Application type: Common App
Prompt: Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma — anything of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.
It began with my sister Ella’s broken heart. I sat in my bedroom, gazing out the window at the joyful pedestrians as they passed by, and contemplated the loss of August, Ella’s now ex-boyfriend. If those joggers knew the pain my family was going through, just 50 feet away, would they care? But they frolicked along the busy West Village streets, oblivious to my suffering.
August was the kind of guy who lit up any room. He made a mean cashew carbonara. He was fine with kids. He probably had a great relationship with his mom (though I can’t confirm this). August retired from investment banking at age 31 to pursue his true passion for sculpture. He had a winning smile, and he was vegan. August spread happiness wherever he went.
And he was gone.
He left Ella with a high five and walked off into the setting Manhattan sun. As you can imagine, my family was devastated. When they found out, my (lesbian) moms turned to look at each other… They both knew Ella had lost the kind of true love that they had.
My sister hadn’t come out of her room since 6 pm the day before, and both of my (lesbian) moms worried about her wellbeing. I could hear her sobbing all through the night, and I felt her pain because I missed August’s pasta more than I could ever put into words. I pledged I would help my sister through this devastating loss in our family.
I knew I needed to plan. As a resourceful, organized young woman, I like to have things under control. The next morning, I barged into Ella’s room with a pile of lukewarm eggs, the way she likes them, and demanded to know why August had left her.
Ella glanced up from a sock of August’s that she had been sniffling into and stared me down with the pained look of a baby who had just gotten their ice cream taken away. And she shook her head. I didn’t understand at first, but then it dawned on me: August would never eat a plate of eggs. The only barrier between my sister and her ex was their dietary choices. It had cost them their relationship.
After I knew the cause of August’s disappearance, I stayed up until 4 am, sneaked into my sister’s room as she slept, and quickly found her phone with 19 unread messages from August. He had made it very clear that if Ella really loved him, she would never eat animal products again. Although the messages discouraged me, it gave me an idea. I began my research. I read about meringue made from chickpea water, brownies made from beets, and even squash pasta.
I woke up to the sound of my local white mom drum circle and found myself slouched over my computer. I got to work immediately. I called August and told him through his sobs that he would need to meet me at Whole Foods in an hour. I contacted the nearest and most expensive artisanal vegan bakery and ordered four cakes. I even bought two jars of locally sourced honey before remembering that it wasn’t vegan.
Never have I seen a feast like the one August and I prepared. The elegance of our meal stunned my (lesbian) moms so much that they began frantically calling their LGBTQIA+ friends over to join us. I sent August upstairs with a bowl of pasta, and he returned with Ella. They both smiled through their tear-streaked faces and held hands.
My resilience had repaired the fractures in my family. I learned to persevere, especially when the people I love are at risk. To this day, Ella and August can be seen shopping together in West Village boutiques and farmers’ markets. And once in a while, when Ella’s craving for cream gets too unbearable, August makes her his carbonara.
Word Count: 650
Note: this is not actually my real Common App essay.
Prompt: Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma — anything of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.
It began with my sister Ella’s broken heart. I sat in my bedroom, gazing out the window at the joyful pedestrians as they passed by, and contemplated the loss of August, Ella’s now ex-boyfriend. If those joggers knew the pain my family was going through, just 50 feet away, would they care? But they frolicked along the busy West Village streets, oblivious to my suffering.
August was the kind of guy who lit up any room. He made a mean cashew carbonara. He was fine with kids. He probably had a great relationship with his mom (though I can’t confirm this). August retired from investment banking at age 31 to pursue his true passion for sculpture. He had a winning smile, and he was vegan. August spread happiness wherever he went.
And he was gone.
He left Ella with a high five and walked off into the setting Manhattan sun. As you can imagine, my family was devastated. When they found out, my (lesbian) moms turned to look at each other… They both knew Ella had lost the kind of true love that they had.
My sister hadn’t come out of her room since 6 pm the day before, and both of my (lesbian) moms worried about her wellbeing. I could hear her sobbing all through the night, and I felt her pain because I missed August’s pasta more than I could ever put into words. I pledged I would help my sister through this devastating loss in our family.
I knew I needed to plan. As a resourceful, organized young woman, I like to have things under control. The next morning, I barged into Ella’s room with a pile of lukewarm eggs, the way she likes them, and demanded to know why August had left her.
Ella glanced up from a sock of August’s that she had been sniffling into and stared me down with the pained look of a baby who had just gotten their ice cream taken away. And she shook her head. I didn’t understand at first, but then it dawned on me: August would never eat a plate of eggs. The only barrier between my sister and her ex was their dietary choices. It had cost them their relationship.
After I knew the cause of August’s disappearance, I stayed up until 4 am, sneaked into my sister’s room as she slept, and quickly found her phone with 19 unread messages from August. He had made it very clear that if Ella really loved him, she would never eat animal products again. Although the messages discouraged me, it gave me an idea. I began my research. I read about meringue made from chickpea water, brownies made from beets, and even squash pasta.
I woke up to the sound of my local white mom drum circle and found myself slouched over my computer. I got to work immediately. I called August and told him through his sobs that he would need to meet me at Whole Foods in an hour. I contacted the nearest and most expensive artisanal vegan bakery and ordered four cakes. I even bought two jars of locally sourced honey before remembering that it wasn’t vegan.
Never have I seen a feast like the one August and I prepared. The elegance of our meal stunned my (lesbian) moms so much that they began frantically calling their LGBTQIA+ friends over to join us. I sent August upstairs with a bowl of pasta, and he returned with Ella. They both smiled through their tear-streaked faces and held hands.
My resilience had repaired the fractures in my family. I learned to persevere, especially when the people I love are at risk. To this day, Ella and August can be seen shopping together in West Village boutiques and farmers’ markets. And once in a while, when Ella’s craving for cream gets too unbearable, August makes her his carbonara.
Word Count: 650
Note: this is not actually my real Common App essay.