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Home / College Application Essays / African American College Admissions Essay (Example)

African American College Admissions Essay (Example)

african american college essay

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This is a college admissions essay for an African American student trying to be admitted to Rutgers University.

I’ve had the honor of studying for the last four years in an all girls Catholic preparatory high school in America, a first world nation. The experience of my education in the last few years has been perfect in many ways: I’ve received a world class education in an environment that prioritizes the female experience. The teachers I had have been intellectually brilliant and appropriately demanding of us and I’ve had to learn more than I thought I would be able to while completing papers and projects according to the highest standards of excellence. Equally important, the backdrop of Catholicism at my school has given me a solid foundation of ethics and moral responsibility, and has highlighted the necessity of being of service to less fortunate people in our world.

As an African American, I’m well aware of the lasting legacy that slavery and segregation has left on our country and the after-effects of these evils still felt today. This awareness has given me an even greater sense of purpose towards my academic and professional journey. I know that while Rutgers was not one of the first universities to aware African American students degrees, it was not one of the last, as it awarded James Dickson Carr his college degree in 1892. In recent times, Rutgers has rightly made efforts to properly honor Carr and others who have made such meaningful contributions to the school and to national history. Milestones like these help me to know that I would be in a safe place to aggressively pursue issues that matter to me, such as better equality and representation and to fight pervasive issues such as mass incarceration.

Just as my Catholic high school has helped to shape my viewpoints on right and wrong, I feel that Rutgers can be a place where I shape my beliefs about justice versus injustice. Given Rutgers’ strong history of inclusion and equality, I believe I will deepen my understanding of the importance of fairness and how to realistically achieve it. It’s one thing to want to be of service in making the world a kinder and more just place; however, only special institutions like Rutgers give students a roadmap on how to pragmatically reach such goals.

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african american college essay

African-American Essay

african american college essay

African Americans And African American Community

As seen through time, African-Americans have been at a disadvantage when it comes to accessing funds that are available to most people. This however has not stopped them from creating and accessing help that supports and aids their families. Through communal efforts, African-Americans have been able to create mutual aid for themselves. In these communities, there are many sectors that have been built, but the main reason many are “making it” or able to afford and do what they are currently doing

African Americans And Identity Of African American

In the year of 1619, the largest oppressive legal structure in American History came about, the institution of slavery. Although slavery was abolished in the year of 1865, African Americans are still enslaved by intuitional racism. There are systems in place to keep minorities at a disadvantage. This system of oppression is carried by a number of factors such as; the segregation of black people in urban areas referred to as ghettos, mass incarceration rate for people of color, large educational gaps

African Americans And African American Males

Currently, African Americans make up nearly one million of the total 2.3 million incarcerated population. Nearly one in three African American males born today can expect to serve time in prison during their lifetime (NAACP, 2015). A central issue in today’s society is the rate of criminalization of African American males. There are many speculations on this topic; however, the central one is when a crime is committed then there is “time” to be served. However, the time served by African American males

African American

| African Americans | | | Christy B. | ETH 125 June 5, 2011 | | African Americans Who are we, where did we come from, what has been our experience since we landed on United States soil? The migration of Africans has been very significant in the making of African Americans history and culture. Today's 35 million African Americans are heirs to all the migrations that have formed and transformed African America, the United States, and the Western Hemisphere (The New York Public

The And Of African Americans

how we see things. Like with the AOK history. The concept of history can change the way Caucasians or African Americans view slavery. White people may view slavery as a good thing or a bad thing and view black people as equals or not. They may feel horrible about what their people has done to African Americans in the past and become sympathetic to them.White people may feel guilty. African Americans may not be as understanding to white people. White people were responsible for slavery.Slavery was

African Americans

A slave is an individual entirely subjected to his or her owners' will. Slaves were treated like merchandise. They could be purchased and sold, traded for other items, lent out to, or mortgaged like a form of domestic animal. Slavery differentiates from many types of mistreatment ranging from serfdom, manual labor, or the ranking of women in patriarchal society. In past history the conventional definition of slavery was legal and stated that “slaves were peoples' property and could be bought, sold

