I squinted for a moment as the bright light caught my eyes. The butterflies in my stomach worsened and my hands trembled. I looked at my other three band members and off we went. Although the drummer was playing at a faster tempo than we had practiced, after a few seconds our rhythms locked together. Before I knew it, the butterflies were gone, my guitar seemed to play itself, and my mind was in another world. Then, though it felt...

When I think of what I want in a college, some of the most crucial aspects are rigorous academics, a diverse population, and a wide variety of classes. It is difficult to find a school with all these coveted traits. But NYU makes it easy. When I walked down West 4th Street and into Washington Square Park on the campus tour, it was obvious that, although I was still in Manhattan, I was in the heart of the vibrant and...

“Does anyone here play an instrument?” I excitedly replied, “Me!”, and a student from the BU band started signing me up. This was my second time visiting Boston University, and I was starting to love the school even more. I was spending the weekend with my brother at his BU dorm in the Towers, visiting the school and cheering on my mom, who was running the Boston Marathon. After spending my Saturday at the Hillel, I was really able to...

Research shows that an ability to learn from experiences outside the classroom correlates with success in college. What was your greatest learning experience over the past 4 years that took place outside of the traditional classroom? 250 words or fewer As a high school student, it is natural to expect that an internship will consist of the “dirty work”, but that such work is necessary to lay the foundation for future job. This summer, my experience at a real estate start-up, Zenly,...

There is a ticket in your hand. Where are you going? In my hand I have a ticket. It’s a shiny golden ticket. You might be thinking that it’s a ticket to Willie Wonka’s chocolate factory. Actually, this is the golden ticket that Michael Scott (played by Steve Carell) used in NBC’s sitcom, The Office. Michael Scott was the Regional Branch Manager at the fictional paper company, Dunder Mifflin. In order to increase the company’s...

The Common App essay is one of the most important part of the application. This is were the reader will be able to see beyond the number they see on your transcript. Some of the most important things to do are to try to be unique, try to be yourself, and try to write in a way that gets the reader hooked. They are reading hundreds of essays, the last thing they want is an essay that's already boring at...

Make sure to get people that know you well and trust you. The last thing you want is a generic...

Being a camp counselor is easy, but it probably won't make such a great impression on the application. Try to...

Research you school a lot. Get to know what they think is important about themselves. If they think diversity is important, mention how much...

In addition to my school college guidance counselor, I...