50 Successful Ivy League Application Essays

An Inspir ational Teacher
“My Common Application essay and the one that Duke received was about 
my ninth grade English teacher, a former Black Panther who introduced me to 
spoken word poetry and socially conscious music. Those two subjects pretty 
much define who I am, so it was an easy choice.”
—Anthony Gouw, Duke University
Analyzing a Character
“Most of the schools to which I applied were on the Common Application, 
so from the list of possible topics, I chose to create my own. The summer 
before senior year, I had performed for the first time as a cast member in my 

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50 Successful Ivy League Application Essays
school’s production of ‘Anything goes’ by Cole Porter. I used this eye-opening 
experience as a starting block for my essay, which turned into an exposure of 
my own character and emotions.”
—Jean Gan, Duke University