Many people find high school both exciting and stressful, and I am no exception. Each day, people are changing both physically and emotionally; interests, classes, and even friends can change. In such a dynamic environment, it is important to have some notion of consistency to keep us grounded as who we really are on the inside. For me, school bus fifteen has been my static, daily refuge for the past four years. It is consistent, mundane, and regular, and provides...

The Admissions Committee would like to learn why you are a good fit for your undergraduate school choice (College of Arts and Sciences, School of Nursing, The Wharton School, or Penn Engineering). Please tell us about specific academic, service, and/or research opportunities at the University of Pennsylvania that resonate with your background, interests, and goals. (400-650 words) “Knowing is not enough. We must apply.” The legendary German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said these words in regards to the...

Should I even TRY to go to a top tier university? Or should I even go to college at all? The answer to this second question is, quite obviously, yes. Just getting some level of college education (not even graduating) is proven to carry several benefits. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, people that have attended college (without graduating with a degree) are on average happier, healthier, less likely to be unemployed, and make 73$ more than high-school graduates per week. If you graduate college, this gap in benefits increases. The first and often larger question is harder to answer....

SATs and subject tests / ACTs Standardized testing is the bane of student existence. Several extensive experiments have shown that SATs/ACTs are poor indicators of future success, racially biased, and overall a waste of time and money. Unfortunately, they play a huge role in college admissions, so you better be really f*cking good at them. First thing you may be wondering: which do I take? I recommend starting with SATs. If you get a 2400 on your SATs (actually they are changing it, so really 1600), you have a pretty solid chance of getting into at least one Ivy. In my...