What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?

In third grade, I met my lifelong friends. We became drawn to each other by way of similarities: we were mostly Asian and placed in an accelerated learning program. In the journey since, the bond betw

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Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.

As a child, I was an obsessive origamist. I enjoyed the crackling sounds of paper. I enjoyed following tutorials from books and videos. I enjoyed creating paper dragons and beetles from a sheet of pap

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What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?

Four years ago, on a summer trip to my mother’s small hometown in China, I remember a particular night where we went out for dinner. Sitting on the other side of the restaurant, there was a group of a

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Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom.

With a childhood dominated by math, and expectation of a career in STEM, I never bothered myself with literature and cultural subjects. This reversed in sophomore and junior years, where my World and

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Describe how you plan to pursue your academic interests and why you want to explore them at USC specifically. Please feel free to address your first- and second-choice major selections. (approx 250 words)

It was through the movie Lincoln and the book it's based on—Team of Rivals—that I found my interest in economics. In the story, there are moments where—no matter how small—a decision made mattered. Li

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Many of us have at least one issue or passion that we care deeply about — a topic on which we would love to share our opinions and insights in hopes of sparking intense interest and continued conversation. If you had ten minutes and the attention of a million people, what would your talk be about?

What is more to say about climate change? We know the science—I’ve seen countless articles on climate science over the internet. The mass support is there—I’ve known about the issue since elementary s

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USC believes that one learns best when interacting with people of different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. Tell us about a time you were exposed to a new idea or when your beliefs were challenged by another point of view. Please discuss the significance of the experience and its effect on you. USC faculty place an emphasis on interdisciplinary academic opportunities. Describe something outside of your intended academic focus about which you are interested in learning. What is something about yourself that is essential to understanding you? Prompt essay (1-250 words)

In my fourteen years of playing piano I’ve walked through many paths of trying to produce the best sounding music. I've tried following the notes and markings I saw on the page with obsessive accuracy

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Our families and communities often define us and our individual worlds. Community might refer to your cultural group, extended family, religious group, neighborhood or school, sports team or club, co-workers, etc. Describe the world you come from and how you, as a product of it, might add to the diversity of the University of Washington. (300 words)

In third grade, I met my lifelong friends. We became drawn to each other by way of similarities: we were mostly Asian and placed in an accelerated learning program. In the journey since, the bond betw

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Please reflect and respond to the following question, and in doing so explain your interest in the UW Interdisciplinary Honors Program. What is interdisciplinary learning and why is it important to you? (300 words)

I am a part of something. It may be the house I am in, or perhaps an imaginary community that forms my town in Vancouver or the neighborhood inside. It is definitely the world I live in, and the commu

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The Interdisciplinary Honors program pushes students to engage with their local, national, and global communities through a multidisciplinary lens. Consider a pressing societal concern that impacts and/or interests you. Please explain the issue, your relationship to it, and how you imagine engaging with or addressing this concern at UW? (300 words)

Growing up with the internet in bloom, the web has had a tremendous impact on myself. With hours and hours dedicated to an entirely different world, and as the first generation to do so, there is a re

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Describe the world you come from; for example, your family, clubs, school, community, city, or town. How has that world shaped your dreams and aspirations? (250 words or fewer)

I’m a natural child of the meritocracy. In seventh grade I took a math test for skipping into a class reserved for high school juniors. It felt normal. I always took the next step without the thought

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Pick what field of study at MIT appeals to you the most right now, and tell us more about why this field of study appeals to you. (100 words or fewer)

My junior year teacher, Mr. Bjorge, has a unique passion for economics. He not only teaches with slideshows, but connects ideas with current events. He taught me that economics has real-world effects

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We know you lead a busy life, full of activities, many of which are required of you. Tell us about something you do simply for the pleasure of it. (200–250 words)

In my fourteen years of playing piano I’ve walked through many paths of trying to produce the best sounding music. I've tried following the notes and markings I saw on the page with obsessive accuracy

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At MIT, we bring people together to better the lives of others. MIT students work to improve their communities in different ways, from tackling the world’s biggest challenges to being a good friend. Describe one way in which you have contributed to your community, whether in your family, the classroom, your neighborhood, etc. (200–250 words)

My father is an atheist, and my mother a devout christian. Throughout my life my mother preferred me to put God first, whereas my father pushed me towards more worldly goals. Arguments between my par

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Tell us about a significant challenge you’ve faced or something that didn’t go according to plan that you feel comfortable sharing. How did you manage the situation? (200-250 words)

