When I was younger, it was evident to me that special attention was directed towards my brother. I was constantly told to be careful of what I would say to my brother in case he became upset, but I was never told why, nor did I understand why he had to be treated with such care. Naturally, I felt neglected and jealous as a child because he received so much attention. From this, I became convinced that my parents despised...

As a child coming from a low income family, I did not own many things. My father held down a restaurant job for most of his life, while my mother was unemployed for the most of her’s. My parents were unable to afford any luxuries and could only provide my siblings and I with basic necessities. Growing up, a majority of my possessions were hand-me-downs, most particularly clothing. It was rare that I ever received anything new of my...

Honestly, UC Santa Barbara was never my dream school. It wasn't my dream school until after I was accepted and visited the campus for the first time ever. And visiting the campus was a bit accidental. My cousin was accepted into UCSB as well and I thought that I would just tag along to see what they offered although I wasn't that interested. But when I arrived on the campus everything and everyone was so lively. The school spirit was undoubtedly there and students looked happy to...

Though I was accepted into most of my other UCs it was definately difficult to choose which to attend. Something in me wanted to attend Davis, not for what they offered but because of the school name. But I decided to not attend Davis because it was too close to home and I felt that UCSB had more to offer. Though both are great colleges, I think that UCSB will...

UC Santa Barbara is not a school that is entirely about academics. They are also one of the...

Honestly, I felt very uninformed during the application process. I had several questions just about everything. And it is terrible because most people are doing college applications during Thanksgiving break, so it is not like you could ask your counselor...

1. Sleep deprived 2....

I feel like in some sense, you realistically know what colleges you will get into for sure, which you will not, and some you might have a shot at. I recommend that you realistically think about what colleges are within your range and definately apply for easier schools as backup. A friend of mines applied to the some of the most competitive UCs- UC Los Angelese, UC Santa Barbara, UC Davis, and UC San Diego. Unfortunately, he was...