African American Music And Its Impact On African Americans

Music in the 1900 's had meaning , music was how African Americans got through a long working day . Music then was something that no man could take away . That still applies to the 21st century music , back onto the 1900 's African Americans were not given the same privileges as they are today . Music was the less threatening way for African Americans to get there point across . The music was not always about them wanting equality , there was loving songs , upbeat songs , songs about what they are

The African-American Discrimination Of The African American Culture

The African American culture has experience a lot of things, we have experience being discriminate because the color of our skin. African American has heirted power from our ancestor to fight for what we believe in.During slavery time we could experience privilege because we was control by the master and we did have a choice to decide things, we did not have the privilege to have education.The paragrarph below will go into more detail how African American was discriminate, how they have power and

African American Oppression : African Americans Essay

African American Oppression 1. A group that has been oppressed for a long period of time is African Americans. They dealt with so much from history to present that I feel they should benefit from community organizing. Especially with recent events that’s going on with them as a population, they could benefit from it. 2. The African American population in the U.S is 13.3% and what distinguishes them from the rest of the population is that there’s a lot of history behind African Americans. The descendants

The American Dream Of African Americans

What is the American Dream? To many people across the globe, the United States of America appears to be a place where one can be proud of. America the land where dreams come true and there is always a chance for any person to succeed. People who are not from the United States have been painted a beautiful picture of what life in our country is like. Not only do they think that there is a special place in American Dream of African American soldiers after WWI American Dream of African American soldiers

African Americans And Caucasian Americans

The tensions are still there also because there still continue to be separate standards society sets for African Americans and Caucasian Americans. Would individuals feel the need to set or think about the standards if we did not have black history month? This notion probably would not cross the minds of individuals if certain months of the year did not celebrate one race individually. Interracial marriage or dating is still considered a socially unacceptable sighting or experience. Individual feels

African Americans And The American Revolution

In their demands for liberty and equality, African Americans would point to their role in all of America’s wars. Many fought for liberty in the American Revolution, like Philadelphia’s James Forten who served aboard an American privateer. God created all men equal. Why are they not being treated equally? Blacks and whites should be protected by the same laws and privileges. James Forten was a freeborn African American who had a nice job and was very wealthy for his time. Forten says, “Whilst so

African American And American Writing

African-American writing is the collection of writing created in the United States by journalists of African heritage. It starts with the works of such late 18th-century essayists as Phillis Wheatley. Prior to the high purpose of slave stories, African-American writing was commanded via self-portraying profound accounts. African-American writing came to ahead of schedule high focuses with slave accounts of the nineteenth century. The Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s was a period of blooming writing

African Ferican Vs African Americans

disrespected by the rude derogatory names. We fought for the right to be labeled and called an African American instead of nigger, Negro, and color people, amongst other things. It was thought to be a respectable term but is now raising feuds amongst African Americans who have different tones of black and brown on their skin. An African American has totally different morals and cultural beliefs than an African who was born and raised in the countries of Africa. They have a different way of living

African American Achievement : The Achievements And Achievement Of African Americans

either developed or improved by African Americans. We can't ask generations to know the inventors of all things, because that is simply illogical. However, society should realize that the accomplishments of some contributors have been overlooked simply because previous history books and archives often excluded the benefits to human life that have been advanced by minorities. In history classes all across the country, students are taught about how African Americans suffered under bondage, segregation

African American Students

suburban schools. (Batts, 2012). Topic: African American male students in the 8th grade classroom environment. The Research problem: African American male students in the 8th grade classrooms and the challenges that they face. However, many of the most theoretically and practically important questions have yet to be answered. For instance, few studies have examined the joint influences of racial identity and self-esteem on African American adolescents’ in the classroom (Mandara, Richards

