The game of Scrabble involves players taking turns placing words on a singular board. It is slow paced, sometimes boring, and usually the person who knows the most words or ways to use obscure letters wins. Bananagrams is a little bit different. Players complete their own board, constantly racing against opponents to use all their letters first so they can grab another. It’s not about who can make the biggest words, but who can make the most out of...

On a typical college application, students grades, extracurricular activities, and recommendations are shown. There is a short personal statement. But does this really show a person: a few lists, some numbers, and a 500 word statement about yourself? There are certain expectations often associated with a person’s name. Who his or her family members are, what school did he or she attend, and what his or her job might be. However, in my 18 years I have discovered that I am...

Wham! My first little league experience began with a hard hit. No, it wasnʼt a typical baseball hit. I didnʼt make it on base, and there was no feeling of satisfaction and pride. I was actually hit in the eye during warm-up throws, and got a black eye. I wasnʼt actually on the team, just sitting on the bench as my neighbor was the coach. One may expect this turned me away from baseball, but instead I...

Community service is important for students to get involved in because it opens their eyes to what others are going through and often sparks the desire to get more involved. Lose the Training Wheels, a program that teaches special needs students to ride bikes in an adapted way, was my spark. For one week, I was paired with a special needs boy who I worked with one on one for 1.5 hours a day, guiding him, encouraging him, and being supportive...

Four Oreos. Not three, not five, four. Oreos are something I know well. My little brother Bobby has always eaten four. It’s his snack in the morning, in the afternoon, and again at night. Why just four? What if there are only three left in the pack? Even if offered more, Bobby will only eat four Oreos. Bobby is on the autism spectrum. He is different from other kids as he struggles in social situations and is very routine...

Richmond Any situation where you walk into a room of 400+ people is daunting, but walking into a room of 400 strangers that you will be spending a whole week with was, for me, unimaginable. When I first got to Massachusetts Girls State at Stonehill College, I was overwhelmed by the unknowns. Who would my roommate be? Will I make friends? The unanswered questions were endless. Coming from a fairly small town like Scituate, I wasn’t used to being out of...

I can't imagine not going to school in the city. Not only is it easier to get home when I need a weekend away or for a holiday, but...

For me, I believe the interview was one of the most important parts of the application process. Though few of my schools offered interviews, staying...

Writer-The Harvard Crimson (Sports) Volunteer-CIVICS (a program that...

Don't stress about constantly doing the most exciting thing every summer. School's don't want a laundry...

The most important thing to me in writing recommendations was the teachers that knew me best. This was more important than my actual grades in their class, because if...

This was not a resource I used, and I am not sure what more I could have gotten out of using these services. Use your teachers for advice! When working on...

First, I narrowed my list down by location. I knew I wanted to stay on the East Coast, and I preferred the city. With some exception, I restricted my list to schools that fit these qualifications. Then, I...

For my "Why Harvard" essay, I focused on details about myself and why I would fit in at Harvard. I think a lot of people apply to Harvard for the name and...