Devon Blog

Tag: Common App

  • 15 College Admissions Terms Every Parent and Student Should Understand—Explained Simply

    The college admissions process is filled with jargon that often sounds like a foreign language to families navigating it for the first time. Whether you’re a student beginning your college journey or a parent trying to provide guidance, understanding these common terms can save time, reduce stress, and help you make better decisions.

    Here’s a practical, plain-English guide to the most important terms in the college admissions world.

    1. Common App

    A centralized application platform accepted by over 1,000 colleges. Instead of filling out separate applications for each school, you complete one Common App and send it to multiple institutions.

    ✅ Tip: Some colleges also require supplemental essays in addition to the Common App.

    2. FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)

    This form determines your eligibility for federal student aid, including grants, loans, and work-study programs. It’s free and should be filled out as early as possible after it opens each year.

    3. CSS Profile

    A financial aid application used by many private colleges and universities to award institutional aid. Unlike FAFSA, this one isn’t free and asks for more detailed financial information.

    4. Early Decision (ED)

    A binding application plan. If you’re accepted, you must attend and withdraw all other applications. It’s best for students who are 100% sure of their top choice.

    5. Early Action (EA)

    A non-binding early application. You get your decision early but aren’t obligated to enroll if accepted.

    6. Rolling Admissions

    Colleges review applications as they come in and respond on a rolling basis—often within weeks. Applying early can improve your chances.

    7. Demonstrated Interest

    How much a student appears to want to attend a school. This can include campus visits, emails to admissions officers, or attending info sessions. Some colleges factor this into admissions decisions.

    8. Need-Blind vs. Need-Aware Admissions

    • Need-Blind: Colleges do not consider your financial situation in the admissions process.
    • Need-Aware: Colleges do consider your ability to pay when making admissions decisions, especially for international or borderline applicants.

    9. Test-Optional

    Colleges that don’t require SAT or ACT scores for admission. But be strategic—strong test scores can still help, especially for scholarships or competitive programs.

    10. Superscore

    Some schools combine your best section scores across multiple SAT/ACT test dates to create a higher composite score.

    11. Class Rank

    Your academic standing compared to your peers. Some high schools calculate it; others do not. Elite colleges often review this alongside GPA and school rigor.

    12. Yield Rate

    The percentage of admitted students who choose to enroll. A high yield rate often signals a school’s prestige and demand.

    13. Holistic Admissions

    An evaluation approach that considers academics, extracurriculars, essays, recommendations, and character—not just grades and test scores.

    14. Selective Colleges

    Schools that admit a small percentage of applicants—often under 20%. Admission is competitive and requires careful planning, strong academics, and a compelling narrative.

    15. Likely Letter

    An unofficial notice sent to high-achieving applicants indicating that an offer of admission is highly probable. Typically sent before official decisions.

    Why This Matters

    College admissions isn’t just about filling in forms—it’s about making informed decisions at the right time. Understanding the terminology can help you:

    • Avoid unnecessary stress
    • Save money on fees and mistakes
    • Craft a smarter application strategy
    • Evaluate financial aid options effectively

    Want Personalized Help? Talk to Someone Who Just Did It.

    The best way to make sense of all this is to talk to someone who’s been through it—recently.

    Pathways connects you with peer advisors who’ve been admitted to elite colleges and know the ins and outs of this system. They’ve written the essays, navigated FAFSA, and chosen between ED and EA.

    👉 Book a consult now — your first one is platform fee-free.

  • We’re Hiring! Former Admissions Officers – College Admissions Advisor (Remote, Part-Time, Consulting)

    Be a part of Pathways by QWYK iSoft

    Location: Remote (U.S.-based preferred)

    Job Type: Part-Time | Contract | Flexible Hours

    🔍 About Pathways

    At Pathways, we believe every student deserves clear, data-informed, and personalized guidance on their path to higher education. We connect ambitious students from around the world with expert mentors—including Ivy League undergraduates, graduate students, professionals, and former admissions officers—to help them confidently navigate the college admissions process.

    We specialize in:

    • Ivy League & Top-20 U.S. College Admissions
    • BS/MD & Combined Medical Programs
    • Pre-Med, Pre-Law, and Pre-Professional Pathways
    • Graduate School (Medical, Law, Dental, PA, Nursing, etc.)
    • Career-Aligned Academic Advising

    Now, we’re looking for former admissions professionals to join our rapidly growing advising network and make an impact by mentoring the next generation of top-tier applicants.

