44 listings · 116 essays

Engineering application essays

Essays from students admitted into engineering programs, across every discipline in the catalogue.

These listings come from students who applied into an engineering program and were admitted. The collection spans biomedical, aerospace, mechanical, electrical, computer, civil, chemical and general engineering, along with the undeclared and first-year engineering routes that several large public universities use.

44Listings

116Essays

28Multi-essay packages

$20 to $145Price range

Essay types inside

Common App · Personal Statement28
Other supplement10
Why-school · Supplement10
Short answer8

Where these writers got in

Texas A&M6
Boston University5
Maryland5
UIUC5
Virginia Tech5
Clemson4

Browse the other 5 collections →

Package3 essays

Boston University

Common App · Personal Statement, Why-school · Supplement, +1 more

Biomedical Engineering

Boston University application essays

Seller attendsBoston University

Accepted at:Boston University, Clemson, Northeastern, Tufts, UNC Chapel Hill, +3 more

Why-school · Supplement, Community / Identity · Supplement, +1 more

Biomedical Engineering

Tufts application essays

Seller attendsBoston University

Community / Identity · Supplement, Intellectual vitality · Supplement

Biomedical Engineering

UNC Chapel Hill application essays

Seller attendsBoston University

Accepted at:UNC Chapel Hill

Biomedical Engineering

Virginia Tech short answers

Seller attendsBoston University

Accepted at:Virginia Tech

Activity / Extracurricular · Supplement

Biomedical Engineering

Clemson activity supplement

Seller attendsBoston University

University of Washington

Community / Identity · Supplement

Biomedical Engineering

University of Washington community and identity supplement

Seller attendsBoston University

Accepted at:University of Washington

Biomedical Engineering

Maryland short answers

Seller attendsBoston University

Common App · Personal Statement, Thank You Note - Write a short thank-you note to…, +2 more

Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering +2

In detailing my passions for science and good food.

Immigrant family

Seller attendsUPenn

Accepted at:UPenn, Binghamton, Stony Brook

Common App · Personal Statement, Is there any additional information or extenuating…, +2 more

Biology +6

Getting over my fear of judgement

Seller attendsMaryland

Accepted at:Maryland, Binghamton, Rutgers, Stony Brook, Pitt

Common App · Personal Statement, Why-school · Supplement

Aerospace Engineering

Every kid has obsessions

Seller attendsGeorgia Tech

Accepted at:Georgia Tech, Wisconsin

Why are you interested in the major you indicated…

Biomedical Engineering

During the COVID-19 pandemic, my family was safely vaccinated from our car at a drive-in site.

Seller attendsUSC

Accepted at:UT Austin

Explain, in detail, an experience you've had in the…, Describe your personal and/or career goals after…

Bioengineering

For a biotechnology research class project junior year, I studied organisms called tardigrades, which survive extreme…

UC · Personal Insight Question

Computer Engineering +3

In middle school, I wasn’t physically fit and didn’t know where to begin.

Immigrant familyStudent athlete

Seller attendsUC Santa Barbara

Accepted at:UC Davis, UC Riverside, UC Santa Cruz, UC Merced, UC Santa Barbara

Common App · Personal Statement

General Engineering

I thought it was cool. Even after Tokimune had declared a surprise war on me, I still admired one thing about him, and…

Immigrant family

Seller attendsVirginia Tech

Accepted at:Virginia Tech, Ohio State, Penn State, RIT, Maryland, +8 more

Common App · Personal Statement, Short answer

Biomedical Engineering +2

If it were up to my coaches, I would live my life wrapped in layers on layers of bubble wrap.

Seller attendsTexas A&M

Accepted at:UT Austin, Penn State, UT Dallas, Auburn, Texas A&M, +5 more

Common App · Personal Statement

Biomedical Engineering +2

Twenty seconds, A moment so short, it is nearly negligible, yet long enough to change everything.

Seller attendsTexas A&M

Accepted at:UT Austin, Penn State, UT Dallas, Auburn, Texas A&M, +5 more

Common App · Personal Statement, Why-school · Supplement

Aerospace Engineering

Sweltering heat drenched my body as I photographed each cardinal direction and labeled vegetation types, 222 times.

Seller attendsGeorgia Tech

Accepted at:Georgia Tech, UGA, Clemson

Common App · Personal Statement

Financial Economics +4

When life presents you with a moment too beautiful to last, what would you do?

First genImmigrant family

Seller attendsUMBC

Accepted at:Texas A&M, UMBC, Santa Clara, San Francisco Bay University

UC · Personal Insight Question

Electrical Engineering +1

As a guitarist in a band, I express my creativity through playing music.

Low-incomeImmigrant family

Seller attendsUC Davis

Accepted at:UC Davis, UC Santa Barbara, UC Riverside

UC · Personal Insight Question

Electrical Engineering +2

I love creating through computer programming or little computer-related projects in my free time.

Seller attendsUC Berkeley

Accepted at:UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara, UC Irvine

UC · Personal Insight Question

Mechanical Engineering

You never really know what to expect out of life. Throughout my childhood, I faced many obstacles that shaped my…

First genLow-income+1

Seller attendsUC Irvine

Accepted at:UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara, UC Santa Cruz, +2 more

Common App · Personal Statement

Mechanical Engineering

The day came when I looked into my closet, saw the pile of junk in the corner, and decided it was time to clean it.

First genLow-income+1

Seller attendsUC Irvine

Accepted at:University of San Diego, Santa Clara

Common App · Personal Statement, Activity / Extracurricular · Supplement, +1 more

Computer Science + Bioengineering

My grandma’s gum disease went completely unnoticed until she lost every tooth, later causing heart complications.

