Application Counseling:
- Choosing a Major:
- Background: Student V’s already competitive high school was especially rigorous for STEM students. As a result it would be difficult for her to distinguish herself from classmates who had equally if not more exceptional resumés.
- Strategizing: Student V’s Former Admissions Officer helped her determine a major that best reflected her extracurriculars and interests.
- Major: Student V selected neuroscience as her major. This would contrast her from her other STEM classmates and would give her better acceptance chances.
- Application Persona:
- Strategizing: To continue strategizing her application to stand out from her classmates, it was essential for Student V’s counselors to help her build a compelling and clear Application Persona.
- Application Persona: Her chosen persona of “The Neuroscientist” wove together her past experiences and future goals.
- Applying the Persona: Student V’s counselors provided her with concrete suggestions on how the various pieces of her application would bolster her Application Persona.
- School List Research: Student V planned on applying to extremely competitive institutions, but she still needed to have a balanced school list.
- School List Tracker: We helped Student V create a School List Tracker to determine her top choices for early applications and her final school list.
- Strategy: Student V’s counselors encouraged her to focus heavily on school fit, which was an aspect she could later highlight in her supplemental essays. Student V’s counselors recommended schools with specific brain science programs, so Student V didn’t have to apply to more general and, therefore, more competitive STEM majors.
- Final Version: Student V’s final school list reflected the wealth of research and strategy that she and her counselors collaborated on, culminating in a balanced list of schools Student V would be happy to attend. She chose to apply early action to MIT after much consideration about her future goals
and which schools matched her application profile.
- Letters of Recommendation: Another area where Student V could set herself apart was through highly-specific and complimentary letters of recommendation. Student V listed mentors and teachers related to her specific major or whom she worked closely with.
- Activities List:
- Challenge: Student V had a wide variety of activities but not all were related to her STEAM goals.
- Strategizing: Student V’s counselors helped her choose which activities promoted a cohesive vision of her STEAM persona.
- Final Version: The final version of Student V’s Activities List highlighted her interests in both neuroscience and art and showed her practical experience and success in the fields. In the end, Student V’s Activities List presented a unified perspective on how she would contribute to MIT and the world at large.
- Personal Statement:
- Brainstorming: Student V started by brainstorming two different versions of her personal statement, and her counselors helped her deepen her line of inquiry and ultimately decide on the most compelling topic.
- Editing: As Student V developed her personal statement, her counselors encouraged her to flesh out the connective tissue between her main themes for her readers. Student V’s counselors supported her throughout the process and encouraged vulnerability as she matured her reflections.
- Final Version: The final version reflected the care and consideration with which her counselors developed and edited her essay. Simple word shifts helped Student V to evolve her themes and hone her voice. Student V’s personal statement showcased her personality, strengths, and willingness to overcome adversity.
- Supplemental Essays:
- Brainstorming: Student V’s initial school research improved her supplemental essays immensely and served as a starting point for her brainstorming.
- Editing: In her initial drafts, Student V’s Graduate Coach challenged her to prioritize specificity in her responses in order to differentiate herself from other applicants. Once Student V’s defined her themes and overall structure, her counselors shifted to more nuanced in-line edits in order to perfect each of her essays.
- Final Version: Student V’s final response combined the clarity her counselors helped her develop along with her clear passion and knowledge of art and neuroscience. The final version explored how Student V connected her passions for neuroscience and art in her daily life.
- Final Review: After many rounds of in-line edits, high-level feedback, and polishing, Student V’s application was ready for a Final Review! Student V’s Former Admissions Officer reviewed her application as if they were still in the admissions office. After applying the FAO’s final review feedback, Student V hit submit!