    🎓 Role Overview

    As a College Admissions Advisor, you’ll use your inside knowledge of selective college admissions to support students and families through the process of applying to competitive U.S. institutions. You’ll collaborate with students on building authentic profiles, crafting compelling narratives, and optimizing every aspect of their application—from school list development to personal statements and supplements.

    This is a remote, flexible, paid consulting position where you determine your availability and workload.

    💼 Key Responsibilities

    • Profile Review & Strategy: Help students understand how their academic, extracurricular, and personal background will be evaluated by admissions offices.
    • Application Support: Guide students on Common App, Coalition, UC, and/or school-specific applications.
    • Essay Coaching: Review and provide feedback on personal statements, supplemental essays, and activity descriptions to align with institutional priorities.
    • School List Strategy: Offer insights on building a smart and balanced college list based on admissions data and student fit.
    • Mock Interviews: Conduct realistic interview prep sessions with actionable feedback.
    • Family Guidance: Support families through key milestones and demystify admissions timelines and terminology.
    • Internal Collaboration: Share insights and admissions trends with the broader Pathways team to improve resources and best practices.

    ✅ Ideal Qualifications

    • Former experience as an Admissions Officer, Reader, or Committee Member at a highly selective U.S. college or university (e.g., Ivy League, Stanford, MIT, UChicago, Duke, top liberal arts colleges).
    • Deep familiarity with holistic admissions, institutional priorities, and what selective schools look for.
    • Strong writing/editing skills and ability to coach students on application narratives.
    • Empathetic, professional, and student-focused communication style.
    • Ability to work with diverse families across time zones.
    • Bonus: Experience with specialized programs (BS/MD, international admissions, QuestBridge, transfer admissions, or graduate school admissions).

    💡 Why Join Pathways?

    • Mission-Driven Work: Help students gain access to the education they deserve.
    • Flexible Hours: Choose your availability; work remotely.
    • Competitive Pay: Hourly compensation or project-based pay structure based on experience.
    • Impact & Influence: Your insights directly shape college journeys—and lives.
    • Community: Join a collaborative, inclusive team of educators, professionals, and mentors from top institutions.

    🌎 Who You’ll Work With

    Pathways mentors hail from institutions like:

    • Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, Stanford
    • MIT, UChicago, Duke, UPenn
    • Johns Hopkins, Berkeley, UCLA, NYU
    • Swarthmore, Amherst, Williams, and more

    Engage with:

    • First-gen students
    • International applicants
    • High-achieving students from grades 9–12
    • Parents seeking clarity on the U.S. college process

  • How Pathways Helps High School Students Get Into the Ivy League and Top U.S. Colleges

    Getting accepted into an Ivy League school or a top-ranked university like Stanford, MIT, or UChicago is a dream for many high school students—but the path is highly competitive, nuanced, and often unclear.

    At Pathways, we help high-achieving students develop a standout, authentic profile that resonates with elite admissions committees. Our approach is rooted in data, experience, and individualized strategy.

    Whether you’re aiming for Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, UPenn, Brown, Dartmouth, or Cornell—or similarly competitive institutions—our mentors and advisors can guide you every step of the way.

    🌟 What Sets Ivy League Admissions Apart?

    Top-tier colleges are not just looking for high GPAs and test scores—they want students with intellectual vitality, leadership, and a clear sense of purpose. Ivy League admissions are holistic, meaning:

    • Rigor of coursework (AP/IB/Honors)
    • High standardized test scores (SAT/ACT, APs, etc.)
    • Exceptional extracurricular achievements
    • Unique personal story or passion
    • Leadership and initiative
    • Essays that reveal character and intellectual curiosity

    Pathways specializes in helping students not only meet but exceed these criteria.