African American Struggles

RUNNING HEAD: AFRICAN AMERICAN STRUGGLES 1 African American Struggles Shaneisa Smith Soc 308: Racial & Ethnic Groups Risa Garelick November 23, 2011 AFRICAN AMERICAN STRUGGLES 2 African American Struggles African Americans are knows to face various issues throughout their lives. From being discriminated against, to trying to fit into society, African Americans still have problems

African American Crimes

African Americans only make up 13% of the population. Half of all those convicted of murder are African American, outweighing the dominance of Caucasians who make up 64% of the population. Based on over turned convictions, African Americans are seven times more likely to be convicted of murder than Caucasians (Martelle, S. (2017, March 7). In a turmoil cycle, race crimes is an influence on sending innocent blacks to prison. It is believed that 84% of white murder victims and 93% of black murder victims

African American Stigma

disease control and prevention, HIV is most prevalent in African-American communities. Unfortunately, it appears that the HIV virus is increasingly affecting African American women with a low SES status. One’s SES status is determined by one’s social and economic standing; SES is often measured by one’s level of education and income. One’s socioeconomic status may determine how an individual

The Racism Of African Americans

From the beginning African Americans started off as kings and queens of Africa. They ruled their own people. Stories have been told how the rulers were tricked by English men or most commonly known as the “white man.” This has been configured and no one really knows the true story because we didn’t exist then. African Americans were deprived from their mainland. Blacks were then transported to the New America. In 1619, the first blacks were enslaved in Virginia. They were used to do many jobs by

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african american college essay

Free Black Colleges Essays and Papers

african american college essay

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21st Century Black Colleges

For over 100 years, black colleges and universities have be gaining momentum in society. Questions have risen whether this rise is helping or hindering the educational growth of the students in the 21st century. Since their institution in the early nineteenth century, the goal of HBCU’S has been, “dedicated to the enrichment and advancement “of the African American populace (Holfester). Dating back to the Jim Crow Era, HBCU’s have been the minorities way of gain post-secondary education. And, just

Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Through out history education has been a topic of many concerns. Historically Black Colleges and Universities were established to try and provide freed slaves education they were not able to obtain. For African Americans in the 20th century attending school was a burden. The children had to withstand long walks to get to their designated schools, being denied classes that the white students had in their schools, outdated books and hand me down classroom materials. African Americans all across the

Importance of Historically Black Colleges and Universities

that could cause them to be non-existence but they work hard and push until they get what they need. This is a source of motivation to alumni’s and prospective students. The Colleges provide history, motivation, provision, and most importantly knowledge to every student that attends. As a result of HBCU’s being predominantly black, many people refer to HBCU’s as a waste of time. Many people say that they do not prepare you for the real world. They argue that HBCU’s are not preparing you to face what

Booker T. Washington's Influence on Historically Black Colleges

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Historically Black Colleges and Universites Give Separate but Equal Education...or Not

allowed segregation, coining the phrase “separate but equal.” This meant that the only place African-Americans could go to receive an education was an HBCU. HBCUs play a very important role in the education of African-Americans compared to other colleges and universities. They historically provided a way for African-Americans to get an education that PWIs didn’t give them, they offer an environment that allows for better peer and faculty relationships, and their entrance requirements allow for African-Americans

The Afrocentric Education Provided by Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Dr. Carter G. Woodson once said, “When you determine what a man shall think you do not have to concern yourself about what he will do. If you make a man feel that he is inferior, you do not have to compel him to accept an inferior status, for he will seek it himself. If you make a man think that he is justly an outcast, you do not have to order him to the back door. He will go without being told; and if there is no back door, his very nature will demand one” (Woodson, 71). Taken from his pivotal

The Black Greek Life in College

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Rauschenberg's Influence On Jeff Albers

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Biography of Josef Albers

Josef Albers was a German artist whose art laid the foundation of one of the most influential styles of the 20th century. Albers’s roots lead back to a town named Bottrop in Westphalia, Germany. From the time of 1908 to 1913, Albers worked as an educator in his town. In 1918, Albers got his premier public commission, Rosa mystica ora pro nobis, which was a stained-glass window for a local place of worship. He studied art in many major German cities before becoming a student at the prestigious Weimar

