Who am I? If you looked at me, you would see a young African American male who’s about 5’10’’, a little underweight, rather sociable, quite a music lover, and very goal oriented. You would learn that I am in the school’s marching band, and the academic decathlon team, and a member of many of the organizations of my high school. But who am I really? I am the first born son to immigrant parents from Ethiopia. I live in...

Growing up, I had always been very analytically minded. I conducted my life as though it were a series of steps and, like a scientist, would approach any task I faced methodically, only accepting success. This left-brained dominance served me well throughout my school career, and I achieved high grades due to my meticulous nature. However, when I decided to learn to play the euphonium my freshman year, I found a challenge that I could not solve analytically. The struggle...

When I was young, I was a blank slate, a clean canvas, a block of marble. I went through life, growing up and encountering many people who left an impression on me here or there, chipping away at the block. However, there has been one person in my life whose strong presence has guided me throughout my life. My father, the master sculptor, has played an integral role in my life. His past experiences and strong moral character have shaped...

As a child, I lived near the fine arts district of Dallas. Whenever we had the chance, my parents and I would view the vivid masterpieces hosted at the art museum or go to the symphony hall to listen to the enrapturing performances of the orchestral musicians. I remember the sense of belonging I felt whenever I visited these art venues. I was a part of the greater community of people that would invest their time in the sights and...

Essays should be true to your experiences. This is the only place where you can show a reader who you are. From personal experience talking to admissions officers, each admissions person tries to specifically shape a class (especially at the elite schools). This means you can't be a generic science kid or a generic athlete. You have to show what you can contribute to a community. Take the essay as the only thing that will distinguish you. Your grades and...

I applied to schools thinking that only prestige mattered. Therefore I eliminated a lot of schools from my application list based on name alone. While prestige matters in some regards, you need to know if the school is the right fit for you. After all, this is the...