The subject of money is ever-present in the lives of American teens, impacting their lives in poignant, sometimes unexpected ways. That’s the overwhelming takeaway from this year’s group of high school essays submitted to the New York Times. Every year, the newspaper solicits college application essays that center on the topic of money. This year, they received 300, and featured five standouts.

The essays paint a complex picture of a wide range of economic realities, and highlight how money threads through the lives of us all. Some highlights:

— “These are the two worlds I have inherited, and my existence in one is not possible without the other.”

Eric Ngugi Muthondu, Richmond, Tex.

— “While I then associated my conquests with ‘being a better boy,’ I now realize what I was really working toward was becoming a better farmer.”

Alison Hess, Bushnell, Ill

— “My family is a matriarchy in a patriarchal community.”

Jeffrey C. Yu, Endicott, N.Y.

— “While I have not changed the tax system (though someday I plan to), I have changed how my clients interact with it.”

Caroline S. Beit, Bronxville, N.Y.

— “At the age of 11, I started working for the very first time as a cleaning lady with my grandparents.”

Kataryna Linn Piña, Elsa, Tex.

Read the full essays here.