Common App Essay: "This is a red line train to Portland City Center and Beaverton Transit Center." A monotone voice pours out of hidden loudspeakers and cycles through four public transit lines. For most, the speakers are simply a guide to a future destination. For the chess players of Portland's Pioneer Square, the sound is a heartbeat. At first the audio is background noise, but over time it becomes something different. For almost all who have been a part of...

Make sure to work on projects that are OUTSIDE OF THE BOX. Everyone plays an instrument, plays soccer, etc. Everyone who I've sene get in to Stanford is either a super genius,...