Immigrant parents with a few dollars to their name and a tiny house packed full with fifteen people at one time isn't exactly the ideal recipe for success. My father grew up with the odds already stacked against him, fighting an uphill battle from the beginning. Every year of his life was a struggle to overcome his situation, pushing himself through the endless hours of medical school, enduring the sleepless nights, raising a family in the midst of it all....

Question: Optional wait-list essay for UC Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley has been my top choice school since the very beginning of my Freshman year. Everything about the school and the campus amazed me, from the clock tower and beautiful scenery to the vibrancy and intellectual ability of the student body. I remember people telling me just how difficult Cal was, and I faced questions on a daily basis as to why I desperately wanted to go to a...

Question: Describe the unique qualities that attract you to the specific undergraduate College or School (including preferred admission and dual degree programs) to which you are applying at the University of Michigan. How would that curriculum support your interests? Throughout my high school career, I have been invested in attaining excellence in every aspect of my life. In the realm of academics, I strive to analyze and comprehend the subject matter, rather than simply knowing it to pass the test....

Question: Many human beings throughout history have found inspiration and joy in literature and works of art. Is there a book, play, poem, movie, painting, music selection, or photograph that has been especially meaningful to you? (Boston College) "All right then, I'll go to hell!" This one statement, so poignantly and simply crafted, serves to remind me of the power of the human conscience. Mark Twain brilliantly illustrates how, against all odds, Huckleberry Finn has overcome the restrictions of societal...

I focused on my essays reflecting who I was personally, so I was cautious to have too many people look over and change my essays. I certainly had a few people proofread them and took suggestions based on clarity, grammar, etc. but I didn't want to take away my personal voice from the essays, so I didn't change too much in the way of content, voice, or style. I wrote about what I was truly passionate about, and wrote in...

Ask teachers that you know on a personal level and be confident that they like you. Oftentimes, the teacher that you know the best and the class that you performed the best in are not the same....

A successful "why us" essay will reflect that you have some knowledge about the school you're applying to and that you're actually passionate about attending...

Berkeley is looking for people who go above and beyond the basics and who take the responsibility of furthering their own education. Try to find topics that will make you stand out and that highlight you as a problem solver or critical thinker. If you happen to find yourself wait-listed at UC Berkeley, I would recommend writing a personal...

After being wait-listed at Berkeley, I wrote the optional essay and talked about why I was a good...

My approach to sending in applications was a little haphazard--I had about three schools that I knew I definitely liked, and the rest I added because they were prestigious or they sounded interesting to me...

I've known since middle school that I wanted to go to school in California. I was initially wait listed at one of my top choice schools--UC Berkeley, and I was devastated over...

Nothing that I did in high school was groundbreaking or extraordinary, but I was still accepted by the majority of schools that I applied to. I think this is because I fully dedicated myself...