When I Dropped Out At 20, My Sister Told Everyone: “She’s The One Who Didn’t Finish.” Twelve Years Later, I’m Yale’s Dean Of Admissions. One Essay Read: “My Family Moved Past My Aunt’s Setback.” The Name? Amanda Chen. My Niece. I Picked Up My Red Pen And…

two hundred and eighty square feet. The shower sat in the kitchen behind a flimsy partition that did nothing to contain the steam. When the radiator worked, it hissed like an offended animal. When it didn’t, I slept in socks and a sweater under two blankets and pretended I was the kind of person who found deprivation romantic. Mostly I was just tired.continue reading …