The tail emerged first, catching my eye. The ewe’s heaving chest indicated an abnormal birth. “Breech,” I said to my eight-year-old self. I recalled my dad using the term, but in the heat of the situation, my memory failed me. I grabbed a pair of rubber gloves and worked purely on instinct. Reaching for its rear legs, I pulled the fetlocks forward with the precision of a surgeon. The umbilical cord tugged, then broke. Gasping, the newborn struggled to...

What in particular about Yale has influenced your decision to apply? Yale is a place where I can be more. In my small high school I have never been truly challenged academically or socially. I’ve been offered simple classes, and I’ve known my 76 classmates my whole life. Yale would allow me an unparalleled education and the research opportunities to forever change the agriculture industry, all while allowing me to expand my knowledge of other cultures and make transnational...

It goes without saying that applying to an Ivy League college is intimidating. The pressure is almost tangible. If you're applying, chances are you take this process very seriously. In fact, my application essay is still saved on my computer...

I would recommend a variety of summer activities. First, you should definitely volunteer. Volunteering is obviously a great way to give back to your community. If you volunteer with an organization you're really passionate about, you'll gather hours very quickly. I spent a summer volunteering at the YMCA, and it was easily one of my most cherished summers thus far. Not only did I help children from economically-disadvantaged families attend summer camp, but I also reaped 500 volunteer hours. This helped me receive numerous scholarships throughout my senior year in...

Demographics were key for me. I've come to find that the Ivy League is like the electoral college: the larger the section of the country, the more "votes" those admissions counselors receive. Being from a small town in the midwest, I had a huge advantage when applying. My admissions counselors from both Harvard and Yale were responsible for the midwest. The number of applicants from this section of the country is obviously significantly lower than the number of applicants from the northeast...

I come from a town of about 500 people in rural South Dakota. I think that answers the question of whether or not I used a private admissions counselor. You don't need a tiger mom or unlimited resources to be accepted to a nice college (although if you have either of those things, great). In my humble opinion, I think more often than...

I was admitted to Harvard under early action. I visited the campus in February of my senior year. I spoke with the Office of Student Life to set up visits with both student organizations and professors. Coming in as a freshman I was very interested in concentrating in English literature studies. I...

Interestingly enough, my favorite class at Harvard was a gen ed requirement. I'll be honest, I'm a bit of a critique of the liberal arts experience. I came in with a very clear vision for myself, and I knew exactly what I wanted to concentrate in. While I agree that general education credits are vital to the making of a well-rounded, well-learned student, Primitive Navigation doesn't really seem like it should count as a math credit. It sounds like a waste...

East coast, beast coast. Boston is the quintessential college town. My classmates come from extremely diverse backgrounds, over 30 countries and 49 states in the U.S. We all agree, however, that Boston is a great place to be. I come from the Midwest, and I was nervous to make the transition. Not only had I never used public transportation in my entire life, but I was concerned that my naivety about large...

I originally planned on being a corporate zombie. I'd wanted to go to law school since I was in middle school. I built my foundation in law, job shadowing and getting legal internships. Once I got to Harvard, my plans changed drastically. Maybe it's the liberal arts experience, maybe it's the campus diversity, or maybe it's just that Harvard is the greatest college ever, but I found a new passion. Through taking two classes, Nutrition and Global Health and Responsibility, the...

One of Harvard's best selling points is its commitment to offering financial aid. I was incredibly blessed, and I have not had to take out student loans. I come from what many would consider an economically-challenged background. My parents' combined income was below the threshold for paying tuition. The only section I was responsible for paying was my parental contribution and a work-study contribution. During high school,...

You can view the full list of my activities in my profile, but for your convenience they are: Harvard Political Review, John Adams Society, Network of Enlightened Women Editor in Chief, Harvard Republican Club, Arete Academy Delegate, Harvard Admissions Winter Recruiter, Catholic Student Association, International Humanitarian Law Campaign, Harvard College Faith and Action. My community activities include: • Harvard Square Homeless Shelter Volunteer, Boston Women’s Shelter Volunteer, Call to Freedom Volunteer, YMCA Camp Counselor, HCFA Bible Course Leader, Feeding South Dakota Volunteer. I choose these activities because I care about them. Harvard's activity fair takes place in fall every year,...

I never would've known that the social life at Harvard is healthy and great. When I was accepted, one of my greatest worries about the school was that I wouldn't acclimate to the social environment. I had heard that in regards to academics, students were competitive and cold. On weekends, nothing was going to happen except...

Declining Yale was one of the hardest decisions I've had to face, academically. Though I was admitted to Harvard early action, I waited until decision week in May to commit to Harvard. My dad really wanted me to go to Yale. He thought that New Haven would be...