College Readiness GuideBook

……. Personal Essays…….

…….Additional Information Essays…..

……. College Essay Supplements……

…… Common Apps’ Activities and Honors Lists

……..College Application Interviews……

…… Duolingo as an English Proficiency Exam……

Prepared by: Emile IZERE

ABOUT

If you're a student planning to go to a well-known college, whether in Rwanda or somewhere else, this book is

really important for meeting the second requirement. Of course, you need to have good grades first.

For students who want to apply to American schools, it's really important to be good at writing essays and

filling out other extra parts of the application that make you stand out. This guidebook has information about

personal essays, additional information essays, essays that are specific to certain colleges (supplemental

essays), interview tips, and information about Duolingo as an English proficiency exam. It also has examples

from successful students at ASYV and other places in the past.

As you read the book, take notes on anything that stands out to you. Make sure that each piece of writing in

the book helps you understand what a good application should look like.
Content
Personal Essays………………………………………………………………………….I

1. Information on personal essays

2. Sample personal essay 1

3. Sample Personal Essay 2

4. Sample Personal Essay 3

5. Sample Personal Essay 4

6. Sample Personal Essay 5

Additional Information Essays…………………………………………………………………II

1. Information of additional information essays

2. Additional Information Essay Sample 1

3. Additional Information Essay Sample 2

4. Additional Information Essay Sample 3

5. Additional Information Essay Sample 4

6. Additional Information Essay Sample 5

College/University Supplemental Essays……………………………………………………….III

1. Sample Supplemental Essays (Yale University Specific)

2. Sample Supplemental Essays (Princeton University Specific)

3. Sample Supplemental Essays (Dartmouth University Specific)

4. Sample Supplemental Essays (NYU Specific)

5. Sample Supplemental Essays (Washington and Lee Specific)

 6. Sample Supplemental Essays (Tufts University Specific)

7. Sample Supplemental Essays (Brown University Specific)

8. Sample Supplemental Essays (Colgate University Specific)

9. Sample Supplemental Essays (Haverford University Specific)

10. Sample Supplemental Essays (Trinity College Specific)

11. Sample Supplemental Essays (Swarthmore Specific)

12. Sample Supplemental Essays (Rochester Specific)

13. Sample Supplemental Essays (UPenn Specific)

14. Sample Supplemental Essays (Duke University Specific)

15. Sample Supplemental Essays (Washington University)

16. Sample Supplemental Essays (University of British Columbia [UBC])

17. Sample Supplemental Essays (Alibaba Business School)

18. Sample Supplemental Essay (University of Global Health Equity [UGHE])

Extracurricular Activities…………………………………………………………………….IV

1. Information on Extracurricular Activities

2. Sample Activities List

Honors and Awards……………………………………………………………………………V

1. Information on Honors and Awards on The Common App

2. Sample Honors and Awards

Recommendation Letters……………………………………………………………………..VI

1. Teacher’s Recommendation Letter Sample

2. Peer Recommendation Letter

3. Coach/Leader/Other Recommendation Letters

Duolingo and Interview as other Application Supplements……………………………VII

1. Sections in a Duolingo test and the grades requirements for colleges and universities

2. Interview tips and sample interview questions and answers

 I. PERSONAL ESSAYS
1. Information on Personal Essays
A good personal essay:

I. It’s vulnerable: We love when, after reading an essay, we feel closer to the writer. The best
essays are the ones where students have let their guard down. Don’t be afraid to be honest
about things that scare, challenge, or bother you. The personal statement is a great space for
you to open up about those aspects of yourself. As you’re writing, ask yourself: Does the
essay sound like it’s mostly analytical, or like it’s coming from a deeper, more vulnerable
place? Another way of asking this: Does it sound like the author wrote it using mostly their
head (intellect), or their heart and gut? Remember, this is the “heart” of your application. It’s
a place for emotional vulnerability.
II. Shows the applicant’s core values: You can identify the applicant’s core values. In a great
personal statement, we should be able to get a sense of what fulfills, motivates, or excites the
author. These can be things like humor, beauty, community, and autonomy, just to name a
few. So when you read back through your essay, you should be able to detect at least 4-5
different values throughout. When you look for these values, also consider whether or not
they’re varied or similar. For instance, values like hard work, determination, and perseverance
... are basically the same thing. On the other hand, more varied values like resourcefulness,
healthy boundaries, and diversity can showcase different qualities and offer a more nuanced
sense of who you are.
III. Shows insights and growth: Your personal statement should ideally have at least 3-5 “so
what” moments, points at which you draw insights or reflections from your experiences that
speak to your values or sense of purpose. Sometimes, “so what” moments are subtle. Other
times, they’re more explicit. Either way, the more illuminating, the better. They shouldn’t
come out of nowhere, but they also shouldn’t be predictable. You want your reader to see
your mind in action and take that journey of self-reflection with you.
IV. It demonstrates craft (aka it’s articulate and reads well): While content is important, craft
is what’ll bring the best stories to life. That’s why it’s important to think of writing as a
 process—it’s very rare that we’ve seen an outstanding personal statement that didn’t go
through at least 5 drafts. Everything you write should be carefully considered. You don’t want
your ideas to come off as sloppy or half-baked. Your reader should see the care you put into
brainstorming and writing in every sentence. Ask yourself these questions as you write: Do
the ideas in the essay connect in a way that’s logical, but not too obvious (aka boring)? Can
you tell that the author spent a lot of time revising the essay over the course of several drafts?
Is it interesting and succinct throughout? If not, where do you lose interest? Where could
words be cut? Which part isn’t revealing as much as it could be?

2. Sample Personal Essay 1

As the third-born, following my two sisters, my dad was ecstatic to finally have a boy who would
carry his legacy and honor, protecting our family from any hardships. That responsibility would come
much earlier than expected, for a month after my birth, he died--leaving everything on my shoulders.
Until I was old enough, Mom carried the burden of raising my siblings and me, but it was too much.
She resorted to selling our home to pay off my father's debts, and our only option was to move into a
dingy single-room house that flooded with water when it rained. Fearing I could drown in the
rainwater, Mom carried me on her back to work every day, but $40 per month was not enough to feed
us some days. In desperation, Mom sent me to stay with my grandma, where I could at least eat one
meal a day.
I felt confused, sad, and rejected while staying at Grandma's because I thought Mom had abandoned
me. Nevertheless, I trusted her. Even at such a young age, I allowed this time to become a training
ground to restore the dignity of our home. I learned how to clean the house, cook different dishes, and
play Mom’s favorite songs on the piano at church, longing for the day we could play them together.
After three years of separation, I finally moved back home to live with Mom. Tears of joy filled my
eyes, and laughter filled my belly. I didn’t care if I ever ate again; I just didn’t want to lose her.
Being old enough now, my top priority became caring for my family. I wanted to make my father
proud. However, it would take more than cooking, cleaning, and playing songs. My oldest sister,
Enatha, dropped out of school so that she could work to pay for my school fees. I was
heartbroken--shouldn’t it be the other way around? My other sister, Cynthia, wanted a phone and took
matters into her own hands by selling her body for sex. Within months, my beautiful sister--my role
model and best friend--was HIV-positive and pregnant. I had failed at protecting my sisters and
dishonored my father’s dying wish.
Cynthia’s HIV status and pregnancy pushed her to overdose on a Friday, miscarry on a Sunday, and
die the following Friday. I was in shock. Her death meant no more silly singing in the living room, no
more dancing after dinner, and no more late-night math tutoring sessions with my best friend. Her
death pushed Mom beyond despair, causing her to have a stroke and die the same year. First my
father, then Cynthia, and now Mom. I was completely broken and internalized everyone’s pain and
blamed myself for all of it. I was my sister’s only brother and Mom’s only son. Why couldn’t I save
them?
Enatha needed me more than ever. I poured my heart and soul into comforting and providing for her. I
worked harder in my studies than ever before and earned a full-ride scholarship to Agahozo-Shalom
Youth Village so that Enatha could return to school and focus on achieving her own dreams. As I saw
Enatha improve in her studies and flourish as a young woman, I learned that no past failure or
misfortune is worth sacrificing for future blessings. At Agahozo-Shalom, I found many students from
similar backgrounds from my own and helped create a space for healing, where we discovered how
new life can come from our own brokenness.
Through my journey of healing, I’ve chosen to rewrite my story. I’m not an orphan who failed and
lost everything. I am the brother who fights not only for Enatha, but for the legacy of Cynthia and
hundreds of Rwandan youth who wake up trapped in similar situations. I am the son who has
sacrificed--and continues to sacrifice--everything to defend his father’s legacy and preserve his
mother’s will.

3. Sample Personal Essay 2

When my father died, he didn't cease to exist. I carried him with me in all I did. This was because the
comments and jabs from relatives, neighbors, and onlookers made it feel as though his corpse stood to
watch over me, parenting from beyond.

After the burial, my mother confided in me that her greatest fear moving forward was that I would be
referred to as her child. "Ntuzabe umwana w' umugore," she warned me not to be a woman's child. I
was dumbfounded because she was the only parent I had left. How then could I not be hers? Was my
father to come back from the dead? Too young to realize the weight of her words, I concluded that,
possibly, the grief was upsetting her.

I continued excelling in school, as I always had, bagging multiple accords for academic excellence.
However, towards the end of my primary level education, I made the mistake of turning in my rough
draft worksheet instead of the answer sheet for Mathematics, realizing only when it was too late. I
flopped, and my high ranking decreased drastically. Going home, my uncles and aunties were
perplexed and turned askance at my mother. They demanded an explanation because I had been
thriving when my father was alive. What had she done to me to turn me so? I frowned as my mother
hung her head in shame at the judgment being passed on her. I was confused, but I began to
understand her warning. I felt the weight of my dead father weigh heavier on me; how could he parent
me from beyond the grave? And why was my mother to blame for my oversight?

I learned then that Rwandan societies are always watching, ready to pounce and pass judgment. When
a child does well, he or she is referred to as the "father's offspring." Whereas when a wrong is
committed, they become the full responsibility of the mother. Praises are heaped upon the men for
raising upright children, but the faults, the cracks that ruin what would otherwise be perfect, are
attributed to the mother. How could I change this narrative?

For high school, I joined a co-ed boarding school that took in orphans, rehabilitating us from trauma
as we learned. Coming from an exclusively all-girls boarding primary school, I was shocked by the
girls' attitude at my new school. They seemed to take a step back, almost intentionally, to allow the
boys the first bite. This was in social activities like open-mic nights, sports, and even academic
capabilities. It was almost as if they waited to be shown the way to follow. This phenomenon
intrigued me because I had known my former classmates to be competitive to a fault, almost
ferocious, go-getters. Was this spirit synonymous with orphaned females? I dug deeper.

Being part of Girl-Up, a women's empowerment club striving to break past the stereotypes and
limitations imposed on them, I came to learn that society had shaped the perspectives of the majority.
I look back and would like to believe my mother was warning me against victimizing myself, against
wallowing in the cards that the universe had dealt me, especially in a country where good deeds are
synonymous with the male gender. The lack of which is compared to losing one's compass in life. A
perspective that has been etched to the extent that brilliant and capable individuals like my mother,
who has raised five children alone, see themselves as hindrances despite making great strides.

This is a narrative that I continue to battle against. I am my mother's child as well as my father's
despite the period of my life. Inevitably, when I fail, I remind those quick to remark that it is a
reflection of my growth as I continue to discover who I am and the light that I am to those around me.

4. Sample Personal Essay 3

I was born into a world of heartbreak and shame. My mom had a tragic miscarriage a few months
before becoming pregnant with me. My dad refused to believe that I was his child, which defined
my relationship with him: rejection, denial, and disappointment.

He died when I was four years old from a heart disease that developed during the 1994 Genocide
against the Tutsi. My mom must have projected the loss of my father and her unborn baby onto me,
for she neglected to show me any form of love. Any doubts of her resentment were confirmed one
day when I returned home with a failing report card, to which my mom beat me and shouted,
“Sometimes I regret giving birth to you!”

For whatever reason that was beyond my childlike understanding of the world, I had brought
shame to my home. In Rwandan culture, eyes and ears are everywhere, which made me vulnerable
anywhere I went. My classmates often laughed at my underperformance in school, calling me
“stupid” compared to my siblings, who were at the top of their class. Aunties in my neighborhood
scolded their children for playing with me, calling me “dirty” and “disgusting” to my face.

Sometimes I kneeled before my father’s grave, crying out, “Why? What did I do to deserve this?”
As the world rejected me, I decided to reject the world, too. I started skipping classes and
withdrawing from people, fixating on why I didn’t belong here. One day, a teacher at school, Ms.
Francine came to me and asked a simple question, “Placide, why do you look sad?” No one had ever
taken an interest in my feelings before.

I stared at her blankly and eventually shared about the bullying and rejection. Over the next few
weeks, Ms. Francine took special attention to my needs. After classes, she explained confusing
concepts and even translated things into Kinyarwanda so that I could understand. I slowly moved my
seat from the back of the classroom to the front. Ms. Francine demonstrated patience, softness, and
care that I had never felt before. One day, she told me, “You don’t need to change anything about
yourself. There is so much potential already inside of you, Placide. You just need to bring it out.”
Then she hugged me. I froze. I’d never been hugged.

My eyes watered, and my heart beat quickly. For the first time in my life, I felt seen; I felt loved.
I dove head first into my studies, wanting to find whatever Ms. Francine said was inside of me. I
studied all day long, even translating my notes into Kinyarwanda at night so that I could understand
everything. Ms. Francine gave me extra English and Math tutoring, and by the end of the year, I
ranked first out of all of the students in my class. I was in shock. As I ran home, my
mother waited at the door to see my report card with a stick in her hand, ready to beat me. She was
confused by my euphoric state, but when I showed her my marks, even she couldn’t believe it.

That day ignited a spark of pride for her son that I had never felt before. After learning the impact that
one person like Ms. Francine could make someone's life, I wanted to help others rewrite their own
narratives of rejection and disappointment. I started with an initiative in my community for students
on the fringes of dropping out of school by creating a space to encourage and support each other.
Some participants were pregnant girls, orphans, and youth from broken families like mine. I visited
them during my holidays to share words of encouragement from my own story of being ostracized
from the community. I wanted them to be seen. I wanted them to find their potential. Most of all, I
wanted them to feel loved.

5. Sample Personal Essay 4

My mother’s husband was cheating on her so I rubbed her back and consoled her. After an hour, I
realized she was beyond comforting so I left and headed to my room, her phone clutched tightly in
my fist.
Once in my safe haven, I shut the door behind her sobs as they echoed throughout the house and
silently let out my own. I scrolled through the messages again. Her name did not register but her
appearance stuck. Her complexion was fair with high cheekbones and thin lips that opened to
whitened teeth. She wore a loose, sleeveless blouse that exposed taut muscles, as though she
occasionally worked out. I smirked. This is what he was interested in - he had ceased to be my father
when my mother broke the news.
Seldom did he come home anymore, always on the road. As a film producer, his work caused him to
travel for months at a time but never would I imagine that he was building another family. Were we
not enough? Was I not enough? He missed Christmases, birthdays, graduations, and every other day
when the little things happened. It had not always been like this. We had been best friends, my father
and I; almost like an older brother at times.
We would watch documentaries and dissect the new information and cultures we uncovered. We
discovered how to create recipes from the internet, butcher them in preparation and attempt to feed
them to mom when she returned home from her lengthy shifts at the hospital. Her patients always
came first. Delighted in his accomplishments, he would set up a home theatre; pushing the couches
back to make space for mattresses he’d pull from one of the bedrooms and we would watch his latest
masterpiece.
I revered being daddy’s little girl but that girl was no more. Soon after it became apparent that my
parents were getting a divorce, I retreated into myself. Like my elder sister, I came to the realization
that my parents could not even offer the semblance of love, belonging, and presence that I required
from them or a family. I would lean on myself for the companionship I sought.
Sitting and crying would only get me so far. I discovered Voyage, a Virtual Reality world that allowed
one to add to it as the user pleased, creating my desired environment of residence with a family unit
that was not only cohesive but also present. I had Spanish neighbors that would often bring delicacies
when their mother baked overnight. Because of this, I took up learning Spanish. At first as a way to
pass time but soon morphed into a passion project I took seriously, ready to converse with my online
Spanish companions that would be ready to enrich my vocabulary.
It was odd for a Rwandan girl to be tucked away in her room speaking to computer-programmed
avatars in a foreign language that she might never use but this had become my escape and I relished
in it. Since my mind needs to take things apart in order to make sense of experiences as I go through
them, I began to wonder about the makings of Virtual Reality and the programming that makes it
possible. I became versed in the world of Software Engineering as I explored HTML, CSS, and
JavaScript; basic website development programming languages, and got exceedingly giddy when I
decorated my first webpage. Not artistically, albeit, but it was a milestone nonetheless.
My parents did not come around but I have long since given up the notion that they will. I do not fault
them for raising me as they did but instead took the onus upon myself to rectify the situation; I would
build my own family, learning about the world and myself in the process. This, I continue to bring
with me in every community I venture to.

