Knowing Where to Apply
Writing Compelling Application Essays
Lacked Extracurricular Activities Linked to Coding
When Shobhit came to us, one of his biggest challenges was knowing where to apply. He had no target schools whatsoever - not even a favorite choice! He was completely uncertain about where to look and how to go about the process of forming a school list that made sense for him.
His secondary challenge was writing compelling application essays. Shobhit did not consider himself a writer of any kind, outside of school assignments, and he struggled with understanding the various ways to approach application prompts and respond to them in writing. Moreover, he had very little idea of how to begin sharing his stories and highlighting his noteworthy experiences! Indeed, students often struggle to ‘look in the mirror’.
Lastly, as a Computer Science student, he lacked extracurricular activities linked to coding, and his application relied heavily on his school grades and test scores. Most of his time was spent playing Soccer! So, he needed guidance on how to improve his overall profile outside of the classroom to show admissions teams he was passionate about his subject area.
To start, we matched Shobhit with a College Counselor studying Computer Science at Columbia University. This way, he was provided near-peer mentorship by someone who has personally experienced the rigorous admissions processes into his area of interest and aligns with his goals in every way.
With a detailed understanding of coding, Shobit’s counselor at Dewey Smart helped Shobhit explore and identify schools based on several factors aligned with his college and career goals, including location, the quality of academic programs offered, and the financial aspects, which helped him focus his time and energy. After beginning with a broad list, Shobhit was then able to narrow down his options to an exciting balance of schools for his applications.
Shobhit expressed that his counselor’s approach to application essays was an absolute ‘game-changer’! Their process of brainstorming, editing, and writing essays was much different to his normal style of writing, and the approaches they took ensured his stories stood out from the rest!
The Ohio State University
Purdue University
The University of Cincinnati
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In my college admissions process, Dewey Smart really guided me through and told me everything I needed to know. I think the fact that the counselors at Dewey Smart are current students at college is really beneficial because they are up-to-date with all the admissions strategies in modern ways. They know exactly what you are going through and the questions you have because they went through the same thing a few years ago. The relationship you form with your counselor is one that you can have for the rest of your life. My counselor is like a friend to me now, even though I’m in college. We are still in touch, and I still ask for help with things like scheduling my classes. So, I think the long-term benefits are a huge plus, and I really recommend using Dewey Smart for a successful admissions process!
Shobhit was a very down-to-earth and hard-working student who knew the path ahead of him would be challenging. He wasn’t very comfortable with the personal style of admissions essay writing.
To do so, we brainstormed, coded, and released an educational Python game that teaches young kids the rules of sports, which aligned with both his passion for Soccer and for Computer Science. In an iterative process of paired outlining, edits, and revisions of his essays, we weaved a larger narrative that made him stand out. I won’t forget working with Shobhit!
Finn knew he wanted to enter some of the best Engineering programs in the country, but he wasn't certain how. He had heard a lot of vague advice about college applications on social media, and he needed help discerning fact from fiction.
