College essays about the most important things I’ve learned. This essay prompt and our college essay samples can inspire you to write your best college essay.
Last updated on November 26, 2024 by College Financial Aid Advice.
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
College essay example by Kiara from California
The
most important thing I have learned in life is to take advantage of every
opportunity you come across in life, so you won’t regret your decisions. Life
is too short for regrets and you might not have another opportunity to do
things you have interest in again.
For example, I have had a chance to go to
Atlanta, Georgia to play basketball which I enjoy so much and I hesitated to go
there because I felt like it would be a challenge for me. But, once I got there
was appalled by some of the culture and things I saw there. I got a chance to
see personally the Underground Railroad slaves used back in slavery to escape.
I got a chance to see Martin Luther King’s home and where he grew up, which was
an amazing experience for me. Playing basketball there and got opportunities to
go to historical events was more than a kid like me could ask for. I am very
blessed to have gotten the chance to go to Atlanta and do some of things I got
to do.
After playing basketball in Atlanta a lot of
future opportunities opened up for I like getting the opportunity to play
basketball after high school in different states. Different cities such as,
Annapolis, Philadelphia, San Francisco, etc. I learned that if I didn’t take
advantage of going to Atlanta for my first time positive things wouldn’t have
opened up for me and I would be thinking my whole life how dumb I was and I
would most certainly be regretting the decision I made of
not going.
So, the most important thing I learned in life is
take every opportunity you have into consideration and do it, so therefore you
won’t regret anything.
College Essay by Emily from Massachusetts
I am cold and tired as I drag myself into the YMCA on a dreary Saturday morning
to teach swim lessons. I have so much stress from homework, sports and school
that I dread having to teach this one-on-one swim class. As I walk in feeling
unmotivated and stressed, Allie sits next to her mother waiting to enter the
water. She is dressed up in her new flowery bathing suit; I ask her if she’s
ready to swim and she giggles. Allie makes no eye contact and speaks no words.
She is enrolled into my adapted swim lesson class, a class designed to give
one-on-one attention to children with special needs.
As Allie’s mom helps her into the water, I wait at the bottom of the stairs.
Allie begins to get excited as she is told, “You can do it, Allie. Step down!”
It is clear she has some trouble moving her legs; she struggles while getting
into the pool. As she climbs in, I give her a noodle and she repeatedly rocks
back and forth. I sing “Ring Around the Rosie,” one of her favorite songs. She
does not sing, or make eye contact, but I can see her enjoyment as she laughs
at my singing.
Allie reaches out for my hand, and I know that she likes me. I swim around the
pool holding her hand to keep her afloat. I smile and congratulate her on
swimming around the whole pool; I can tell she is pleased. She looks in my
direction, and I look at her. She begins to look up and eventually looks right
into my eyes. She makes direct eye contact, something her mother has been
waiting for. I smile and she giggles back. This precise moment, I realize she
trusts me; she really trusts me.
As the half-hour class comes to an end, I tell Allie, “I think it’s time for us
to get out!” She grabs my shoulder and pulls me closer. She gives me a hug,
smiles, and looks into my eyes. I look up at her smiling mother. As we help
Allie out of the pool, her mother leans over and whispers, “She’s never done
that before. Allie is never affectionate with
strangers; she only hugs me. Although she cannot tell you this, I know she
enjoyed spending time with you. Thank you so much.”
This experience is one that I will never forget.
As I leave the building, I take way more than a paycheck. Refreshed and happy,
I take away a personal connection with another human, one that was not present
before, which creates an abundance of happiness within me. One smile, one
laugh, and one hug: these types of moments are what I strive for. Without them,
how would I get past a bad day, or Allie, a debilitating illness? It is for
this reason that I believe these small moments, ones of happiness and true connection,
are what life is about.
During my
sophomore year, I was part of a disappointing incident that put a small blemish
on my overall high school career. But, I would later become extremely grateful
for the incident.
“You’ll find out your final exam grades when report cards are mailed home”: the
words my advanced-English teacher Mr. Hall confidently muttered to the class
after taking the hardest final exam of my high school career. I felt mentally
drained.
The report cards were mailed home soon after school had gone on summer recess.
Ever since elementary school, I took part in the same tradition: I would race
home to open my report card and bask in all of the excellent marks I earned for
the semester. But this report card was different. I did not want to open it. I
was too afraid to see the grade I had received on that final exam. Of course, I
was curious about the grades that I had gotten in my other classes, but I knew
the second I would open that report card, that possibly-tainted final exam
grade would stare me in the face.
Days later, I had finally mustered up the will to open the report card. The
suspense was more than prominent as I held the heavy envelope in my hands. I
began to tear it open. As I ripped the last of the envelope’s fibers, my hands
began to shake. I was so nervous. I stared at the report card just I had done for many years before, but I did
not bask in the grades. While five of the six grades were good, one of the
final exam grades was dreadful. I received a ‘C’ on the English test.
At first, I felt devastated by the grade. I hated the ‘C.’ It was the worst
grade I had ever received on a final exam. But eventually, I came around to
appreciate the grade. Even though it was not good enough in my eyes, the grade
did not matter. What mattered was what I had learned in the class. I realized
that Mr. Hall is the best teacher I’ve ever had; I learned more in his class
than I have in any other class. For that, I am thankful.
While the ‘C’ did not seem acceptable at the time, it made me realize school exists not to hand out good grades, but to create great thinkers.
Thank you for sharing your college essays about the most important things I’ve learned. Check out more college essay samples below.
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