A piano recital every month, with daily practices in between, yet every time, I always played at least one note wrong. No matter how much I practiced, something would always go wrong. Maybe I failed t

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What is the most significant challenge that society faces today? (<50 words)

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How did you spend your last two summers? (<50 words)

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What historical moment or event do you wish you could have witnessed? (<50 words)

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Briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities, a job you hold, or responsibilities you have for your family. (<50 words)

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Name one thing you are looking forward to experiencing at Stanford. (<50 words)

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The Stanford community is deeply curious and driven to learn in and out of the classroom. Reflect on an idea or experience that makes you genuinely excited about learning. (<250 words)

My first concert with the Portland Youth Conservatory Orchestra was one of the best experiences of my life. After months of practicing Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 1, we were to perform to an audience

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Tell us about something that is meaningful to you and why. (<250 words)

In my fourteen years of playing piano I’ve walked through many paths of trying to produce the best sounding music. I've tried following the notes and markings I saw on the page with obsessive accuracy

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List the titles of the required readings from academic courses that you enjoyed most during secondary/high school. (75 words or fewer)

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List the titles of the books, essays, poetry, short stories or plays you read outside of academic courses that you enjoyed most during secondary/high school. (75 words or fewer)

The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker The Martian by Andy Weir Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari The Great Gatsby by F. Fitzgerald The Anthropocene Reviewed by John

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A hallmark of the Columbia experience is being able to learn and live in a community with a wide range of perspectives. How do you or would you learn from and contribute to diverse, collaborative communities? (200 words or fewer)

My father is an atheist; my mother a devout christian. Both gave me different advice. My mother preferred me to put God first, whereas my father pushed me towards more worldly goals. Arguments betwee

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Why are you interested in attending Columbia University? We encourage you to consider the aspect(s) that you find unique and compelling about Columbia. (200 words or fewer)

In my school years I've heard of climate change often. The first time I heard of it was in one of my middle school science classes. In my high school sophomore English class, I wrote an essay on clima

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For applicants to Columbia College, please tell us what from your current and past experiences (either academic or personal) attracts you specifically to the areas of study that you previously noted in the application. (200 words or fewer)

My junior year teacher, Mr. Bjorge, has a unique passion for economics. He not only teaches with slideshows, but connects ideas with current events. He taught me that economics has far-reaching and re

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Why do these areas appeal to you? (<125 words)

My junior year teacher, Mr. Bjorge, has a unique passion for economics. He not only teaches with slideshows, but connects ideas with current events. He taught me that economics has real-world effects

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What is it about Yale that has led you to apply? (1-125 words)

Recently Yale profiled Anna Zayaruznaya from the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. As a musician who also loves history it’s cool to see a music historian say why her field matters. In theory class when

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What inspires you? (<200 characters)

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You are teaching a new Yale course. What is it called? (<200 characters)

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Yale’s residential colleges regularly host conversations with guests representing a wide range of experiences and accomplishments. What person, past or present, would you invite to speak and what would you ask them to discuss? (<200 characters)

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Yale students embrace the concept of ‘and’ rather than ‘or’, pursuing arts and sciences, tradition and innovation, defined goals and surprising detours. What is an example of an “and” that you embrace? (<200 characters)

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Yale’s extensive course offerings and vibrant conversations beyond the classroom encourage students to follow their developing intellectual interests wherever they lead. Tell us about your engagement with a topic or idea that excites you. Why are you drawn to it? (250 words or fewer)

I remember from memory that on December 7th, 1941, Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. I also know that the next day, Franklin Delano Roosevelt declared that that day would be "a date which will live in infamy

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Reflect on a community to which you feel connected. Why is it meaningful to you? You may define community however you like. Reflect on something that has given you great satisfaction. Why has it been important to you? Prompt essay (250 words or fewer)

In my fourteen years of playing piano I’ve walked through many paths of trying to produce the best sounding music. I've tried following the notes and markings I saw on the page with obsessive accuracy

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Founded in the spirit of exploration and discovery, Johns Hopkins University encourages students to share their perspectives, develop their interests, and pursue new experiences. Use this space to share something you’d like the admissions committee to know about you (your interests, your background, your identity, or your community), and how it has shaped what you want to get out of your college experience at Hopkins. (300-400 words)

I remember from memory that on December 7th, 1941, Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. I also know that the next day, Franklin Delano Roosevelt declared that that day would be "a date which will live in infamy

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Engineering is inherently collaborative. What does collaboration mean to you? What strengths do you bring to the collaborative process? (0-200 words)