    🔍 How Pathways Helps Ivy League-Bound Students Succeed

    ✅ 1. Profile & Academic Roadmap Strategy

    We start early—sometimes as early as 8th or 9th grade—to build a multi-year plan. Our advisors help students:

    • Select courses to show intellectual rigor and challenge
    • Identify summer programs and research opportunities
    • Plan standardized testing timelines (SAT/ACT/AP)
    • Build upward trends in GPA and academic depth

    🧠 2. Intellectual Curiosity Development

    Top schools want students who go beyond the classroom. We help students:

    • Design and execute passion projects, capstones, or research
    • Apply for prestigious programs (RSI, TASP, MITES, etc.)
    • Pursue independent study or mentorships in their field of interest

    🏆 3. Extracurricular and Leadership Coaching

    We assess students’ activities and help them:

    • Identify leadership opportunities in clubs, nonprofits, competitions
    • Start original initiatives aligned with their interests
    • Apply for awards, fellowships, and national recognition
    • Strategically select and deepen 3–4 core activities

    ✍️ 4. Essay & Application Coaching

    Our Ivy League mentors—many of whom attend or graduated from Ivies—work 1:1 with students on:

    • Personal statement development that shows voice and growth
    • Supplemental essay strategy for each school
    • Storytelling that highlights character, values, and fit
    • Activities list editing and application presentation (Common App, Coalition, UC App, etc.)

    🧑‍⚖️ 5. School List Curation & Strategy

    We help families build a balanced school list of reach, target, and safety schools, based on:

    • Selectivity and academic fit
    • Student’s unique profile and interests
    • Financial aid or merit scholarship potential
    • Institutional priorities (diversity, hooks, legacy, etc.)

    🎤 6. Interview Prep

    Most Ivy League schools offer alumni or admissions interviews. We conduct mock interviews that prepare students to:

    • Speak confidently and authentically about their experiences
    • Articulate why they want to attend the school
    • Demonstrate thoughtfulness and poise

    💼 Who Are the Pathways Advisors?

    Our mentors include:

    • Students at Harvard, Yale, Princeton, MIT, Stanford, Columbia, UChicago, and UPenn
    • Former admissions officers and college consultants
    • Graduates who successfully navigated the process themselves, often as first-gen or international applicants

    Each advisor brings firsthand insights into what makes an Ivy League application stand out.

    🌍 Who We Serve

    • High school students (grades 8–12) in the U.S. and globally
    • International applicants to top U.S. colleges
    • Homeschoolers or non-traditional applicants
    • Students with unique academic paths or passion projects

    🔑 Common Ivy League Admissions Challenges We Help Solve

    ChallengeHow Pathways Helps
    Lack of standout extracurricularsWe co-create unique, passion-driven initiatives that stand out
    Essay writer’s blockOur mentors guide brainstorming, outlining, and storytelling
    No clear college listWe build a data-backed school strategy with reach, match, safety tiers
    Weak interview prepWe run realistic mock interviews with feedback
    First-gen or unfamiliar with U.S. admissionsWe walk families through every step of the process

    📈 Results That Speak

    Many of our students are now attending:

    • Harvard College
    • Yale University
    • Stanford University
    • Columbia University
    • Brown University
    • University of Chicago
    • MIT
    • Caltech
    • Duke
    • Johns Hopkins
    • And top liberal arts colleges like Amherst, Swarthmore, and Pomona

    🚀 Ready to Begin Your Ivy League Journey?

    Whether you’re a high school freshman just starting out with high school or a high school senior putting the final touches on your Common App, Pathways can help you stand out, stay on track, and submit with confidence.

    👉 Book your Pathways College Prep Consultation today!

    Or explore our advisors and request to speak to a mentor from your dream school.

  • 🎓 We’re Hiring! College Prep Peer Advisor (Remote, Part-Time, Consultant)

    Position Type: Part-Time, Remote
    Commitment: Flexible Hours (~2–6 hrs/week)
    Compensation: Your consultation rate is determined by the exclusivity of your profile and experiences.

    About the Role

    Did you navigate college admissions with a spreadsheet, a dream, and no idea where to start? Want to pay it forward by helping high schoolers avoid stress and burnout in their college prep journey?

    Pathways is hiring College Prep Peer Advisors—college students from top-tier universities who want to mentor high schoolers (grades 9–12) through the college application, pre-professional, and extracurricular planning process.

    This role is ideal for students at highly selective colleges (Ivy League, Stanford, MIT, Duke, UChicago, Vanderbilt, etc.) who remember the grind—and want to give real, tactical advice to the next generation. You’ll act as a college admissions mentor, extracurricular strategist, and application coach—all rolled into one.

