Yumi’s identity has long been a 50–50 split: half violinist, half scientist. She’s played for 12+ years, attended a music-focused high school, and built her essays around how creativity and scientific inquiry can run in parallel.

She applied to all her schools as a psychology major, framing psych as the bridge between her interests. With a long-term goal of medical school, she used her application to imagine how music might be integrated into care as a tool in clinical medicine. Takeaway: If you live in two worlds, don’t separate them, show how they connect.

The turning point on her Dartmouth visit was simple: she saw the orchestra conductor finishing rehearsal and walked straight up to him.

Her advice was simple:

Takeaway: Reach out, take the risk, and ask your question.

Yumi’s ED deferral tested her perspective. She had poured years into her application, balanced music and research in perfect halves, and envisioned Dartmouth as the only ending that made sense. When the deferral came, it felt like the ground shifted.

Looking back, she sees that much of the stress came from narrowing her focus too tightly.

Her reflection now is less about the outcome and more about the process. Fixating on one school magnified every bump in the road. With a wider, more open mindset, that waiting period could have sparked curiosity instead of anxiety. Takeaway: A deferral isn’t the end of the story — it’s an invitation to widen your lens. Stay open to multiple schools, and shift the process from chasing an outcome to discovering the school that’s right for you.

• Violinist — 12+ Years: Trained at the Special Music School, performed in orchestras and chamber groups; violin became the anchor of her identity and narrative. • American Museum of Natural History — Science Research Mentoring Program (2024–Present): Conducts genetics research in Dr. Salis’s lab, extracting DNA from archival frog tissue and investigating degradation in frozen samples. • American Museum of Natural History — Lang Science Program (2018–2024): Completed five years of science training and research, including projects on landscape genetics and biodiversity in New York. Presented annual posters and research summaries. • New York Hall of Science — Science Explainer (2022–2023): Led hands-on demonstrations and explained scientific concepts to visitors of all ages, making complex topics accessible. • STEM Extracurricular Projects — High School Years: Pursued science opportunities outside her music-focused school to balance her dual interests. • Psychology & Pre-Med Track — Academic Focus: Applied to all schools as a psychology major, envisioning music integrated into medicine.

🎨 The Masterpiece The Masterpiece archetype belongs to creatives who channel passion into their art — whether through music, theater, or visual design. Colleges love them because they enrich the campus with expression, imagination, and craft. For Yumi, that medium was music. She had played the violin for more than a decade, trained at a music-focused high school, and made performance an anchor of her identity. Her Dartmouth application leaned into that devotion showing the discipline, artistry, and presence that came with musical mastery. Even on her campus visit, she spoke with the orchestra conductor directly, proof that she could already picture herself as part of the ensemble. That depth of craft gave her application a distinctive resonance: music defined her, shaping how she saw herself and how Dartmouth saw her. 🩺 The Healer Healers are drawn to helping professions — medicine, teaching, counseling, and community care. Colleges value them because they bring empathy and a service mindset to campus, often elevating those around them and improving the lives of others. Yumi embodied this archetype through her academic vision. She applied everywhere as a psychology major on the pre-med track, using her essays to explore how music could be integrated into medicine. She went beyond the idea of music therapy, arguing for its clinical potential in research and treatment. When discussing the topic, she explained:

That perspective revealed someone already imagining how her skills could touch lives and shape future care. Together, these archetypes made Yumi’s application stand out. Dartmouth didn’t just see a strong violinist or a promising pre-med student; they saw someone capable of interweaving both into a singular path forward.

Q: If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self starting this process, what would it be?

• Blending Passions — Yumi showed how music and science strengthen each other. • Bold Connections — Walking up to the conductor became a pivotal moment. • Mindset Matters — Staying open and resilient carried her through deferral to acceptance.

Q: Why Dartmouth? A: I think Dartmouth has been my dream school for a while. Initially I had two dream schools, which were Dartmouth and Yale. I visited both campuses, met people, and talked to students. After that experience, about two years ago, I decided I would apply early to Dartmouth. It became the school I really wanted. Q: Beyond in-person visits, how did you compare Dartmouth and Yale? A: Honestly, the biggest help came from friends and peers who already attended. They had the most useful information compared to websites or official representatives. Talking to them gave me a real sense of the community, what classes felt like, and what day-to-day life was like. Q: What traits did you compare between Dartmouth and Yale? A: For me, the biggest factors were research, community, and the music program. Violin has always been a huge part of my life—I’ve played for about 12 or 13 years—and I knew I wanted to keep playing while also pursuing academics equally. Both schools would’ve allowed that, but when I visited Dartmouth, I actually got to talk to the orchestra conductor. It felt so much more personal. At Yale, I only had time to see a concert or peek into a rehearsal room. But at Dartmouth, the conductor gave me a clear picture of what my life could look like balancing music and studies. And in terms of community—Dartmouth’s size appealed to me. It’s small, with just over 1,000 freshmen per year. My high school only had 45 students in my grade, so even going to 1,000 felt like a big jump. Anything larger would have been overwhelming. I liked that Dartmouth students know each other, bond through traditions and sports, and feel connected. Q: How did you end up speaking to the conductor face-to-face? A: We were visiting, and there was an opportunity to watch an orchestra rehearsal. The only time I was available was when they were wrapping up, so as they finished, I just decided to take a chance and talk to the conductor. He was so kind—he told me about their upcoming trip to Italy, the repertoire they were playing, and how rehearsals fit into student schedules. It was really cool. Q: That takes courage. What advice would you give students who struggle to take that leap? A: My mindset is that you’re only going to be in this situation once. If you go up and it doesn’t go well, maybe it just wasn’t your chance or your school. And talking to people really makes the biggest difference. If it’s something you truly want, you have to put aside the awkwardness and just do it. And I say that as someone who’s pretty introverted in these situations! Q: Music and research sound like the two pillars of your story. How did you communicate that in your application? A: Yeah. My application—resume and everything—was basically 50-50 music and STEM research. So in my essays, I had to show both sides. For my Common App essay, I wrote about my commute to school, which was two hours long. I used that commute as the structure—showing how my music happened at school, since I went to a music high school, and my STEM activities were outside of school. In several essays, I talked about combining my love of music and STEM through psychology, so I applied as a psych major everywhere. Q: How did you frame the blend between music and science? A: I’m interested in pre-med and med school, so I leaned into the medical side. Music is already known in therapy, but I want to explore more specific medical applications. There is some research in the field, but I feel like it could be much more significant. So in my essays, I wrote about pursuing that directly—using music within medicine in a more intentional way. Q: If you could give yourself one piece of advice, starting this process over, what would it be? A: I’d say: keep an open mind. I ended up at my top-choice school, but I was deferred ED. And the process—writing essays, making your application, building your profile over years—is already tough. But mentally, that waiting period was the most exhausting. Part of it was because I’d been so fixated on Dartmouth. That made everything more stressful. If I did it again, I’d keep an open mind for more schools, and try to approach them with the same curiosity I had for Dartmouth. I’d reach out to staff, talk to students, and get to know more schools personally—even if they weren’t my top choice.