Robert Rauschenberg's Almanac

education again until 1947 when he joined Kansas’s art school, which took him on a short and unmemorable study period to Paris, because he felt no use there for it’s time had already been and gone. It was moving back to America and onto the Black Mountain College in North Carolina where Rauschenberg began to come into his own. Studying alongside key Abstract Expressionists such as Willem de Kooning, Robert Motherwell and Franz Kline he began to reject the way that the purely emotional movement worked

The Life of Josef Albers

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The Beat In Allen Ginsberg?s ?America?

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Historically Black Universities Diploma Value

For many years people wanted to attend college. Colleges recruit the best and brightest to attend their campus. One would think that educationally most colleges are on the same level. However, that is not the case. Degrees from historically black universities have a lower economic value than other schools. This poses the question of “why is the diploma of lesser value at Historically Black Universities?” Fayetteville State University is a Historical Black College which is located in Fayetteville, North

Racial Climate On Campus Essay

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Critical Review

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The Pros And Cons Of Hbcu

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HBCUs: Relevance in 21st Century

because you are black. Due to this fact you have no hope of furthering your education past the reading, writing, and arithmetic their slave masters taught your parents. A mind is a terrible thing to waste. The minds of many African American’s go to waste due to individual ignorance of their people and thus of themselves. Historically Black Colleges and Universities were put into effect to educate the black mind and eliminate the ignorance. The discussion of whether Historically Black Colleges and Universities

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Race + Emotions

Race + Emotions

Justin Woods

Jun 22, 2021

Respectfully, A Black Woman

2021 Scholarship Essay Competition

By Mia Redic, 2021 Scholarship Essay Competition Honorable Mention

I am tall above average for most females, a solid 5’9, I wear my hair usually in box braids in a high-top bun. My style isn’t ostentatious but I do have a sense of fashion let’s not get that wrong. I don’t turn many heads, if I do it’s because of my height. Through my eyes, I see an average twenty-year college student with aspirations to change the world, to be able to see a brighter tomorrow. But, in the eyes of society, I am black first and then considered a human being. As an African American, I have come to terms with understanding that society doesn’t recognize my humanity first, they see my black skin, and to them, that is a threat.

As an African American young woman, I have had to learn how to comply, but not to be submissive, control my emotions, but not be silenced. What some young woman with my character would be labeled as strong-willed, I would be labeled as an “ angry black woman” bitter and ungrateful at the world. During the four years of my high school career, I attended a predominantly white school. In my junior year in preparation for college, I decided to take an Advanced Placement Government and Politics course, and during one of our class discussions on the topic of affirmative action, one of my classmates agreed that affirmative action was racist against white people, and said that it was a ploy for minorities to continue to milk the system and went on to bring up welfare queens. Remember, comply but not submissive, comply, not submissive repeated in my mind at that moment. In a firm tone, I was very curt and objected to what my classmate said and even brought up facts of welfare and affirmative action usage in our country. After I finished my rebuttal, my instructor, turned to my class and stated, “of course, she turned to anger that’s what her kind does, this was merely a civil discussion.” I was then asked to excuse myself from class so I could get my “emotions in check”. As I asked my instructor, why I needed to be excused he replied in a sarcastic tone, “no need to become angry this isn’t like your hood with your homies, step out and come back when you can chill out.” And then chuckled, along with my other white classmates, the other fellow black student in my course awkwardly signaled at the door for me to step out of the class.

Having a sense of emotional intelligence develops a sense of vulnerability and being able to understand the vulnerability that we carry opens up our feelings of empathy.

