50 Successful Ivy League Application Essays

Shaped My College Career
“Writing the essay required me to analyze why I had become involved in 
the Un in the first place. It helped me to place my Un experiences within the 
broader context of my pre-college extracurriculars. It also helped me to deter-
mine my college major (political science).”
—Steve Schwartz, Columbia University

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50 Successful Ivy League Application Essays
Reflecting on the Past Five Years
“I realized how far I have come in the past five years, and it was nice to 
have that time to reflect while I was preparing for such a large change in my 
life.”
—Anastasia Fullerton, Stanford, Brown
Come a Long Way
“If anything, I’ve learned that I do not credit myself as much as I should. 
While writing, I realized that I’ve come a far way from eighth grade, and that 
my experiences have made me a very strong person.”
—Michelle Kizer, Cornell University