    ✅ Key Responsibilities

    🎯 Academic & College Advising

    • Help students identify their academic interests, course plans, and summer enrichment goals.
    • Guide students in building a competitive yet authentic college application profile (GPA, test prep, course rigor, honors, and awards).

    🏆 Extracurricular Planning & Talent Development

    • Work with students to select and deepen extracurricular activities, internships, and research programs.
    • Support students with application research, deadlines, and program strategy (BS/MD, pre-med, STEM, pre-law, business, etc.).

    ✍️ Essay Brainstorming & Draft Support

    • Help students brainstorm, outline, and refine personal statements, supplementals, and summer program essays.
    • Provide feedback that elevates the student’s voice—no ghostwriting or writing-for-hire.

    📅 Productivity Coaching

    • Track student progress, manage deadlines, and build action plans using Notion, Trello, or Google Sheets.
    • Be a “college coach” meets accountability buddy who helps them stay on track with tasks like resume building, college list refinement, or shadowing program research.

    📣 Mentorship & Empathy

    • Build real relationships. You’ll be a sounding board, a motivational voice, and a source of encouragement during a high-pressure time.

    🧠 Who We’re Looking For

    Must-Have Qualifications:

    • Current undergrad (Class of 2025–2028) at a top-ranked U.S. university (Ivy+, Top 30).
    • Deep personal experience with college admissions, Common App, essay writing, and building a standout extracurricular profile.
    • Strong communication skills—both verbal and written. You know how to meet students where they are.
    • Empathy, patience, and the ability to work with students from diverse backgrounds.

    Nice-to-Have:

    • Experience mentoring high school students (e.g., tutoring, RA work, nonprofit programs, summer programs).
    • Familiarity with specific admissions pathways (BS/MD, pre-med track, STEM summer programs, QuestBridge, HBCUs, etc.).
    • Passion for education, youth mentorship, or ed-tech.

    📈 What You’ll Gain

    • Paid experience as a college admissions peer mentor.
    • Flexible, remote work that fits your student schedule.
    • Build your profile and brand
    • Access to a vibrant team of peer mentors from across the U.S.
    • Build a side income while you pay-it-forward

    Start your application to be an advisor on Pathways👉
    Questions? Write to us using the contact us section of our website

  • What Peer Advisors Can Do That Counselors Can’t

    1. Why We Built Pathways Consulting: College Admissions Has a Broken Advice System
    2. Peer Guidance Isn’t a Shortcut to College decisions — It’s the Missing Piece
    3. You May or May Not Need a $10,000 Counselor—You Do Need the Right Insight at the Right Time
    4. What Peer Advisors Can Do That Counselors Can’t
    5. The Five Moments When a Peer Consult Can Change Your Application
    6. Is Peer Advising for Everyone? (Yes, And Here’s Why)
    7. Why the Pathways Model Is Redefining Student Advising
    8. Rethinking College Counseling: Why Families Deserve Affordable, Flexible, and Personalized Guidance

    When Maya met with her high school counselor about applying to college, the conversation lasted 15 minutes. Her counselor was well-meaning and professional—but she had 480 students on her roster and limited time for nuance.

    She reminded Maya to finalize her Common App, told her to consider a safety school in-state, and flagged a deadline Maya had already bookmarked. Helpful? Yes. Game-changing? Not exactly.

    Maya needed more than timelines. She needed clarity.

    What Maya didn’t need (or couldn’t afford) was a $5,000 private admissions package. She wasn’t looking for someone to craft her essays or build a portfolio. She just needed a real person who had gone through this process recently and could answer: “What actually matters when applying to Barnard?”

    So Maya logged onto Pathways and connected with Nia—a current Barnard sophomore, first-generation college student, and former IB candidate, just like her.

    That one 30-minute conversation changed the course of her application.

    Counselors Know the Process. Peer Advisors Know the Playbook.

    There’s no denying that school counselors and private consultants know the admissions process. They’re trained professionals. They understand how to build a balanced school list, interpret testing policies, and guide students toward strong applications.

    But there’s a critical layer they usually can’t provide: real-time, experience-based, school-specific nuance.

