At the start of high school, I developed an interest in joining the junior-varsity basketball team. During my middle school years, I played basketball with my friends and, foolishly, thought I was better than some of the guys in the basketball team. I don't know why I had such pretentious thoughts. My pride was higher than Mount Everest and I could not accept the thought of anyone outperforming me in basketball. The night of October 28, 2012 arrived faster than I thought....

One day, my mom told me she was going to have me start piano lessons. I was six years old at the time, and my initial reaction was one of reluctance. My first piano teacher, Ms. Penny, taught me the basic elements of piano. I was discouraged because I thought piano was too abstract. However, as I listened to the classics such as “Fur Elise” and the “Hungarian Rhapsody” on the radio, my ear loved the melodies of those beautiful...

Abolition of Standardized Tests As a student, did standardized testing help or hurt you? Was it like being thrown into a lake without a life jacket? Standardized testing is not a sufficient method for determining if a student is ready for college. Rather, it is an insignificant factor that does not fully assess a student’s potential level of success in their first year of college. Standardized test scores do not accurately exhibit how well a student would academically perform...

Chipotle is the best restaurant in the world. Its combination of proteins, grains, and poultry is the reason why the restaurant attracts so many customers from all over the world. It is the “Food Mecca” for any person who is famished. I can’t a recall a day at school when I didn’t see at least one person eat a chicken or beef bowl from Chipotle. It stimulates my appetite and I become envious about that person eating that...

Hello everyone. Today, I would like to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. (repetition) and the impact that he had on this nation half a century ago. Martin Luther King Jr. was a prominent American civil rights leader who not allow the discrimination and racism of the 1960’s to pollute and intoxicate future generations. His passionate and peaceful attack on racism was like a fire that no cold water of racism could contain (simile). Because of this man, I am here...

Learning to do something that one is uncomfortable doing is very difficult, and perhaps frightening. A particular activity that I find uncomfortable is trying to swim underwater. My first time swimming happened on a sweltering, sunny day in July in Miami, Florida. I was five years old and my mom was teaching me the basic fundamentals of swimming. As a child, I did not like the idea of my head going underwater and attempting to swim underwater. I hated the...

In order to get recommenders, have a friendly relationship with your instructors. Do not be disruptive in class. Always turn in your work on time and...

Make sure you get your parents to help with you when writing your essays!!!! I can't stress that enough. Never ever write college essays on your own. They are way too important for you to write on your own. If your parents can't help with your college essays, schedule...

If you want to get into the college of your dreams, MAKE SURE YOU GET AT LEAST AN SAT SCORE OF 1850 OR ACT SCORE OF 30. Also, make sure your GPA is at least 3.85 or higher. No matter how fantastic your teacher recommendations or your college essays are, if you have an average or subpar standardized test score or GPA, I guarantee that you will be sorely disappointed when college admissions...