My name is Julia and I have something to say. Ideas flow as I sit in my first Junior year class ready to attack, feeling like I could take on the world. The teacher calls on a neighboring student, one who clearly demonstrates a comprehensive knowledge of the material. Suddenly choked with fear, my more familiar mindset kicks in: "don't speak up, you might sound stupid," it tells me. So, time after time, I allow myself to remain silent. For...

Community. Colgate's diverse, close knit campus life unites students, professors and alumni to form a huge family. I thrive in small environments where I can cultivate bonds with friends and educators. While visiting the campus and speaking with friends who currently attend Colgate, I was amazed to discover how intellectually engaged students are with both the school and the Hamilton community at large. The alumni participation in Colgate's 2013 one-day fundraising campaign with over 5,600 donors, mentioned by my tour guide, really...

Choose two teachers or role models in your life that know you for you. Don't worry about the grade you got in their class. Chances are, if you gave the course a wholehearted effort, took advantage of outside opportunities (ie. extra help, extra credit opportunities), and demonstrated dedication to the material, they already can tell. Additionally, make sure that their subjects aren't directly overlapping - that is, choose a science teacher and social science teacher, rather than two...

I will be attending Colgate University, in Hamilton, NY. Colgate is a small liberal arts college located in a small town, known for its rigorous course of study and active campus life. Additionally, Colgate's active alumni network and close knit community set it apart. Being that there...