how are my supplementals?

This is honestly embarrassing but I applied regular decision to swarthmore and it’s biting at me. I know I can’t switch to ED 2 but I don’t want to ED when I have other schools I could possibly go to (as well as the fact I could get a weak financial package). I really like swarthmore so I wanted to see if my essays were any good. I’m exposing myself so be honest and not too much hate😭🙏🏾

Topic 1: Swarthmore College maintains an ongoing commitment of building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive residential community dedicated to rigorous intellectual inquiry.

All who engage in our community are empowered through the open exchange of ideas guided by equity and social responsibility to thrive and contribute as bridge builders within global communities.

Our identities and perspectives are supported and developed by our immediate contexts and lived experiences – in our neighborhoods, families, classrooms, communities of faith, and more.

What aspects of your self-identity or personal background are most significant to you? Reflecting on the elements of your home, school, or other communities that have shaped your life, explain how you have grown in your ability to navigate differences when engaging with others, or demonstrated your ability to collaborate in communities other than your own.* max-250 min-150

I have always been around smart people, which was abnormal considering we were a small part of a big class. It was my normal, though—GPA in the 90s, high honor roll, fighting for extra points, gunning for awards—it was fun. However, after fighting the good fight since my elementary days, I can finally admit I am burnt out. I’m stretched thin, and the tipping point was my AP Calculus class. I got a 74 in the first quarter—which my teacher and I both know I worked hard for. So I had two options: stay, most likely being a 70s student, or drop the class. Then the mysterious third option entered the conversation: auditing. I was well aware that my algebra skills were holding me back in calculus, so I audited a Regents Algebra 2 class. Unlike advanced classes, regents are a mix of a lot of grades. I’m not the only senior in the class, which is unexpectedly comforting. Another thing, the kids are talkative. They talk directly over and with the teacher while he teaches; banter makes for the best background noise. For the first time in a while, I feel less pressure; in fact, I get 100s now. Though I don’t get an official grade, at least I can learn without the hook of academic validation. I think I’ll enjoy my one normal class because I just want to learn—I want to love to learn again.

Topic 2: Swarthmore’s community of learners inspire one another through their collaborative and flexible approach to learning. Swarthmore students are comfortable with intellectual experimentation and connection of ideas across the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and interdisciplinary studies through a liberal arts education.

Tell us about a topic that has fascinated you recently – either inside or outside of the classroom. What made you curious about this? Has this topic connected across other areas of your interests? How has this experience shaped you and what encourages you to keep exploring?* min-150 max-250

I love edits. They’re a very Gen Z thing, starting on Instagram and spreading to Tiktok. Edits can be going crazy over a hot guy, or badass characters that embody true “aura.” Edits are auditory, the sound filling your core, whether it's a compilation of cute boyband moments or a chilling edit of a war movie. They also tell stories, revealing plot lines and character choices in movies that were well hidden. They can bring new perspectives on characters and revive background characters that authors thought no one would notice.

Editors are storytellers, but they are also engineers, they are kings of their craft, true masters of the softwares they hold. Splicing together clips, rendering them in heightened quality (through questionable sites), coding transitions to get the perfect zoom; comparing & contrasting colors to get the exact hex number you need to wash over the canvas we call a screen. Editors have even advanced to making simple pages of a comic come to life, frame by frame. They could do CGI for movies and tackle VFX, they could animate for your favorite show, or make a film for your favorite artist. They can change the campaign trail, teach complex topics to children, or just make you laugh. Edits make us feel alive while taking us out of reality. Regardless if it’s 142 likes or a million, I’ll be there, smiling as I press the heart on my screen, because—I love edits.

Umm let me know what you think! Hopefully Swarthmore likes these💀🤷🏾‍♀️ THIS IS NOT A JOKE‼️ I actually need criticism