College Entrance Essay

   I recently got accepted into the college of my choice, and would like to share with you the essay that accompanied my grades and other qualifications in my application.


I recently heard a new song on the radio.  The sounds—the groove, melody, rhythm, even the lyrics—reminded me of one of my favorite bands, the Police.  Every time I hear it I can’t help but start to dance a little.  For that matter, all music makes me move.  Even when I hear stuff I really don’t like, such as Gangnam Style or Justin Bieber, I have to remind myself not to dance around. And it’s not just music that I enjoy.  There are a few TV shows that are absolutely incredible.  I enjoy the obvious favorites like “NCIS” and “CSI,” but I also really enjoy some brilliant shows such as “Person of Interest” and the BBC’s “Sherlock.”  Mr. Reece, the main character from “Person of Interest,” is such an emotionally compelling character, and the way the writers present him is powerful.  The same can be said for Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes:  The actor and the writers play with emotions like baby blocks.  Half the time I want to be Sherlock, the other half, I hurt for him.
When I watch this level of television, or listen to incredible music, or read works like “Hamlet” and “The Hunger Games,” they don’t just make me emotional.  They inspire me.  I dream of hearing a song I wrote on the radio, or watching characters I created come to life on TV.  Joining the ranks of J.J. Abrams, Suzanne Collins, and J.K. Rowling, some of the most phenomenal writers of our time, would be more than a dream.
No one is born with the ability to write like that.  You have to practice, you have to learn.  So I’ve been practicing.  I’m working on a book, and I’ve had a few poems published by the school newspaper, which I also write for on local entertainment.  I’ve also joined my school’s drama club, where I’m learning how to act.
Most of what I’m doing probably looks good in this college application, and would look equally good on a resume.  But that’s not why I do it.  “Looking good” is a bonus: I’m doing activities that I enjoy.  I love writing and acting as much as I love music.  It’s empowering.
But I don’t just want to write, I want to write well.  Writing makes me feel good: I want other people to feel good.  I want to know how to write something that other people don’t just get, but they relate to at a deep and personal level.
That’s why I’m applying to college.  I enjoy watching someone teach, seeing an incredible mind as it takes three topics I would never have put together in my craziest dreams, and show how they are all interrelated.  It’s going to be a huge change:  I’m used to school being a building, not a small town.  But once I get on campus, the possibilities will be endless.  I find that thrilling.