"Without balance, you have nothing." My fencing coach has taught me many things, but this is by far the most important. He demonstrated it during my very first lesson, when he nearly toppled me over with merely a light push on the shoulder as I stood in the en garde position. Although I quickly found my balance while fencing, it wasn't as easy to find balance in the rest of my life. My family is Korean, but I grew up...

I wish I could say that last summer I found a cure for cancer or ended world hunger—accomplishments I could be proud of—but all I can honestly tell people is that I worked at the mall for minimum wage. For many people, a summer job at the mall may sound like an appropriate way for a teenager to spend her summer. However, I attend a fiercely competitive school, where students will wait hours on line to speak to...

​In Yale, I see a home. A home isn’t just a place where I can find comfort, but a place where I can grow and be challenged. So while I find comfort in the student-run butteries, which echo my own late-night snacking sessions with my dad, and in the strong Korean-American community, I am undaunted by the unfamiliar. I want to perform research in a chemistry lab on Science Hill. I want to tell stories through words and photography....

Taoist philosophy says to “go with the flow.” I’m not Taoist, but it still matters to me that I take the time to enjoy life. It seems as though everyone is constantly looking into the future and not spending enough time embracing the present. My best friend, for instance, is anxious to graduate high school and begin a new chapter of her life. I, too, am excited about the possibilities the future holds, but I am also satisfied with...

I interviewed with both of the schools I applied to (Yale and Harvard). I applied to Yale as Early Action, and Harvard during Regular Decision, so I interviewed with Yale first. The interview was definitely not what I expected! Most people talk about visiting a campus to do an on-campus interview, or about meeting their interviewers, often alumni of the university, in a coffee shop. However, my Yale interviewer was a current student there. He was a senior who worked for the admissions office, and the interview was conducted over Skype! I didn't even have to wear nice pants; I...

When I first began to think about colleges during junior year, I had no idea where I wanted to go! Thankfully, there are a bunch of fantastic websites that offer a handy college search tool. All you have to do is enter information about a few key features and its level of importance to you. I recommend using the one offered by College Board! It really helped...

I knew immediately when the time came along that I wanted my English teacher to write me a recommendation letter. It made the most logical sense; I took two of his classes. One was in freshman year, and the other in junior year, so he could write a lot more than other teachers could. However, I really struggled to figure...

There are only so many things you can write about any school. Chances are, you're interested in a school for a lot of the same reasons as other students: excellence in certain courses or majors, a beautiful campus, perhaps a low student to faculty ratio, plenty of research...

There are so many things you can do over the summer, so you might as well choose something you enjoy! Do something productive that will show your passion or dedication. For...