"Dirty." "Illegal.""Poor." "Beaner." “Lazy.” "Ana." "Rice." "Tacos." “Fence-hopper. ” I listened to my sociology teacher read words, which my peers associated with "Mexican," from anonymous note-cards. After ten years in predominantly white private schools, I can’t say I was surprised. But it felt weird hearing my name listed with words that didn't associate with me at all. "Whatever," I thought...

(If I could do something with no risk of failing, I would... 200 characters) start a worldwide program to educate every potential john on the dangers and damages of prostitution. It'd make men and women see each human's dignity to abolish demands for prostitution everywhere.

(Sculptor Jacques Lipchitz once said, "Cubism is like standing at a certain point on a mountain and looking around. If you go higher, things will look different; if you go lower, again they will look different. It is a point of view." With this in mind, describe a moment when your perspective changed.) "I have really bad breathe in the morning," says Cady Heron in an effort to fit in with her friends as they complain about minor aspects of...

(What is something you created that makes you especially proud, and why? 700 characters) Seniors at DCHS head a project to provide Christmas to sixty families around Des Moines. I grouped with seven friends to create Christmas for a family of six. As the only Spanish-speaker, I took the lead in organizing and communicating with our family. We energized our adopted homeroom to donate money and gifts even though they'll never meet the family. As student body president, I worked with...

Writing essays can be very difficult, especially when schools give super obscure prompts, or prompts with really short word limits. You have to be elaborate, precise, and ready to cut out unnecessary info, which can be hard work. My advice is to look at each sentence and think- will this help them see what I want them to see? Or- is this essential to explaining something else in this essay? If the answer is no, and you need the room-...

My recommendation letters were from a language arts teacher who I'd had for three semesters, I chose her because she had taught me my freshman and junior years, showing that she knew me well. Also, because she was my AP Comp teacher- it helps to have recommendations from teachers who have tougher classes that require more of the student. I think these are the...

I only interviewed with one school, and that was Brown. This was my first choice school, so as you can imagine, I was incredibly nervous. Though it's not the greatest, most unique advice ever, I encourage applicants to be themselves. If that does not include using huge, eloquent words, or acting incredibly proper, awkward, and uncomfortable, then don't do it. I will, however, admit that I got incredibly lucky. My interviewer was actually my middle school principal's son in law. I didn't know that at first, but through casual conversation we found out. After that, it was even easier to...