As long as I can remember, I've been surrounded by the arts. I guess you could say that I've grown up in an artistic family. My mom was a theatre geek in her college days; now she spends some of her time directing kids' shows, always walking around the house, humming some new tune. My dad used to play trumpet and drums, and he continues to mess around on my drum set every once in a while. Even my younger...

I am pleased to say that I haven't needed to worry about the extracurricular side of college applications. Participating in the Junior State of America during high school has certainly been one of the most important and enjoyable experiences I've had. Everything started as a happy coincidence. I joined my school's JSA chapter during second trimester of freshman year, having had a poor experience in a mural-painting club (don't ask me why I chose that in the first place). That...