At that moment my emotions were all over the place, I felt defeated and angry for succumbing to their stereotype of an “angry black woman”. I also felt hopeless because I didn’t comply and I didn’t control my emotions I let the stereotypes get the best of me. And, I even began to ponder did I belong in that environment, I even started to accept that I was an angry black woman. As I navigated the rest of my high school journey and into now my higher education years I have processed my emotions. I was able to process my emotions because I realized the ignorance, not of my classmate nor instructor, but lies within our society in regards to the embrace racial inequality. My classmate made that statement out of confidence in a false narrative that they had been educated in and was not exposed to 400 years of racial inequity that has blanketed our society. The emotional impact of that incident still impacts me today slightly, I sometimes find myself hesitant not to speak out, but to speak up. I sometimes find myself in my courses not participating in class discussions or always apologizing before I speak, because I don’t want to be that angry black woman. I want to be confident, not angry, a college student, not just be labeled as that black woman.

Having a sense of emotional intelligence develops a sense of vulnerability and being able to understand the vulnerability that we carry opens up our feelings of empathy. The tools surrounding emotional intelligence might have helped develop my sense of empathy for my classmate and instructor and would’ve changed my emotional response. Emotional intelligence is possessing the ability to be aware and understand your emotions and to recognize and identify the emotions of others, to further, understand how those emotions influence a person’s actions. Having the ability to understand, show empathy, for your emotions and the emotions of others can rewrite the nature of the conflict. Understanding the emotion behind my classmate and the emotion my instructor held would’ve altered my approach and response to the racially insensitive comment that was made. Having the tools of emotional intelligence at that very moment, I would’ve had compassion for my classmate and instructor because they reinforce racially insensitive stereotypes and felt those stereotypes to be true and haven’t had the chance to experience the value of truth. My response to my classmate’s comment would’ve been educating and contained an empathetic nature to it. I wouldn’t have garnered the reaction my professor intrinsically had hoped for, a bitter and loud black woman, I would’ve controlled my emotions, but not silenced myself.

There is an African proverb that says, “Concern is like medicine”, having a sense of emotional intelligence allows one to recognize the humanity that is found within, develop a sense of empathy. Everything is birthed from discomfort and possessing the tools of emotional intelligence that allows one to see, feel, and hear is what truly matters: my voice, my life, my skin.

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Home — Essay Samples — Sociology — Race and Ethnicity — African American

african american college essay

Essays on African American

Jackie robinson: accomplishments and impact on the world, an overview of the current racial relations in the united states, harriet tubman and her role in the history of slavery, black arts era as the origin of the black power movement, we wear the mask: blackface and colorism, the reasons behind police brutality against african americans, police brutality against african americans, civil rights movement and the struggles of african americans during those times, a theme of equality for african american women in african american literature, difference between booker t. washington and w.e.b. dubois in strategy to support civil rights for african americans, james meredith, the first african american to attend the university of mississippi, bessie coleman: the first african american woman aviator, the role of emmett till in the fight for rights equality and african american freedom, the history of slavery in america, trayvon martin - the boy who got shot for wearing a black hoodie, daniel hale williams - one of the milestone leaders of 1800s era, the black community and impact of colorism on them:, discrimination african-americans in i have a dream, black american oppression in the united states, analysis of the language used in early commercial rap music of the 1980s and 1990s as a cultural response to the socioeconomic oppression plaguing the black community, issues surrounding black american women today, emmett till and his influence on the civil rights movement, jesse owens facing hitler and the nazi army, the impact of white racism on american history, a research of harriet tubman – a heronie in the struggle against slavery, the presence of black theology in black power movement, harlem renaissance and its effects on society, portrayal of african-americans in films: django unchained and 12 years a slave, nasa human computer katherine johnson, elevating of my cultural significance, feeling stressed about your essay.

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african american college essay

177 African American Essay Topics

🏆 best essay topics on african american, 👍 good african american research topics & essay examples, 🌶️ hot african american ideas to write about, 🎓 most interesting african american research titles, 📌 easy african american essay topics, 💡 simple african american essay ideas.