6. Sample Personal Essay 5

My physics teacher defined entropy as a gradual decline in chaos and disorder. He taught us that the
second law of thermodynamics dictates that entropy always increases with time - matter tends to be
more chaotic than organized. I loved that idea. From this perspective, my childhood could make
sense. The reason why things had fallen apart around me was nothing but the results of the second
law of thermodynamics. You see, when I turned 8, things around me started to unravel. As my
country descended into yet another political chaos, most of my countrymen found refuge in their
families.

Yet, I loathed being home. It wasn’t because of the poverty, although that contributed as well; it was
the entropy. My family’s first descent in chaos started way before I was born, although my parents
sheltered us from the disorder the adult world contained. Then my dad’s mind started unraveling. At
first, it was nothing beyond quirks: misplaced anger, mean words, weird behavior during family
functions. When I turned 12, my dad’s SplitPersonality Disorder got so bad he lost his job, and with
it, my mother’s patience. My siblings and I were sheltered no more.

As the gunshots did their characteristic krak krak krak in the city, plates in my home flew against the
wall. My dad’s illness left only a familiar face on a person we couldn’t recognize. The more violent
he became, the more desperate my mom got, and the less alive my siblings became. Amid that chaos,
I stood there: helpless, cursing our fate, wishing I could be elsewhere - anywhere else.
To find a semblance of order, I, too, split my personality. My homebody was anxious and tense; my
library mind was beaming and buzzing. The irony was not lost on me. As soon as my dad lost his job,
more chaos ensued in my universe. His condition got so bad he was moved to a psychiatric institution
but was soon brought back home since we couldn’t afford his care. I still hated home. We were so
poor and so broken - if it had been one of those, maybe I would have had something to hold on to. We
had neither peace nor means, and even family love became
too luxurious to demand of life.

As entropy proved its supremacy, I diversified my options for refuge. I discovered the expansive
world of coding and could lose all concept of time to get a few lines of code to work. It was a fight or
flight response, and I chose flying. I started looking for any opportunities: I got jobs after school to
minimize the time spent at home, applied to dozens of summer programs I knew well we couldn’t
afford. Yet, the more I multiplied my refuge, the less satisfied I felt. Exile is, after all, never the
preferential option. While I was grateful for and fascinated by the worlds I had
discovered in my exile, I wanted more.

I didn’t want to choose flight all my life, so I started trying to find a balancing force in my chaotic
world. I started spending more time home around my family. I discovered that courage was indeed not
the absence of fear of failure or loss, but a willingness to face it. I started bringing the books home,
mending the broken as much as I could.

My story is far from finished: the brokenness is still there, but I learned that to commit is to choose to
stay still, for people or things that are worth fighting for. I am learning to love and live despite
everything. I learned to look past the brokenness and chose to try over and over again, and to allow
 others to do the same. I learned that I can’t build a gravity that stands the chaos of entropy without
courage and a determination to hold onto each other.

II. Additional Essays

1. Information of additional information essays
The Additional Information section on the Common Application is a space where applicants can
provide extra information to help distinguish themselves from other candidates. It is not mandatory to
include anything in this section, but it can be used to provide important details that couldn't fit
elsewhere in the application. Some suggestions for what to include in the Additional Information
section are:

1. Important details about activities: If there is a significant aspect of an extracurricular

activity that is not captured in the Activities List or the essays, this section can be used to
provide a short description highlighting its impact.
2. Health-related information: If there were health issues that affected academic performance
or extracurricular involvement, a concise explanation can be provided in this section.
3. Addressing potential red flags: If there are any aspects of the application that may raise
questions, such as a bad grade or a change in activities, it is helpful to offer an explanation to
provide context.
4. Circumstances that limited extracurricular involvement: If personal circumstances, like
working to support the family or long commutes, made it difficult to participate in
extracurricular activities, this section can be used to provide context.
5. Physical or learning disabilities: If there are diagnosed disabilities or learning differences,
providing information about their impact on academic performance and the steps taken to
navigate them can be helpful.
6. Family member disability or parent unemployment: If a family member's disability or
unemployment has affected the applicant's life or academics, a brief explanation can be
provided to give context.
7. Unusual grading systems: If the applicant's school has a unique grading system, it can be
helpful to briefly explain how it works to provide clarity for the admissions reader.

2. Additional Information Essay Sample 1

Growing up in Burundi, where everyone is helpless about our unending political conflicts and war,
there were two options of being a coward: either complaining about the government and doing
nothing or finding an escape that can take your mind off reality; I chose the latter. Don’t get me
wrong, I don't mean coward in a pejorative way - no. In a country where all the brave people are
either dead or in jail, one has little choice but to bow down to a fate of violence that millions have
lived before us.

I found my escape in books. The more I immersed myself in books, the more they became my
alternate universe. My relatives sometimes wondered why I spent so much time reading books but I
knew they couldn’t fathom the kind of universe I was engulfed in. How could I explain to them how
forces of evil and good were fighting in The Belgariad, or the glorious wealth of the dragon Smaug in
The Hobbit? What would my God-fearing relatives think if they knew I was reading books about
literal demons?

There’s this euphoric feeling I had when I read a book. I felt an urge to communicate my passion to
others. However, I knew better than to go around explaining to every person from a war-torn country
how having a book with a shiny hardcover was more important than an underground shelter. When
everyone is focused on burying their dead, it is not particularly well advised to recommend them a
book talking about a young sorcerer’s adventure in a magical academy.

After the war, I saw that the word fun had been deleted from the Burundian dictionaries. Realizing
that war had crippled the youth’s education and the excitement in learning had died, I thought about a
way to make reading and learning fun. That’s where I got the idea to create board games as a portal
between war-torn Burundi and my own fantasy world. I saw this as a good way to instill a love for
fun and reading that was lacking in the youth while generating some income too.

I managed to convince my brother, Prince, and a few friends to embark on this crazy adventure with
me. The first version of the game was made using pens, paper, poker cards, and colored pencils. In a
scene resembling the moment when Arthur retrieved Excalibur from a stone, we found ourselves
staring at the first modern board game in Burundi. After getting constructive feedback from neighbors
who tried our game, we made a few changes and polished the game. We then started doing publicity
for our game at different schools. Soon, we got an opportunity
to present our game at a local youth center called CEBULAC. We taught everyone how to play the
game, and the feedback we got far exceeded our expectations.
The sheer amount of pre-orders overwhelmed us, and we decided to use the collected money to build
a better version of the game. This time, instead of using pens and paper, we taught ourselves graphic
design and started building the game from scratch. The new game not only incorporated myths from
my favorite books but also included elements of Burundian folklore and urban myths. We also
adopted a different marketing strategy as we started auctioning the first cards of the game on different
social media.

This auction became quite viral, and the game gained a lot of traction. Soon, many students were
inspired to break into the board game world. That’s where I got the idea of creating the Burundian
Board Games League using the profits we made from our previous sales. I started organizing board
game creation sessions at the CEBULAC youth center, and we fostered the creation of other games.
The games we created had the positive impact of bringing people together, and at the same time,
encouraged many to start reading.

3. Additional Information Essay Sample 2

From a young age, I was dubbed overweight, with nasal allergies and chronic muscle pains that would
peak during the cold seasons. Socially, this did not bother me as I have never been but mentally, I
wanted to be more than the gawky girl that only excelled academically with little else to show. This
perception of myself tore at me. Dancing offered me the respite needed when I joined a troupe in my
community - ‘the Intayoberana’, a band of enthusiastic and eager teenagers who sought to understand
their culture better.

I, however, yearned to understand and push my body past the set limitations. This occupied my mind
during the nights I walked home from practice: my arms stiff and shoulders sore from the Ikinimba
and the Umushayayo; renditions unique to Rwanda. The former telling the story of heroes and Kings'
past that shape our culture and the latter, a daring act to imitate the elegant movements of animals
indigenous to my country. Dances that highlight the graciousness of our womenfolk, our kindness,
and beauty while at times rising to a subtle crescendo of erotica; the depiction of one of the many
capabilities women in society. With amayugi - ankle bells - tied fast by my feet, padded with cloth for
comfort, my feet stomp the ground violently, in sync with the thuds of the drums. A silk,
sweat-soaked mushanana knotted at my left shoulder, falling in waves to the ground and following
along the gentle sway of my hips.
My arms outstretched like the Inyambo’s horns; a breed of cattle native and common to Rwanda. Like
the cows move throughout the pastures grazing, so do my arms. Frolicking in the moment as they jerk
back and forth, curved and at times, locking with my partner’s as the Inyambo’s horns often do. To
put it all together, an overdone smile dents my cheek bones. I am no longer in control of my body and
I feel as though my feet are disconnected from my body, leaving the ground altogether to float eerily
centimeters above the ground. I am content.

At live performances, I approach the audience and pull one or two to join in the celebration of my
culture, usually tourists who eat up the performances like a delicacy. It is abnormal because I find it
difficult to approach strangers. The majority of my friends have been with me since Kindergarten. My
stomach clenches and my tongue flattens, heavy and thick, at the thought of conversing with someone
for the first time. Dancing has altered this and I take great pride in this new person that I am
becoming as I converse with foreigners I danced with previously. I learn about where they are from,
and their purpose for visiting and they tell me about magical destinations they have been to within
Rwanda.

I am awed and I set my heart to explore it all one day. Sometimes, I think back to the twelve-year-old
that set out to know more about who she is. So determined was I that I fought my parents on their
reluctance. They held fears that I would be in an environment they had little knowledge and control
over, walking back home when dark after practice and being exposed to people from different walks
of life. I smile at myself now because my gamble paid off. I smile at a mission accomplished and a
mission still in progress as I continue to grow to expand the limits of my capability.

Joining high school, I diversified and took up hip-hop dancing. This time, forming a crew of my own.
They taught me what hip hop is all about while I brought with me a work ethic and team bonding
culture that made us grow and love what we did, each other and ourselves. These I learned from the
Intayoberana and I take them with me everywhere I go.

4. Additional Information Essay Sample 3

Every new piece to Sonic's journey was the highlight of my evenings after a long day at school.
Slowly, but painfully, my siblings and friends outgrew our adventures of watching Kirikou and moved
on to more “exciting” TV shows, and music. As for me, I developed a more intimate relationship with
the cartoon universe - the dreamy land; where everyone else saw fairy tales, I saw fair tells.

When Mulan had to dress like a man to be admitted in the army, a misogynist culture I uncovered.
When Tom would hit a wall so hard he would become as thin as a sheet of flattened dough, but still
have the courage to attempt to catch Jerry, perseverance I discovered. When my friends would
recount how Superman was amazing lifting the Kryptonite rock off the Earth, I would match their
enthusiasm and tell them about the latest Penguins of Madagascar rescue plan. My input always left
everyone a laughing mess; my childish thoughts didn’t belong among their mature insights. However,
all the mockery I received didn’t deter me from finding joy in the little
things.

From Ladybug stopping mid her mission to offer candy to an abandoned toddler, I learned to
appreciate the heroism that lies in understanding community and the value of leaving a distressed soul
with a smile. In a world where unemployment, not an asteroid, is the real problem; the Boss Baby’s
attitude of not waiting around crying for attention and food, but carrying his small briefcase of big
ideas and shooting his shot became key for me. Every morning I wake up to one particular wish:
today like princess Tiana I will summon the courage to take risks and dream to impact the community
through entrepreneurial ideas.

I understood that it is only after appreciating the ordinary that I was able to see what lies beyond.
From Moana, who defied the odds and ventured away from the ordinary, I was part of the team of
girls that took their boat on a scary yet rewarding quest. We founded the Riviera Nurture A Talent
club, the first business club in the school’s history. Above all, with the club’s gains, we started giving
back to our community. One such instance is Divine, an impoverished girl in our neighborhood. We
used proceedings from the business club to keep her in school as she had just lost her brother who
was their family’s breadwinner. In my world, when one offers science-related subjects, society
expects their mature mind to only revolve around the different types of bonds in crystals,
mathematical equations, and Kepler's laws. I am expected to solve real-
world problems through the lenses of an optical fiber, or a complex electrical circuit. My community
has for long been directed by a set formula, as objectiveness has proven to directly contribute to the
rebuilding of Rwanda; one studies biology, they offer medicine; one is unsure of what they want to
pursue in A-levels, they are deemed unfocussed. I devoured as many science courses as I was allowed
to take and still represented my country in debate tournaments.
Like Princess Jasmine of Agrabah, I became more assertive. Through readings on Western and
African polity coupled with the art of argumentation, each day I aspired to voice my opinion. While
society expected me to be the silent calculator of logarithmic functions, I became the loud analyst of
economic and political issues; or rather both!

Today, I choose to be a part of the dreamers. I choose to be Johnny from Sing 1, whose life trajectory
had already been set in stone by his criminal father but who, through persistence and courage, broke
through a pre-molded destiny and wowed multitudes with his voice. I choose to be passionate about
being multifaceted, refusing to conform to society's rules. And, at the age of 18, I choose to be
unapologetically excited to watch Sing 2.

5. Additional Information Essay Sample 4

The last memory of my dad was waking up next to his stiff, cold body. I walked into the kitchen,
and my mom asked where my dad was; I said he was in a heavy sleep. She went into their room,
followed by a howling scream. He was dead. That was the first of over a decade of my mom’s
empty wails.

My mother loved him dearly. Sometimes I found her swaddling dad’s old suit and the long black tie
he always used to wear, washing it with her tears. The only picture of my dad disappeared over
twenty years ago, so she was only left with her memories to bring him back. Growing up without a
father was lonely, and I didn’t have many friends, so I found ways to entertain myself. Sometimes I
sat under the shade of the wide umunyinya tree near my home, where I would think, dream, and draw.
I drew everything from sunsets to houses. I sketched hopeful dreams, like my dad walking me to
school or buying me a soda, like what the other fathers in my village did. My pastime slowly evolved
into a rich talent. I drew for my classmates, my teachers, and my mother.

They all expressed awe and wonder at how I could recreate reality with my pencil. One particular day
under the shade of the umunyinya tree, I drew a portrait of my father. I recreated exactly how I
remembered him, from his short curly hair to his high cheekbones and dark charcoal eyes. I drew him
in the suit my mother had cherished so deeply. Running home to show my mom, she gasped, dropped
a sack of potatoes, and fell to the floor. “Jesus! It looks just like him. How do you remember?” She
stared in awe at the portrait. I could see joy return to her eyes as if my dad had returned from the
grave for just a moment to remind my mom that he was still with her. At that moment, I realized my
art skills were not simply a talent, but it was my superpower to bless
people.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, my school was closed for over a year. So many people were
depressed and anxious during that time, and I had a ton of free time, which gave me a perfect
opportunity to exercise my newfound superpower. With nowhere to go and nothing to do, I drew
pictures from dawn to dusk and delivered my drawings to my classmates to help them find joy and
comfort during that scary time. One of my classmates lost her brother during the lockdown, so I gave
her a portrait of him. She hugged me so tightly that I could barely breathe, telling me that the portrait
meant the world to her. During the same time, I also made art pieces to donate to a local children’s
hospital in my community. Most of the children had long-term diseases like cancer and epilepsy, and
the joy they received from their personalized drawings helped them find hope in their desperate
circumstances.

