The expectations of being the oldest child are almost always thrust on an individual at birth. For most it's a role that they either choose to bear or avoid, but it is only theirs. For me, however, it was a choice. I was born the middle child, with an older sister and two younger brothers, all very close in age. It was not long, however, before I understood that it was not who I was meant to be. During elementary...

Smith College - "What is the greatest gift you've ever given" When I was in middle school, my dad taught me how to make sailors’ bracelets. Like my father, I gave my friends and family the bracelets at the beginning of the summer. They would choose the color and I would customize the sizes. It was a very personal gift because it involved pressing my hand flat against theirs to find the right size. The only catch was that they...

Tufts University I first heard of Tufts University when I read about the 1+4 program. It interested me because I wanted to see the world not as a tourist but as a contributing person. It was a good first impression of Tufts. As I continued my research, the idea that Tufts is a place where I can involve myself in humanity instead of watching it from the outside became evident. Whether or not I am given the opportunity to participate in...

Tufts University - There is a Quaker saying: “Let your life speak.” Describe the environment in which you were raised—your family, home, neighborhood or community—and how it influenced the person you are today. (Required length is 200-250 words) Sibling rivalry is the bane of any parent’s existence. With four teenagers in my family you would think my house would be rife with shouting, fighting, whining, and slamming doors as we try to exist in the same space....

Tufts University - Now we’d like to know a little bit more about you. Please respond to one of the following six questions (Required length is 200-250 words): Celebrate your nerdy side. The most important and thought provoking idea that ever came from Dungeons & Dragons is the Alignment Chart. Traditionally used as a method of classifying characters, the Alignment Chart has two separate categories with three options each. First a character is defined as "good", "neutral", or "evil", and...

Barnard College The academic advisors, the small classrooms, the Nine Ways of Knowing, and the Athena Scholars Program are just a few of the highlights I found at Barnard. The most amazing aspects about the college to me, however, are the students. When visiting most colleges, I tried to reach out to students who went there. Barnard was one of the few schools with students who reached back. A first-year, Kay, was willing to meet with me when I visited...

Barnard College - Pick one woman in history or fiction to converse with for an hour and explain your choice. What would you talk about? (250 word limit) Mary Shelley is now hailed as the inventor of science fiction, but at twenty years old, when Frankenstein was written, her authorship was kept secret because of her femininity. Sometimes, I find myself believing that we have improved as a society. Other times, I am not so sure. There isn't an actual way...

Barnard College - Alumna and writer Anna Quindlen says that she “majored in unafraid” at Barnard. Tell us about a time when you majored in unafraid. (250 word limit) When I started the college application process, I promised myself that I would visit every school to which I applied. It seemed easy when I thought I was only applying to colleges in Massachusetts, but as my list expanded a problem appeared. How was I going to visit Barnard College? Taking Barnard...

Boston University I first saw Boston University on a dreary, cold, silent Saturday, the kind of day on which everyone tells you not to visit. The campus was empty. There were no events happening. I knew that I wanted a college where the students are engaged with the world around them, but the way I visited didn't give anyone a strong chance to show me that. Without trying, however, the students did. After the tour, the guide walked me to...

Boston University -The Kilachand Honors College takes on big questions in the arts, sciences, and professions that go beyond the classroom. Write an essay of 600 words or less in response to the following issue: Which corrupts more, power or powerlessness? Either the pursuit of power or the desperation of powerlessness can lead to violence, dishonesty, theft, or even murder. Powerlessness however cannot corrupt a person as effectively as power, because of the legal imbalance between an individual in power and...

I put too much trust in the financial aid estimators hosted on college websites. I even made my decision about which college...

When you go to interviews, the interviewer will always want to know who you are....

Out of the four colleges that accepted me, I...

I plan on applying for a fellowship. It is likely I will not get a fellowship...

My decision was easy because Smith College...

Before the spring of my junior year, I knew nothing about the college process, so I started composing my list of colleges that were...

I worked full time during the summer between my junior and senior year. I believe that...