In seventh grade my teacher assigned our class a passion project-we had full freedom to create anything. I chose my partners-Sam, Matthew, and Sunny-some of my closest friends. After a class of taking

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Diversity in all definitional forms is intrinsic to excellence in engineering. Indeed, devising the best engineered solutions to complex problems is often achieved by drawing from the diverse ingenuity of people from broadly different backgrounds, lived experiences, and identities. How do you see yourself contributing to the diversity and inclusion of the Cornell Engineering community? What is the unique voice you would bring to the Cornell Engineering community? (0-200 words)

In my fourteen years of playing piano I’ve walked through many paths of trying to produce the best sounding music. I've tried following the notes and markings I saw on the page with obsessive accuracy

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While other parts of your application give us a sense of who you are, we are also excited to hear more about how you see yourself engaging with the larger Northwestern community. In 300 words or less, help us understand how you might engage specific resources, opportunities, and/or communities here. We are curious about what these specifics are, as well as how they may enrich your time at Northwestern and beyond.

The first time I heard of climate change was in one of my middle school science classes. It didn’t register much for me. The next time I saw it was in my high school sophomore English class, where I w

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Everyone belongs to many different communities and/or groups defined by (among other things) shared geography, religion, ethnicity, income, cuisine, interest, race, ideology, or intellectual heritage. Choose one of the communities to which you belong, and describe that community and your place within it. (100-300 words)

In my fourteen years of playing piano I’ve walked through many paths of trying to produce the best sounding music. I've tried following the notes and markings I saw on the page with obsessive accuracy

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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? (100-550 words)

In seventh grade my teacher assigned our class a passion project-we had full freedom to create anything. I chose my partners-Sam, Matthew, and Sunny-some of my closest friends. After a class of taking

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In the past 3 to 4 years, what experience(s) have you had (inside or outside of the classroom) related to your selected first-choice major or academic interest? (1-150 words)

I remember the moment I got hooked on coding. In seventh grade, I worked on an exercise to print a chessboard on screen. I remember struggling to figure it out, but when I did, the eloquence of the so

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How does your selected first-choice major relate to your future career goals? (1-150 words)

As a child, I remember holding on to my dad’s flip phone. I remember the clunky buttons, the small screen, and most of all, I remember the internet. My earliest memories are attached to a screen playi

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Brown’s Open Curriculum allows students to explore broadly while also diving deeply into their academic pursuits. Tell us about any academic interests that excite you, and how you might use the Open Curriculum to pursue them while also embracing topics with which you are unfamiliar. (200-250 words)

I remember from memory that on December 7th, 1941, Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. I also know that the next day, Franklin Delano Roosevelt declared that that day would be "a date which will live in infamy

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Brown’s culture fosters a community in which students challenge the ideas of others and have their ideas challenged in return, promoting a deeper and clearer understanding of the complex issues confronting society. This active engagement in dialogue is as present outside the classroom as it is in academic spaces. Tell us about a time you were challenged by a perspective that differed from your own. How did you respond? (200-250 words)

My father is an atheist, and my mother a devout christian. Throughout my life my mother preferred me to put God first, whereas my father pushed me towards more worldly goals. Arguments between my par

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Brown students care deeply about their work and the world around them. Students find contentment, satisfaction, and meaning in daily interactions and major discoveries. Whether big or small, mundane or spectacular, tell us about something that brings you joy. (200-250 words)

In my fourteen years of playing piano I’ve walked through many paths of trying to produce the best sounding music. I've tried following the notes and markings I saw on the page with obsessive accuracy

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Most students choose their intended major or area of study based on a passion or inspiration that’s developed over time – what passion or inspiration led you to choose this area of study? (<300 words)

After ten minutes of talking, I was finally ready to show my creation. My classmates crowded around me in the front of the room, and I clicked a button as they watched a motor spin around, letting fis

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Many students pursue college for a specific degree, career opportunity or personal goal. Whichever it may be, learning will be critical to achieve your ultimate goal. As you think ahead to the process of learning during your college years, how will you define a successful college experience? (<300 words)

I remember from memory that on December 7th, 1941, Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. I also know that the next day, Franklin Delano Roosevelt declared that that day would be "a date which will live in infamy

Unlock profile to read full content

Consider your application as a whole. What do you personally want to emphasize about your application for the admission committee’s consideration? Highlight something that’s important to you or something you haven’t had a chance to share. Tell us, don’t show us (no websites please). (<300 words)

In my fourteen years of playing piano I’ve walked through many paths of trying to produce the best sounding music. I've tried following the notes and markings I saw on the page with obsessive accuracy

Unlock profile to read full content