My art has breathed joy into so many people in Rwanda, and as I continue to develop my skill and
influence, I want to transform the creativity and expression that runs through the fabric of
Rwandan culture. Most contemporary Rwandan art depicts emotions and scenes from the genocide,
which is a real and raw part of our history that needs to be commemorated; however,
there is a beauty to be celebrated, a joy to be expressed, and a blessing to be remembered in the
lives of Rwanda that I want to continue to unleash and share with the world. As humans, our
stories are complex—like how my relationship with my mom and dad is written with joy and pain—I
dream that my art will continue to remedy the pain and celebrate the joy for countless others.

5. Additional Information Essay Sample 5

It started with pebbles. As a kid, I spent most of my early childhood indoors. When I was 5, I started
playing outside and fell in love with pebbles. They were fascinating little things: different shapes,
different colours, different textures. But they were all rocks. How did they develop to be different?
For close inquiry, I would put them in my mouth to my mother’s chagrin and worry. Little did I know
that those pebbles carried a story, the story of our planet in itself. This was the birth of an avid
curiosity, one that would mark me for a lifetime.

My next love was mechanics. It started with bikes that I would see on the street. At 10, I wondered
how they were able to stand on such a thin base, how they could carry a person of 100 kilos. I was so
obsessed with bikes that one day, I borrowed our neighbour’s bicycle on which I immediately fell and
hurt my knee. This was the end of the story–my mother vowed that I would never get a bike because I
was too reckless. With zero chances of having a bike, I turned to making small ornamental bikes
using wires. The process was delicate and required a lot of patience: bending the wires to make
perfect circles that would become tires and using ‘igitenge’ clothes to build riders on top of the bikes.
They had to roll, as well, so some basic physics had to be applied, and as it rolled, I imagined myself
riding a bigger bicycle; cycling like The Cannibal – Eddy Merckx.

By the time I reached 13, I loved pebbles and everything with wheels. Pebbles had brought me to love
our planet and its history and complex sciences, and bicycles had taught me mechanics and arts.
When my father brought with him The Human Anatomy for Kids, I was ecstatic. I didn't know what
anatomy was, but it sounded like the word atom, so I was hooked. I opened the book and realized it
was about the human body. In that book, I would learn, for example, that neurons in the brain
communicate by electrical charges and that all organs were run by the powerful brain. I was
mesmerized. Around the same time, I came across the case of conjoined twins that had been
successfully separated. I couldn’t believe this. Since then, I became Kevin the neurosurgeon to my
friends, because I always carried the Anatomy of the Brain textbook and would attend weekly
International Pediatric Neurosurgery Courses. After the sessions, I couldn’t shut up about how
amazing the brain was and that a person can survive on only one hemisphere of the brain.

In grade 10, at a new school, debate club leaders came to solicit interest. I joined thinking this was a
good way to meet new people. The first debate topic was about euthanasia and assisted suicide. I was
in shock. How had I not heard of euthanasia before? The second topic was about the representation of
women in parliaments and its real effects on people. I had to read laws and speeches and theories to
make an argument. It was very difficult, but I thoroughly enjoyed the process. I would first find the
current data, existing measures, suggested alternatives, and then form an opinion. Debate introduced
me to the world of policy-making and thinking about problems on a big scale.

From pebbles to bicycles to neuroscience to public policies, I have discovered a beautiful big world
out there. I have accumulated a wealth of curiosities that have fueled me to where I am today. I think
of my life as a knowledge buffet, with me open enough to welcome new knowledge and new
fascinations, and build communities around that. Yet, I believe this is not enough, I look forward to
expanding my horizons even further.

III. Supplemental Essays

While personal and additional essays do not require research about the university/college you are
applying to, supplemental essays do! The two common supplemental questions in many applications
are: "Why School?" and “Why Major”
 a. In the Why Major essay, students are typically asked to explain why they are
interested in attending a particular college or university. It is important that students
conduct a thorough research to gain a deep understanding of the institution. This
involves exploring:
● The school's website,
● Attending virtual information sessions, and
● Talking to current students or alumni
By immersing oneself in the school's culture, academic programs, extracurricular
opportunities, and unique features, students can craft an essay that showcases their
genuine interest and alignment with the institution's values.

b. In the "Why Major?" essay, applicants are asked to articulate their motivations and
aspirations related to their chosen field of study. It is advisable that students reflect on
their personal experiences, such as influential classes, projects, internships, or
mentors, that sparked their interest in the major. Additionally, students should
connect their academic and career goals to the specific resources, faculty, research
opportunities, or specialized programs offered by the college they are applying to. By
demonstrating a well-informed and passionate commitment to their chosen major,
applicants can convey their readiness to thrive academically and contribute to their
field of interest.

1. Sample Supplemental Essay (Yale University Specific)

Tell us about a topic or idea that excites you and is related to one or more academic areas you
selected above. Why are you drawn to it? (200 words or fewer)*

Response 1:
Rwanda is hailed worldwide for its impressive rebound success after the 1994 genocide against the
Tutsis. Rwanda's spotlessly clean environment, the ardent pursuit of gender equality, and consistent
determination to reduce poverty are some features to which all the praise is due. However, sometimes
the remarkable efficiency with which these achievements are reached comes with a grim cost: brutal
implementation. This includes implementing urban city housing plans using forced relocations of
poor families, with little to no compensation for their land and property lost. In short, Rwanda's
current glory has been bought by the infringement of some of its underrepresented citizens' rights.
Some argue that these inefficiencies are necessary evils to achieve the direly needed development for
the country's larger population—a small sacrifice for the greater good. But I wonder whether these
same people wouldn't change their minds if they were part of that minority being sacrificed. Inspired
by these musings, I want to unpack the intersections of political sciences and human rights in
developing countries. I want to learn how the currently marginalized communities in Rwanda, and the
world at large, can be given a fighting chance to improve their lives alongside their fellow citizens.

Response 2
According to Microbiology Spectrum, over the last three decades, three out of four emerging human
diseases were zoonotic, resulting from viruses, bacteria, and other microorganisms. Moreover, human
life on Earth is at higher risk as the spread of infections like monkeypox and SARS have spread to
new locations prompting scientists to predict two to four new diseases every year from 2012 on.

Simply put, failure to address the issues of habitat loss and subsequent risks animals expose is
impeding global human health. The biggest challenge is not the invincibility of the issues, but the
failure of past solutions to address them. One Health’s goal of realizing the interconnection that lies
among people, animals, and environment in curbing infections, as opposed to people-centric
approaches which ignored the mutualistic relationships in the ecosystem gives hope. It’s key to
understand that ecosystems are a cycle and failure to protect them from pollution, habitat loss and
animal displacement, puts humans at risk to water and vector borne infections.
As someone passionate about health and society’s well being, I am drawn to the One Health idea,
protecting the world through sustaining all the three domains of life: people, animals, and
environment.

Response 3
I have always questioned the popular view that limitations surrounding freedom of speech in Rwanda
are justified. From media reporting to casual conversations at a hair salon, laws and morals are
established to safeguard the community from those who seek to use their freedom of speech to
propagate the genocide ideology.

However, I wonder what we lose when we hinder certain voices. Limitations of speech have
suffocated arts in Rwanda because they limit the extent to which artists interact with the world around
to make sense of history and create a pictorial representation, poem, or song for posterity. In my view,
art is the most effective way to learn about and interact with our history. The interpretation of art is
also subjective in nature, therefore, how do we fully learn if limitations are put on this medium?

An artist will create a million-dollar carving when angry, compose record-breaking songs when she
falls in love, and write a striking poem about existing. Post-conflict societies are characterized by a
cacophony of such feelings, which, while triggering for some, are nonetheless realities of a healing
people. It is my view that art is an essential tool in the current post-truth era to engage with our past,
and I believe that the only way we are guaranteed to change mindsets about what makes us safe is to
talk about hard things, not shun them. We need to open our hearts to the truth through dialogue and art
is our square one.

Response 4
I have always had a fascination with words that rhyme. Since my childhood, I loved listening to
late-night Burundian poetry events called “kwivuga-amazina,” during which skilled poets would
recite poems about cows or heroism. The perfect symmetry of their words and the artful way in which
they delivered their rhymes to sound like sung ballads inspired me to learn the craft as well. The way
these poets made us care about the balance in the color pattern of a cow’s skin, or the tales of how
their great-grandfathers fought in glorious wars, helped me shape my taste in music and in
entertainment.

From music to theater pieces, I read and listened to everything that mimicked that perfect harmony of
sounds and words. I could spend hours re-reading “L’Avare” by Molière or listen to a collection of
poems by Edgar Allan Poe. I went from a simple enjoyer of that art to an avid creator of poetry. I
participated in poetry writing competitions and joined local poetry foundations. Not satisfied by just
creating poetry, I wanted others to love the art of equilibrium in word structure. Through a club called
CEWIJE at our school, I helped organize a written poetry championship and organized writing
workshops. Also, I created a blog where I published the poems that I wrote and exposed them to the
whole world. And surely, as Wallace Steven said, I became a poet, a priest of the invisible.

Why Yale? What is it about Yale that has led you to apply? (125 words or fewer)*

Response 1
During my first interaction with Yale through YYGS, I could imagine the rigid rationality of science
and the romanticism of love in synergetic harmony in the Science Behind Netflix's The One seminar.
This unbounded pursuit of knowledge, this challenging of binaries – an interdisciplinary system of
"and-s," not, "or-s," – is what I fell in love with. I am excited to explore grand strategy concepts like
the correlation between government and public safety optimization in class discussions and YPU
debates while tracing a journey of personal growth with the Walden Peer Counseling Program. At
Yale, I can enjoy the intimacy of Residential College Community nights and the stimulation of
rallying for a cause through Dwight Hall. I am choosing Yale for a chance to forge my unique path to
Light and Truth.

Response 2:
I’ve always believed being human meant more than one’s profession or interest or community - it
meant all of that. So I imagine myself in the cozy Davenport college, attending a HoC’s Tea. We are
hosting Ben Silberman, Yale alum and Pinterest CEO. After the seminar, I find a classmate with
whom I am writing a research paper on Vector Calculus and Integration on Manifolds. As we explore
the vast Sterling Memorial Library, searching for resources, she gives me some tips on how to survive
the First-year dance without embarrassing myself. Being a Bulldog means academics, people, and
culture. I’ve found a new home, 7000 miles from my country - Yale is a unique community of
scholars and friends, and that’s why I am applying.
Response 3:
Yale is not just a school but a community of scholars and friends. In high school, I always enjoyed the
studious moments of study and silly times with friends in dorms. With the support of Big Sibs and
FroCos, and for the love of learning, God, and country, I envision myself blending into Yale’s famed
culture of scholarship, friendships, and community-centered work. At Yale, I would learn from
world-leading experts through the HoC’s Teas and engage in vibrant discourse on womanism and
women’s empowerment through the Yale Women’s Leadership Initiative. From fellow Bulldogs, I
look forward to engaging with the New Haven community through Dwight Hall, finding a home in
the Linonian Debating Secret Society, and trying my luck at the off-broadway theater.

Response 4
As a Bridge2rwanda scholar, I have had the opportunity to learn from and appreciate a collaborative
academic environment that fosters looking at one’s academic journey from different angles and
perspectives. Similar to the amazing time at Bridge2rwanda, I am applying to Yale for its unique
approach to academic matters that helps navigate the fine line between problem and solution from a
collaboration and dialogue angle. Besides Yale as a whole, the International Office’s work at Yale. I
am eager to celebrate the African identity and Black culture at the Afro-American Houses’ Kwanza
Ball, while also engaging in conversations of African history and its impact on the contemporary
Black communities. Yale is a home of community and opportunities, one I love to be a part of.

What inspires you (200 characters)?

Response 1: The idea that we can always learn, improve, and become the best versions of ourselves,
whether it's through personal development, learning new skills, or taking on new challenges, inspires
me to be my best self.

Response 2: Rwanda was a place of darkness and trauma after 1994. Today it has peace, light and
optimism. This gives me hope and inspires me to spread light to other dark places in our world.

Response 3: Blue, black, then some gold; every pattern of the waist bead, anklet, or earrings as my
work of art is more than a minute-long milestone of diligent work, it’s a reminder that I am improving
every day.

Response 4: Music: Queen, Guns n’ Roses, Bahaga, Hamisi, Bachelet, Twisted Sister, J Cole. Music
makes me lose control, carries me to thoughts and imaginations, and gives me the strength to love,
learn, and do.

You are teaching a new Yale course. What's it called?* (200 characters)
Response 1: Inductive Logical Thinking and Patterns Recognition: The key to solving future political
problems.

Response 2: Culture Vs Technology: How the technological post-truth era influences Sub-Saharan
Africa’s cultural evolution and political power.
Response 3: Wakanda Someday: The Impact of Africa’s Technological Advancements on the
African Identity

Response 4: Exploring African Oral History: A Gamified Take.

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?*

Response 1: Noam Chomsky- a political activist who wrote extensively on power, language, and
social justice issues. I would ask him to discuss the role of media in shaping public opinion and how
critical thinking and activism can promote social justice.

Response 2: I’d invite President Kagame to speak on creating national unity in post-conflict societies.
He introduced ‘One Rwanda', abolishing ethnic divisions and discrimination which led to the 1994
Genocide.

Response 3: Tsietsi Mashinini, a Soweto Uprising student leader. We’d discuss solutions to injustices
like those he fought, and the intersection of justice and vengeance–whether retribution can be
restorative.

Response 4: I’d invite Ada Lovelace, the first computer programmer. I would like to know what she
thinks of modern programming languages and of the abstractions that those programming languages
are built upon.

What is something about you that is not included anywhere else in your application? (200
characters*

Response 1: While a sophomore at my school, I partook in a project called Ngwino Urebe Gas
Project, a science-based project that extracted cooking gas from water and paraffin and made gas
stoves.

Response 2: In 2019, I combined my interest in biology and python-coding. I participated in the

iGEM global program with Tel Aviv University students and we simulated the use of programming to
produce insulin.

Yale carries out its mission “through the free exchange of ideas in an ethical, interdependent,
and diverse community.” Reflect on a time when you exchanged ideas about an important issue
with someone holding an opposing view. How did the experience lead you either to change your
opinion or to sharpen your reasons for holding onto it?

As I interned as a Staff Writer at the NewTimes Rwanda, the country's most prestigious national
newspaper, one thing I took seriously was deep research about the topic I had to write about. The
practice was tiresome but with an exhilaration to match. I welcomed the knowledge, my curiosity, a
 guidelight along those profound delves into the new and unknowns. With each compelling discovery,
I was excited to share with the world, with a fervent characteristic of journalists, but the journey was
not always absolute.

One Monday morning, I was ready to publish my first article about an attack in the Nyungwe forest
by the MRNDC rebels that resulted in several locals' deaths. I first sent it to the Chief Editor for
screening, and to my surprise, he immediately trashed it and told me to write about a different topic. I
was confounded by his quick dismissal, but even more by what seemed like a blatant contradiction to
the values of transparency that I esteemed in the revered newspaper. "The people deserve to know
what is happening in the country," I retorted with righteous energy. He told me that the article was
unnecessary and couldn't be shared with the public since it would affect the community's behavior
and would spread terror among the people. That did not seem like reason enough to withhold
information. I stressed how every Rwandan has the right to credible information about any incident in
their country.

With the calm of the years of expertise he had on me, he paused and said, "Kevin…You see, strategy
is everything." He explained that spreading the news about the damage the rebels were causing in
Western Rwanda would indeed empower the insurgents. To this, I cooled down and began to
understand what he meant–the power in manufacturing chaos. It was our responsibility as reporters to
be complicit in the rebels' disruption or to walk away; I chose the latter. This experience allowed me
to scratch at the surface of what is a vast politics of information, a topic that continues to fuel my
intellectual curiosity and one I look forward to exploring further in my studies.

2. Sample Supplemental Essays (Princeton University

Specific)
As a research institution that also prides itself on its liberal arts curriculum, Princeton allows
students to explore areas across the humanities and the arts, the natural sciences, and the social
sciences. What academic areas most pique your curiosity, and how do the programs offered at
Princeton suit your particular interests? (Please respond in 250 words or fewer)*

Growing up in a country where children regularly die from preventable diseases, I want to pursue a
career devoted to ensuring today’s youth have the opportunity to contribute towards tomorrow.
Princeton’s liberal arts curriculum would help me understand public health's complex social, political,
and natural factors.

