A door. Trembling, I gingerly turned the knob, and inside stood another door leading to the pathways of my past, present, and future—beckoning me to come take a step inside. Inside that door revealed my past: the beginnings of my personal life aspirations through the power of art. One of my most significant hardships was being unable to communicate efficiently. With my parents’ poor English proficiency and constant work in their restaurant, I was forced to spend much time...

Why UPenn: Interested in medical science, I find that the College of Arts and Sciences accommodates the University of Pennsylvania’s mission of empowering students to make meaningful contributions by fostering a new generation of scientific leaders and doctors. I was first inspired to attend the College of Arts and Sciences because of my growing interests in science and my experiences in doctors’ offices and hospitals. Last year, I was diagnosed with a rare, mild form of anemia that does...

In 500 words or less, please describe your short-term and long-term personal and education/career goals and what has helped to shape your goals. What specific steps will you take to reach your personal/education/career goals? High school can be challenging, but my motivation toward my goals is the only drive that takes me to the next step. My dream is to become a doctor and travel around the world to help aid needy communities as a result of my...

"Wave" Please discuss. You may interpret this term however you wish. You may focus on dominant or alternate meanings for this term, or a combination of these. When most people hear the word “wave”, they imagine all the fun times that they have spent with loved ones at the beach during the summer. But when I hear the word “wave”, I imagine something more. According to Webster’s New World Dictionary, a wave is ‘to move or sway to and...

“Jámas y nunca.” Those three words forever changed my perspective on the idea of winning. In freshman year of high school, I found myself interested in Spanish Convention amid adjusting to a new environment. After much consideration on the prospects of winning a competition, I tried out and placed in vocabulary. Despite my anxiousness about participating in my first competition, I found myself studying frequently, and before long, the day arrived. With much anticipation, I created a list of...

Discuss the subjects in which you excel or have excelled. To what factors do you attribute your success? Even though I succeeded well in most subjects, the subjects that I excelled in the most are biology and visual arts. From my love of learning, I yearned to explore new worlds and find answers to questions using various perspectives, which these subjects covered. Throughout my childhood, I became fascinated observing the workings of life while putting pieces of “why this?” and �...

Well, I am not that ashamed to say that I applied to 20 schools during my college application process, but I wished that I didn't overdo myself by applying to schools that I'm not totally into...

I chose Vassar College because of its tight-knit community, open curriculum, and financial generosity. When I first visited, everyone was so nice and eager to help me answer...

No, I just used my school's guidance counselor, free online resources, and support from fellow peers and a college prep...

Since I'm introverted, I don't like the idea of talking in front of strangers. But please take advantage of interviews whether you're outgoing or not because the schools will be able to see more of you as a real person, not just a piece of paper. For example, I was able to explain more about my personal background as a Chinese-American from talking about my favorite book, The Joy Luck Club. From relating strongly to this book, I can show...

APPLY TO AS MANY SCHOLARSHIPS AS YOU CAN!!! Scholarships are free money and I don't get as much debt as I would if I took out loans. Apply to any scholarships that you qualify for/ have time for--whether national or local (look especially for local ones because there will be less...

I would recommend a math/science teacher and an English/history teacher that you are personally close to in order to show that you're a well-rounded student and to fulfill certain applications' requirements. Use other kinds of teachers such as art, music, band, etc. as additional recommenders. Not only the teacher should know you as a student in the classroom, but also know you as an individual with personal aspirations and quirks. As a result, go out and get to know your teachers more. Ask for help if you don't understand something. Strike a conversation about how are things going...