University of Virginia Admission Essays

A novel with a body eating itself from the inside is sure to generate some deep thinking, especially when, while fictional, it presents real scientific possibilities. The Cobra Event, a bone-chilling novel by Richard Preston, does just that. A secret counter-terror operation starts off with…

Everyone has that unforgettable experience that they would like to capture and relive. For some, this may be a certain day; for others, it may be a special event. For me, though, it is a place that I hold near and dear that constantly reminds…

I find it incredibly difficult to go through life alone. As humans, we look to others for guidance because sometimes we do not know what is best. Four years ago I joined a new swim team and met my best friend, Andrew. Even though he…

Every year as the air turns frigid and wreaths start to adorn front doors, you’re bound to hear cheery, classical music from Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker. Not only is it an internationally popular ballet, but also a ballet representative of Christmas. The most typically heard pieces…

The way my family tells stories of the sugar mill in Cuba, one would swear it was paradise. Dolores was the pride of my family going back generations, and even though they fled the little piece of heaven 56 years ago, the oldest of my…

As a young child, I was always fascinated by the natural world and its mysteries. I remember the times I spent with my grandfather, an avid gardener, observing and studying the various plants and flowers that bloomed in his garden. It was through these experiences…

Two years ago when I was stuck in the bustling streets of India with my mother in the scalding heat, I sought refuge in an air-conditioned sari shop. I sat down to read the short story which would forever be reverberating in my head: “The…