Option #1: Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. Word Count: 524 words. My brother Joey is a short, blonde, button-nosed, freckle faced, typical 12 year old boy. I, too, am short and blonde, and though freckle faced I am not, I’m told we have the same eyes. Typical. Sometimes, I wish that were completely...

The bassoon is not a beautiful instrument. Its nearly 5 feet long, bulky, and hard to put together. It has neither the brazen confidence of a trumpet, nor the wispy delicateness of a flute. But we still need bassoons. Why? Because it has its own part, and without all its parts, the orchestra can’t function. In many ways I am similar to the instrument I play. I’m not the most graceful, not the most confident, and I also am...

A famous quote applies quite well to this topic: "Shoot for the moon; even if you miss, you'll land among the stars." Apply for every scholarship. You won't get them all, but I can promise you, you won't regret trying. One of my biggest regrets from...