
Sara Torres
She/Her
Schwarzman Scholar | Oxford MPhil | Admissions Coach for Top Schools

University of Oxford

University of Oxford
40
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Starting at 1:30 AM UTC
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About
Hello! I’m Sara, but you can call me Sarita. I’m originally from Colombia, grew up in the Dominican Republic, studied in the U.S. and in the U.K., and am currently based in China as a Schwarzman Scholar. My international background has shaped how I see education, opportunity, and storytelling across cultures. I studied International Relations and Latin American Studies at Tufts University and the University of Oxford, and through both my academic work and professional experience in research, communications, and writing, I’ve developed a strong ability to unpack complex ideas and express them clearly and compellingly. I bring this same approach to the way I work with students. I’ve guided 40+ students across Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Venezuela, Miami, and London through the full college application process, from building thoughtful school lists to developing their Common App and supplemental essays from scratch all the way to submission. I've also helped students through their admissions process to MBA, Medical School, and Master's Programs. More than anything, I focus on helping students understand who they are. Through intentional questions and close collaboration, I help them uncover their stories, clarify their interests, and shape a narrative that feels both authentic and impactful. I’ve worked with students with diverse learning needs, including ADHD and dyslexia, and I collaborate closely with families to make sure everyone feels aligned and confident throughout the process. My students have been admitted to highly selective universities including Stanford, UChicago, UPenn (Huntsman Program), Columbia, Northwestern, Duke, Cornell, Georgetown, UC Berkeley, UCLA, and more. At the core of my work is a personalized, mentorship-driven approach that helps students not only submit strong applications, but also gain clarity and confidence in who they are and where they’re going.
Work Experience

Outreach Officer - TIDE Centre
University of Oxford
June 2025 - August 2026
• Lead TIDE’s outreach and stakeholder engagement activities, acting as a key point of contact for external partners including policymakers, academics, and collaborators. • Organised and delivered 20+ high-profile in-person and hybrid events (lectures, workshops, book launches, and senior-level convenings), including the COP30 launch in Brazil and the Senior Advisors’ Retreat in Oxford. • Wrote, edited, and proofread social media posts and event materials to communicate research outputs to policy and academic audiences. • Designed promotional materials and visual content to support events and external engagement. • Supported coordination of communications and event logistics across the TIDE team.

Tyranny Tracker Fellow - Project Manager
Human Rights Foundation
October 2024 - April 2025
• Coordinated Americas, Africa, APAC, and MENA teams, and oversaw production of country reports. • Organised expert roundtables to gather specialist feedback and strengthen outputs. • Managed timelines and cross-regional collaboration.

Research Assistant - TIDE Centre
University of Oxford
April 2024 - May 2025
• Conducted research about the financial gap in financing the green transition in Latin America

Communications Coordinator
Colombia Risk Analysis
September 2022 - August 2023
• Led organisational communications, including media engagement, report editing, digital content, and stakeholder relations. • Served as liaison with press, diplomatic partners, and private-sector clients; organised press briefings and events. • Edited and formatted investigative and monthly reports for policy and corporate audiences. • Produced and coordinated company podcast (scriptwriting, production oversight, promotion). • Co-authored research report on Chinese investment and democratic governance in Colombia.

Latin America Research Consultant
Eurasia Group
September 2021 - August 2022
• Researched and wrote about the political, social, economic, regulatory, and fiscal landscapes of Bolivia, Colombia, Chile, the Dominican Republic, and Venezuela, as well as elections and Chile’s constitutional process, for international private sector clients.

Writing and College Essay Consultant
freelance
August 2021 - December 2024
Proofread and edited college admissions essays of +40 students based in Colombia, Miami and the Dominican Republic. Students were admitted to top schools like Stanford, UPenn (Huntsman Program), UChicago, Northwestern, USC, Tufts, Duke, Columbia, Georgetown, Notre Dame and Cornell.

Compliance, Forensics, and Intelligence Researcher
Control Risks
November 2020 - July 2021
• Conducted compliance, forensics, and business intelligence public domain research covering numerous industries for investigative work in Colombia, Bolivia, Ecuador, Guyana, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela. • Conducted investigations on fraud and anti-bribery and contributed to third-party due diligence investigations led by the VANTAGE Americas team.

Latin American Program Research Assistant
Wilson Center
October 2020 - August 2021
• Conducted research and wrote about civil-military relations in authoritarian regimes, transnational crime, migration, and COVID-19 in Latin America for program publications and podcasts. • Assisted in the drafting, editing, and fact-checking of Dr. Penfold’s publications on Venezuelan re-institutionalization, civil-military and foreign relations. • Coordinated the agendas and drafted summaries of the Wilson Center Venezuela Working Group meetings.

Admissions Intern
Tufts University
October 2019 - May 2020
Interviewer
• Conducted admissions interviews for Tufts • Organized Jumbo Days for upcoming students • Led tours around campus

Research Assistant
Council on Foreign Relations
April 2019 - January 2020
• Conducted research about regional integration, supply chains, migration, and trade in the EU, North American, and ASEAN regions. • Wrote literature reviews and memos for Dr. Shannon K. O'Neil's book, “The Globalization Myth: Why Regions Matter”.
Education

Schwarzman Scholarship
Master of Arts, Global Affairs
2026 - 2027

University of Oxford
Master of Philosophy, Latin American Studies
2023 - 2025
Modules: Latin America Since Independence, Politics of Democracy, Andean Politics, Political Economy (audit), Research Methods (qualitative and quantitative), International Relations, Politics of Brazil Grade: Merit Activities and societies: Co-President and Co-Founder of Oxford Latin American Society, Oxford University Colombian Society, St. Antony’s Boat Club (W2), Oxford Union William de Segundo Scholar (The Canning Club)

Tufts University
Bachelor of Arts, International Relations, Latin American Studies
2017 - 2020
Activities and societies: Co-Founder and President of the Tufts Latin American Committee (LAC) within the Institute for Global Leadership (IGL), President of the Tufts International Club, At-Large Member of the International Relations Student Advisory Board, Fellow in the Rwanda Fellowship Program, Researcher in Morocco with the Middle East Research Group, Ultimate Frisbee, Women Entrepreneurs at Tufts, Barista at the Rez Café, Senior Intern at Tufts Admissions
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