I’m fascinated by the origins, spreading patterns, and public policies that affect the prevention,
treatment, and containment of various epidemics. Pursuing a degree in Global Health and Health
Policy at the School of Public and International Affairs is perfectly tailored to my career goals.
Princeton's diverse community would be an ideal place for me to incubate my ideas for policy reform
in Rwanda.
On Princeton’s Policy Task Force, I would analyze policies, strategies, and technologies from around
the world, helping me design a more cohesive ecosystem within Rwanda’s health sector. The world
struggled to contain the Covid-19 pandemic because of the lack of unity within the global healthcare
system, and a multidisciplinary learning environment like Princeton would foster a mindset with
collaborative design at the center.

Furthermore, I have a dream that Africa would not only be the recipient of knowledge and resources
from the West but that Africa would be a pipeline of talent and resources for the rest of the world. To
do that, I need to learn from professors like Dr. Yibin Kang, whose research on molecular
mechanisms of cancer metastasis could have profound ripple effects in cancer research in Africa.

Briefly elaborate on an activity, organization, work experience, or hobby that has been
particularly meaningful to you. (Please respond in 150 words or fewer)*
Walking by a Chinese hospital in my neighborhood, my eyes were attracted by logograms of small
squares with crossed curved lines and apostrophe-like characters that intrigued my interest in
Mandarin. So I signed up with the Confucius Institute in Rwanda to learn Chinese language and
culture, which was one arduous but enjoyable journey of exploration. I can't forget when I realized
that the individual words dōng (东) and xī (西) mean "east" and "west," but together, they form a
multi-purpose word for 'thing.' The martial art form, "Tai Chi," I learned strengthened my mind and
body connection through gentle movements and improved concentration and mental health. Learning
to play ping pong was another gratifying experience, not forgetting how I learned Xiangqi (象棋)
board game, and I would win most Chinese doctors after their work. These skills improved not only
my academic achievements and cognitive development but also my attitude toward other languages
and cultures worldwide.

Your Voice
Please respond to each question in 250 words or fewer.

At Princeton, we value diverse perspectives and the ability to have respectful dialogue about
difficult issues. Share a time when you had a conversation with a person or a group of people
about a difficult topic. What insight did you gain, and how would you incorporate that
knowledge into your thinking in the future?*

Interning as a Staff Writer at the NewTimes Rwanda was one experience that required me to do deep
research. With each compelling discovery, I was excited to share with the world, with a fervent
characteristic of journalists, but the journey was not always absolute.

One day, I was ready to publish my first article about an attack in the Nyungwe forest by the MRNDC
rebels that resulted in several locals' deaths. I sent it to the Chief Editor for screening, and he
immediately trashed it, telling me to find a different topic. His quick dismissal confounded me even
more by what seemed like a blatant contradiction to the values of transparency I esteemed in the
revered newspaper. "The people deserve to know what is happening in the country," I retorted with
righteous energy.
With the calm of the years of expertise he had on me, he paused and said, "Kevin…You see, strategy
is everything." He explained that spreading the news about the damage the rebels were causing in
Western Rwanda would indeed empower the insurgents. To this, I began to understand what he
meant–the power in manufacturing chaos. It was our responsibility as reporters to be complicit in the
rebels' disruption or to walk away; I chose the latter. This experience allowed me to scratch at the
surface of a vast politics of information, a topic that continues to fuel my intellectual curiosity and
one I look forward to exploring further in my studies.

Princeton has a longstanding commitment to service and civic engagement. Tell us how your
story intersects (or will intersect) with these ideals.*
As the Ambassador of Tunza-Eco Generation by the United Nations Environment Programme and
SAMSUNG Engineering. One of my responsibilities was promoting environmental awareness
through articles, art, and in-person campaigns; and publishing monthly reports about my community's
environmental features and conditions. During my term, I immersed myself in learning more about
environmental conservation and spreading awareness about its safeguarding. One of my meaningful
experiences as an ambassador was a campaign I organized in partnership with Rwanda Environment
Awareness Organization (REAO). I led 300+ youths in the campaign to combat deforestation and
enhance environmental conservation. We planted nearly 500 trees and taught community members
about the effects of deforestation guided by the 13th SDG on Climate Change. At the end of the
campaign, inspired by circular economy principles, the community adopted a paper recycling/reusing
scheme, making it worthwhile.

More About You

Please respond to each question in 50 words or fewer. There are no right or wrong answers. Be
yourself!

What is a new skill you would like to learn in college?*

Living in an automated world today, I want to learn computer programming skills in college, which
will help me to integrate human-computer interaction (HCI) and public policy making while working
with large and complex datasets. This will give me greater flexibility and independence while
conducting research.

What brings you joy? *

Basketball, the joy I feel for every basket, assist, rebound, and steal I make; the sprinting up and down
the court, hustling for the lost ball, and all the dirty work give me extreme satisfaction. Basketball
helps me release tension and stress from work, in addition to the friendship and camaraderie it brings
me.

What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment?*

Lily Meola's Daydream is a reflective track about finding peace and contentment in the present
moment. Its lyrics convey a longing for a brighter future and the hope that comes with it, which
resembles my feelings as I long for a brighter future while appreciating the present moment.
3. Sample Supplemental Essays (Dartmouth College)
Dartmouth celebrates the ways in which its profound sense of place informs its profound sense
of purpose. As you seek admission to Dartmouth’s Class of 2027, what aspects of the College’s
academic program, community, or campus environment attract your interest?
In short, Why Dartmouth? (100 words)

Response 1
Dartmouth has piqued my interest. The liberal arts program unlocks discussions and knowledge
sharing with peers from various disciplines. The unique D-plan would allow me to access internships,
DCSI, study abroad, and travel opportunities. DCSI, specifically LISTEN, will bolster my passion for
community service through providing basic supplies for underserved communities. Dartmouth’s
mission to ensure environmental security, and the Sustainability Action Program will allow me to
collaborate with peers in supporting the FOCO’s in combating climate change. Outside class, I can’t
wait to canoe for the first time down the Connecticut River. Dartmouth is the home of my limitless
opportunity.

Response 2:
Dartmouth has piqued my interest. The liberal arts program unlocks discussions and knowledge
sharing with peers from various disciplines. The unique D-plan would allow me to access internships,
DCSI, study abroad, and travel opportunities. DCSI, specifically LISTEN, will bolster my passion for
community service through providing basic supplies for underserved communities. Dartmouth’s
mission to ensure environmental security, and the Sustainability Action Program will allow me to
collaborate with peers in supporting the FOCO’s in combating climate change. Outside class, I can’t
wait to canoe for the first time down the Connecticut River. Dartmouth is the home of my limitless
opportunity.

“Be yourself,” Oscar Wilde advised. “Everyone else is taken.” Introduce yourself in 200-250
words.*

My dying father’s words: “Take care of your mother; watch out for your sister.” I am the only son,
and Rwandan culture demands I assume his role.

At home; no smiles or conversation as Mom prays on a small mat in our single room house. I am sent
to Grandma far away, where I meet my first friend, Kalisa. Life is no longer boring. We share stories
and smiles while Grandma teaches us cooking. He suffers from the disease elders call ‘Gapfura’. My
search for a cure begins my interest in health. Singing brings me solace. With Grandma, I learn old
Rwandan songs, including Mom’s favorites, plus my favorite “Naraye Ndose”. Life becomes worse.

My sister dies as she can’t cope with her HIV positive results, and Mom dies from a stroke induced
by that loss. Two years pass. I get a scholarship to The (School) where I meet my second friend, Eric.
Eric has trauma from his mother’s 1994 Genocide nightmares and he has suicidal thoughts. I can’t
lose Eric. I learn to listen and counsel Eric. My interest in psychology grows as he recovers. Without
my mother, I’m taken to my 74 year old guardian. She is a subsistence farmer. Prolonged droughts in
 2021 make food scarce. My journey to be an environmental ambassador starts as I fight for our
survival. I am a son with loss and hardships that have blossomed passions and a drive to put a happy
ending to a sad beginning.

Labor leader and civil rights activist Dolores Huerta recommended a life of purpose. “We must
use our lives to make the world a better place to live, not just to acquire things,” she said. “That
is what we are put on the earth for.” In what ways do you hope to make—or are you
making—an impact? (200-250 words)

In African Bantu cultures, “Ubuntu” runs through the fabric of our lives. It means “I am because you
are,” insinuating my very existence is defined by yours, placing the highest value on the wellbeing of
our neighbor. In 10th grade, I exercised “Ubuntu” by participating in three clubs: HELP, YIM, and
Give Peace. These clubs served our community by serving the homeless and fighting malnutrition in
my community. We planted gardens, built houses, and tutored the children who couldn’t afford to go
to school.

Continuing my involvement in those clubs for three years, I also contributed to the initiative in 2020
called “For the Disadvantaged, whose mission is healing. We sought to bring healing by restoring
homes. A key pillar of a healthy home is an educated home. Many children in my community
couldn’t afford school, so we fundraised money to help send children of vulnerable families to the
school. When Covid-19 hit, many of those vulnerable families had no source of income to buy food,
so we fundraised to raise money to provide food to the starving families. The food came in abundant
supply, and we fed many families during the harsh lockdown periods of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Ubuntu” is not limited to the African context, and I look forward to welcoming the global
community at Dartmouth to embrace the transformative lifestyle of “Ubuntu.”

4. Sample Supplemental Essays (NYU Abu Dhabi)

NYU was founded on the belief that a student’s identity should not dictate the ability for them
to access higher education. That sense of opportunity for all students, of all backgrounds,
remains a part of who we are today and a critical part of what makes us a world class
university. Our community embraces diversity, in all its forms, as a cornerstone of the NYU
experience. We would like to better understand how your experiences would help us to shape
and grow our diverse community. Please respond in 250 words or less.

Over break, my mother and I joined the “Kamonyi women’s center” in my village. There,
we meet other women seated on a mat weaving “Uduseke”- traditional Rwandan
baskets-as they sing and dance to Rwandan traditional songs. The ambiance at the
women's center is inviting and cheerful. From a young age, I learnt weaving from my
mother who also learnt from her mother. By combining different types, sizes, and colors
of bamboo, I produce beautiful patterns on baskets.
 The diversity I experience with baskets is like what I encountered at the New York
Academy of Sciences, and Yale Young African Scholars summer programs. In a period of
two months, I teamed up with students from all over the world to discuss the most
pressing problems, the recurring one being access to clean water. From those
discussions, we devised different approaches to solutions. These experiences taught me
to appreciate different ideas, cultures, and to embrace diversity.

At NYUAD, I will share my Rwandan identity through joining the art center club to
showcase our baskets as I run weaving workshops. I look forward to partaking in the art
center club at NYUAD where I will share our “Amaraba” traditional dance wearing my
beautiful “umushanana.”
In the dorms, I am excited to share my favorite soup “Isombe”
with my roommates as we discuss and embrace each other’s cultures. By taking belly
dancing class, I will learn from other types of cultures. At NYUAD, I will thrive by
upholding my identity as I embrace others’.

5. Sample Supplemental Essays (Washington and Lee)

Please describe how you have familiarized yourself with Washington and Lee University and
what aspects of W&L's community are most exciting to you. (250 words)

When Washington and Lee visited Bridge2Rwanda online, I was intrigued by every word they
mentioned, especially when they stated that the student-to-faculty ratio is around eight to one and the
majority of the classes enroll fewer than twenty-five students. I was astounded the most. In high
school, I used to have a strong interaction with my professors, who encouraged me to apply what I
learned in theory in real life. A typical instance was my collaboration with my Biology and
Entrepreneurship teachers to implement the MalSolvers project to address malnutrition issues in my
home community. Such close contact with professors fueled both my academic and personal success.
Being at Washington & Lee University would be ideal because I will maintain a close relationship
with the professors.

Furthermore, the Community-Academic Research Alliance will include me in research that employs
disciplinary knowledge, allowing me to continue my journey of developing solutions to global
complexities. Besides academics, I find my purpose being served more by participating in various
community services, from assisting in school kitchen services to donating blood in various hospitals
on vacation. Moreover, Campus Kitchen and the Volunteer Venture Trips program will introduce me
to a wide range of perspectives that cause societal challenges, such as poverty in the campus area and
assist me in laying a basis for healthier communities. Ultimately, Washington & Lee University's
community engagement programs and engaging academic environments will deepen my confidence
in being the cornerstone of the progress I want to see in my society and worldwide.
 Please describe an aspect of your life outside of school that is important to you, such as an
extracurricular activity, a job or a family responsibility. How has your involvement shaped your
personal qualities and growth, and how has it impacted those around you? (250 words)

I define my life in words: live full, die empty. These words embody the zeal and adventure that I seek,
evoking a finite nature of life and implying my desire to pour every ounce of my potential into
contributing to impacting my society before I die. Part of my "live full, die empty" is participating in
Umuganda, a community service held every Saturday, where Rwandans get together to create one
family and address their problems. Through Umuganda, people of different ages assemble to carry out
different programs and activities. However, I enjoy participating in cleaning around my village,
constructing schools, and fundraising to provide food and other basics for low-income families.
By using my hands: helping in carrying bricks and trees to build classes, giving out to the hungry
poor, and sweeping around the village roads, I feel that I am serving my purpose and, indeed, pouring
my energy into making the lives of everyone around me better. I always remember the day when our
old woman neighbor's house was demolished by rain. I participated in the following Umuganda,
where we gathered construction materials like cement, water, and trees. On that same day, the woman
cried tears of joy, hugging everyone, happy to have a home again. Such an experience taught me the
primary meaning of patriotism: being the hope for the hopeless around me and serving the country
from my neighbor. However, participating in Umuganda has just been the beginning, and I cannot
wait to spread the impact worldwide.

6. Sample Supplemental Essays (Tufts University Specific)

Why Tufts?

I cannot visit any colleges, but Tufts visited me. The first time I saw Tufts students they were
embarrassing themselves but still having fun! They were ‘performing’ our traditional Rwandan
dance which mimics traditional cows. I felt inclined to help, but maybe better to wait and hold a
lesson once at Tufts. I hope to humble myself with activities both new and already dear to my
heart. I am not a warrior, but Karate Shotokan practice every Friday will give me comfort and
focus. Contributing my moves to the amazing COCOA Dancers excites me.

I wish to join brilliant minds like Professor Allen, whose skills in artificial intelligence and machine
learning can spark endless intellectual curiosity. Collaborating with peers in the beautiful Joyce
Cummings building is a vision complete. After all, it was partly the Cummings’ generosity that made
my journey from nowhere to ASYV to Tufts a possibility.

7. Sample Supplemental Essays (Brown University)

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. (250 words)

The world today is growing at an unprecedented rate. Such growth is leading to the creation of new
complex challenges that seem to have outpaced the already available knowledge of how to solve
them. However, I believe Brown’s Open Curriculum is part of the solution. The Open Curriculum at
Brown stands out to me because I believe it will give me an opportunity to drive my own academic
experience. I will not only ask questions but also participate in finding solutions and creating new
knowledge through exploring my vast academic interests.

I am passionate about artificial intelligence and machine learning, but I am also interested in
economics, entrepreneurship, politics, psychology, and music. I am particularly in love with how
machine learning and artificial intelligence accelerate the growth of developing countries. For
example, looking at how machine learning can be applied to hundreds of thousands of data in
economics to help evaluate the efficacy of existing fiscal structures and how it can help inform
creative, yet effective fiscal policies. I believe that such an understanding is crucial to
maximizing the efficiency of the economic systems of developing countries like Rwanda.

Hence, the Open Curriculum will allow me to plan my academic path, take risks, come up short, and
try again or try something different. Also, being surrounded by a diverse group of students who are
visionaries and not afraid to try new things will give me room to broaden my horizons and explore
new realms of self-discovery.

Tell us about a place or community you call home. How has it shaped your perspective? (250

When I first enrolled at the Agahozo Shalom Youth Village (ASYV), I was apprehensive at the
thought of spending four years at boarding school. I had attended boarding schools in the past, and
my experience was the same: you are on your own. But ASYV was different, and it soon became my
second home and family: it is a truly immersive community and offers after-school programs to help
students explore new skills.

