With weak knees, I stepped onstage in front of a sleek glass podium. Hundreds of eyes were glued to my face. A trickle of sweat crawled down my back, my bowtie felt like a noose around my neck and my tongue began to crack from dehydration. To my left was Ryan Murphy; to my right was Julia Roberts. This was it. I swallowed a deep breath of air and began to share my story. Growing up, I never had any...

Penn Supplemental How will you explore your intellectual and academic interests at the University of Pennsylvania? Please answer this question given the specific undergraduate school to which you are applying. (400-650 words) There seems to be a dichotomy between capitalism and social justice. If the world was run in a machiavellian style, exploitation and oppression would cripple all but the very wealthy. Where do we draw the line to ensure everyone is treated fairly, everyone has equal opportunity, everyone has...

In high school, my favorite course was AP World History by far. In my experience with the American public school system, I was never exposed to histories, cultures, and...

In high school most students were apathetic, concerned-only-about-social-perception, partier, egotistical, and lack-of-desire-to-learn, However in college everyone is completely different. At Penn I have met so many fun and interesting people. I'm not going to lie and say there are no undertones of stress or competition, but for...

For my high school, I would work with school administration to create internship programs with various local businesses and organizations. I would also try...

For a student going through high school, I would say that just staying within the programs of high school are not enough to...

University of Pennsylvania - One of the best ways to make a great impression is to make sure you smile! I know college interviews are nerve-racking but don't let that hinder your personality from coming through. Make sure coming in to the interview that your up to date with major news...

Summer classes at local college - definitely the most accessible for all students to complete. Take classes in courses you are genuinely interested in/helpful to your major Internships - Many organizations don't advertise internship programs...

My LGBTQ leadership experience and Essays. After admission to Penn, I received an email from the Kelly's...

Before I applied to any schools, I knew right off the bat I wasn't going to receive any financial aid. I filled out all of the net-price calculators that each school offers and they all came...

The major factor for me when applying to schools was the school had to be in a major city....

I sent emails out to all of the Music directors from the schools I considered applying to in July before my Senior Year. Earlier that Year (May) I took part in All State band, and our band director was the music director of the UNC Chapel Hill Wind Ensemble. He advised all of us, even if we aren't planning on majoring in Music, to just send out cold emails to the directors from every university we're considering applying to. I was hesitant at first to do it, but decided to just go for it. I searched on college websites for...

I said this in the question about good interview tips, but to restate, don't talk about general things like the school's...

Make sure you find a teacher that you really connected with and thrived in the classroom. While every college is different, I know Penn really reads the letters of recommendation and knows the difference between BS and genuine reflection. You want your teacher to say "So and so was the best (or one of the best) student(s) I have ever taught in my...

Look at the summer programs your dream school offers and read reviews about the impact they have on admissions. I know that for Wharton,...