Case Study ·

Accepted to
Tulane University

Entrepreneurship and Music
Caleb started the summer before 11th grade with a 3.6 GPA, an ACT of 34 and no clear direction. Turning his love of music and vintage fashion into real activities led to Tulane, Early Action, with a $22,000-per-year scholarship.
Smiling student

About Caleb

Application Persona · the theme that tied it all together

“The entrepreneurial, future music manager who connects with others and makes his mark through music and fashion”

Started
11th grade
From
Los Angeles, California
GPA
3.6 / 4.0
Test score
ACT 34

Challenges and Activities: Before and After

Where Caleb started
Where Caleb finished
No clear interestsNo academic or extracurricular focus yet
Music industry focusFound through a documentary and three expert interviews
Thrifting for funHunted high-end vintage pieces at low prices
Vintage clothing businessVerified, active seller on Depop and Grailed
Casual music mixingPlayed music for friends at gatherings
DJ for school eventsLearned Serato and shared original mixes on SoundCloud
No college listDid not know where he wanted to apply
Tulane, Early ActionAdmitted with a $22,000-per-year scholarship

How did InGenius Prep Help?

A University of Chicago Former Admissions Officer and a Yale Graduate Coach worked with Caleb 2-on-1 from 11th grade through the application.

  1. Summer

    Finding his interest

    A music business documentary and interviews with three professionals showed him he was drawn to the music industry.

    Through Candidacy Building
  2. 11th grade

    Hobbies into activities

    He launched a vintage clothing resale business, learned music mixing software and posted his mixes on SoundCloud.

  3. Spring and summer

    Visits, service and work

    Spring break visits made Tulane his top choice. He ran a clothing drive and worked 30 hours a week that summer.

  4. 12th grade

    Early Action to Tulane

    A personal statement built on his persona over 10+ drafts, a focused Why Tulane essay and a final line-by-line review.

    Through Application Counseling

Questions About This Case

How did Caleb get into Tulane with a 3.6 GPA?

His ACT of 34, a 700 on the Math 2 Subject Test and letters that showed his steady grade improvement balanced his transcript. His music and fashion persona tied the application together.

When did he start working with InGenius Prep?

The summer before 11th grade, through Candidacy Building and then Application Counseling.

Why did he apply Early Action instead of Early Decision?

He loved Tulane but did not feel ready to make a binding commitment, so he and his family chose Early Action.

What was his Application Persona?

The entrepreneurial, future music manager who connects with others and makes his mark through music and fashion.

One honest conversation.
That's how it begins.

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