Prompt: The lessons we take from failure can be fundamental to later success. Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? Baking, thankfully, isn’t passed down through the genes. My mother had the audacity to give me a look of surprise when she halved the butter and got rock-hard cookies in return. (“But it’s healthy!” she cried out.) I was drawn to baking because...

Yale: Why does Yale appeal to you? (100 words or less) To me, Yale is all about one thing – community. Yale’s residential colleges bring together a brilliant, diverse group of people; I can already envision myself spending my nights discussing our classes and research papers and anything and everything. There are countless student organizations to choose from, and in each there’s a different circle I can pursue my interests with. The undergraduate focus means it’s easy to reach...

Yale: In this second essay, please reflect on something you would like us to know about you that we might not learn from the rest of your application, or on something about which you would like to say more. You may write about anything—from personal experiences or interests to intellectual pursuits. Caught in one of Jakarta's infamous traffic jams, I notice people going from car to car, carrying packets of krupuk (crackers) or tahu goreng (fried tofu). I observe...

Princeton: “One of the great challenges of our time is that the disparities we face today have more complex causes and point less straightforwardly to solutions.” Omar Wasow, Assistant Professor, Politics; Founder, Blackplanet.com. This quote is taken from Professor Wasow's January 2014 speech at the Martin Luther King Day celebration at Princeton University. Caught in one of Jakarta’s infamous traffic jams, I notice people going from car to car, carrying packets of krupuk (crackers) or tahu goreng (fried tofu)....

UPenn (Waitlisted): 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) I wonder how cells become life as we know it, and where the firing of neurons crosses into the creation of memories, layered with our emotions, that shape us into how we are. Just beginning to scrape the surface of Science, the 9-year-old me looked at my bookshelves...

Yale-NUS: What in particular about Yale-NUS College has influenced your decision to apply? (250 words or less) To me, Yale-NUS is all about one thing – exposure. I’ve always loved Biology, so I can’t imagine that I won’t major in Life Sciences. But as someone who took all three sciences in high school, I need to learn the skills that only a liberal arts education can provide. Taking Historical Immersion will hone my analytical skills; Current Issues will bring...

UC Schools: Additional comments (max 1000 words) - I used this opportunity explain what my school's Student Council does, knowing (from my seniors and friends who migrated) that it's different from in the US. The Student Council is different from the Student Government in most U.S high schools. Council plans events that cater to the students, and propose changes to the Senior Management, serving as the voice of the student body. In this way, it's regarded as the "main" leadership...

This is the most common advice out there but it's really the best - start early. I went through 10 drafts of my Common App essay (with many topic changes) before I submitted it, and multiple drafts of my supplemental essays too. Coming up with the topic was the hardest part for me, and I spent a lot of time (on the bus, in the showers etc.) brainstorming. It's really important to get other people to give their feedback too, especially...

I met with my college counsellor a lot to look over my essays, but if you feel like yours is not...

There's a lot of information out there, and I was really overwhelmed on how to even start choosing schools. I would have really liked a step-by-step guide, so here's mine for anyone who feels the same! 1. List out your factors in choosing a school, in order of importance (you can Google a bit to see what kind of factors people usually consider) 2. Create...

I interviewed with Yale, Princeton and UPenn alumni. I think Yale interviews are about anything under the sun for the interviewers to find out more about you...

For Yale, I think my essays and interview really resonated with the school's beliefs...