Offered by Benito N.

Joined July 2024

Harvard Admissions Office | Capstone Project Architect | College Strategy

Overview I help students move beyond “checking boxes” and instead design meaningful capstone projects, research initiatives, and extracurricular paths that make their applications stand out at highly selective universities. As a graduate of Harvard College and former coordinator with the Harvard Admissions Office, I’ve spent more than 18 years working with students and families worldwide to navigate the college admissions process and build applications that reflect genuine intellectual curiosity and purpose. Common Areas I Help Students With • Capstone project design and execution • Building a distinctive extracurricular narrative • Selective college admissions strategy • Application and essay storytelling Background As the oldest son of immigrant parents from Japan and Mexico and the first in my family to graduate from college, I understand the cultural and socioeconomic barriers many students face in pursuing their educational goals. That perspective shapes how I mentor students from diverse backgrounds as they pursue ambitious academic paths. At Harvard, I studied Cultural Anthropology and languages including Spanish, Korean, and Japanese. During my undergraduate years, I lived and studied abroad in Seoul, Bangalore, Cape Town, and Buenos Aires while focusing on global development, culture, and politics. Since then, I’ve traveled to 45 countries and 46 U.S. states, experiences that continue to shape my global perspective on education and opportunity. Track Record Since 2011, I have worked directly with hundreds of high school students and spoken to thousands more across every continent about navigating the U.S. college admissions landscape. My students have been admitted to highly selective institutions including Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Princeton, Yale, UC Berkeley, the University of Chicago, and many other leading universities. Professional Experience Beyond admissions advising, I previously worked at Google in Mountain View, where I supported hiring processes including resume reviews, interviews, and performance evaluations across engineering and sales teams. I have also worked with a range of nonprofit organizations in healthcare, technology, and education. Students I Work Best With • High-achieving students aiming for top 20 universities • Students interested in building meaningful capstone or research projects • Students with strong curiosity but unclear academic direction • International students navigating U.S. admissions Closing My advising approach is collaborative, strategic, and human-centered. The goal isn’t simply getting into college — it’s helping students build something meaningful along the way. If you're looking for guidance on developing a standout application narrative or designing a capstone project that reflects your interests, I’d be happy to connect.