As a child, my well-worn library card was a key that unlocked a world of imagination. My passion for reading began when I was a toddler; my mom would read me The Cat in The Hat over and over each night at my behest. As I grew up, my reading selections became more challenging (in the fourth grade I attempted Dracula, and in the seventh, Crime and Punishment), but I always peppered into my library list a book or two...

"Leadership is a core value of North Carolina State University. Please explain your personal view of leadership and how this view has influenced you to make a difference in your home, school and/or community." - Kenneth Blanchard said, “The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority.” In my role as Lead Technician at Sprint, I made a concerted effort to demonstrate to my co-workers the benefits of doing the right things, and doing them with integrity, while...

"Discuss any obstacles and/or hardships you have encountered and how you dealt with them." - In 2009 I was laid off from my job at a software company. At first I was distressed and angry, then depressed and apathetic, but at a certain point, I realized that losing my job and eventually having to take another at much lower pay didn't ruin me, it freed me. Having a more flexible schedule allowed me to begin again pursuing my education, and...

"Describe the reasons you have chosen to enter the major that you selected previously in this application." - I chose philosophy because, when I read philosophy, I feel like it speaks my language. The ability to think critically and analyze is integral to myriad other disciplines, so whatever I do professionally, whether it be teaching, writing, policy research, or otherwise, studying philosophy gives a solid foundation on which to understand the world. As a kid, I would ask, "Why?" until...

"NC State is a community that is strong because of the diversity of our perspectives and experiences. Please describe how you could contribute to or benefit from campus diversity." - Exposure to diversity of backgrounds and ideas has the effect of putting me outside myself, so that I can see things from new perspectives and understand the world in a more complete way. I bring with me a different perspective to share with other students, being older and having lived...

I write and edit for the school newspaper. It's allowed me to hone my writing...

I really enjoyed public speaking. It can be nerve-wracking for some people, but public...

Transferring, in some ways, is even easier than applying right out of high school. You've already...

Internships! Internships are a great way to get some experience...

My grades and test scores were good, but in my...