When I was eleven years old, I marched my pantless grandmother (Po-Po) out of our local Barnes & Noble with my head held high. I swear, she was wearing pants when she and my grandfather (Gong-Gong) had picked me up that morning for some quality grandparent-granddaughter time. The plan had been quite simple; I just wanted to check out the bookstore. Maybe we might make it to the movie theater too, but with my family’s love for books, time can...

Being able to craft a new organ out of a patient's own cells, one guaranteed to be a perfect match and that could be made to order, sounds like a beautiful, unimaginable fantasy, especially to those like me who have watched a loved one go through the never-ending process of getting an organ transplant. Bioprinting could one day turn that seemingly impossible dream into a reality and completely revolutionize the world of organ transplants. I can imagine the years of...

Using a favorite quotation from an essay or book you have read in the last three years as a starting point, tell us about an event or experience that helped you define one of your values or changed how you approach the world. Please write the quotation, title and author at the beginning of your essay. “Dream is the personalized myth, myth the depersonalized dream" The Hero With a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell As a young girl, I was...

Virtually all of Stanford's undergraduates live on campus. Write a note to your future roommate that reveals something about you or that will help your roommate—and us—know you better. Dear Future Roommate, Everything you could possibly need to know about me is written out plain as day in the pictures with which I cover my walls. The giant poster of the Narrows at Zion National park along with an array of snapshots of sweaty hiking trips in the...

What matters to you, and why? During the time period that it took me to write my first draft of this essay, my best friend sent me 46 messages, just because she missed me. Looking through those texts (at least half of which were lyrics from Hannah Montana’s finest tunes) reminded me that relationships with other people are the most precious things that we can acquire. The girl I know who once believed enchiladas to be a Chinese food matters...

Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences. (150 word limit) It's rather comical how newborn babies howl for hours without going hoarse, yet most adults lose their voice after one night at a concert. Like everyone else, I knew how to "sing," or really scream, without damaging the vocal cords at birth. However, tension building in my muscles has strangled my voice. As my teacher would tell me, singing can only be truly beautiful when you...

How did you first learn about Rice University and what motivated you to apply? (250 word limit) Picture college. Growing up, I tried to do just that quite a few times. While many images came to mind, I lingered on a few. Those were images of the innovative, groundbreaking laboratory work, of the mechanisms in my mind turning over a new challenge, of confidently striding into a new life as that odd creature, an engineer with a love for the theatrical...

The quality of Rice's academic life and the Residential College System are heavily influenced by the unique life experiences and cultural traditions each student brings. What personal perspective do you feel that you will contribute to life at Rice? (500 word limit) I was raised on grits and guo-tes. Every Thanksgiving, I stuffed myself with Southern dressing (never stuffing) and creamed corn in a little house my granddaddy built himself in Equality, Alabama. Every February, I dressed in red and bowed...

I did not use a private admissions counselor, but for...

I applied for many scholarships, despite receiving plenty of financial aid. While these scholarships did not decrease the parental contribution for my...

I would definitely advise looking into summer programs that are offered by your school or nationally acclaimed summer programs in your field of interest....

I received a note from my college admissions counselor at...

Definitely find really specific things that show that you are a good fit for...

For me, I wanted a college experience that not only provided me a...

I cannot stress enough exactly how important it is to start early! The College Board releases the Common App Essay prompts over the summer and writing those...