Elevate Your Common App: Craft a Powerful Activities List

With over 9 years of experience in selective undergraduate admissions and coaching, I know all the ins and outs of navigating the complicated U.S. college admissions process from anywhere in the world. I believe that with the right support and guidance, you can find yourself studying at a great U.S. university for you. Why work with me? 1. I know what it takes to get in. I'm an admissions expert. As an Assistant Director of Admission at Stanford, I personally reviewed ~7,000 undergraduate applications. My portfolio included various regions in the U.S., Canada, Latin America, Ireland, and the UK. Before Stanford, I was an alumni interviewer for Harvard, I interned for Harvard Admissions' student recruitment initiatives, even supported their application file room. 2. I know how to help you apply as your best self. I am a global admissions consultant with clear results. For 3 years, I advised students from the U.S. and around the world for a top global college admissions consulting company. 75% of the students I coached were admitted to the most selective universities (keep in mind the extra obstacles that international applicants face - so this is significant!). My clients were admitted to private and public universities like Yale, Brown, Stanford, Columbia, NYU, Northwestern, Carnegie Mellon, UCLA, UC San Diego, UVA, Georgia Tech, Grinnell, Babson, UIUC, Drexel, University of Washington, and Boston University. As an independent consultant working both pro bono and for my consultancy, Eleva Edge Admissions, my clients were admitted to Harvard, Emory, Pomona, UC Berkeley, Johns Hopkins, Penn, and others. I've coached ~50 student clients directly over multi-year coaching programs. I have completed additional application reviews for 50+ one-off clients. I share these variety of universities to show the breadth of colleges my students applied to. Yes, many got into elite colleges, and they also applied or attended colleges outside the "Top 20." There are many incredible schools out there, and I love helping students discover universities that are a good match for their goals, regardless of the ranking. 3. I get it. From the beginning of my own higher ed career, I've been committed to supporting educational journeys with a focus on personal growth. I graduated from Harvard with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and a Master of Education in International Education Policy. I also graduated from the University of Oxford with an MBA, so I understand firsthand the experience of figuring out how to study abroad in a different country. I was a first-generation college student from immigrant parents, and had to figure everything out own my own. I grew a lot but it was challenging, confusing, and stressful. It doesn't have to be like that for you. I believe that with the right guidance, students can view the application process as a time of incredible personal development and self-awareness. My approach is personalized, empathetic, and strategic, ensuring that your unique strengths and experiences shine through in your application. Let's work together to make your college dreams a reality—book a free intro call today!