I am writing this essay from within the bathroom. Please, don't think too far into that. With the toilet cover down and the door shut, this one sacred space affords me some much sought-after privacy in a house with five other people and a cat that insists on an open door policy. Surrounded by dental necessities, most would find themselves distracted, especially due to the bright orange and green color scheme. I, however, find peace in this one place where...

Amherst College- I was sixteen years old and I was absolutely certain I was never going to get my license. I had failed miserably at driving from day one, and the task of obtaining my license had become insurmountable in my mind. I felt like a failure for one of the first times in my life. My parents had spent hours practicing with me on my permit, all to no avail. Every driving session ended in tears for me and...

Tufts University- One of the first things I saw upon arriving at Tufts was a sign about bike parking that stated something like, “if you park here, the police will cut your lock and that will be sad.” Immediately, I knew I wanted to go to Tufts. Ridiculous? Yes. Yet it was this quirky sign that let me know that this was where I fit in. I loved that Tufts was unique, and honestly nerdy. This refusal to care if...

Tufts University- I have lived in a total of ten different houses in various towns since I was born. Though they were vastly different homes and areas, the common element has always been my mother. We moved frequently throughout my childhood and she was practically my only constant. When everything else was unfamiliar, she provided shelter, she provided warmth, she provided home. Whether she was sacrificing the last slice of pizza to me or taking a day off of work...

Tufts University--I was raised by a single teenage mother who, at one point, worked two jobs while putting herself through college and caring for two children. My mother couldn’t have done it on her own. Whether governmental aid such as the free and reduced lunch program or individual contributions such as the sponsor who allowed me to go to after school programs and summer camp, we owe a lot to individuals and institutions who made a difference in our...

Wellesley College- I have always been a feminist. It was not until I entered my sophomore year of high school, however, that I became a feminist who obsesses over powerful female political figures. Any woman who can break into the number one area of society from which women were forbidden for most of history certainly impresses me. Immediately upon hearing about the Albright Institute, I knew that I had to apply to Wellesley. Though I had been inspired by all...

I ended up having to choose between Amherst College and Tufts University, and chose Amherst for a myriad of reasons including the location and my love of the small school atmosphere. All throughout the application process I was set on a city! Amherst was the one non-urban school I looked at, and come decision time I had completely changed my mind! I definitely recommend looking at plenty of different types of schools due to this, and keeping your options open. Thank goodness everything...

START EARLY! I cannot emphasize this enough. I started in early September and completely regretted that I hadn't gotten the silly CommonApp stuff...

I did not use a private admissions counselor, and...

I ended up declining offers of admission from six schools. Many of them were "safety schools" that, though I'm sure I would've been happy at, could not provide the same...