I believe in the power of the hallway. I attend a high school filled with everything from a robotics center to a three-dimensional anatomy table; there exist so many special locations I could label “home.” And yet, I still find myself happiest when walking through the somewhat stuffy, overwhelmingly overpopulated, yet comfortably carpeted hallways I frequent between classes. Discussions in my English class feel far-reaching, and cafeteria conversations run rampant with a sugarcoated artificiality I’m too exhausted to stomach....

Prompt - Yale University: Please reflect on something you would like us to know about you that we might not learn from the rest of your application, or on something about which you would like to say more. A cluster of neon colors surrounds my size-five feet as I double-knot my minuscule running shoes. The neighbor's formidable German shepherd growls at my favorite highlighter-pink workout outfit as he watches my limbs stretch themselves in preparation for their onslaught. As for...

Prompt - several colleges: Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences. (Activity Statement) What brings me immense joy can be found between four, perfectly tuned strings. These strings, in accordance with their exact alignment to pitch, are tightly wound; however, from the moment my bow touches their exterior, a hurricane of relaxation engulfs me. Amidst the chaos and confusion of daily life, I am unwaveringly still; music and I are in the eye of the...

Prompt: Describe the unique qualities that attract you to the specific undergraduate College or School (including preferred admission and dual degree programs) to which you are applying at the University of Michigan. How would that curriculum support your interests? The University of Michigan’s School of Engineering appeals to me for primarily two reasons: its facilitation of undergraduate research and its vast, interdisciplinary Computer Science and Data Science curriculum. Throughout my high school experience, I have been a member of...

Cornell Engineering: Growing up in Silicon Valley with two computer engineers as parents, I have been surrounded by the problem-solving culture of engineering since my childhood. I have realized that a majority of the inventions that I use in my daily life, such as wireless computer networks, the Internet, and microwave ovens, have emerged from the ever-expanding field of electrical engineering. I believe that electrical engineers are professional problem solvers - they contribute solutions towards issues such as driverless cars,...

Try to have at least one or two generic essays that can address a variety of schools' prompts (my Yale supplementary essay filled this purpose).

Students at my...

If you are a high schooler interested in STEM, you should try research -- it can be a really fun and rewarding experience! You should reach out to professors at local universities and try to find a project that sounds interesting and meaningful to you. If research is not...

I think Yale looks for individuals who excel in one or two areas as opposed to those who spread themselves too thinly over many activities. You can go about fitting this mold a lot of ways and it's really upto you and how you want to present yourself. I chose my activities to "excel"...

Most colleges require one or two teacher recommendations. I would suggest asking teachers whose classes you have both performed at a high level in and have personal interest in. It helps to have a strong personal relationship with your teacher recommenders, too. Teachers are...

In terms of academics, I looked for well-rounded schools with strong mathematics and computer science programs. I also looked more towards small, research-oriented colleges that would enable me to...

I would have solidifed my Early Action plan and recorded my arts supplement earlier. I decided to apply to Yale and UMich early in late September. This gave me a little under a month to write approximately eight essays, which I found difficult. I...

I personally was not in a position to apply for loans, scholarships, or financial aid in any form. I do know, however, that Yale is one of the most generous universities when it comes to financial aid. Ivy League universities,...

I interviewed on-campus at Yale and had a disheartening experience. Firstly, I showed up wearing jeans because the dress I had packed and planned to wear ripped last-minute...

Every applicant to Yale will be asked to write a 100 word "Why Yale?" essay. You can't fit everything you love about Yale into 100 words, and admissions officers probably do not expect you to. I suggest picking two or three cohesive facets of Yale that appeal to you...

I did not use a private counselor; my school assigned a counselor to each student. If your school operates similarly and you don't like your assigned counselor, don't hesitate to enlist a private counselor if you...