One of our favorite students, Andie from Florida, was passionate about fashion and dreamed of building her own retail empire, setting her sights on Wharton to help achieve it. Her father, Nigel, a hardworking middle-class parent, supported her vision but worried that Andie couldn’t access the expensive programs and connections that many other applicants had.

When we began working together, we helped Andie realize that her after-school job managing a small boutique was invaluable experience for her future goals. She learned customer service, inventory management, trend forecasting, and cash flow—skills she highlighted in her essays to demonstrate her dedication and industry knowledge.

By her senior year, Andie became President of the Wharton Fashion Club and won the Wharton Business Plan Competition. Her startup went on to generate $3 million in revenue before she even graduated.

Most students dream of a single Ivy acceptance, but Dami from Abu Dhabi had bigger goals. After a deferral from Yale, her father contacted us, worried that their international background might hinder her chances at top U.S. universities.

Together, we reshaped her entire application, focusing her essays and redefining her university path. We guided Dami through an appeal letter to Yale, bringing clarity and purpose to her story.

It was challenging, but she trusted the process, and in the end, Dami was accepted by 19 top universities, including Yale, Stanford, and Columbia. Years later, her brother followed suit with an early decision to Wharton, also under our guidance.

Lily, a parent from Hong Kong, was concerned her son, James, would face a disadvantage applying to U Chicago—no student from his school had ever been admitted. Universities often rely on familiar international feeder schools, so her worry was valid. But James was different; he had a passion for astrophysics and rocket science and was determined to pursue it at Chicago.

While he had the grades, Lily wasn’t sure how he should spend his summers or stand out in his application. Together, we crafted a summer plan involving academics, internships, and research, enabling James to delve into his interests.

When application time came, we strategized on how he could highlight his unique story to the admissions office, crafting essays that showcased his passion and creativity. The result? His memorable “Bathematics” essay earned him an acceptance to U Chicago.

When Rachel transitioned from a prestigious Yeshiva in New York to a private school outside the city during the COVID pandemic, her parents worried that the change might hinder her college ambitions. With a strong desire to major in Religious Studies at Penn, Rachel was disheartened when Early Decision results revealed a deferral. As her former Yeshiva classmates celebrated acceptances, Rachel’s family feared that moving her to a more traditional private school might have jeopardized her dreams.

We worked closely with Rachel to expand a research project she had started the previous year, allowing her to showcase her dedication and intellectual curiosity. Rachel remained laser-focused on her academics, earning top scores and grades, which strengthened her deferral letter. Additionally, she engaged in thoughtful outreach to Penn professors and students within her desired major, impressing them with her intellect, humility, and vibrant personality.

Rachel’s ultimate goal was to stand out, and she did just that. Her perseverance and commitment paid off, resulting in an acceptance in March. Today, she’s thriving at Penn, where she is deeply involved in Jewish life and building a strong foundation in her chosen field.

John was a high-achieving, engaged student at a selective private school in Boston, but his goal—admission to the highly competitive Huntsman Program at Penn, blending International Relations and Business—presented a unique challenge. His parents worried that he hadn’t shown enough evidence of his interest in business or in the specific language track he intended to pursue.

To bridge this gap, we quickly found John unique internship opportunities in his target country, allowing him to deepen his language skills while gaining hands-on business experience as the only foreign intern. This pivot from a typical summer language program to a role with real responsibilities gave John a compelling narrative for his application, bringing his essays to life with meaningful, relevant experiences.

John’s commitment paid off with an Early Decision acceptance to the Huntsman Program. He continues to build on that experience, staying connected with colleagues from his initial internship and planning another opportunity abroad this coming summer.

Boarding school students often face unique challenges when applying to elite universities. For international students, the stakes feel even higher, as families bear both the expense and the emotional impact of having a child study far from home.

One of our students, Robert, a high-achieving Chinese student at a mid-tier boarding school, faced such a challenge. While excelling academically, his mother worried he might be overlooked as yet another STEM candidate in an oversaturated field.

Robert’s passion was astrophysics—he had founded and led multiple clubs, maintained stellar grades, and achieved an impressive SAT score. He’d even earned a spot at the prestigious Summer Science Program (SSP) in New Mexico. Despite these accomplishments, Robert’s Early Decision application to Penn resulted in a deferral. Though his essays were solid, they didn’t capture what truly set him apart.

During one of our conversations, Robert revealed an unusual goal: he aspired to be the first scientist to prove the existence of extraterrestrial life. Initially hesitant to include this in his application, he feared it might seem eccentric. However, we encouraged him and his mother to embrace this unique aspiration, explaining that a distinctive story could make his application memorable. Together, we crafted a compelling deferral letter and reworked his Regular Decision applications with this fresh perspective.

The result? Robert received acceptances from both Penn and Brown and went on to thrive in Penn’s engineering program, building a foundation for his ambitions in astrophysics.