During my first year, I sought out extra piano lessons and guidance from a senior student. With some
convincing, he agreed to sit down with me and helped me structure a practice plan. He didn’t simply
teach me to play; he taught me how to strategically approach music lessons, starting from the
foundations. As a result, I gained a much more thorough understanding of music theory, which helped
in my subsequent lessons in music production. I later had the privilege to offer the same support to
younger students at ASYV who, like me, shared a passion for music.

I taught them the basics of piano from the ground up, emphasizing the importance of structured
practice and the joy of playing as a group. My experience at ASYV taught me the importance of
community, strategic goal-setting, and giving back. I carry these values with me to this day and I hope
to use them again, both at Brown and in the surrounding community.
 How will you contribute to the brown community? (250

After graduating from high school, I had the opportunity to intern at WSHK, a German coworking
startup space in Kigali. While interning there, I gained collaborative and business skills which will
enable me to contribute to the vibrant entrepreneurial scene at Brown. As part of my responsibilities, I
coordinated entrepreneurship workshops, organized weekly networking events with members of 70+
startups, and had the opportunity to learn about the journey of most of their founders.

This experience developed my interest in entrepreneurship and amplified my understanding of

Rwandan start-ups. I am eager to continue developing my passion for entrepreneurship,
problem-solving, and business at Brown. In particular, the Nelson Center for Entrepreneurship where
I will be able to access such incredible opportunities including the 8-week summer accelerator
Breakthrough Lab (B-Lab) or participate in the $50000 Brown Venture Prize which I am confident
will expose me to the transformative potential of business.

My experience working closely with startup founders has given me insight into what it takes to
succeed in entrepreneurship. While working with Robert Rugamba, co-founder of One World Coders,
I learned how entrepreneurs can use their interests and passions to solve pressing real-world
problems. At Brown, I hope to initiate and lead similar conversations and experiences by actively
participating in the Peer Entrepreneur in Residence (PEIR) Program. Through my involvement in the
program, I aim to serve my fellow students through mentorship and help them sharpen and implement
their business ideas.

8. Sample Supplemental Essays (Colgate University)

On Colgate's campus, students engage with individuals from a variety of socioeconomic
backgrounds, races, ethnicities, religions, and perspectives during the course of their
educational and social experiences. In 200-250 words, please share the benefits you see in
engaging with a diverse body of students, faculty, and staff as part of your Colgate experience.

My dance improvs kept shaking the heads of my onlooking friends in the Umucyo dance group.
Perhaps my footwork stepped offbeat, or my head failed to synchronize with my body's sway. For
some reason, none of my dance moves yielded my group's approval. So after three months of not
being able to impress the Umucyos, I joined the Mashyuza Ballet, a multicultural dance club
comprising Burundians, Rwandans, and Congolese choreographers.

The Mashyuza redefined my understanding of music and dancing. On my first day at the club's
rehearsal, I watched Chris add a Congo Lumba flavor to Burundian Abahebera traditional rhythms.
He maintained a consistent swing as he tapped to the beat of each syncopated drum kick; I could
hardly believe my eyes and ears as I journeyed into a fusion of musical ecstasy. Experiencing
diversity in choreography opened my eyes to the beauty of interacting with a multifaceted community
similar to Colgate's. Every student at Colgate has a unique move of life and an exciting style by which
they choreograph life's challenges into lasting solutions.
I seek to learn from Colgate's global intellect as I work alongside professors from all backgrounds to
share wisdom. With the welcoming community at Colgate, I'll enjoy sitting down with the Tea Club,
sharing insight into Chinese culture and how its rich heritage can redefine a few attributes of my
Rwandan culture. The ALANA Culture Center will be a melting pot of perspectives where I eagerly
anticipate sharing stories, gaining insights, and broadening my horizons.

Colgate students immerse themselves in social and intellectual pursuits that inspire them. Tell
us in 200-250 words what inspires you and why you want to pursue that at Colgate.

A flood of advertisement notifications would pour onto my screen whenever I opened my computer. I
couldn't help but wonder how these ads found me, a curious mind in Rwanda, all the way from the
US. Eventually, this sparked an idea to become Marvel Tech, an online shop that bridges the digital
divide to every Rwandan corner. However, the world of e-commerce was constantly evolving, and I
needed to achieve my goal.

I knew that the key to success was real-time product recommendations based on customers'
geo-locations, and I needed to enroll in a course and join the community that would give me the skills
to make it happen. At Colgate's Research Lounge, I will embark on an exciting journey of discovery
and collaboration. With my peers, I will dive into the depths of big data analytics and uncover the
secrets of effective marketing strategies. I can feel the thrill of exploration as I work alongside
Professor Micheal Hay in developing cutting-edge data analysis technologies that will revolutionize
the e-commerce industry.

At Colgate, I'm excited to dive into the world of ideas and opinions at the Table Talk. I will use this
opportunity to gain my peers' new perspectives on internet marketing. Besides, I'll enjoy planting new
fruits and vegetables like the African Yam Bean at Colgate's Community Garden alongside my
colleagues.

Whether it's uncovering new trends or developing new technologies, I know that the possibilities at
Colgate are endless, and the journey will be both challenging and enjoyable.

Short Answers Questions(Usually on Portal)

Note: Each response should be no more than 13 words.

Fascinated by?: reading a fiction story inside the bus or at the mountaintop.

Favorite book, movie, or television show?: The Lion King; it teaches being responsible and
compassionate for those around us.

Your role model?: Steve Jobs: believing in what we do will make us successful.

In the future, you hope to be?: A role model to the youth in my community
 One historical figure you would like to meet?: Thomas Edison: I would learn more about his
resilience and determination.

Favorite food?: Ugali: it's local and shareable, and it connects friends and families

One thing you would change?: Misrepresentation of women in some countries like Afghanistan.

9. Sample Supplemental Essays (Haverford University)

Tell us about a topic or issue that sparks your curiosity and gets you intellectually excited. How
do you think the environment at Haverford, including the framework of the Honor Code, would
foster your continued intellectual growth? Please limit your response to 250 words.

Throughout my four years of high school, I had the privilege of meeting and studying with students
from every walk of life. I have seen everything from students who excelled inside the classroom to
those struggling to make it to school every morning. The students that stuck out to me most were the
ones with disabilities that were invisible to the eye. For example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD), a common neurodevelopmental disorder, is not seen as an actual condition in my
region. Students who may have had ADHD and other neurodevelopmental disorders faced extra
challenges in the classroom that ranged from the inability to concentrate to speaking out of turn in
discussions. Discovering the reasons behind these disorders and how they can better be treated in
developing nations is what drives my curiosity.

I am eager to continue my journey of intellectual exploration at Haverford in classes such as Clinical

Psychopharmacology, where I can learn from my professors and classmates. Any relationship
between two human beings is based on trust and respect. Haverford’s honor code creates an
environment of trust, respect and a safe space for my intellectual curiosity to thrive. In that
environment, I can fully own my education. I hope that through the robust Honor Code constructed by
students, I, alongside my peers, will be able to foster an environment where curious individuals will
work in collaboration with one another to create sustainable solutions for the world we will enter once
our four years at Haverford are complete.

Please tell us what motivated you to apply to Haverford and what excites you most as you
imagine your Haverford experience. Please limit your response to 150 words

Invisible hand is the right phrase to depict my ordinary level experience. I tried to raise various
questions in class, but the teacher couldn’t feed my desire for knowledge because we were a class of
60 students. My advanced level was the first time I was exposed to an environment where students
were just as eager to learn as I was and our teachers were supportive. I can imagine myself, a year
from now, in a classroom animated by a professor whose passion for what they’re teaching instills a
desire to learn more among all the students. Going into the college process I knew I wanted to be at
an institution that values who I am and aligns with the beliefs I have. On top of the amazing
Tri-college consortium program, Haverford’s Quaker roots stem far beyond the classroom walls and
each student embodies determination, self-awareness, peace, and truth.
10. Sample Supplemental Essays (Trinity College)
The Trinity College community is characterized by engagement, caution, and collaborative
partnerships. Based on the different communities that you are a member of, how will you
engage with and leave an impact on the Trinity College community (300 words)

My mother has a great sense of humor. When she's not making others laugh, she's laughing at herself,
and it's very contagious. However, when April is around, she shuts down as the 1994 genocide
commemoration begins. It’s likely because the scar on her shoulder weighs heavier on her around
this time. When I ask how she got her sacred scar, she sadly recounts her painful story of being sliced
by a machete and her wishes for a fast painless death that she never received. That was the day after
they had massacred her whole family in front of her. Although I heard these stories every year, I never
understood the gravity they held for my mother. After all, I was a child born in a new country where
ethnic identities had been abolished.

As I grow up, though, I realize that it's not just me. My friends go through the same experience with
their parents every April. As their children, it is hard to be there for them in their darkest moments of
pain and fear they only comprehend. As an event organizer of the Never Again Rwanda club at
school, I lead discussions about what happened in Rwanda, and visits to Genocide Memorial Grounds
which gives us insight into what our parents went through. We would visit the survivors, learn from
their testimonies, and counsel them bringing light into their lives.

Nevertheless, we try. We try to empathize with and acknowledge their trauma. Through joining the
Counseling and Wellness Center at Trinity, I long to recognize my community’s trauma and
background to make them feel like they belong. I plan to bring this realization with me: always
remembering that there are things that we might never understand about others but that we'll keep
trying to, regardless.

Please share why you think the Community Action Gateway would be a good fit for you.
(300-400 words)

I always found it fascinating how modern times affirm ancient sayings. Watching the Covid-19
pandemic unfold reminded me of an old Kinyarwanda proverb: ak’ imuhana kaza imvura ihise which
roughly means ‘help from elsewhere comes after the storm has passed.’ When the pandemic broke
and lockdowns were instated, my village where most of the people depend on agriculture descended
into turmoil.

Demand for tea leaves and pyrethrum, our top cash crops, declined due to the lockdown. The
measures taken by the government for preventing the spreading of the disease were not favorable for
my village. There was only one source of income and the government policies closed it off. Infected
people were asked to eat fruits which were scarce since more people struggled to even put food on the
table. I realized that we were either going to fix it ourselves or starve, and that’s when I came up with
the idea of initiating my organization Earn2Save. I used the knowledge from my chemistry classes
 and started making liquid soap for sale but also gave some for free to vulnerable members of the
community.

As the business boomed, I realized I couldn't continue alone, so I got a team of six people, and we
trained more members – mostly jobless graduates to provide job opportunities. We advertised our
products on the radio and by word of mouth throughout the district. It was a success; selling 200 liters
per week. From the profit, we provided seeds of avocado trees as our contribution to combating
malnutrition and the ongoing devastation of climate change. After six months, we distributed the
seeds to 125 families.

Today, the people we trained still manufacture and sell soap for a living. The trees we distributed will
provide fruits soon. Our community's environment is much lovelier, with cleaner air and many
chirping birds nesting in the young trees. Community Action Gateway at Trinity will give me a
platform to continue serving the community with enough knowledge about the issues beyond
malnutrition, climate change, and unemployment whose effects are gravely felt in our communities
starting from Hartford. I look forward to the greater change-maker that I will become through
Community Action Gateway. I can’t wait to join a vibrant community of thinkers and doers in
Hartford working towards improving the lives of our communities while also building friendships.

11. Sample Supplemental Essays (Swarthmore Specific)

We are inspired by students who are flexible in their approach to learning, who are comfortable
with experimentation, and who are willing to take intellectual risks that move them out of their
comfort zone. Reflect on a time that you were intellectually challenged, inspired, or took an
intellectual risk—inside or outside of the classroom. How has that experience shaped you, and
what questions still linger? (150-250 words)

School computer administrators were puzzled by how students were violating networks by
watching episodes and chatting rather than academic research. While they searched for someone
who utilized the internet well they assigned me the work to safeguard the computer lab in being
used effectively.

Later, I realized that students were not ready to give up violating the network, so I suggested the
use of a firewall to restrict some website visits. Administrators were eager to make website
restrictions to social media but students managed to find Chrome extensions like VPN. Besides
that they were able to use shoulder surfing to steal the teachers’ usernames and passwords. As
someone responsible for managing the lab, I was uncomfortable seeing that happening, and I had
to use another computer to analyze the online information and arrange them together. Actually, I
came to realize that not all students used all the websites wrongly, but for some it was useful, and
helpful in class.

From that, I arranged different meetings to motivate students to use the network
even in the absence of someone to track their works. Because there was no way to separate them
from their addiction, I agreed to let them utilize social media for one hour after education based
 research mostly on the weekend. As a result one of the students invented Tarama Rwanda, an
amazing foundation that boosts online talent shows. After observing the student’s capabilities, I
learnt that the leaders have to understand their followers to solve their problems.

12. Sample Supplemental Essays (Rochester Specific)

The university of Rochester motto of Meliora–or “Ever Better”-deeply integrates critical core
values into all that we do. These core values of equity, leadership, integrity, openness, respect,
and accountability define not only who we are, but also who we hope to become. Please use the
space below to highlight a time, creative idea, or research experience when you put into action
one or more of these characteristics in order to make yourself, your community, or the world
ever better. (250 word limit)

From primary school, I was exposed to the light of knowledge. I remember, I grasped the herbal
practices from local medical practitioners. As a result, I became an assistant for a local herbalist
when I was ten, which introduced me to the complex science and meticulous refining processes
behind my mother’s natural remedies. Before I joined high school, I gained the trust of my entire
community, and many people would consult me about their ailments.

In high school, I was exposed to the wonders of modern medicine from the firing of neurons to the
DNA that controlled every aspect of us. More importantly, What bestowed in my heart were the
public health lessons that spanned topics like proper sanitation. As I passed by my village, I found
that most homes either had no toilets or access to clean water. I tried my best to advocate for the
construction of some toilets and taps of water in our village.

Later, I worked with many other people to construct vegetable gardens, to raise awareness of
disease, and to fund the construction of toilets for some families. At Rochester, I hope to utilize
research opportunities like UR VTEU to conduct research on the Ebola vaccine, one of the biggest
challenges in sub-saharan Africa. By working with Yue Lui’s research, “Quality and outcome
assessment for hospital and long-term care,” I hope how I could design better medical delivery system
in developing countries

American social reformer, abolitionist, writer and statesman Frederick Douglass said, “Some
know the value of education by having it. I knew its value by not having it.” Explain ways in
which education has directly influenced you and your ability to do good in the world. How will
you use the curricular flexibility and co-curricular opportunities of the
University of Rochester experience to grow and to promote positive change for yourself, your
community and the world?

“We did not study, but we raised you”. These words reflect the neglected value of education in my
community. Growing up in a society that didn’t value education deprived me from the world of
knowledge, intellect, and creativity. I begged my parents to go to school, but their response was
simple: “We will buy you a garden hoe.” After more entreatment, they finally allowed me to join the
free primary school in my village.
 My primary years commenced the beginning of an intellectual journey of curiosity, discovery, and
exploration. I quickly emerged as one of the highest-achieving students at my school, and I had a
deep desire to share my skills and knowledge with others in my village that didn’t have the same
opportunity to study as I did.

Through my club called “Son Rise School”, I tutored the neighborhood children and sensitized them
to value education. Families started to see meaningful differences in their children as they started
learning how to read and write, and more families began to enroll their children in school. I was filled
with joy to see parents buying pens and paper instead of garden hoes. I hope that, through education,
the future is better.

13. Sample Supplemental Essays (UPenn Specific)

Write a short thank-you note to someone you have not yet thanked and would like to
acknowledge. (We encourage you to share this note with that person, if possible, and reflect on
the experience!) (150-200 words)*

Dear Diana,
Words cannot fully express my gratitude for your support to my family during a difficult time. I will
never forget the summer of 2018 when my mom had gallstone removal surgery after giving birth to
my little brother. It was a trying time for our family, as my father was away on a work trip, and my
siblings and I were the only ones to care for our mother and the new baby for the next two months of
hospitalization. On the first day, I delivered food to the hospital, my sister stayed home cooking, and
my older brother stayed overnight with our mother. We couldn't see the end in sight and felt
overwhelmed and exhausted.