    Here’s what Nia told Maya that no counselor ever had:

    • “Barnard really values intellectual curiosity—but that doesn’t mean academic perfection. I wrote about my side blog and a poetry contest I lost, and it still resonated.”
    • “In my interview, they asked about a book I’d never finished. I was honest—and that actually helped.”
    • “You don’t have to be polished. You have to be authentically engaged.”

    That level of specificity doesn’t show up in guidebooks or counselor PDFs. It comes from living the process.

    Five Things Peer Advisors Can Offer That Counselors Often Can’t

    1. Recent, First-Person Insight
      A peer advisor applied last year or the year before. They remember how decisions felt, what strategies worked, and what deadlines actually mattered.
    2. School-Specific Context
      Most counselors have a macro view of admissions. Peer advisors offer a micro perspective: “Here’s what stood out in my Brown application,” or “Here’s what you need to show for Berkeley EECS.”
    3. Personalized, Cultural Relevance
      Students can choose peer advisors who match their background, language, or experience—first-gen, LGBTQ+, South Asian, STEM, test-optional. It’s not just about information; it’s about belonging.
    4. Authentic Vulnerability
      Peer advisors will tell you what they messed up. What they wish they’d done differently. Which schools ghosted them. This transparency is invaluable—and rarely found in professional guidance.
    5. Actionable Answers to Un-Googleable Questions
      “Is the optional Caltech essay really optional?” “Did you include non-traditional ECs?” “How did you prep for the UPenn alumni interview?”
      These aren’t strategic queries. They’re tactical ones. And peer advisors have real answers.

    Peer Advising Doesn’t Replace Counselors. It Complements Them.

    Pathways isn’t saying counselors aren’t important. They are. So are consultants—for the families who choose and can afford them.

    But insight from someone who’s just done what you’re about to do? That’s not a luxury. That’s essential infrastructure.

    It’s the layered model:

    • Counselor: helps you organize and navigate the application timeline
    • Consultant: (if you have one) polishes your materials and strategy
    • Peer Advisor: gives you truth from the trenches

    Whether you’re crafting your Common App, choosing between Early Decision options, or deciding how to frame your story—it helps to speak to someone who remembers what that felt like, and succeeded at the very place you’re aiming for.

    This Is the Era of Real-Time, Real-People Guidance

    Students no longer want general advice. They want targeted guidance that reflects who they are and where they want to go. That’s what Pathways delivers.

    What peer advisors can do that counselors can’t is simple: they can show you how they won the game you’re trying to play.

  • Peer Guidance Isn’t a Shortcut to College decisions — It’s the Missing Piece

    1. Why We Built Pathways Consulting: College Admissions Has a Broken Advice System
    2. Peer Guidance Isn’t a Shortcut to College decisions — It’s the Missing Piece
    3. You May or May Not Need a $10,000 Counselor—You Do Need the Right Insight at the Right Time
    4. What Peer Advisors Can Do That Counselors Can’t
    5. The Five Moments When a Peer Consult Can Change Your Application
    6. Is Peer Advising for Everyone? (Yes, And Here’s Why)
    7. Why the Pathways Model Is Redefining Student Advising
    8. Rethinking College Counseling: Why Families Deserve Affordable, Flexible, and Personalized Guidance

    When high school junior Maya sat down to start her college applications, she had the same tools as most ambitious students: a long list of schools, a spreadsheet of deadlines, advice from school counselors, and dozens of open browser tabs filled with Reddit threads, blog posts, and TikTok explainers.

    But despite all that, Maya still didn’t know what her story was. Should she write about her robotics internship or her work at a local clinic? Would applying test-optional hurt her chances at NYU? How important was it that she’d only taken three APs compared to others who had six or more?

    Her counselor was supportive—but juggling 400+ students. Her parents encouraged her—but had never applied to U.S. schools themselves. The web was full of noise, contradictions, and “chance me” bravado.

    What she needed was someone who had been through this exact process, recently—and won.

    That’s where peer guidance comes in.

    Advice, But From Someone Who Gets It

    Peer guidance isn’t casual mentoring. It’s not a friend guessing what admissions officers want. It’s not a Reddit post filtered through twenty opinions.

    It’s structured, intentional, paid advice from a student who applied to similar schools, came from a similar background, and achieved real success.

