For the past three years, every time summer rolls around, I look forward to one week: PACO Camp, home base of the Bay Area’s “music rebels,” and weeklong small ensemble camp for the Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra’s middle and high school students. We consider ourselves “music rebels” because of the way we emphasize small ensembles, an uncommon feature in youth orchestras; the way we are not competitive with each other or anyone else and seating is random; the...

Some of the best days of my life are those lazy, hazy summer days when time stands still and the sun refuses to set and those frosty winter evenings cold enough for a born and bred California girl to snuggle up with hot cocoa next to the gas fireplace. Only the chirping of crickets or crackle of fire accompanies the rustle of turning pages. All I ask for is a small, comfortable, quiet space, plenty of cushions, and, of course,...

Limiting my intellectual interests to two or three would be like trying to pick one flavor of ice cream at Baskin Robbins. With the wide range of intriguing possibilities available, I am wide open to all the possibilities Cornell offers, because I love ice cream and learning.      What separates some flavors from others are the toppings mixed in. Vanilla is a classic, like science, but I was never satisfied with vanilla or hard science alone. I am interested in sustainability...

I want to solve problems. My parents, both engineers themselves, naturally prodded me toward following their footsteps, but initially, I was unsure. I wanted to explore the world, too, and large distribution requirements, traditional to engineering, might limit the variety of classes I could take. Nor did I want to be like classmates who simply aspire to share in Silicon Valley’s absurd wealth. But I am now beginning to understand that engineering is essentially at the core of every...

Stanford Supplements 1. Room 104. Home to thirteen “at risk” freshmen, five upper classmen tutors, and one bomba-loving history teacher. I volunteer an extra hour three days a week helping my teacher with grading and planning for the Skills class, which inevitably comes with her emotions at the ups and downs of teaching, discussions about administration and school policies, and her vision for the Skills class and our school in general. One of my proudest achievements is watching "my kids" earn A's...

Northwestern University is in an amazing location. You really get the quiet, safer environment immediately around you, as Evanston is a very nice suburb, but you're only an hour away from the great Chicago. Chicago has a great culture, rich in history and arts and...

As an engineer, it's easy to get caught up in the intensity and competition. I have a passion for the arts and...

Something that Northwestern's engineering school is trying to cultivate is a sense of community and support for each other and foster more of a teamwork and collaboration...

My favorite class is German 101. I believe Northwestern really tries to encourage...

I ultimately chose Northwestern because of its location. I was deciding between Northwestern and Washington University in Saint Louis, but Northwestern held...