That's when you stepped in. You took on the burden of cooking and delivering food to the hospital
and even stayed with my mom overnight to provide her with comfort and support. Your generosity
and compassion meant the world to us and relieved us so much when we struggled to keep up. Your
kindness saved my family, and I am inspired to pay it forward and spread positivity wherever I go.

Thank you for being my best neighbor!

Kevin

How will you explore the community at Penn? Consider how Penn will help shape your
perspective and identity, and how your identity and perspective will help shape Penn. (150-200
words)*

UPenn's unbounded pursuit of knowledge and challenging of binaries – an interdisciplinary system of

"and-s," not, "or-s," – is what I fell in love with and want to explore. I see myself blending in with the
Penn Quakers community as I read Zinzi Clemmons' What We Lose at the Shoemaker Green. Then I
would go to the Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center, where I would prepare for my potential Political
Science Capstone, exploring the correlation between government efforts and the optimal benefits to
public safety.
 As I stroll down the Locust Walk, I shall meet like-minded students who understand the urgency of
revising some current policies. Together, we shall engage in the Penn Debate Society to discuss
critical global issues. At night, we shall go for a movie at the Heyer Sky Lounge, and the next day, I
would integrate peer support and active listening skills at the Penn Benjamins while fostering an
empathetic environment at UPenn. Through the Penn in Washington program, I can engage in policy
research courses with Washington insiders while interning with interesting DC institutions in the
nation's center of politics. Upenn is a place of possibilities that represents people, culture, and
academics, and that's where I want to belong.

Considering the specific undergraduate school you have selected, describe how you intend to
explore your academic and intellectual interests at the University of Pennsylvania. (150-200
words)*

Rwanda is hailed worldwide for its impressive rebound success after the 1994 genocide against the
Tutsis. Rwanda's spotlessly clean environment, the ardent pursuit of gender equality, and consistent
determination to reduce poverty are some features to which all the praise is due. However, sometimes
the remarkable efficiency with which these achievements are reached comes with a grim cost: brutal
implementation. This includes implementing urban city housing plans using forced relocations of
poor families, with little to no compensation for their land and property lost. In short, Rwanda's
current glory has been bought by infringing some of its underrepresented citizens' rights.

Some argue that these inefficiencies are necessary to achieve the direly needed development for the
country's larger population. But I wonder whether these same people wouldn't change their minds if
they were part of that minority being sacrificed. Inspired by these musings, at UPenn, I want to
unpack the intersections of political sciences and human rights in developing countries. Through
courses like PSCI 0601: Modern Political Thoughts that conceptualize political theories for a moral
and political life, I want to learn how the currently marginalized communities can be given a fighting
chance to improve their lives alongside their fellow citizens.

14. Sample Supplemental Essays (Duke University)

What is your sense of Duke as a university and a community, and why do you consider it a good
match for you? If there's something in particular about our offerings that attracts you, feel free
to share that as well. (250 word limit)*

Duke is an academically rigorous institution, but it is defined by its unique concern for its student’s
well-being and the education of the whole human. Duke values diversity in socioeconomic
background, racial identity, sexual orientation, and beliefs, among many other things. I yearn to be in
a space that sees the value of students beyond the grades they can produce. I want to be surrounded by
students who desire to think beyond the assigned reading but also want to take a restorative yoga class
in the student wellness center.
One of my passions is dance, and I am excited to audition for the Dancing Devils, but it is also
refreshing knowing that I won’t have to choose between my passion, hobbies, and interests at Duke. I
grew up attending schools with toxic environments. Students were pitted against each other, creating
tensions outside the classroom. Teachers were there to discipline more than teach, and engaging with
learning in such a space was a struggle. I am drawn to Duke because of the stark difference in
teaching methods and philosophies.

Teachers foster long-lasting relationships with students and are there to support them. There is a
collaborative nature among students, which enables everyone to succeed. I see myself learning from
the diverse students around me while bringing a little piece of Rwanda to the table.

We seek a diverse student body that embodies the wide range of human experience. In that
context, we are interested in what you’d like to share about your lived experiences and how
they’ve influenced how you think of yourself.

Growing up, my relatives were scattered around the globe–France, Mozambique, the United States,
South Africa, Belgium, and Rwanda–because they fled during the 1994 Rwandan Genocide Against
the Tutsi. Consequently, my extended family’s Whatsapp group became a platform that equipped me
with essential social skills: relationship management, respect, and acceptance. There was once an
instance when my aunt, living in South Africa, criticized my cousin in Belgium for not getting
married by age 30.

I used to feel pressured about siding whenever I would be tagged to give a youth’s perspective.
Subsequently, I learned to build common ground and realized that liberty regarding matters like these
that I deem “personal” should not be taken away by someone else’s choice. Later, I was elected for
Gender Representation in the district’s youth council. I aimed to eradicate the norm in my community
to sacrifice girls’ tuition for their brothers’ best education. I would visit families and local schools to
identify girls who dropped out of school, educate the parents about the benefits of their daughter’s
education, and raise the concern to the district administration if the parents repudiated.

When I believe in the righteousness of aspiration, I do all I can to attain it. Hence, I am propelled to
not let a person be denied their freedom, and it’s why I will strive to foster QuadEx’s purpose to
create an inclusive living and learning space that strengthens on-campus communities.

What has been your best academic experience in the last two years, and what made it so good?
(250 words limit)

I connected the last wire, Augusta ran the program, Orlyse blew air through a rolled paper toward the
system’s humidity sensor, and the windows and doors of our cardboard house opened. We all
screamed “YEEES” and rejoiced at our system of “Humidity-Zen.”

When our school’s project exhibition was approached, I teamed up with two friends and decided to
focus on agriculture, the sector that employs 70% of Rwandans. We found humidity, a belittled factor
among Rwandan farmers, to be the cause. We started “Humidity-Zen.” We designed a house from
 cardboard for simulation and self-tutored programming Arduino microcontrollers. Shortly after, we
had written over 200 lines of codes that would later successfully open windows when humidity
increased above the optimum and close them when it decreased below the optimum. Using
MitAppInventor, we linked an app to the system to share the farm’s status with the farmer. Using the
data, we could advise farmers on the suitable crop or animal to rear depending on the place’s
humidity.

We were awarded the best ICT project of the exhibition and later participated in the UN Women
Rwanda Summit’s competition. We came in fourth place, yet we were the only teenagers among
university students. Additionally, in a national inter-school project competition: Educate, we were
awarded the best innovative and feasible project. I realized the power of teamwork as we encouraged
each other to not give up whenever we spent four hours trying to debug our hundreds of lines of code.

15. Sample Supplemental Essays (Washington University)

Please tell us what you are interested in studying at college and why? (200 words)
Technology is always praised for making our lives better, but we rarely fix the problems it creates.
The aftermath of the 1994 genocide left many in my country with numerous, unacknowledged mental
health disorders.

Unfortunately, these mass murders in Rwanda and all over the world were/are also greatly aided by
firearms and explosives: products of science and technology. I've also witnessed how expansive social
media triggers PTSD and depression in people. Luckily, it is possible to address these issues by
properly adapting the same technologies that caused them, which is what I aim to do. I hope to use
social media and mass communications to help those struggling with mental illnesses.

My studies in psychology at WashU will also deepen my understanding and better inform my
interactions with the mental health issues I will be trying to resolve. Additionally, I'm excited to take
interdisciplinary minors like computer science and medical humanities to explore ways to integrate
technology with human behavior to advance mental health wellness in Rwanda. Through the
Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement, I hope to start this work early, participating
in WashU’s loving community and learning how to build and nurture safe spaces for everyone.

16. Sample Supplemental Essays (University of British

Columbia [UBC])

a. International Scholarship Profile:

1. How do you envision your chosen program of study at UBC helping you reach your
long-term career and personal goals? What drives you to achieve your goals?
(Maximum 200 words)

I was first introduced to herbal medicine as a young child when my mother had me chew on
ginger roots to fight colds and stomach aches. I was so fascinated by nature’s healing
properties for the body that I became an assistant for a local herbalist when I was ten, which
introduced me to the complex science and meticulous refining processes behind my mother’s
natural remedies. Before I joined high school, I gained the trust of my entire community, and
many people would consult me about their ailments.

During high school, I had my first exposure to the wonders of modern medicine in my
biology class. Scientists like Alexander Fleming, who invented the penicillin antibiotic,
became my role models. I hope to become the Sir Fleming of Africa by making breakthrough
discoveries in homeopathic medicine to make medicine more affordable and to better treat
diseases like malaria, ebola, and cancer that plague my country. Studying Pharmaceutical
Sciences at UBC and joining forces with the world’s brightest minds in medicine at UBC’s
research facilities would help incubate discoveries for alternative approaches to medicine that
could save millions of lives in Sub-Saharan Africa.

2. The International Scholars program takes pride in its community. Describe how you
contribute to the well-being of a community that is most important to you. What have
you learned from your experiences? (Maximum 300 words).

I grew up in a home where my parents struggled to provide for my basic needs. Many days
my family didn’t have enough food for dinner. The little money my parents had often went to
school fees. One day, I sat crying under a tree in my neighborhood because we couldn’t pay
for school and I was forced to drop out. An old man passed by and inquired about my
situation. He handed me the equivalent of $5 and said, “You will give back more than this to
us one day, my son!” I cherished the gift, which was enough to allow me to continue in
school, and I took his words to heart. That old man’s gift revealed the heart of generosity that
I aspired to return. I considered myself indebted to my community, and I was determined to
pay perpetual interest to them.

My first large initiative to give back to my community was through a club I started called
“Cornerstone,” a club that makes bricks to build houses for vulnerable families in my
community. On weekends and during school breaks, we dig up clay from the ground, fetch
water, mix them together, and shape them into bricks to dry in the sub. With my team, we can
usually make around 10,000 bricks in a single weekend. My second initiative to give back is
called “Son Rise School,” which is a program that I organized to offer tutoring for academic
skills and vocational training in gardening and construction. As I reflect on my community,
the pan-African lifestyle of “ubuntu,” meaning “I am because you are,” is a necessary virtue
that is deeply woven into the fabric of our collective identity. I’m excited to share the virtue
of “ubuntu” with the diverse community at Bowdoin.
3. Tell us which activity, award, or achievement was the most meaningful and why (100
words Max).
The polythene bags, dirty sewage water, and streetside landfills that tarnished the beauty of
my village motivated me to start environmental sustainability projects in my community.

Firstly, I organized meetings to sensitize the youth to the dangers of pollution and designed a
coalition of volunteers to construct designated dumping sites. Later, as I learned about biogas
in school, I advocated for the construction of the first biogas plant in our community using
biodegradable waste, which offered clean, affordable energy to my neighbors. I later started
an environmental club at my school to scale the impact of my biogas initiative.

4. Please describe a topic of importance to you, and how it is a reflection of who you are.
Why is this topic important to you? (Maximum 300 words)

“Ntitwize ariko Twarabakujije” is a saying that children in my village grow up hearing from
their parents, which directly translates to, “We did not study, but we raised you”. These words
reflect the neglected value of education in my community.

Parents said that paying for a girl’s education was like throwing their money into a dustbin
and that most promising boys were those who could herd bulls and cultivate land. Growing
up in a society that didn’t value education deprived me from the world of knowledge,
intellect, and creativity. I begged my parents to go to school, but their response was simple:
“We will buy you a garden hoe.” After more pleading, they finally allowed me to join the free
primary school in my village.

My primary years commenced the beginning of an intellectual journey of curiosity, discovery,

and exploration. We didn’t have electricity at home, so I often stayed at school until 9 PM so
that I could read my books under the light bulbs in class. I quickly emerged as one of the
highest-achieving students at my school, and I had a deep desire to share my skills and
knowledge with others in my village that didn’t have the same opportunity to study as I did.

Through my club called “Son Rise School”, I tutored the neighborhood children and
sensitized them to value education. Families started to see meaningful differences in their
children as they started learning how to read and write, and more families began to enroll
their children in school. I was filled with joy to see parents buying pens and paper instead of
garden hoes for their children. Education has transformed my community, and the long-term
impact will contribute immensely to the sustainable development of my village.

5. Optional question: The International Scholars Program includes awards that

recognize outstanding international undergraduate students from impoverished or
war-torn areas who have achieved academic excellence under challenging circumstances
and hardship, and who would be unable to attend university without significant
financial assistance. Do you meet these criteria?
 Your answer will not impact the application. 150 Words Maximum

I was born a few years after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi when my parents were still
in exile in Congo as refugees. My big brothers and sisters fled to Uganda to search for work
to provide for my family, and my family’s property in Rwanda had been stolen or destroyed,
so there was little hope for much of a future. With no house to live in or land to cultivate, we
were often left relying on extended family members to feed us a small amount of their
rationed food. My fate changed one day after pleading with one of my classmates to stay the
night at his house so that I could sit for the national exam at the testing center that was far
from my home. I managed to get the highest score in my district, which helped me get my
education sponsored by Compassion International.

b. Admission Essays:

1.TELL US ABOUT WHO YOU ARE. HOW WOULD YOUR FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND/OR
MEMBERS OF YOUR COMMUNITY DESCRIBE YOU? IF POSSIBLE, PLEASE INCLUDE
SOMETHING ABOUT YOURSELF THAT YOU ARE MOST PROUD OF AND WHY.
(MAXIMUM 1500 CHARACTERS).

I was born in a big family but never saw my brothers or extended family. Most of my family
members migrated to Uganda for better job prospects before I was born. I yearned for big
family gatherings on Christmas, or cousins and brothers to play soccer with, but I could not
have them. Not having anyone to help me with homework at home, I worked hard at school
and managed to keep good grades. As I grew up, my education became my responsibility and
I learned to provide for myself.

At ten years old, I was balancing my paid house chores from neighbors with school.
My parents were always proud that I was able to ease the financial burden off their shoulders.
They never ceased to tell me that my hard work would one day pay off for myself and them.
Education was not widely available to every child in my community. Only children from
privileged families attended school. To alleviate this inequality, I initiated Cartas Scolaire, an
organization that raised funds from the school staff and outside sponsors to provide school
fees, scholastic materials, and other essentials to students who could not afford them.

I never anticipated that Cartas Scolaire would give me a family. Our house was always full of
visitors who had become part of our family. The students that my organization supported and
their parents always came to see me for help with school work or the soaps and biogas that I
had introduced with my other community project.

2. WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU? WHY? (MAXIMUM 1500 CHARACTERS).

“At least one, that’s enough,” uttered my grandfather on his deathbed. I did not understand
what he meant until I lived with Suzan, an elderly woman who did not have a family, pension
or savings to support her. On the rare mornings when she felt strong, the 80-year-old woman
would fetch water from a well three miles away. There were other days when she barely
prepared one meal.

During the summer holidays, I learned about Ms. Suzana’s seizures and diabetes and decided
to go stay with her. She warmly welcomed me. I would fetch water, collect firewood, clean
the house and cook, as we giggled at news and plays from a radio I had brought with me. The
evenings were my favorite as she narrated captivating fiction stories and parables. In one of
our evening conversations around a fire, Ms. Suzana said to me “your presence, my child, has
rejuvenated me and extended my days of living.” These words stay in my mind everyday. I
never told her, but I also grew from her wisdom, which still guides me today.

Now I think that my grandfather wanted to tell me that a service even to one person can still
make a big difference in a community. Seeing Ms. Susan’s rich personality has inspired me to
use my abilities to invest in other people’s happiness, not for public applause but community
welfare.

3. TELL US MORE ABOUT ONE OR TWO ACTIVITIES LISTED ABOVE THAT ARE
MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU. PLEASE EXPLAIN THE ROLE YOU PLAYED AND
WHAT YOU LEARNED IN THE PROCESS. YOU WILL BE ASKED FOR A
REFERENCE WHO CAN SPEAK TO YOUR RESPONSE.
(MAXIMUM 2100 CHARACTERS).

After realizing how most students were struggling with making academic choices and how
new students struggled to adapt to the new school environment, I founded the Career
Guidance and Counseling Club. Initially, the goal was to support students in their academic
and career choices, but I soon realized that they could not succeed if they did not feel at
home.

