“It sounded like a wounded duck!” squealed the flute player to me. “Nah, more of a dying seal,” remarked a trombone player, as he approached my chair. “No, guys, just a confused clarinet,” added a wandering percussionist with a chuckle. I had had enough. Humid Florida weather and extreme embarrassment had taken all humor out of the situation. My hair looked like a lion’s mane and I was ready to run home to New Jersey. I did my best...

Though I had a lot of help with my personal statement, the task was not easy. After switching my topic three separate times, I decided on a topic that showed my ability to overcome embarrassment and failure (which is something I feel like I do often). After writing my first draft, I immediately sent it to my parents and my private college advisor, who promptly sent it back. They made me do edit after edit, draft after draft to show...

I think a major downside of my application process was how I viewed the schools I applied to: I focused...