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Example Personal College Admissions Essay

Instructions:The essay topic is based off of a quote from Martin Luther King Jr. "In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends." Describe a time when you have taken an unpopular position. What were the repercussions of your actions and what did you learn from the experience?

I don't really know what to write about for this so just choose a topic that would be believable for a 17 year old and that would be appropriate for a college admission essay. Could you also word it in a way that does not make me sound stupid but that doesn't use too many big words.

To set the stage for this essay, I would like to disclaim from the start any inclination to argue with people to prove that I am better or my views are more correct than somebody's. On the contrary, I am the kind of person who is eager to listen to another's position and try to assess the other person's arguments without bias. But there are cases when one just cannot keep silent and should take a stand against what one thinks to be wrong.

It happened to me relatively recently when we had a new transfer student in our school. He was a little odd by our school standards, dressed in some strange-looking clothes, I would say, at the same time shy and seemingly unused to mixing with such a large crowd. We learned that he was coming from a small community where all his friends probably stayed. Our guys tried to get into contact with him, but he did not respond very well. Instead, he mostly stared at them when they tried to impress them with their jokes or defiance of the teachers. In short, he did not blend with their group.

Our guys did not exactly scapegoat him, but after they understood that this student was not their type they began to demonstrate their avoidance. I did not share their attitude, since to me every person who does act meanly towards others is acceptable, and even if I find myself thinking somebody is mean, I can question myself: does he or she understand that this is wrong?

The conflict or something resembling it appeared when we were arranging our usual New Year party. The usual way was to invite all in this year, and logically all seniors had to take part. But since it was an informal party, some of my peers insisted that our new fellow should not be invited since he would look and feel out of place and be in the way for everybody. I believe few people expected it, but I started to object to it so strongly that I was even ready to miss the party myself if they did not invite him. He was not my friend exactly, but leaving him outside was like leaving somebody outdoors in cold weather, when everybody is having fun in a warm, cozy setting.

Strangely for myself, my friends gave in. I would like to say that this person was a huge success at the party, but it did not happen. However, after the party was over, it felt as if something had melted in our relationship with him. He began to greet us more warmly, take more active part in our conversations. But the most important thing was that we did not hurt a human being by ignoring him. This was the time when I defied friends' opinion, but I am ready to do it again if the interests and well-being of an individual are at stake.

 

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