By day, my mom is the boss of a jewelry company in New York, and by night, she transforms into a housewife, doing laundry and tidying the house. When duty calls, she ventures into foreign lands for business, single-handedly defeating the evilest exhibitors with her excited hand-gestures and persuasive words. But because of her schedule and my dad’s, too, my childhood was spent shooting lay-ups, reading books, and grumbling about how I never had the transportation and the heart-shaped...

For Duke, I focused on the academics. Since I didn't have a chance to visit the campus, I had to rely on my idea of their academic programs, rather than their school or student body culture. I did extensive research on their public policy program and went into detail about the merits of their "Pathways" setup of electives. I also discussed the Focus program and the benefits of living on East Campus, the freshman campus whose setup allows the entire...

(Excerpt) "At age six, I decided to become Grandma’s caretaker. With my parents working long hours, I was the only one available to concoct culinary experiments and prepare tea for Grandma, who read newspapers with a magnifying glass and felt her way along the house. Because of her eyesight, serving became second nature to me, and for the past twelve years, I saw everything through adult eyes. Two summers ago, I discovered the Lions Clubs International, a service organization...

I wrote about the lack of patriotism and awareness of American culture in today's generation. Although I considered it a valid issue, my writing did not do it justice. Instead, the essay sounded TOO politically motivated and extreme. I sent it to Stanford and (needless to say) was not admitted.

My supplement was about my changing opinion of my parents. As a young child, I resented having to provide for myself when my classmates always had their parents by their side. Thanks to a caring teacher, however, I learned that by taking a "hands-off" approach, my parents were essentially giving me the opportunity to develop my own interests and identity. Through this essay, I demonstrated a unique way of approaching a "bad situation," a strong sense of self, and an...

It's a long shot at most top schools, but I'd still recommend sending in an additional letter. Use this opportunity to touch...

The interview is never the make-or-break factor. By the time the admissions board even sees your interviewer's comments, they already have a pretty good idea of whether or not you are getting wait listed, rejected, or accepted. With that said, however, having a good interview is still important. While your interview will depend on the person--not on the school they're from--it is very important to do your research about the school beforehand. Keep a few topics and facts in mind, and always remember...

I personally did not go about it this way, but would have if I were given another chance. If you can afford to, definitely give the school a visit during the school year to get a feel for the campus. If that's not possible, visit during the summer, and reach out to friends or acquaintances who attend/have attended the school. Tell them to be honest about their experiences (the good and the bad), and keep in mind that any tour guides you meet...

At Duke, I have held executive positions at three organizations: Net Impact, Delta Sigma Pi (professional fraternity), and Duke University...

I believe that there is no set of activities that colleges like to see. Nowadays, so many students are volunteering (both for altruistic and self-motivated reasons) and flying abroad for community service that what was once considered an impressive and admirable achievement has now become almost expected. Instead, you should do activities that you are genuinely interested...

Durham has great restaurants, and the south just has generally good weather (at least compared to the northeast). Southerners are also...

This is probably repetitive, but I would have gotten an early start. I absolutely hate writing and always procrastinate right before an essay is due. I wrote the bulk of...

I think that I showed a lot of independence and determination throughout high school. I was active in many clubs and had...

In terms of prestige and academics, Duke was the clear choice. This is not a strong reason, but for me, it was...

As far as large public schools go, your recommendation letter will most likely be generic--not because the teacher does not care, but because s/he is responsible for so many letters....