Colgate University Admission Essays

Three words that my best friend would use to describe me are strong-willed, introspective, and curious. Strong-willed is fitting because I know what I believe in and what is important to me. Anyone from my United States History class who saw my lengthy paper on…

Helpless, the fuzzy, fat caterpillar floated in the creek near our house, wriggling bravely in a vain attempt to swim to shore. I took a stick, knelt down and extended it towards him. The caterpillar latched onto it eagerly, then hesitated a moment, as if…

I’ve come to understand that when I choose a path in life, I’m bound to face some roadblocks along the way. I now see these hurdles not as impenetrable obstacles but instead as opportunities. I can appreciate the new direction they take me and the…

To Whom It May Concern: [full name] selected Colgate because he believed a large liberal arts college would allow him to explore many fields of study, while the strong community service program would afford unlimited opportunities to continue his volunteer activities. Through hard work and…

My favorite place in the world is behind the lens of a camera. When I was fourteen, I saved every penny I made babysitting and washing dishes for a Canon t2i, and the satisfaction that came with the overpowering smell of lens cleaner and the…

I still remember it like it was yesterday. After seven days of grueling labor pushing my body to its limits, I was proudly walking – no, strutting. As my clean and pressed uniform held my new ribbons for the world to see, I looked up…

I had a dream last night that my most revered mentors came together to weave their unique threads into the fabric that ultimately became my Common Application essay. Kurt Vonnegut, my favorite novelist, was in charge of the introduction to this reverie: “Call him Benjamin….