My father drove the red bus. From the time I was born to my ninth year, I was sure that when I saw a red Triboro Coach bus, I was amongst family. Endless lines of scarlet buses were a constant fixture, blurring in my vision like a succession of cardinals in flight, as constant as the yellow handwriting books and pink Barbie dolls that colored my world. Next, came white signs and sad gray people on the television screen and...

QUESTION: What was the best gift you've ever given? I am a big fan of cards. Birthday cards, Christmas cards, even Halloween cards. They are all opportunities to let others know what we truly feel and why we feel that way. I write them with bright colored pens and big words like stupendous and love. It should be no surprise, then, that the best gift I have ever given came with a card. My best friend had had less than...

I wrote my essay about a highly personal experience: my father going on strike. I decided on this topic because it told a great deal about me as a person and my experiences, but also was unique and might not have been used a lot.

I interviewed with Trinity College and Yale University. My Trinity interview went very well and...

Schools with strong English programs and a...

Passionate, intelligent,...

I would focus on applying to schools that were...

Volunteer if you are able to....

Financial aid was not...

Pick teachers who know you well. Think about your grades and behavior in their...

Smith has a very close knit community that is passionate about social justice among...

Show interest and show...