I discussed two extracurricular activities in which I had participated and how they had contributed to my skills and personality. I focused on defining events within each of these activities, how I dealt with the challenge, and what I got out of the experience. One challenge was a debate tournament and one was a difficult topic discussed by an administrative board. Both times, I had to defend an unpopular position and I explained why these were valuable experiences to me....

I did not use a private college counselor. I was lucky that my teachers were willing to read and edit my essays and provide feedback. I believe I benefitted from not having a counselor because my essays were unique, as counselors provide the same advice to...

I had a wide variety of interview experiences. Mostly, it was alumni who loved their school and want to make sure that you would be a good fit for it. I don't know how much weight the interview really carries. Just be somewhat informed about the school, ask enthusiastic...

As cheesy as it sounds, I really liked my extracurriculars and I think it showed...