The Voices of Olin's Class of 2029: College Essay Snippets Part 2

Welcome back to another volume of “The Voices of Olin's Class of 2029: College Essay Snippets”! As August 1 approaches and you consider the best way to write about yourself, explore how these stories are genuine, honest, and communicate to the reader the passions, interests, and person behind the application. 

We highly encourage all applicants to use the college essay as a way to reflect, self-explore, and highlight aspects of yourself not shown in other parts of the applications. Feel free to check on our 2029 Part 1 Essay Compilation for further advice. Without further ado, here’s another handful of essays that stood out to us from the Class of ’29:  

Common App Personal Essay Prompt 7: Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own

Example 1: Charlie ’29 reflects on adapting to challenges by using interesting and different perspectives to address problem-solving in a way that fits their learning style:

Getting successfully through school has required me to constantly change my approach and way of doing things especially due to being dysgraphic. A new problem, a new way of thinking, trying, trying again, a new solution. In AP Calc A/B figuring out the area when rotating around the Y, when it is shifted up or down, I thought I understood it. However, when I went to do the homework I could never get the right answer. I kept at it and managed to get through it using trial and error, and comparing the steps to a different but similar equation on YouTube. Whether it be tools, pressure, shifting my thinking, or just brute strength, this pattern of changing approaches has accompanied me through life. These experiences have driven home how just because some tasks may appear easy and simple, they may require me to keep moving forward and changing how I approach it. This project with the annoying washer encapsulated that. By the end, the tools used stayed the same but the way I used them was completely different.

Common App Personal Essay Prompt 5: Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

Example 2: Lily ‘29 catches attention with a great hook and then tackles a unique but relatable experience to keep readers engaged:

I’ve discovered that saying no isn’t about closing doors, it’s about choosing the right ones to walk through.

For most of my life, I believed saying "no" was a bad thing. I avoided conflict and disagreements because they made me feel anxious and stressed. Instead, I followed a “smile and nod” approach, choosing to go along with others even when I had a different opinion...Saying “yes” opened doors I might not have walked through otherwise — earning industry certifications, building my skills, and even winning national engineering competitions.

…

Through these experiences, I’ve grown more confident in my decisions and more appreciative of the opportunities that truly matter. By embracing both “yes” and “no” when they’re needed, I’ve found a balance that allows me to thrive and continue reaching for new heights.

Similar to our previous installment, applicants also addressed our supplement essay, and some stood out for their authenticity and earnestness:

Example 3: Ellie ’29 focuses on an applicable passion as it ties to the idea that engineering should serve everyone.

50-80% of the Earth's life is found in its oceans, from the teeming over-examined inter-tidal sectors to the remote midnight zone, the largest and most enigmatic habitat on the planet. This life ranges from microscopic to monumental, photosynthetic to carnivorous, and every piece of it is vital to the continued survival of the rest- as is typical of interconnected and fragile ecosystems. If their existence in and of itself is not an ideal worth protection (and it isn't for much of the general population), it is undeniable that their continued existence is vital to the continued existence of humanity.

Example 4: Harlan ’29 answers the supplement question by relating engineering to universal experiences.

It may sound counterintuitive, but I want to go into engineering in order to solve small problems—problems that pique my interest, that make me wonder, or think. By solving these small problems, I believe I can improve the lives of the people around me. For me, attempting to tackle something as broad as helping change the world needs to start with considering the needs of the individual people within it. Everyone lives a unique life under unique circumstances. For example, simply trying to solve the problem of where to eat dinner before prom with a friend group of twelve was an ordeal. Trying to solve a problem in a way that works for millions of people is like trying to pass every conceivable polygon through a single hole. Although I hope that it is possible to solve the bigger problems of the world, for now I hope to focus on making a difference to people in the communities around me.

After having read these thoughtful and interesting pieces of Oliner essays, think about what it is you want to convey in your personal statement, required supplements, or optional supplements that reveals new information about yourself. Remember, take the opportunity to expand upon new dimensions of yourself in each type of essay rather than repeating the same themes. Give admission readers more to think about and remember like these students did. Happy writing!