I grew up going to church every Sunday and Wednesday, rarely did I miss a service. I was homeschooled, kindergarten through middle school, learning daily from the Christian-based curriculum textbooks that were purchased by my parents, for me and my siblings. My father was a preacher; my mother was both a stay at home mom and my schoolteacher. Needless to say, the early stages of my life consisted of and were based upon my family’s religion. It was natural...

People and their beliefs are extraordinarily interesting to consider. Some people view all values to merely be one’s opinion on matters, while others mistake a simple opinion to be an inherent moral truth. Such mistakes seem to occur in nearly all debates or discussions that even slightly relate or appeal to a person’s values or opinions. Upon entering public high school, I was almost blindsided with the realization that many people do not mind challenging all that you stand for. From your petty opinion on something of little importance, to maybe your core religious beliefs, people will try...

The alarm clock sounds. I open my eyes, and deep from under my covers I think, “What do I have to do today?” I think about the vocab quiz and the words tumbling through my head. I think about the paper on King Lear I crammed in the night before, the intricate ideas still fresh in my mind. I think about having to walk my dog, and do the laundry. I think about how I must read 20 pages of Speak, Memory on the bus to school. I think about the list of terms that I must memorize for my Economics...

My favorite course happens to be English 101 with Stephanie Selvick. Never in a million years would I have expected to say my favorite course is anything related to...

I find that the most stressful aspect of writing college essays is insufficient time. Don't wait until the weekend or even the week before the essays are due - start over the summer, especially if these essays are for scholarships. Start early, map out a writing schedule, and stick to it. Dedicate at least several weeks to the process because good essays take multiple drafts. You have the best ingredients to a good essay already: your life story. How the ingredients come together and which flavors you decide to highlight can make all the difference. Talk to people who know...

I declined other schools because they were not located around my state, let alone my hometown. My parents prodded me to...