The Team-Player This world has more leaders than it calls for. My peers seek the grandiose headings like president, secretary, and just about any often meaningless title people tag onto their resumes; they forget what it means to serve the greater good, without a name that highlights their “superior” devotion. I, on the other hand, am a “team player” in every connotation of the phrase. Finishing my third year of band, I felt obligated to tryout for field commander, knowing...

My rising awareness of the pressing issues on our society inspires my designation as a international relations major. Simple as that. On the other hand, my identity as an artist results from my passion for exploring the world and interpreting it on my own. In this sense, the two seemingly divergent pursuits actually converge, giving me hope that I can integrate both interests in my future. While I searched for a reason to pinpoint my attraction to USC, the university�...

From the second I stepped foot into the Georgetown area, I was fascinated with the vibrance of the town. When I stepped foot on campus, I fell in love. While the gothic image of Healy Hall against the grey sky filled me with austere wonder, I cannot say my application is prompted by the sheer beauty of the campus --- in fact, my attraction to Georgetown results from a multitude of contrasts. For example, I value the solid Jesuit traditions...

My father proposed to my mother a stone’s throw away from Columbia. Twenty years later, I walked past that brownstone on the way to my first formal college visit. From the second I stepped foot on campus on that brisk October day, the teal roofs and trademark libraries filled me with awe. Yet what secured my passion for the university was its use of the city to transform a liberal arts education into a plan for the future. With...

Briefly describe a non-academic pursuit (such as service to community or family, a club or sport, or work, etc.,) that best illustrates who you are, and why it is important to you. (250 word limit) The oboe is the bane of my existence. In sixth grade, I decided that in order to further distinguish myself, I had to play one of the strangest instruments that existed. I admired the oboe’s tone quality and sought to play the best I could,...

I knew that it would be smart to include schools that didn't have low admissions rates, like Vermont, for a sense of security. I wanted some schools in the middle also, like DePaul and OSU, in which I knew I had a fair chance of admission. The...

Your recommenders don't necessarily have to be from the teachers who taught the classes in which you performed best. They should just...

I am thrilled with where I ended up, no doubt, but my main regret is honestly not widening my search. I knew a lot about a lot of different schools, but at the end of the day, I was ruling out schools that I just didn't think I could afford...

I think in the end what helped me get into the schools that I didn't think I really had a good chance of getting into was the sheer honesty...