I was a very serious baseball player in high school. I tore my rotator cuff and couldn't play for nine months. Told the story of how a devastating injury that changed my life was positive growth experience and introduced me to volunteering and an interest in politics. This was especially credible as I actually began two activities related to those interests in that period. I also came back stronger to baseball one year later.

I applied early to Cornell and was deferred. Wash U, my...