“Go, go, go!” I whispered frantically as we ducked behind the most peculiar of hideaways. Hunched underneath a pullout sofa display, I had gained temporary safety. Bewildered shoppers looked on with prejudicial stares as gangs of teenagers, clad in “KHS Swimming” apparel, dashed through IKEA, seeking refuge from Public Enemy No.1, the seeker. This ingenious idea for our weekly post-pasta party team-bonding experience arose from a tremendous brainstorming session between my fellow captain Natalie and me. The desolate furniture warehouse,...

Emory University's 250 Word Supplement: 'If you were a professor at Emory and could make you own class, what would it be and how would you implement your lessons?" Critics of modern society have long blamed urban “fads”, such as “twerking”, “selfies”, “planking”, and “the Harlem shake”, for corrupting our youth and initiating the death of culture. In my “Evolution of Contemporary Social Practices” course, which combines elements of history, communications, sociology, psychology, and philosophy, students will analyze trends in human...

UNC, UCLA, UC Berkeley Supplement "Why do you do what you do?" On one seemingly unremarkable day in mid-October I had decided to stay behind and assist my French teacher resettle the room after a session of group work. As we toiled over the task, her homeroom shuffled in unnoticed. Noah, a boy known for his fragility and multiple medical conditions, caught my eye as he walked in with slightly jerky movements. Unknowingly, we all continued in our own spheres,...

UF Honors 300 word Supplement: "If you were given $10,000 dollars to study abroad, where would you go and why?" Every other year, I begrudgingly shuffle into the plane, beginning yet another tedious antipodal migration from Tampa to Kolkata. All first-generation Indian-Americans are accustomed with this annual passage to visit family. Unfortunately, the scene that awaits me, outside of the luxury of the airport, does not match the India printed in magazines and billboards. Hot, sticky, and vexed, I am passed around...

UF Honors 150 word Supplement: "If you could choose your next roommate from any book, movie, or TV show, who would you choose and why? There is simply no better choice for a literary roommate than Algernon Moncrieff from Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest”. In the play, Wilde channels his remarkably quick wit through the character of Algernon. Algernon provides some of the most sarcastic lines in the play, such as “all divorces are made in heaven.” I...

Recent Scholarship (that I got) Essay about Community Service: Similar to the mechanisms of a chemical reaction, a single spark of “activation energy” can set off a cascade of positive change within the community. In exposing myself to opportunities for personal growth through service, I serve as the activation energy to make a difference in my local community as well as the global society. Currently, I am studying public health in Chiang Mai, Thailand, the second largest city in Thailand...

Throughout the application process, it is extremely easy to get caught up by the plethora of attractive features that each school offers. However, it is of paramount importance to remember that with these additional "services" comes an additional cost. Money is should be one of, if not the main, factors you consider when choosing a school. Sure attending a pretentious Ivy League may boost your ego and resume a bit; but, what good will that do if you...

I interviewed with only 4 schools: Duke, Northwestern, Cornell, and Emory. Without a doubt, my hardest interview was Northwestern because the whole thing was over in 15 minutes. I felt that I didn't really have enough time to get my points across. The other two were more conversation-like and better scheduled. Unlike Northwestern, where one alumni interviews all of the...

Whatever you do, do not take out loans for an undergraduate degree. In the big scheme of things, it doesn't really matter where you did your undergrad. What matters most, and what professional schools look for, is that you did well and took advantage of the available opportunities. Anyways, a few weeks after you're accepted, you should get the financial details from your school. free money is always the best money. So look for...

Summer is the time to either catch up or get ahead. If you want to attend an elite school, you can't have "lazy" summer. Of course, that doesn't mean that you can't go on vacations and hang out with friends; just know that you need to do...

First off, I wish I had applied earlier. I am a pro procrastinator; so, I would always wait till the last minute to submit my apps. Get your shit out of the way ASAP; you'll feel some much better pressing that...