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StudyCorgi. (2022, September 6). 177 African American Essay Topics. Retrieved from https://studycorgi.com/ideas/african-american-essay-topics/

StudyCorgi. (2022, September 6). 177 African American Essay Topics. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/african-american-essay-topics/

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NEXTpittsburgh

Pittsburghers telling the stories of Pittsburgh.

Powerful essay by Fox Chapel student Will Generett on being Black today

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The student — who started a Black Student Council in Fox Chapel after the school failed to celebrate Black History Month — was looking for a way to cope with his anger over the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, an unarmed Black man who was going for a run in his Georgia neighborhood when he was attacked and killed by two white men.

Here is Will’s essay, Run:

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The staff at NEXTpittsburgh writes about the people driving change in the region and the innovative and cool things happening here. More by NEXT staff

The ‘T’ Word: Resisting Expectations To Share Trauma In College Essays

Civic Nation

When I applied to college in 2010, the message from high school counselors was clear: my college essay should emphasize my ability to overcome struggle. My identities were the admissions trifecta — Black, living in inner-city Detroit, and high-achieving — and discussing the trials and trauma I endured would help me get into selective institutions.

After graduating from college, I began my tenure as an admissions officer. Within months on the job, I saw how the personal statements of Black and other racially minoritized groups differed from those of white applicants. Why did prompts inviting applicants to creatively describe themselves invoke such different narratives? Black students highlighted their resilience through detailed stories of survival, while their counterparts wrote casual essays about service abroad and sporting championships. Black students discussed their pain; white students discussed their passions. These differences exposed the dissimilar messages that students received about how to represent their lived experiences, and the role institutions play in soliciting stories of trauma and struggle from applicants. 

Why did prompts inviting applicants to creatively describe themselves invoke such different narratives?

The preliminary findings from my doctoral research reveal that there’s more to the story. The growing discourse about college admission essays suggests that most Black students write about struggle or trauma. In interviews, Black undergraduate students expressed a keen awareness of this expectation. More importantly, many said they believed that this expectation was a racialized one. In analyzing hours of interview data, Black students attending both predominantly white institutions (PWIs) and historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) revealed that various social actors such as counselors, teachers, college access organizations, and private admissions counselors encouraged them to write about their trauma as opposed to light-hearted topics. For those who did not feel that immediate pressure in their high schools, the media profiles of exceptional Black students who overcame harrowing odds to gain acceptance into selective institutions placed undue pressure and constraints on how Black students believed they could authentically tell their stories.

Nevertheless, nearly half of my interview participants reject the expectation. One undergraduate student attending an east coast PWI said, “I think many, especially our white peers, feel like Black students, especially at a top-tier school, had this kind of story. And, I think it’s okay to be a regular person. I don’t need to tell you my whole story. I am here, and that’s enough.” 

An HBCU student interviewed for my dissertation also felt pressured to write a struggle narrative. “I think sometimes you're writing for what you think somebody wants to know. And I  almost did, I almost wrote about some weird struggle that I've had.” Instead, this student reflected on her experience attending Barack Obama’s inauguration and her desire to study journalism. 

Aya walking up the stairs at the Senate House during graduation from the University of Cambridge in England.

When applying to college, Black students consider the white gaze or how white society perceives them beyond their four-year institutions. They enter the college admissions process carrying messages that link their lived experiences as Black people to racial discrimination, racial tropes, and stereotypes. The students interviewed in my research shared their commitments to authenticity, exposing the ways racism attempts to reduce Black students to a single story and how labels are imposed upon the stories they share in their college essays. My research — informed by my lived experiences, tenure in college admissions and college guidance, and data collection — examines how Black students navigate through a tangled web of paradoxes when applying to PWIs and HBCUs. As we enter the next admissions cycle, this work reveals opportunities for post-secondary institutions to embrace the heterogeneity of the stories and experiences that Black students and other historically underrepresented students bring to college campuses and to do so without exploitation, tokenization, and perpetuation of racial stereotypes.

Aya M. Waller-Bey

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Science Leadership Academy @ Center City

Advanced Essay #2: Being Black in America

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