Contemplating Every Breath I maintained the clarity of my conscience, despite the brewing tempest of adrenaline surging in my veins. Under this gathering storm, I remained composed, even as the explosion from the gunshot reverberated into my ears. It was the summer of my sophomore year and I was contending in the best and final competition of the 110m hurdles at Colorado’s Denver Metro Track Meet. I had envisioned the sensation of breaking the finish line a thousand times...

Objectives and Opportunities Every summer, my local library holds a discounted book sale, practically giving donated textbooks away for free. At this hectic event, students and parents competitively scourer the mounds of books, looking for chances to breach into new realms of knowledge. Out of the chaos, I managed to gain a hold of my first philosophy textbook. I grasped this opportunity to open my mind to a higher dimension. The story of success is elucidated through this book sale....

Autobiography I had dreamt of this moment for my entire life. I was giving a standard twenty minute lecture at the annual Technology, Entertainment, Design conference, commonly known as TED. Although I stood on the stage at the seminar for the first time, I felt like a regular; from the countless of hours I have spent watching such presentations, I have become familiar with the aesthetic setting as if it was my own home. I would gratefully welcome every Monday...

In your essays, it is important to tell what you want in life, what you are interested in, what you will contribute to the school both as a student and an alumni, and who you are as a person. Show that you have overcome adversity and are resilient. Also, take something that you have accomplished in high school and tell the admission officer what that reveals about you as a person and why you deserve to be at the school.

Find a mentor of someone who you desire to be three to five years out. This...

No. Everything is available online these days. You don't need the...

Just be active and a self-starter. There are 168 hours in a week and 12 weeks every summer. Do something you're passionate about so you can use all...