Seller attendsUniversity of Washington

UC · Personal Insight Question

Aerospace Engineering

UIUC Personal Insight Questions

Immigrant familyStudent athlete

Seller attendsUIUC

Accepted at:UC Davis, UC San Diego

Common App · Personal Statement, Tell us about your academic and career interests…

Aerospace Engineering

Minnesota application essays

Immigrant familyStudent athlete

Seller attendsUIUC

Accepted at:Minnesota

Common App · Personal Statement, Why-school · Supplement

Aerospace Engineering

CU Boulder application essays

Immigrant familyStudent athlete

Seller attendsUIUC

Accepted at:CU Boulder

Common App · Personal Statement, Why-school · Supplement, +1 more

Aerospace Engineering

Purdue application essays

Immigrant familyStudent athlete

Common App · Personal Statement, Activity / Extracurricular · Supplement, +1 more

Aerospace Engineering

Not all puzzles come in boxes. Some are spoken, lived, and quietly built from the ground up.

Immigrant familyStudent athlete

Common App · Personal Statement, Tell us about the person who has most impacted your…, +1 more

Mechanical Engineering

Terrified from what I had heard about the course, I entered my physics class on the first day of junior year expecting…

Seller attendsTexas A&M

Accepted at:Texas A&M

Common App · Personal Statement, Short answer

Engineering (first-year) +1

Purdue is renowned for the resources it offers to students, especially research programs, which I believe would allow…

First genLow-income+2

Common App · Personal Statement, Short answer

Biomedical Engineering

"¿Qué significan estos números?", asked a Hispanic woman who seemed to be around the same age as my mom.

First genLow-income+2

Seller attendsPurdue

Accepted at:Boston University

Common App · Personal Statement

Chemical Engineering

The cards we are dealt are final, but their use is endless. Believing in my cards would be what helped me win.

First genLow-income+1

Seller attendsCarnegie Mellon

Accepted at:Carnegie Mellon, CU Boulder, LMU, Louisiana Stare University

Common App · Personal Statement, Most students choose their intended major or area…, +2 more

Chemical Engineering

A successful college experience, to me, is one where learning is constantly collaborative and used beyond the classroom.

First genLow-income+1

Seller attendsCarnegie Mellon

Accepted at:Carnegie Mellon

Common App · Personal Statement

Engineering

There is only one place that has felt like home, and neither of my parents have ever stepped inside.

Low-incomeRural hometown+2

Seller attendsMichigan (Ann Arbor)

Accepted at:Michigan (Ann Arbor), Boston College, Michigan State

Common App · Personal Statement

Industrial and Systems Engineering/Systems Engineering

“Fue tu decisión no la mía (It was your decision, not mine).”

Immigrant familyStudent athlete

Seller attendsUSC

Accepted at:Miami, USC, Johns Hopkins

Common App · Personal Statement

Computer Engineering +1

I used to believe ghosts only lived in stories. But mine wears a cotton sari, lies in a narrow bed, and whispers my…

Immigrant familyWorked through school

Seller attendsPurdue

Accepted at:Purdue, UIUC, Michigan (Ann Arbor), Texas A&M, NYU, +1 more

Common App · Personal Statement

Mechanical Engineering +1

Flowers can symbolize any part of life: celebration, decoration, love, grief, sadness, or even a first impression.

First genImmigrant family

Seller attendsVirginia Tech

Accepted at:Virginia Tech, Northwestern, Case Western, Ohio State, Clemson, +9 more

Common App · Personal Statement

General Engineering +2

The lights dimmed. Excitedly, Senora Herrera urged us, "Stand up, everyone!

Seller attendsTexas A&M

Accepted at:Texas A&M, University of California, Virginia Tech, UIUC, Maryland, +3 more

UC · Personal Insight Question

Aerospace Engineering

On March 17, 2022, my brother sprinted towards me. "Look!", he said, and handed me a piece of paper.

Seller attendsTexas A&M

Accepted at:UC Irvine

Common App · Personal Statement, Why-school · Supplement, +3 more

Undeclared Engineering

As a multifaceted person with a passion for math and tech but also a deep love for the arts, each side is essential to…

UC · Personal Insight Question

Undeclared Engineering

Across two long performance tasks in AP Seminar, I kept my groups focused, organized, and emotionally steady.

Immigrant family

Seller attendsUCLA

Accepted at:UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC Irvine, UC San Diego, UC Santa Cruz, +1 more

Common App · Personal Statement, UC · Personal Insight Question, +3 more

Engineering & Science

Cedranone: an exquisite molecule of 15 Carbon and 24 Hydrogen atoms that is characterized by its ability to amplify the…

Seller attendsStanford

Accepted at:Stanford, UPenn, UC Berkeley, Brown, Cornell, +7 more

Community / Identity · Supplement

Civil Engineering +3

“Breathe,” I thought to myself as I stood on the wings of the stage, preparing for my entrance.

Worked through schoolFirst gen+1

Seller attendsNorthwestern

Accepted at:Columbia, Vanderbilt, Fordham, Boston University

Common App · Personal Statement

Mechanical Engineering

A midday nap, nonexistent in 105-degree heat. There was no air conditioner in Nawabganj, Bangladesh, but there was a…

First genLow-income+2

Seller attendsHarvard

Accepted at:Harvard, Brown, Tufts, Boston University, Northeastern, +3 more

$50full essay

Unlock

How to read these

Most include a Common App personal statement. A number also carry the school supplements a specific program asked for, and some are full sets of UC Personal Insight Questions, so you can watch the same applicant answer a general prompt and a technical one.

If you are writing about a project, this is the collection to read for calibration. The open question in almost every engineering draft is how much of the build to explain, and these show you where other admitted applicants drew that line.