In many ways, high school is a world of strict stereotypes, where the nerd has never spoken to the quarterback, the mathlete will never be friends with the cheerleader, and the jock has never stepped foot in the music hallway. I am proud of crossing the lines drawn between these groups, breaking out of my comfort zone to pursue a broad spectrum of interests. As freshmen, we were bombarded by club officers recruiting us for everything from Science Club to...

“See, the line y=x go through the orange – ” I chuckled. “You mean the origin, Dad?” My father has a thick Chinese accent, and although amusing at times, it is by no means an indication of a lack of intelligence. With a PhD in mathematics from UC Berkeley, my father taught me much more than how to throw a ball, ride a bike, or tread water – he introduced me to math. As I grew up, my father naturally shared his...

Nine people, one extremely difficult piece, and me at the head of the group. We had one week to master Shostakovitch's String Quartet No. 8 before performing at the State House for Kristallnacht memorial night. The piece was written to capture the emotions of victims of war, and – if played properly – could sound phenomenal. But without a conductor, we would fall apart if even one person rushed or one note was missed. It was imperative for us nine to know each...

Dance and a capella at...

My favorite courses at Princeton haven't been my favorite because the content was the most interesting, but rather because the professors...

Every year right before graduation, Princeton hosts an amazing 3-day reunions event for all...

I would have visited more schools and gone on...

I did have a private counselor who helped me edit my essays. I highly recommend it if...

All my interviews were really different. But...

I'm working...

I declined some of the schools I was accepted to because I either didn't know very much about them, they were in a location I...

I ultimately felt that Princeton would be able to give me the best education and most opportunities. Plus,...

It's important to focus on unique aspects of Princeton (or whichever school you're writing about). The admissions officers...