When my peers were scouting and visiting colleges all over the US, I knew I was pretty much headed to the University of Maryland.  Due to financial considerations (hyper-religious parents too, would have thrown fits if I had been a Duke Blue Devil, Wake Forest Demon Deacon, or DePaul Blue Demon) and guaranteed a significant scholarship through National Merit, the deal was sealed early.  I’m no Ivy, but I was close.  The other options were Wheaton (the Christian Harvard), Florida State, University of Houston (both full rides).

Accordingly, I didn’t have to put much effort into the admissions process – no rec letters, SAT stress, a detailed list of my juvenile exploits.

When the time came to write the essay portion, I wrote a poem instead.  I’ve forgotten most of the lines, but it was about the guitar and how my life would be a song composed by God, with strings played to fulfill His call.

Maryland turned out ok.  Friends, good sports teams, girl I lit the candles for, great logo with the state colors.  Terp for Life.

27 years later, I now wonder what type of song it was.