Fourteen different schools scattered across the globe and still I must ready myself for the inevitable interrogation that commences on the first day of nearly every school year. If you want to know my name, sure, I can answer that in a heartbeat, but you better be ready to take out a pen, and scrawl down the jumbled, mismatched letters that leave you wondering where on God's green Earth I'm from. After all, S-A-M-H-A-O-I-R doesn't dance quite so lithely on...

Question: USC (University of Southern California) students are known to be involved. Brie fly 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. I am an acrobat: the epitome of human grace and beauty. Too bad I can't seem to walk up a flight of stairs without falling flat on my face. For most gymnasts, free runners, cheerleaders...

Question: Which aspects of Tufts’ curriculum or undergraduate experience prompt your application? In short: “Why Tufts?” Jumbos are among the most culturally and internationally educated (not to mention, wonderfully nerdy) humans in the country, if not world. But what really sets me over the edge is the familiar passion that radiates from Tufts’ eclectic student body in every facet of campus life, ranging from IGL’s EPIIC program to Tufts’ Jumbo-run Pen Paint & Pretzels. As a theatre kid and International...

Specific to Bryn Mawr College (excerpt from essay): Closely aligned with my current and past experiences, my interest in international studies is mirrored in Bryn Mawr’s global approach to education (evident in its recently-added Center for International Studies and extensive Study Abroad programs), as it emphasizes the importance of exploring the world through diverse experiences and opportunities in order to bring into sharp focus the relevance and origin of unique perspectives. Having studied in over eight countries and six...

A lot of students tend to underestimate just how important teacher recommendations are...they are among the most important parts of your application. Regardless of how strong of an applicant you appear to be from your materials, colleges will almost always look to your teachers to second what you have to say about yourself. For example, if you claim that you're a huge history buff, but your teacher rates you as only average, you won't appear very favorably to colleges. One question that tends to come up a lot is usually whether students should ask a teacher known as a...

I definitely would have gotten an earlier start on college applications. The deadlines come a lot faster than you'd think, and it becomes increasingly stressful as those deadlines begin to rapidly approach. I spent my entire winter break ...

Make sure you go beyond location and other superficial elements that might seem obvious. Really dig deep, and find specific aspects of the school to mention in your essay. It should ideally be 70% about the school's specifics and 30% about how those specifics apply to you. Below is an example of my "Why" essay for Tufts: Jumbos are among the most culturally and internationally educated (not to mention, wonderfully nerdy) humans in the country, if not world. But what really sets me over the edge is the familiar passion that radiates from Tufts’ eclectic student body in every facet of campus...

If you can afford it, or get Pro Bono counseling, I certainly think it...

Location was a huge determining factor for me. I applied to schools located in big cities, primarily...