Starting the club was not an easy process. To approve the club, the school asked for action
plans and club partners that I had to sort out first. It was also understandably difficult to
garner students’ trust as a classmate with whom they took the same classes. I had to double
my efforts for the club to succeed. It did not take long for the students to join the club en
masse and for the
administration to support us.

Wanting to provide entrepreneurship and leadership opportunities to the club members, I

introduced a soap-making project and volunteer opportunities where we served our
neighborhoods. The soap project was intended to show members how to make a profit while
solving a community challenge. As a result, students served their communities during the
pandemic by supplying soaps in their localities at low prices. Leading this club fueled my
leadership desire to make a difference in my community and impact the lives of others
through sustainable entrepreneurial adventures.
 In the next summer break, I applied for an internship at Lish Veterinary Kidaho. My job was
but not limited to measuring the quantity of animal medications and delivering them to local
communities. I attended to customer needs; received and delivered orders; advertised
supermarket products; provided basic animal treatment and participated in the “Buy Now Pay
Back Later” campaign.

I gained leadership and animal care skills; I measured the proper quantities of tetracyclines
and macrolide-antibiotics for cows working with a thousand farmers in my sector and from
our neighboring country, Uganda. I believe that the knowledge I gained from my club helped
me land the job, and that is what I hope I have provided to my classmates.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

You may wish to use the space below to provide UBC with more information on your
academic history to date and/or your future academic plans. For example: How did you
choose your courses in secondary school? Are there life circumstances that have affected
your academic decisions to date? What have you done to prepare yourself specifically for
your intended area of study at UBC? (maximum 600 characters)

4. What have you done to prepare yourself specifically for your intended area of study
at UBC?

I grew up in a society that relied on herbal medicines; I worked as an assistant to local

medical practitioners, where we looked for certain plants, grinded them, and sold the final
products. However, our remedies were simple and did not have significant efficacy as modern
medicine.

Fortunately, in high school I engaged in science subjects of Maths, Chemistry, and Biology
and was exposed to the world of research and innovation. At UBC's Pharmaceutical science, I
hope to explore more through research and engage with world-class professors and brilliant
minds from all around the world.

17. Sample Supplemental Essays (Alibaba Business School)

Tell us who you are and why you want to apply. What is your experience with shopping
online? (presented in a video)

Greetings!
I am honored to present myself to you today as I express my interest in attending Alibaba
Business School. My name is XXX, and I am Rwandan.

I had the privilege of attending Agahozo-Shalom. Throughout my time at Agahozo Shalom, I

delved into various subjects, such as economics, computer literacy, and entrepreneurship,
which fueled my passion for the world of business. For instance, I actively participated in
numerous business competitions, and on my graduation, I was rewarded as the most
innovative and creative student for some impactful projects, which had a profound impact on
the school community. Among these projects was the Automatic Soap Dispensers that was
used during COVID-19 and Solar Light Bulbs which I donated to poor families that couldn’t
afford electricity in my community.

Moreover, I achieved first place on a national level in the "Ndi Rwiyemezamirimo"/"I am

entrepreneur" Business Plan Competition organized by Idead4 Africa in partnership with
Wheaton College from the USA. The business plan presented focused on fighting
malnutrition using technology through mobilization on social media and a dedicated website
where people could conveniently purchase nutritious food products online. These remarkable
achievements have fortified my belief that business is not just a vocation but my true calling.

I am convinced that it is through the world of business that I can contribute meaningfully to
the economic progress of my country, continent, and the world at large. I have had the
privilege of working with startup businesses, such as FN Hygiene, where I served as a social
media manager. This experience has equipped me with valuable skills in the realm of online
product sales.

Drawing from my own shopping experiences on Alibaba.com and insights gained from the
Alibaba Business School Alumni, I am motivated to join the Alibaba Business School. My
goal is to enhance my skills in product selection, price comparisons, user interface design,
payment options, customer support, and efficient delivery. It is evident that many online
businesses in Rwanda lack user-friendly websites, and there is room for improvement in
terms of delivery efficiency and accurate representation of products on their platforms. By
enrolling at the Alibaba Business School, I hope to gain valuable experience and develop my
expertise in e-commerce and business as a whole. Specifically, I am eager to understand how
online selling companies, such as Alibaba, have facilitated convenient access to its products
worldwide, ensuring secure and timely deliveries.

China, as a whole, has captivated my imagination. Its rich culture, historical legacy, and
extraordinary economic growth have fascinated me. I firmly believe that studying in China
would provide me with a unique perspective on global business, allowing me to immerse
myself in a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Thank you for considering my application for Alibaba Business School,

XXX (Name)
18. Sample Supplemental Essays (University of Global
Health Equity [UGHE])
In 500 words or less, please tell us about yourself and why you want to become a doctor. This
may include how your upbringing, academic, professional or personal experiences have shaped
your interest in becoming a doctor and global health leader.

In 2016, my mother got sick. My older sister had died a year before from a miscarriage, and my oldest
sibling had gone to school. I was the only one to care for her in the hospital. I accompanied her to
Kibagabaga Hospital, and I spent every day and, because most of her body parts had been paralyzed,
fed her, observed and reported everyday changes to a doctor who only came by once a day.

My mother’s condition worsened and I felt helpless as I did not know what she suffered from or how
to help. There were many patients in the same room waiting to be supported, but the nurses
continuously disappointed me when they waited for a doctor to come. I saw many people dying, and
wished to ask the doctor how I could support when he was not around. When my mother died in my
hands I could only call a nurse to come. I wept wishing I could have been a doctor to help her.

Though she died, she left me with an experience about the big gap in healthcare services in Rwanda.
There is a small number of doctors compared to the number of patients at hospitals, and we need an
advancement in disease diagnosis since many people die because doctors cannot identify or address
what the patients suffer from. Wanting to embark on the journey to ensure a better healthcare system
to save lives, I became passionate about health, and my academic experience rotated around finding
alternative ways to improve healthcare in Rwanda and worldwide.

In 2019, I joined a Python coding class because I wanted to understand how to combine biology and
computer skills to tackle health issues. I participated in the Global CMU project competition, winning
third place, earning me a chance to participate in the iGEM program–a group research on how Python
can be incorporated into biology to ameliorate human health issues. In iGEM, I collaborated with Tel
Aviv University students to use programming to simulate using code to identify mutations and
transfer genes between organisms to produce some essential biological materials. For instance, we
transferred the desired gene into a bacterial plasmid for rapid multiplication to make functional
proteins like insulin and enzymes by using programming to monitor genetic sequence and for reading
the base pairing and ensuring the reliability of proteins produced.

As I prepare for university, I want to keep pursuing my passion for health. Being at a place like
UGHE, I collaborate with fellow students and interact with professors while doing further research on
how to build a robust system to advance healthcare in Rwanda and worldwide. Also, I would be
prepared to become a doctor to help serve patients hopelessly lining up at hospitals.
IV. Extracurricular Activities
1. Information on Extracurricular Activities
Important Notes:
● While listing details of your achievements in an activity, do not use personal
pronouns (I and We). Use semicolons instead of commas to separate between
achievements and descriptions.
● Do not list an accomplishment that you have already mentioned in your “Honors”
section of the Common App.
● Do not contradict your essays (both common app’s and college’s) with your
activities. For instance, don’t indicate that you were just a participant in a club on
your activities list and contradict yourself with “I was the secretary of…(the same
club/organization) in your essays. MAINTAIN!
● Grammar is your foundation. Fix any grammatical errors before you send your
common application.
● Remember that your common application is the first ticket to getting your application
to the admissions officers’ table. Alongside your essays, your honors, your courses
and grades, give the admissions officers another reason to consider you by
presenting yourself as highly achieving outside class through your activities list.
● Remember to present a variety of activity categories (academic, community
engagement, English, culture, entertainment, leadership, public speaking,...)

For instance:
Name: Kelly Mount
Activity 1: We Code Club (Academic)
Activity 2: Debate (English and public speaking)
Activity 3: Feed Them (Community Service)
Activity 4: Washington Music Band (Entertainment)
Activity 5: President of Harvey Initiative (Leadership)
Activity 6: British Home Cultural Club (Culture)

● Lastly, exhaust the space: the Common App provides a space for 10 activities, fill
them up all. They also give you a space for description with 150 or less characters.
Use them to ensure you don’t leave any details unmentioned.
Some vocabularies to use while filling out the activities
section
1. Accomplishment
Achieved, attained, awarded, completed, delivered, demonstrated, earned, eliminated,
enlisted, ensured, exceeded, expanded, founded, grew, improved, reduced, resolved,
reached, rehabilitated, revitalized, spearheaded, succeeded, surpassed, transformed.

2. Management
Campaigned, consolidated, contacted, converted, coordinated, developed, directed,
established, evaluated, founded, generated, improved, increased, recruited, led,
managed, motivated, oversaw, partnered, planned, prioritized, produced, replaced,
restored, restructured, set, supervised.

3. People Skills/Communication
Addressed, advertised, arranged, authored, collaborated, composed, contacted,
convinced, corresponded, developed, directed, discussed, documented, drafted,
edited, enlisted, formulated, influenced, interacted, interpreted, interviewed, lectured,
mediated, moderated, negotiated, persuaded, promoted, publicized, recruited, spoke,
translated, wrote.

4. Financial/Money stuff
Administered, analyzed, appraised, balanced, budgeted, calculated, computed,
developed, fundraised, managed, marketed, planned, projected, raised, researched.

5. Creative/Design
Adapted, conceptualized, created, customized, designed, developed, devised,
directed, drafted, established, founded, illustrated, initiated, instituted, integrated,
introduced, invented, originated, performed, planned, redesigned, shaped, tailored,
wrote.

6. Helping and Service

Advocated, answered, assessed, assisted, cared for, coached, counseled,
demonstrated, diagnosed, educated, expedited, facilitated, familiarized, guided,
motivated, referred, rehabilitated, represented, supported.

7. Technical Skills/Building stuff

Adapted, assembled, built, calculated, computed, customized, designed, devised,
engineered, fabricated, integrated, maintained, operated, overhauled, programmed,
redesigned, remodeled, repaired, replaced, restored, solved, upgraded.

8. Analytical/Research
Analyzed, collected, confirmed, critiqued, discovered, documented, evaluated,
examined, extracted, identified, inspected, interpreted, interviewed, investigated,
 organized, quantified, reviewed, summarized, surveyed, systematized, organized,
oversaw, planned, prioritized, produced, recommended, researched, reviewed,
scheduled, strengthened, supervised, tested, tracked.

9. Organizing/Detail Oriented
Approved, arranged, catalogued, classified, collected, compiled, coordinated,
customized, executed, generated, implemented, inspected, monitored, operated,
organized, prepared, processed, purchased, recorded, retrieved, screened, specified,
systematized, tabulated.

10. Teaching Skills

Advised, clarified, coached, communicated, critiqued, coordinated, demystified,
developed, enabled, encouraged, enforced, evaluated, explained, facilitated, guided,
informed, instructed, integrated, motivated, persuaded, set goals, supported, taught,
trained, tutored, adapted.

2. Sample Activities List

● Student Government, ASYV (Vice-President)
Planted orange trees as a legacy; founded the Accountability Partners club to aid in
COVID-19 prevention; established monthly leadership workshops.

● ASYV Debate Club (Active Participant, Mentor for Junior Debaters, Judge)
Organized inter-schools debate competitions; won in the national debate tournaments;
coached junior debaters; introduced debating to other schools.

● Critical Thinking for Peace (Active Participant)

Built homes, created home gardens for low-income families; covered medical bills
for patients; volunteered to clean at school.

● Online Python Coding Class (Active Participants)

Participated and won in the global CMU best project competitions; pioneered iGEM
Python-Biology initiative.

● ASYV Math and Science Club (Assistant in recruiting new participants)

Participated in national Math and Science competitions; inspired girls to engage in
STEM; organized Science Project Exhibition Day

● Business Club (Active Participant)

Utilized old clothes to design pots for flowers; participated in national and global
business plan competitions; produced liquid soap during covid-19.

● Music and Entertainment Group (Member)

 Performed music on school’s reunion events; sang on Genocide Against Tutsi and
Holocaust commemoration events; wrote and sang in class 2022’s anthem.

● Youth Volunteer Community (Community Advocate)

Advocated for and raised funds to buy food and facemasks for poor families during
covid-19 lockdown; taught people about covid-19 prevention

● Photo and Film Editing (Member)

Encouraged storytelling through photography; inspired creativity by the club; filmed
events in the school for presenting to school donors abroad.
 V. Honors and Awards
1. Information on Filling Honors and Awards on The Common App

● Fill the section with diverse honors and awards to demonstrate your well-roundedness
For instance: You can present academic rewards along with community service and athletics honors.

● Use descriptive words: most of the awards are specific to some schools and countries. Instead
of just writing the name of the award, add a descriptive sentence to add value and
explanation to the award.
For instance: Instead of saying “Won the Academic Queen honor,” you would better say “Won an
Award as the Best Female Academic Achiever”

● Do not use personal pronouns

● Do not repeat honors that you indicated in your activities list: This is a space for you to add to
how an achieving, curious, and hardworking you are; so, don’t waste it repeating what you already
have in your activities section.

● On the application, you are asked to indicate whether the reward/honor was on school, national,
regional, or international level. It is a great advantage to put honors/awards won from a more
competitive cluster (such as the international would be in this case).

● Again, you do not need recognition or certificate to confirm an honor/award: Many students
ignore some important honors/awards because they were not given trophies, certificates, or any
other proof. If this sounds like you, you are denying yourself opportunities to, again, present the
best of yourself.

2. Sample Honors and Awards

Honor/Award/Recognition Year (grade) Level

The Most Academic Supportive 10 School

Student

Winner of the National Debate 11 National

Tournament of 2019

Ranked 3rd in the National 12 National

Science Project
Competitions
 Recognized as the Highest 9 National
Performer in the Ordinary
National Exam

Ranked 3rd in the CMU Python 10 International

Coding Projects

VI. Recommendation Letters

Recommendation letters are an essential part of the college application process. They provide insight into a
student’s character, abilities, and potential as a student and individual. Admissions officers often consider
recommendation letters as a way to gain a better understanding of who the students are beyond their academic
achievements and test scores.

Let's discuss the expected information and specific considerations for three common types of
recommendation letters: teacher's recommendation letter, peer recommendation letter, and
coach/leader/other recommendation letters.

● Teacher's Recommendation Letter

Content: A teacher's recommendation letter should focus on your academic performance,
intellectual abilities, work ethic, and classroom participation. It should provide specific
examples to support their assessment of your skills and potential.
Subject: Choose a teacher who knows you well and can speak to your strengths in a
particular subject or overall academic performance.
Personal insight: Discuss with the teacher your academic and extracurricular achievements,
goals, and aspirations. This can help them personalize the letter and highlight relevant
qualities.
● Peer Recommendation Letter:
Content: A peer recommendation letter is typically written by a close friend, classmate, or
teammate who knows the student well outside of the academic realm. They should focus on
the student’s personal qualities, character, leadership skills, and impact on others.
Insightful perspective: The letter should provide a unique perspective on a student’s
personality, highlighting instances of kindness, empathy, teamwork, or any other notable
attributes. It should demonstrate why a student would be a valuable addition to the college
community.
● Coach/Leader/Other Recommendation Letters:
Content: These recommendation letters should come from individuals who have supervised
or worked closely with you in extracurricular activities, community service, or leadership
roles. They should highlight your dedication, passion, teamwork, leadership abilities, and
impact in these areas.
 Specific achievements: Provide information to the recommender about your
accomplishments, responsibilities, and any significant contributions you made in the
respective activity. This will help them emphasize your unique strengths and skills.

General Tips:
1. Choose recommenders who have positive opinions of you and can provide meaningful
insights.
2. Allow recommenders ample time to write the letter and provide them with necessary
information, such as deadlines and specific requirements.
3. Follow any guidelines or procedures provided by the college or university regarding the
submission of recommendation letters.
4. Write thank-you notes to your recommenders to express your gratitude for their time and
effort.
5. Remember, the quality of your recommendation letters depends on your relationships,
communication, and the depth of your involvement in various aspects of your academic and
personal life.

