Why University of Chicago? The Story of a Girl with Too-Big Eyes, Too-Small Hands and Euphoric Chicago Dreams The girl who pries open ribcages to mold mankind takes my hand. She smiles. She’s leaving for Germany soon and we both know that our hourglass’ sand granules are slipping away. Our hands feel like clasped promises and we let our vulnerabilities melt into the scenery; we are in a new city with fresh beginnings drawn on our palms, and we...

Many high school students underestimate the power of good writing. Essay prompts often imply generic, boring essays. Your leadership, kindness, hardworking nature, etc. may all be truly outstanding, but everyone says they think they're a great candidate because of those things and admissions officers have read many, many of those essays. Make it interesting and definitely...

Steer clear, as much as possible, of anything that could apply to many other schools. Don't say it's a prestigious and highly respected academic institution. As true as it may be of some universities, literally all universities put that on their website. Don't rely on generalities. Of course it's "prestigious," and has a "beautiful campus" and has "great spirit" and you really "love it." This could be...