    In Maya’s case, she used Pathways to find someone who:

    • Attended the same type of public school
    • Also applied test-optional and got into NYU, BU, and Emory
    • Was South Asian, like Maya
    • Chose to major in public health
    • Scored in the same ACT range

    Maya booked a 30-minute consult and came away with clarity: she had a compelling story around public service, and she didn’t need to apologize for not submitting test scores. In fact, the advisor helped her see how to frame it as a strength.

    The consult cost her less than a dinner out. The clarity? Priceless.

    The Myth of the One-Size-Fits-All Strategy

    The problem with traditional advice is that it often assumes a standard applicant. But admissions isn’t standard.

    • A rural Midwestern student with limited APs needs different advice than a competitive prep school senior in Boston.
    • An international applicant from Ghana faces different scrutiny than a first-gen Latina from Los Angeles.
    • A STEM-focused boy applying to Caltech will need different guidance than an arts-focused girl applying to Barnard.

    Peer advisors can speak to these nuances. They were those applicants. They understand the hidden levers—the moments when choosing the right essay topic or positioning an extracurricular made the difference.

    It’s Not a Shortcut. It’s the System That Should Exist.

    Some might hear “peer” and think less experienced. But that’s a misunderstanding of what applicants need.

    They don’t just need general wisdom. They need relevant context.

    Traditional counselors can provide macro advice: deadlines, FAFSA, letters of rec. But they rarely have time—or recent personal experience—to walk through:

    • What made an extracurricular spike stand out?
    • How to choose between prompt 3 and prompt 7 for Common App?
    • What “demonstrated interest” actually looked like at Tufts?

    Peer advisors fill that gap. And because they’re paid per consult, they’re prepared, focused, and generous with insight.

    This isn’t mentorship. This is strategy.

    A Better Way, Accessible to All

    At Pathways, we believe peer consults should be part of every student’s toolkit.

    • For some, it will supplement what their counselor already provides.
    • For others, it will replace the missing support they never had.
    • For most, it will clarify their unique path—by learning from someone who walked it just a year or two ago.

    This is not the future of advising. It’s the present, done right.

  • I Didn’t Know the Rules, But My Peer Coach Knew the Game

    By Aditi R. (not her real name), International Student from India

    Before I even began applying to colleges in the United States, I knew I was already behind. Not academically—I had top grades, extracurriculars, and awards—but behind in understanding how the system actually worked. In India, we take entrance exams for specific fields and institutions. You study, take a test, and that score determines your admission. The U.S. system, with its essays, recommendations, financial aid forms, and holistic review, felt like an entirely different game—with rules no one around me could explain.

    I didn’t have older siblings or family members who had gone through the U.S. application process. My school counselor was well-meaning, but she had dozens of students and limited time. So I did what many students do: I started Googling. I found college admissions YouTube videos, blogs, and forums, but they often gave contradictory advice. Should I apply Early Decision? How many extracurriculars were enough? Should I submit SAT scores or not? I didn’t even know what questions I was supposed to ask.

    Then I found Pathways, a peer coaching program, and I was matched with Maya (not her real name), a college student from India who had been through the U.S. admissions process two years earlier. She became my coach—and my translator for the unwritten rules of the game.

    Maya didn’t just know how the U.S. admissions system worked—she knew why it worked that way. When I asked her why colleges cared so much about essays, she explained that in a system without standardized national entrance exams, essays help admissions officers understand who you are beyond your grades. When I worried about whether being a “generalist” instead of a “specialist” would hurt my chances, she helped me frame my broad interests—debate, science Olympiads, community work—into a coherent narrative.

    Most importantly, Maya taught me strategy. She showed me how to build a college list that balanced reach, match, and safety schools while still aligning with my academic and personal goals. She explained that some colleges are more generous with financial aid for international students than others, and that applying Early Decision could be risky if you needed aid. She even gave me a spreadsheet template to track deadlines, supplemental essay requirements, and scholarship opportunities.

    One of the most confusing aspects for me was recommendation letters. In India, it’s not common for teachers to write detailed, personalized letters. Maya helped me approach the right teachers early and even coached me on how to give them information about my achievements and goals to help them write stronger letters. Her advice was both practical and empathetic—she had been through the same awkward conversations and reassured me that it was okay to advocate for myself.

