It has been a great pleasure to work with J since early 10. We spent time collaborating to identify his academic interests, find a suitable summer program to bridge those interests, and develop initiatives to showcase leadership and community impact. In the final year, after many conversations, we came to know him even better and presented him to colleges through essays and interviews in a personal way. After receiving admission to the University of Pennsylvania – Class of 2029, J shared his experience of college search and preparation, as well as how he worked together with our team at Elite Admission Consulting.
1. Why do you want to go to the US for college? When did you have such idea?
I began thinking about the option to study in the US around the beginning of Year 10, when I had to plan for my HSC subjects. If I were to stay in Australia, I could kinda see how my life plays out. Not necessarily every nook and cranny, the twists and turns of life, but my career path. If I went into Law, I might work at a law firm or consulting; if I did medicine, I’d work as a GP or specialist. Yet, when it came to the US Colleges, I had no clue what my life would look like. There were countless opportunities, from large companies and the tremendous rise of start-ups to academia. I felt like life would be more interesting if I were more experimental, open to new and different things. Meeting new individuals outside of my previous circle was also something I was excited about.
2. When did you start to prepare for it? What did you do?
I began preparing for admission and working with Elite Admission in Year 10. I participated in mathematical modelling, Youth Parliament, debating, music and sport, and I was a leader in Cadets and the School Prefect Team. I competed in various competitions and developed an online tool for novice researchers.
Elite Admission was very helpful in not only guiding me to build a solid story and portfolio but finding specific activities to complement it. Working collaboratively to find what my interests were, Elite Admission gave me freedom and trust in which activities I wanted/didn’t want to participate in, and this was very important for my confidence and passions.
3. During the application process in Year 12, what do you think is the most challenging part?
The most challenging part was still being motivated throughout the year to complete the application process. Especially with the stress of HSC or trying to enjoy my final year in high school, there were moments when I’d lazily complete application work or just start it the day of the deadline. Now, I don’t necessarily think this is a be all end all issue, because it’s only natural for humans to prioritise what seems to be more important/what provides the greatest satisfaction in the short term. Yet, when this spirals and you neglect the activities, the important interview prep, the personal essays, that’s when you’re in trouble. Elite Admission was able to help me reduce these moments of procrastination and loss of motivation through 3 main things.
a. Starting everything early: Whether it be sitting SAT, writing personal essays, Elite Admission pushed me to complete small yet important tasks during holidays so that during the school term, I could prioritise my exams or graduation.
b. Consistent communication: I believe that Ray played an extremely important role in consistently keeping in touch throughout the process. From asking for progress, giving timely feedback, or even chatting about the recent NBA games, having a mentor who’s always available and open to talk to has been something I’m very grateful for.
c. Flexible deadlines: Giving me the chance to set my own deadlines not only allowed me to be more independent on my projects but also motivated me to be accountable.
4. What do you think is the most accomplished part during the whole process? What is your most important reward besides the admission offer?
I was most excited about completing my own project. From the bare bones of the project, brainstorming ideas, , struggling at 1 am whilst talking to a friend, getting the 1st step of scraping a website done, visually depicting this data, extending it to the entire internet, producing a functionable website, getting feedback, improving user design (long list), it was a very rewarding journey where I learnt a lot, not only technically but socially.
The most important reward besides the admission offer is that I have (hopefully) become a more well-rounded, more open, and more engaged member of society. If I were to go through the regular HSC process, I would have put all my attention into getting the best marks ATAR without much care for cocurriculars, volunteering, etc. Having the chance to go volunteer at SAILS has expanded my view on what individuals in society go through, even lacking textbooks, common things I have taken for granted. Going to Youth Parliament and seeing so many cool people with unique and varying interests has also been an extremely enriching experience.
5. Any advice for future applicants?
a. Despite the vagueness and ambiguity involved with the admission process, stay consistent, never feel like you’re not good enough, and listen to Ray/Julia because they have the experience to help you.
b. Co-curricular activities are important, but academics are foundational. You must perform well in school before you have a real good shot at a top university.
c. If you have the time, redo your SAT to get a very, very competitive mark i.e., 1580+
Summary
At Elite Admission Consulting, we believe that every student is unique and the only way for them to stand out is to find and develop their own passion and strength. This approach has helped all our previous students achieve stellar admission results and more importantly supported them to become more confident and capable in dealing with the challenges that exist in the most selective universities. We have dedicated ourselves to our mission, and will continue to help more students to identify and develop their potential and to present themselves.
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