(Rhett Kaya/CU Independent)
To paint a picture: You’re sitting in the back half of your college career, thinking, how on Earth did I get here? Reflecting on who you’ve been and who you now aspire to be. For anyone, student or not, these are natural thought processes. At times people wonder, did I make the right choice on my life trajectory to this point?
When I think about when my dreams initially started, I was around 17, like most. I had ideas of moving out of my parents’ house and buying a van (which would’ve been really cool). Realistically, I wasn’t ready to be completely on my own and really had no idea who I was, so I buckled up and started walking towards a college degree. If you’re reading this, you probably sided with the illustrious college experience as well.
Now, let’s talk about the college essay. Who did you paint yourself to be to get here? The University of Colorado Boulder doesn’t require first-year students to submit test scores, however, applicants must submit an encapsulation of their identity and hope in 200-600 words; easy right?
My little brother sent me his college essay titled “Dreams,” and the very first line, I kid you not, was a Joe Rogan quote. CU Boulder accepts a variety of interests and student profiles.
At the top 250 schools in the United States, the essay generally accounts for 25% of a student’s acceptance probability, with CU Boulder falling in that rank. While college acceptance is one thing, another important illustration is how identity changes and is represented in our work as we continue our education.
“We are looking for evidence of an evolved or evolving sense of self. [Students who] want to be in the world and the impacts they hope to make in their community,” said Katherine Stricklan, CU Boulder’s assistant director of application review. “I believe this is at the heart of what institutions across the country are seeking to discover when putting together a class of incoming students.”
Speaking with peers, most people confirmed their writing consisted of a victory story or something they were proud of. The reality is that the biggest changes to who we are come from the hardships and challenges we face, as well as our fleeting day-to-day interactions.
When you make your impression in college, many people just want to know you. It’s less about who you crack yourself up to be or how to say things correctly and more about what you show up with.
“Honestly the essay lines don’t stick as much in my head as some of the brief descriptions of extracurriculars,” said Stricklan. “My favorite one of those was when a student mentioned they work on the family farm, caring for a wide variety of birds, including their young goose called Ryan Gosling.”
There are so many things we could say about how we see ourselves and things that have contributed to that personality. Whether you’re wrapping up your college career or just started, I hope you can find comfort in whatever it is you’re into, from podcaster quotes to famous geese.
The 2026 and 2027 prompt was, “At the University of Colorado Boulder, no two Buffs are alike. We value difference and support equity and inclusion of all students and their many intersecting identities. Pick one of your unique identities and describe its significance.”
We have the opportunity to be whoever we want and it’s important to note how often this concept changes. A lot of people would probably argue they’ve been a different person every year and that’s what it’s all about. That’s why we’re here, to change and grow, not to project a person we think we need to be. Let’s seek out who we are becoming. Self-discovery isn’t linear and that’s what I deem ‘no two buffs are alike’ means.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Sydney Schrader at sydney.schrader@colorado.edu.