    When I struggled with my Common App personal statement, Maya didn’t tell me what to write—she asked the right questions to help me uncover a story that felt real and meaningful. I wrote about growing up in a multilingual household, how navigating three languages shaped the way I think and communicate. Without her encouragement, I might have written a generic essay about academics or volunteer work. Instead, I wrote something personal, something that sounded like me.

    Even with all this help, I had moments of doubt—especially when friends around me received admissions decisions earlier, or got offers from universities I hadn’t even considered. Maya reminded me that the U.S. system values fit over rank. Just because a school is ranked lower globally doesn’t mean it’s a poor choice for your goals. Her calm, informed perspective helped me stay focused on my path rather than constantly comparing myself to others.

    Eventually, I was admitted to multiple U.S. colleges, including two with generous scholarships. But what I gained went beyond admissions letters. Through peer coaching, I learned to see myself the way admissions officers might see me: not just as a number or a resume, but as a whole person with a story, potential, and agency.

    The U.S. college application process may seem chaotic from the outside—but there is a system underneath it, a structure of priorities and signals. I didn’t know those rules when I started. But Maya did. And because she did, she helped me play the game on equal footing.

    Now, I’m planning to become a peer coach myself. Not because I want to give advice, but because I know how powerful it is to feel seen, heard, and guided—by someone who’s been there before.

  • I had Never Set Foot in America—But My Peer Coach Helped Me Feel at Home

    By Lian T. (not her real name), First-Year Student from Vietnam

    I still remember how surreal it felt when I first considered applying to a university in the United States. I had never visited. I didn’t have family there. All I knew about the U.S. came from Hollywood movies and the occasional online article. The application portals, essay prompts, and even the idea of “extracurriculars” felt foreign. My parents were supportive, but they had no idea what the Common App was, and neither did my high school teachers.

    That’s when I met Sophie (not her real name), a peer advisor studying at a liberal arts college in the Midwest. She was Korean American and had grown up in California, but she had worked with several international students before. Our first Zoom call lasted over an hour. She didn’t just explain deadlines or how to list activities; she asked about me. What I enjoyed. What I was proud of. Where I felt out of place.

    She helped me realize that my volunteer work teaching English to rural kids wasn’t just a kind thing I did—it was leadership. It was impact. That shift in mindset changed everything. Sophie didn’t just tell me what to write; she helped me understand why my story mattered.

    Through our sessions, I learned how to present myself authentically while still aligning with what American schools look for. We reviewed my essays, talked through my interview jitters, and even practiced how to email admissions officers (a thing I didn’t know students actually did!).

    When the acceptance letters came, I had choices. I chose a school that valued community, offered support for international students, and had the same warmth I felt from Sophie. I haven’t stepped foot on campus yet—visa delays are still real—but I already feel like I belong.

  • Helping Students From Underrepresented Backgrounds Means Listening First

    By Carla J. (not her real name), College Coach

    I’ve worked with students from all walks of life, but the ones who stay with me the longest are the ones who didn’t think they belonged in the college admissions process at all.

    I remember one of my earliest students, Marcus (not his real name), a soft-spoken high school senior from rural Georgia who had a GPA most counselors would cheer for. But every time we talked about colleges, he looked away. When I finally asked him why he seemed so hesitant, he shrugged and said, “People like me don’t go to schools like that.”

    That’s when I knew my job wasn’t just to coach applications. It was to help students rewrite the narrative they’d been handed.

    The Weight of Being “First”

    Many of the students I support are the first in their family to apply to college. Some are first-generation Americans, navigating two cultures. Others come from communities where education hasn’t always been a visible path to opportunity. For all of them, the weight of being “first” can feel more like pressure than pride.

    I’ve learned that the first few sessions aren’t about essays or Common App strategies. They’re about trust. About learning how a student sees themselves. What they’ve been told they can—or can’t—achieve. The gap between ambition and belief is where most of the work happens.

    Coaching Is Not Correcting

    I once worked with a student named Aaliyah (not her real name), whose personal statement draft was a raw, honest story about growing up in public housing and caring for her younger siblings while her mom worked night shifts. She told me she wasn’t sure if it was “too much” or if colleges would think she was just trying to get pity points.

    I told her what I tell every student: Your story is your strength.

    Too often, students from underrepresented backgrounds try to erase the very things that make them compelling. They’re told to “polish” their narratives—to sound more like someone else. But my job isn’t to help them sound more like a college student. It’s to help them see that they already are one.

