Songs of São Paulo I was eight years old when I realized that being alive meant you were destined to die. My mother had just finished cooking the rice and beans that every Brazilian child comes to love, a pleasing aroma filling the air of our tiny apartment. The windows were flung open, a delicious heat creeping inside, the cheery sound of birds chirping intermingling with the gentle cooing of my baby sister. We had been getting ready to...

5th Grade Triumphs Sunlight lazily filtered through the blinds of my room, the tired rays gently reflecting off the plastic trophies lining my cluttered desk. It was a slow Sunday morning, and being the only early riser in my family, I could enjoy the peaceful quiet that settled over the air overnight. I glanced at the trophies that called the sunlight towards them, nostalgia wrapping around my fingertips as I reached over to pick up the smallest one. It paled...

These are the two personal essays I used for the QuestBridge Application. I was matched to Tufts, which did not ask for other supplemental essays besides these two.

It's very important that you choose teachers who you have a good relationship with and who are able to write more than just a repetition of your extra curricular activities. I understand not everyone...

I'll be the first to admit that my application was lacking in several aspects - my extra curricular activities and leadership positions were somewhat skimpy, and my SAT scores were not on the level they needed to be for the schools I wanted. Because of...

I think the biggest mistake I made was stressing out too much, and if I could, I would have approached the process with more confidence. It may be difficult to accept, but when it comes to college applications, there really is no right or wrong. You can be the...