Growing up, I have heard horror stories about the college application season from older students. However, when I began setting up my common app account and college list, I surprisingly did not feel any nervous anticipation because I was very well prepared by the counselors at Paradigm.
My college admissions journey began during my sophomore year of high school. During this time, I wanted to pursue my passion for music and science through multiple outlets, and I received many ideas on how to do this from Paradigm counselors. They supported me by helping me learn to write essays for summer research programs and encouraged me to reach out to my community in unique ways that would allow me to gain a greater sense of self while simultaneously benefiting those around me. By spending multiple hours brainstorming ideas for essays, revising, and coming up with ways to become an asset to society through service, I was accepted to multiple summer programs and was even featured in multiple newspapers for my work in the community. Furthermore, I began to realize who I am and my potential, and began to dream about my future.
This continued throughout my junior year, which was one of the most difficult but most rewarding year of my high school career. At the beginning of 11th grade, I felt like I was thrown into the water and was drowning in homework and late nights. However, the counselors at Paradigm threw me a life jacket and taught me to swim by supporting me academically and emotionally. Again, with their help, I attended an amazing research program during the summer and also completed an internship at my dream medical center in a specialty that I dream of practicing in: neurosurgery and neurorehabilitation.
Then, the time came for me to ponder more heavily on my future: where would I like to spend my next 4 years? Meeting constantly with me, Paradigm counselors helped me with the smallest details of researching schools and writing descriptions for activities to larger things such as writing essays, submitting applications, and preparing for interviews.Together, we wrote over 40 essays, and I enjoyed the process because I learned so much about myself – my personality, my passions, and my future. I gained self-confidence, knowing that Paradigm taught me so much about life and the excitement in knowing what awaits me in Boston for the next 4 years and beyond!
I am so grateful for the support that Paradigm gave me. I believe that I would not be the person I am today, where I am today, without their help. From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much.