I stand in the wings, waiting for the music to begin. The familiar sensation of butterflies in my stomach begins to set in, and the other dancers and I shoot nervous grins at each other. But when Tchaikovsky’s first sweeping crescendo beckons us onstage, I experience a moment of clarity: the choreography comes naturally after months of rehearsal, my heart pounds fast with exhilaration, and I can’t help but smile. I wasn’t always so confident in expressing...

Walking around the French Quarter, I was struck by the presence of so many different cultural influences. The colorful apartments, the bustle of cars weaving through narrow streets, the notes of music streaming from brass instruments, the storefront window sporting the phrase “beignet, done that,” all managed to convince me that New Orleans was one of the most distinctive and exciting cities I had ever been to. Several years after my visit to New Orleans, as I began my college...

Why Occidental? Simply, because Oxy has everything I’m looking for. The school’s small size allows for close interaction between students and professors, creating the ideal learning environment. Here, I can take advantage of the depth and resources of the Diplomacy and World Affairs major, Oxy at the UN program, and study abroad options, all while pursuing intellectual curiosities ranging from Biology to History. Beyond the classroom, the diversity of the student body and Los Angeles will provide endless...

(Why your major) I am drawn to the social sciences because they allow me to study something I’ve always been fascinated by: people. Through my involvement in Constitution Team and Model United Nations, I’ve become interested in politics and global affairs. Occidental’s Diplomacy & World Affairs major and uniquely appealing Oxy at the UN program are exciting options for me to explore the intricacies of global economic and political systems. As I have lived in the dynamic city...

(Create a course) Both politics and psychology fascinate me. I am intrigued by how political scientists uncover and analyze political trends, and by how psychologists use scientific concepts to explain human behavior on individual, social, and cultural levels. In my IB Psychology class last year, I found myself constantly connecting to the material what I had learned on Constitution Team the previous year. I began to explore the intersections of psychology and politics, and it was this exploration that inspired...

(Intellectual engagement) Political debate was a constant in my household, whether the topic at hand was the most recent school bond issue or the upcoming presidential election. While my friends grew up with Disney Channel and Saturday morning cartoons, I spent my childhood watching The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, and Saturday Night Live with my dad. A simple question about homework would inevitably turn into an hours-long discussion about anything from the Israeli-Palestinian crisis to the current state of...

(Extracurricular activity) Every Monday evening, I stand up in front of a roomful of adult immigrants to teach a class on U.S. civics. From holding mock Constitutional Conventions to leading discussions on gun control and the Second Amendment, Mission: Citizen has allowed me to apply what I learned on Constitution Team in a meaningful way, engage with a part of my community I never would have otherwise, and witness firsthand the realities of the naturalization process. The countless after-school...

(Why Brown) This year, some of my classmates questioned my decision to forgo higher level math in favor of doubling up on social science electives and taking the classes I found both challenging and intellectually engaging. Brown resonates with me because it celebrates, rather than discourages, independence and initiative in shaping one’s education. Here, creating your own path of learning involves freedom and intellectual engagement, not simply fulfilling course requirements. At Brown, I can concentrate in International Relations while...

(Why Rice) Towards the end of my college search process—perusing college websites, consulting parents and friends for college application advice, flipping through countless books on the subject—I discovered Rice, and it instantly stood out to me as a place where learning and fun coexist within a tight-knit community. As someone who values both the intimacy of a small community and the excitement and energy of a larger one, Rice’s residential college system is perfect for me. From...

(Extracurricular activity) I sprint down the runway, intently focused on my goal: throwing an 8-foot-long metal spear as far as I possibly can. I skid to a stop, lift my arm, and prepare to watch the javelin soar gracefully over the turf field. Instead? It flings out of my control, hitting me on the back and knocking me to the ground. Laying on the ground, I raise my arms in mock celebration. Just another day at track practice. As you...

I tried to show my personality through my essays and add specific details about classes, extracurricular opportunities, etc. when writing my "Why ___ College" essays. I would recommend seeing if you can reuse essays for multiple schools, and writing them as soon as you can so that you have lots of time to go back and edit them!

Some of the most popular clubs at Georgetown include The Corps (the student run corporation that has food options all over campus), the Blue & Gray Tour Guide Society, the Lecture Fund (brings speakers to campus), and the student investment fund. But, there are also many other clubs students can...

Before applying I didn't really understand how...

I applied to a lot of schools (12) just because I was worried that I wouldn't get in to...

I interviewed with Pomona, Georgetown, Brown, and Tufts. My Georgetown, Tufts, and Pomona interviews lasted about an hour. For the Georgetown one, we mainly talked about my extracurriculars, why I wanted to go to Georgetown, and any questions I had about the school. Tufts and Pomona were similar, but my Pomona interviewer asked some more unexpected questions like "If you...

I didn't use an admissions counselor but did the research myself on...

My first piece of advice is to pick recommenders based on how well they know you, not necessarily how well you've done in their class! I picked one teacher that I had had both freshman and junior year, and then another one who was my advisor for a yearlong research project, because they both knew me well. I also sent an additional recommendation from one of my Constitution Team coaches, because I had spent a lot of time with her...

After hearing back from all my schools, I ruled out the ones that I didn't get as much financial aid from, which meant that my final decision came down to Georgetown, Bowdoin, and Rice. Although I ended up choosing Georgetown I know that they are all great schools so feel free to ask me about any of them! I was really conflicted at first, so I decided to visit Rice during their admitted students event because I...

Georgetown's location is almost perfect. Its in DC, which has so many things to do and a bunch of unique internship opportunities (especially for people into politics). Even though there is access to a city, I like that Georgetown has its own campus that isn't in the middle of downtown, because you...

The only scholarships I applied...

I didn't visit schools until after I got accepted, so I choose schools based on criteria like...