1. Teacher’s Recommendation Letter Sample

To Whom It May Concern,

Dear sir/ madam
Re: LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION FOR XXX

I am exceedingly honored to recommend XXX, a student who believes that hard work and a positive
attitude will get the job done. I have had the privilege to be his Biology teacher for two years; he is a
visionary, responsible, and one-for-many student. He possesses leadership qualities, takes advantage of every
opportunity to make his life worthwhile, and is committed to changing his family's and community's plight, a
reason he is such a great hard worker.

XXX's academic abilities are endless, which he proves through his excellent work in academics. He is
always attentive in class, and his grades have remained at par with our school standards- generally on top of
his class (Physics, Chemistry, and Biology). XXX is a fast learner, actively participates in class, and has a
great passion for biology and other subjects; he has always remained exemplary to other students and made
his name recurrent on the school lists of motivated students. His excellent grades evidence this.

I always admire his critical thinking abilities when we discuss complex concepts in Biology class.
There are always times things get complicated in class for most of his classmates. Still, he will always find
more straightforward ways to understand and ensure that his colleagues clearly understand by helping them
with simpler explanations. On so many occasions, I have given the class work to present. XXX is a student
who will come up with the best creative presentations and relate his subject knowledge to real-life situations,
making him an outstanding student.
 XXX's most crucial characteristic is that he is concerned not only with his success but also with the
success of his fellow students; the reason we refer to him as "a one-for-many" student. He stood out for his
initiative when his class did not have a physics teacher, and he approached the school principal about
assisting while the school was still looking for a new teacher. We were astounded by how he sacrificed his
personal study time to conduct research and study on the most challenging topics, such as Mechanics,
Thermodynamics, and Optics, which he taught to other students every Wednesday night. As a good result,
neither the school nor his classmates missed the physics teacher.

It's not just that! He collaborated with another student to initiate a program where they lead their
other fellows on weekends to do remedial lessons on topics that challenge them through discussing different
questions in their core subject areas. He routinely checks in with teachers to help him get the missing notes
and questions that would help them during the discussions. This has caused a notable improvement in their
overall class performance and earned him the honor to appear in his graduating class video among the top 5
impactful students in the school from 2017 through 2022. This demonstrates a high level of teamwork and
maturity.

No recommendation about XXX can ever be complete without talking about his leadership potential.
He served as a minister in the school student council from 2015-2016, in which he was able to demonstrate
outstanding leadership skills. He set a good example of excellent public speaking and advocacy, and a lot has
improved not only in the school but also in the community around because of his great work. This is evidenced
by the numerous charity activities he organized through Tikkun Olam, where he did several community
outreach programs, including building houses for vulnerable people in our neighborhood. Through all the
responsibilities, XXX maintained a balance between them and his academics.

In addition to having first-hand knowledge of his academic commitment, I am familiar with his
educational goals and the challenges he will face when it comes to funding college tuition. XXX is raised by a
single guardian, and I can clearly understand how challenging it can be to live without a parent figure in his
life. Even though he is in such a situation, he never consoles himself and maintains a positive attitude. I
cannot think of anyone more deserving candidate, and I wholeheartedly support his application.

I have had the privilege of getting to know XXX personally, and I can say that he gets along well with
others. His level of maturity is so high. XXX also has an outstanding personality and is exemplary to his
peers. It is because he must go to another level of his education; otherwise, we would not let him go because
he was "a big fish in a small pond." With all I know, XXX is engineered to do great things in society. His
addition to his new school would be of great value, not only for academic purposes, but he is also a person
who can impact his peers to make a positive change in the community and the world.

As an educator committed to helping deserving students succeed, I strongly recommend him for the
scholarship. Please contact me via (email) for any additional information supporting this student.

Thankfully,

Name,
Subject,
School
 2. Peer Recommendation Letter Sample

To Whom It May Concern,

It is with my deepest gratitude to recommend XXX, a friend who has demonstrated to me that some
people are indeed trustworthy, their friendship is true, and their interest in the welfare of those around them is
genuine. We've been together for five years, but because of the rare experiences I've only had with her during
my school life, it feels like a day with her. In the little time that we have been together, she has helped not only
me but always the people around her both inside and outside school life, which makes her an irreplaceable
figure in many people's lives.

When I first met XXX, it was in 201x while we were all attending (school). She is true to herself,
composed, and does not feel compelled to conform to the new society, which I used to believe would prevent
her from fitting in with the new society, but speaking from the current feet, it was because she believes that
there is power in presenting the true self, to which the result is true friends.

XXX's versatility is one of the qualities that distinguishes her and makes her desirable. She is adapted
to living in any community and with all types of people, and she ensures that she learns from everyone she
encounters and has a small or significant impact on their lives. (School) was a diverse neighborhood that
someone her age would have difficulty with. There were diligent students, drug addicts, students with mental
health issues, encouraged and discouraged students, and a mixed nationality environment of Burundians,
Congolese, Ugandans, Rwandans, Americans, and others with diverse cultures and preferences, but XXX had
a close association with everyone. Because of this welcoming nature and growth mindset, the school
frequently used her to host visitors; being kind to everyone, and her hospitality made everyone desire to keep
her as a close friend.

Another quality I admire in XXX is that she is a natural leader who encourages and supports other
leaders. I've seen her in various situations where she had to make decisions that affected not only her but also
other classmates, but she always presented creative solutions that made things work out. A typical example
was when our class struggled to finish the entire syllabus in a comparatively short period of two months
before we could sit for the high school final exams. However, XXX, as a class leader, was brave enough to sit
down with our class teachers and devise a plan that prepared us not only to take the exams but also to
perform well.

Furthermore, I've witnessed times with her when her to-do lists were overfull, but she never missed
any deadlines or used them as an excuse for not helping her peers. For example, we once had to prepare for
final graduation, complete and submit the Isomo College Preparation assignments, prepare for national
exams, turn in daily school assignments on time, and participate in debate final champions. Surprisingly, she
was never anxious about any of it; she always presented them on time and was always eager to return and
assist everyone in finishing up too.
 XXX prioritizes humanity, one of the reasons she successfully solves others' problems and makes
many friends. In the same sense, she is too careful while making judgments because she believes that there is
always a reason why people act the way they do. I vividly refer to many students, including myself, that she
gave time to listen to when everyone else had already judged, but she always gave us a second chance to
understand, empathize, and help. For example, I occasionally missed some classes, and some classmates and
teachers accused me of not wanting to study. However, XXX never confirmed until she found me home and
realized that my absenteeism was due to illness. Besides that, she took me to the school clinic, helped me write
notes and catch up with others on what I had missed. This is just a personal example, but it is related to
another story of our classmate, Student Y, who was always accused of having no interest in all classes, though
no one cared to know the reason until XXX did and found out that he had been discouraged since the time he
left for his father's funeral and returned finding out that he had been left behind. Willingly, XXX gave her two
hours a day to help him catch up with the rest of the class, and at the end of the year, Student Y was among the
top-performing students. This is another endearing quality of XXX that undoubtedly helps her live with
everyone.

Moreover, she is among a few brave people to stand out and break popular stereotypes and gender
roles. Admittedly, being female was likely to pose many challenges related to expectations derived from past
experiences, but she went over it all. It started when she chose to pursue STEM courses, which were known to
be for boys. Not just that, she demonstrated her ability by winning the award of Academic Excellence as a
student with the highest grade in our class. Furthermore, she made it to be the president of a female
empowerment club, Girl Up, where she prepared presentations that taught the whole student body how better
the world would be if a woman's potential was considered more. However, all these would not have been an
achievement if she had not inspired other female students to aim for change as she did, helping the school to
get an increased number of female students in STEM and leadership roles.

If you have ever been in XXX’s care, you would never wish to be in other’s. She is the true meaning
that friends are not meant just to share moments, but also to create them.

3. Coach/Leader/Other Recommendation Letters Sample

Sample 1:

To Whom It May Concern,

I am writing this recommendation letter at the request of Jonathan Smith, who is applying for admission to X
university. Jonathan has been a student at JKL High School for three years and the captain of our football
team for a year now. As the team's coach, I have had the pleasure of getting to know him as an athlete but
also as a person and a student.

As an athlete, it is evident that Jonathan strives to win and enjoys the sport in its pure form. As a person, I
have watched him learn to be a better leader by listening to his teammates and often asking questions that
gave me a pause. I remember a particular instance where he sat next to me on the bus as we were coming
back from a game and asked if it was his role to intervene when two team members were having a personal
dispute that could potentially affect the game but had not gotten to that point yet. It was one of those moments
that showed me that he takes his role as a captain seriously.

As a student, Jonathan is always eager to learn. I have noticed it when we study plays, and he takes careful
notes and asks follow-up questions. Many of my colleagues at JKL high school have also commented on his
ability to quickly grasp concepts and follow up on the rare occasions where he is not able to do so on the first
try. It is one of the main reasons why he was able to secure an ‘A’ in his AP Biology class even though he
joined the class later than the other students.

As you can probably tell from the few stories that I have shared with you, Jonathan is a focused young man
who takes his responsibilities and commitments very seriously. He has assured me that he is committed to
becoming one of the best physical therapists in the country and that X university gives him the best chance of
achieving this goal. I recommend Jonathan for your program without any reservations, as I am confident that
he will contribute to your institution in great ways, both in and out of the classroom and on the football field.
I can be reached by phone at (800) 123-8888 or email at [email protected] if you require any further
information.

Sincerely,
Tucker O'Malley,
JKL High School

Sample 2

I am honored to write this letter of recommendation for Rosine Munezero, who has been an active community
member for several years. As the Executive Secretary of…(cell), who goes beyond and above in learning
about and supporting promising youth, I have enjoyed witnessing Rosine’s exceptional qualities and
contributions to her home and our community.

Rosine has been a dedicated community member, always willing to serve others and contribute to their
well-being. She has actively participated in our community projects, including community service at the end
of every month in Rwanda, where communities gather to build homes for the poor, pay for school for kids
from poor families, and do other projects aimed at collective well-being. She has also participated in charity
work and other initiatives to improve the lives of families in our community. Thus, she has consistently
demonstrated a deep commitment to the welfare of our community and has shown remarkable leadership
skills in ensuring that she offered her most inspiring change in this community.

Rosine has been one of our cell's most outstanding student representatives, both in academic and leadership
aspects. For instance, Rosine was among a few students who won a full-ride scholarship to Agahozo-Shalom,
a school that supports poor and vulnerable but promising East African students. I liked Rosine's compassion
and vision in using the skills and knowledge she acquired to spread opportunities to other unfortunate
individuals. For instance, she often helped other students who did not get the same chance as her to learn
English and practice public speaking, as she also equipped them with science skills that she learned from the
Agahozo-Shalom. Therefore, Rosine is not just an excellent student in class but strives to ensure she supports
other students, especially those who don’t get the same chance as hers to attend excellent schools.

In conclusion, I highly recommend Rosine Munezero for admission to your institution. She is an exceptional
and exemplary student who has demonstrated a deep commitment to her community and a desire to impact
others' lives. I am confident that Rosine will excel in your academic environment and make valuable
contributions to your community.

Thank you for considering Rosine's application. In case you have any further questions about Rosine, please
do not hesitate to contact me at (email).
VII. Duolingo and Interview as
other Application Supplements
1. Sections in a Duolingo test and the grades requirements
for colleges and universities

● Duolingo Test Sections: The Duolingo English Test is an online proficiency exam designed
to assess an individual's English language skills. It consists of the following sections:
a. Reading: This section evaluates your ability to comprehend written English texts
and answer questions based on them.

b. Writing: In this section, you will be given prompts to write short responses or
essays, demonstrating your written English skills.

c. Listening: This section tests your ability to understand spoken English through
audio clips or recordings.

d. Speaking: The speaking section requires you to verbally respond to prompts or

questions, which are recorded and assessed by evaluators. Grade Requirements for
Colleges and Universities:

Note: The specific grade requirements for colleges and universities may vary depending on the
institution and the program you are applying to. However, most of the competitive universities may
have high grade requirements, often around 120 or above.

2. College Interview tips and sample interview questions and

answers
College interviews are often conducted to assess applicants' suitability for admission and to gain more
insight into their personal qualities and aspirations. Here are some general tips and sample
questions/answers:

Tips for College Interviews:

● Research the Institution: Familiarize yourself with the college or university and its programs
before the interview.
● Dress Professionally: Dress appropriately and make a positive first impression.
 ● Practice Common Interview Questions: Prepare answers for commonly asked questions to
ensure you convey your thoughts clearly and concisely.
● Showcase Your Strengths: Highlight your accomplishments, extracurricular activities, and
relevant experiences.
● Be Authentic: Be yourself and demonstrate your genuine interest in the institution and the
field of study.
● Ask Questions: Prepare some thoughtful questions to ask the interviewer to show your
enthusiasm and engagement.

Sample Interview Questions and Tips While Answering:

1. Tell me about yourself

Start with a brief introduction, emphasizing your academic background, interests, and any
relevant experiences that have shaped your interest in the field of study.

2. Why are you interested in attending our college/university?

Discuss specific aspects of the institution that align with your academic and personal goals.
Mention programs, faculty, or campus culture that attracted you to the school.

3. What are your academic strengths and weaknesses?

Highlight your academic strengths, such as problem-solving skills, research abilities, or
critical thinking. When discussing weaknesses, focus on areas where you have actively
worked to improve and mention steps taken to overcome them.

4. Describe a significant challenge you have faced and how you overcame it.
Choose a challenge that demonstrates resilience, problem-solving, and personal growth.
Discuss the steps you took to tackle the challenge and the positive outcomes.

5. How do you envision contributing to our campus community?

Talk about your involvement in extracurricular activities, community service, or leadership
roles that demonstrate your commitment to making a positive impact on campus.
6. What are your long-term career goals?
Share your aspirations and explain how the education and opportunities provided by the
college/university align with your career goals.

Note: Remember, these are just sample questions, and actual interview questions may vary. The key
is to prepare and practice, so you can confidently articulate your thoughts and present yourself in the
best possible light during the interview.
Some U.S Colleges and Universities that Offer Full Ride Scholarships to
International Students

1. Harvard University
2. Stanford University
3. Yale University
4. Princeton University
5. University of Chicago
6. Columbia University
7. Dartmouth College
8. Wesleyan University
9. University of Pennsylvania (UPenn)
10. Bates College
11. Duke University
12. Tufts University
13. Swarthmore College
14. Grinnell College
15. Colby College
16. Colgate University
17. Williams College
18. Wellesley University
19. Emory University
20. Cornell University
21. Brown University
22. Georgetown University
23. Johns Hopkins University
25. Smith College (For girls)
26. Barnard College (For girls)
27. Rice University
28. Vanderbilt University
29. Pomona College
31. Northwestern University
32. University of Southern California
33. Swarthmore College
34. California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
35. Amherst College
36. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
37. University of Notre Dame
39. Haverford College
40. University of Virginia
41. University of Richmond
42. Bowdoin College
43. Claremont McKenna College
44. Davidson College
45. Vassar College
47. Macalester College
48. University of Rochester
49. Hamilton College
50. Oberlin College
51. Whitman College
52. Reed College
53. Connecticut College
54. Kenyon College
55. Lafayette College
56. Franklin & Marshall College
57. Centre College
58. College of the Holy Cross
59. Pitzer College
60. Colorado College
61. St. Olaf College
62. Trinity College
63. Union College
64. Rhodes College
65. Illinois Wesleyan University
66. Dickinson College
67. Occidental College
68. Colby College
69. Denison University

71. St. Lawrence University

72. Beloit College
73. Kalamazoo College
74. College of Wooster
75. Franklin College
76. Lawrence University
77. Mount Holyoke College (for women)
78. Knox College
79. Centre College
80. Connecticut College
81. Southwestern University
82. Westminster College
83. Seattle University
84. University of Tulsa
85. St. John's College
86. Luther College
87. Augustana College
88. Ohio Wesleyan University
89. Willamette University
90. University of Redlands
91. College of the Holy Cross
92. Duke Kunshan University
93. Washington University
94. New York University Abu Dhabi (NYU)
95. Illinois Wesleyan University
96. Carleton College
97. University of Southern California