    Seeing What’s Possible

    It’s not enough to say “you belong.” I show students examples of others who walked similar paths. A DACA recipient now thriving at a top public university. A Somali-American girl who turned her love for coding into a summer internship and later a full ride. A trans student who wrote about building a safe space at their high school and now studies gender studies and political science.

    Representation isn’t a buzzword—it’s a blueprint.

    Small Wins, Big Shifts

    Sometimes, the breakthrough isn’t getting into a top-tier school. Sometimes it’s just getting a student to believe they deserve to apply. To ask for a letter of recommendation without apology. To talk about their achievements without minimizing them.

    I had a student last year, a Pacific Islander girl named Lina (not her real name), who used to preface every idea with “I don’t know if this is good, but…” By the end of our time together, she sent her final essay with a single sentence: “I’m proud of this.”

    That’s the win I live for.

    What I’ve Learned

    If there’s one thing I wish every parent, counselor, and admissions officer could see, it’s this: the students we think of as “underserved” are often the most resourceful, insightful, and emotionally intelligent young people in the room.

    They’ve had to be.

    And when they have someone who listens first, who affirms their stories instead of editing them out, they step into their power. Not just in their applications—but in their lives.

  • Why I Trusted Another Student With My Son’s College Questions

    By Aisha L. (not her real name), Parent of a High School Junior

    I never thought I’d let someone just a few years older than my son guide him through something as important as college admissions. But here I am—grateful that I did.

    I come from a family that believes in adult guidance, professional expertise, and structured planning. As a nurse who worked her way through community college and nights shifts, I’ve always told my children, “Do your research, talk to the experts.” So when my son Malik (not his real name), a high school junior with big dreams and even bigger anxiety, started asking questions about applying to college, I assumed we’d talk to counselors, admissions officers, maybe hire a consultant.

    What I didn’t expect was that the turning point would come from a 20-year-old junior at a university I hadn’t even heard of until last year.

    The Questions I Couldn’t Answer

    Malik is smart, driven, but cautious. The kind of kid who reads every word of the Common App before filling in his name. He had questions—so many questions. Not just about deadlines or financial aid, but things I didn’t know how to answer, like:

    • “How do you talk about something painful in your essay without sounding like you’re trying to get pity?”
    • “What if I get in but don’t feel like I belong?”
    • “How do you even know what to major in when you haven’t tried anything yet?”

    I realized my advice, rooted in my own lived experience—apply, work hard, be grateful—wasn’t enough for the world he was stepping into.

    Then We Found Jordan

    Jordan (not his real name) is a peer advisor—though he never introduced himself that way. He just said, “Hey, I’m a first-gen student too. I remember having the same questions.” That’s all it took. They clicked instantly.

    What made Jordan different wasn’t his knowledge of application deadlines or the jargon (though he knew that too). It was that he remembered. He remembered what it felt like to sit in a room full of more confident kids, to hear about “early action” and “demonstrated interest” for the first time, to wonder whether talking about growing up in a multigenerational household would make him sound “too different.”

    That memory—that closeness to the experience—made him someone my son could actually open up to.

    More Than Just Logistics

    Jordan didn’t just answer Malik’s questions. He asked his own. “What’s the class you took that surprised you the most?” “Who do you help at home when you’re not doing schoolwork?” “What’s a time you felt really proud of yourself and didn’t tell anyone?”

    These weren’t filler questions. They were the keys to Malik’s story.

    One day after their session, Malik handed me a printout of a draft essay. It was about tutoring his cousin in math and what that taught him about patience and confidence. He’d never talked to me about that before. I read it and had to blink back tears.

    Jordan didn’t just help Malik write a better essay. He helped him see himself.

    Why I Trusted Him

    If you’d asked me a year ago whether I’d let a college student mentor my son through this process, I would’ve said, “Maybe as a supplement.” Now, I think it’s essential.

    What Jordan gave my son wasn’t a strategy or a shortcut—it was trust, camaraderie, and proof that someone like him could succeed. That peer-to-peer connection filled a gap that adults couldn’t. Because no matter how many degrees or years of experience we may have, sometimes what a teenager really needs is to hear: “I’ve been there. You’re not alone.”

    And that’s why I trusted him. Not because he had all the answers, but because he remembered the questions.