I'm the first member of my immediate family to enter college with the intention of finishing. My major is undecided, but I've been interested in art and writing since before I can remember, I picked up a love of history in high school, and I was recently told I'd be a wonderful teacher, so all three are appealing subjects of study to me. I graduated in the top five percent of my high school class and am going to a...

I wrote about the first time I paid for food with my own money--an experience that helped me mature as a person.

I wrote about the immense experience marching band had on me as a person throughout my middle and high school years.

I lost my application essays after my hard drive crashed, but they were a true labor of love and I've never written something academic that was more lyrical than my marching band essay. It was lovely. It's easy to think that an essay has to follow strict and rigid guidelines in order to be taken seriously, but this is a huge lie. Essays can be much more than just essays--they can be stories, they can be rich in imagery and...

I had an interview with a rep from Yale University halfway through my senior year, and found myself very unprepared for it. Your interview is an important personal...

I wish I had known more about scholarships available to me and taken a more active approach to seeking out a college fit for me. My high school's staff, while a well meaning bunch, didn't know the first thing about college past our local institution. It's important to know that guidance counselors and advisers don't know everything! You have...

I did both! And I'm still applying for scholarships whenever I can find them. I've only taken out federal loans, so I don't have much advice on them, but to address scholarships--do any...