My hands were shaking as I drove the car back into the DMV parking lot. To drive independently was the moment I dreamed. I would finally have my driver’s license and more freedom. I stopped the car and waited for the proctor to finish jotting down his notes. Then he told me that I had failed my driving test. After failing my test, I was extremely disappointed in myself and thought that it defined me. I became so frustrated...

Consider the following scenario: You’ve been given the unique opportunity to create a brand new course to be offered at Pepperdine University. You have complete autonomy over the course topic, as well as how and where the course curriculum will be presented. What course would you create and how will it contribute to the academic and co-curricular experience at the University? (50-300 words) One of the most troubling trends in the online world is the inability for people to...

Seek out recommenders as soon as school starts Senior year. Literally everyone at your high school will be asking their favorite teachers. Make your presence known by asking for letters within the first two weeks of school. Doing so will give teachers time to personalize your essay and give a thorough evaluation of you. Recommendations can make or...

By decision day, I had narrowed my choices to USC, UPenn, BU and UCLA. As a business major, USC and UPenn were the two at the top of my list. UPenn boasted Wharton, touted the premier business school in America. USC boasted Marshall, one of the top but not the best business schools. I ultimately chose USC for 4 reasons. Money, Weather, Sports and Connections. I earned a Presidential (half-tuition) scholarship from USC, and my mom, as an employee at Keck Medical center, was eligible for tuition reimbursement. This reimbursement meant that SC would cover tuition and my family would only...

Choosing schools to apply to can be as difficult as the actual applications if one treats it like a crapshoot. The best advice I received was to choose schools based on two or three majors of interest. Many applicants will focus on a specific major, say, engineering, and only apply to engineering schools. This...

USC specific essay I earned a Presidential (half-tuition) scholarship simply by applying by the merit scholarship deadline (early-mid December). I believe the university considers whether or not to award a scholarship then uses financial information to determine the scholarship amount. Even if you don't believe you'll get a scholarship, apply by the deadline. SC is pretty generous with these scholarships so you should have a good chance...