Case Study ·

Accepted to
MIT and Johns Hopkins

Materials Science
Ryan started in 10th grade with top scores and a broad interest in engineering and computer science. Narrowing to Materials Science and pairing it with fencing led to MIT and Johns Hopkins, with a $40,000-per-year scholarship.
Smiling student

About Ryan

Application Persona · the theme that tied it all together

“Analytically-minded student athlete and aspiring engineer”

Started
10th grade
From
New York
GPA
98 / 100 weighted
Test score
ACT 36, SAT 1540

Challenges and Activities: Before and After

Where Ryan started
Where Ryan finished
Broad STEM interestsEngineering, computer science and STEM in general
Materials ScienceA specific field found through readings and activities
Fencing came firstOther activities lacked focus and leadership
Fencing appTracks match results, joining his coding and his sport
No engineering projectWanted to work with a mentor
Tesla mentorshipBuilt a working gaming mouse prototype and 28-page notebook
Aiming for top-10 schoolsNeeded to stand apart from talented peers
MIT and Johns HopkinsPlus a $40,000-per-year Johns Hopkins scholarship

How did InGenius Prep Help?

A Northwestern University Former Admissions Officer and a Barnard College Graduate Coach worked with Ryan 2-on-1 from 10th grade through the application.

  1. 10th grade

    Narrowing his focus

    Readings and activities moved him from general engineering and computer science to Materials Science.

    Through Candidacy Building
  2. 10th–11th grade

    Tesla mentorship

    Matched with a senior engineer at Tesla, he kept a 28-page engineering notebook and built a working gaming mouse prototype.

    Through Academic Mentorship
  3. 10th–11th grade

    Fencing meets coding

    A plan with short- and long-term goals led to his fencing app, which tracks match results.

  4. 12th grade

    One persona, every piece

    His persona shaped his activities list and essays, and the team reviewed the final application.

    Through Application Counseling

Questions About This Case

How did Ryan stand out as an engineering applicant?

He narrowed a common interest to Materials Science and backed it with a Tesla mentorship project and a fencing app he built.

When did he start working with InGenius Prep?

In 10th grade, through Candidacy Building and Academic Mentorship, followed by Application Counseling.

What did he build with his Academic Mentor?

Working with a senior engineer at Tesla, he built a working prototype of a lightweight gaming mouse and kept a 28-page engineering notebook.

What was his Application Persona?

Analytically-minded student athlete and aspiring engineer.

One honest conversation.
That's how it begins.

Every student works 2-on-1 with a Former Admissions Officer and a Graduate Coach.