The hardest part of my transition into high school was not in the social or academic arenas. It was starting cross country running. Before the preseason practices began, I had never run more than a mile, so the first three-mile race was an incredible challenge for me. It was hot and humid when I stood at the starting line for the first time, the last week before freshman year began. I couldn't have been more terrified. I was already out...

I don't know anyone else who reads textbooks for fun. In tenth grade, I was in my school's very first AP World History class, and my teacher chose to stop using the textbook in the middle of the year. I, however, kept reading it. I was fascinated by the connections I learned about, like how the introduction of New World crops eventually led to the Industrial Revolution. History had always been one of my favorite classes, but after I read...

I am proud to admit that I'm pretty nerdy. I am the captain of my school's Quiz Bowl team and I love being a part of it, even more than I love cross country and track, the two more "traditional" sports teams that I am a captain of. Our Quiz Bowl team only began two years ago, and it is already one of my school's most popular and successful teams. In fact, when we appeared on the local TV game...

I already had my first "Meliora" experience when I visited The University of Rochester, and I was immediately handed a t-shirt and a folder with my name pre-printed on it. I thought to myself that a school that was so-well organized, and so interested in prospective students was a place where I wanted to be, and where I could feel at home. I come from a small Quaker school, and thus appreciated the sense of community that I felt from...

Supplemental essays for Cornell, Rice and University of Rochester, all accepted.

I did not hire a private counselor, but I go to a small private...

Apply for internships even if they aren't in what you want to study, I'm interested in government...

I got into six schools ; Cornell, Georgetown, Rice, Colgate, U if Rochester, and Macalester. Rochester and Mac both offered about 18k a year in scholarships, and none of the others...

Make sure to choose recommenders who know you well, but...

I underestimated myself. I didn't expect to get into any of my reaches,...