history geek.

Taking AP US History was, hands-down, the most enjoyable academic experience of junior year. My teacher, Mr. Pacheco, was notorious for his heavy and difficult workload, but once I took his advice to “buckle down, manage your time, and put in the effort,” I realized that I had never connected with a class, nor a teacher, as much as I did with APUSH and with Pacheco. Memorizing the presidents, taking notes on the Great Awakenings, and writing timed free-response essays were not painful experiences to “survive”; rather, they were valuable ways to learn material that was applicable to everyday life.

The pursuit of history has made me a more curious and empathetic person, and has enhanced my sense of justice. I find myself constantly drawing connections between the past and the present whenever reading about current events--for example, the Dakota Access Pipeline protests and Andrew Jackson’s refusal to obey the Worcester v. Georgia decision. While situations may not be identical, themes remain constant; in order to better understand the multifaceted nature of today’s world, we must look to the past. Additionally, it has taught me that to fully understand the subject at hand, I must reserve judgement until analyzing both sides of the story.

My passion for the past catalyzes my desire to change the future—to prevent the same patterns of injustice and prejudice from repeating themselves over and over again. Growing up in the Bay Area, around an admittedly liberal group of people, taught me the necessity of keeping an open mind and the benefits of being adaptable. History, for me, has done the same.