Priya knew early on that strong essays would be the key to standing out so she approached the writing process like research: studying each school’s values, culture, and student experience before ever typing a word. One of her secret weapons? A book recommended by her LEDA program:

Priya used the guide to identify schools where she felt a real sense of alignment, then made sure that came through in her writing.

Priya found ways to expand her impact beyond the classroom. Her extracurriculars spanned tutoring, research, public health advocacy, content creation, and college access work: • Tutored students K–10 in math at Stigmi Learning, customizing instruction for 3–4 students per session • Created college prep content and supported application essays as an Associate at Pantheon Prep • Conducted vaccine equity research as a National Ambassador for Rowan University’s HCOP program, targeting vaccine hesitancy in minority communities and designing infographics for community distribution • Completed two summer research programs at Rowan focused on biomedical engineering and public health education • Interned at Turbo AI as a marketing content creator, helping promote new study tools and growing their TikTok and Instagram reach to 50K+ views • Selected as a delegate for RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards), representing her school’s Interact Club at a leadership conference • Joined the highly selective LEDA Cohort 20, participating in a 5-week residential program at Princeton and Yale with intensive courses in leadership, writing, and college admissions Priya taught, researched, designed, created, and led by turning every challenge into a chance to do something that mattered.

✊ The Underdog Underdogs don’t start with a head start. They face structural barriers and still find a way to rise. What defines the Underdog archetype is how they respond to hardship: with persistence, self-direction, and the kind of drive that can’t be taught. Priya’s story is a blueprint for this archetype. She came from a high school that had never sent a student to an Ivy League university. She had no college pipeline, no alumni network to guide her, and no roadmap to follow. That didn’t stop her. She cold-messaged strangers on Instagram, used the Fiske Guide to research campus cultures, and taught herself how to write compelling, personalized essays. Every win on her resume came from self-advocacy and hustle. She earned her way into Yale, step by step, with no shortcuts. That’s the power of an Underdog: turning a lack of access into a reason to push even harder. 💬 The Advocate Advocates are driven by ambition and fueled by a desire to serve. These are students who take action in their communities, speak up for others, and design solutions to real-world problems. Their applications shine not because of polish, but because of purpose. Priya exemplifies this through nearly every activity she took on. As a National Ambassador for Rowan’s HCOP program, she spent six months researching vaccine hesitancy in underserved communities. Priya then turned her findings into public health infographics distributed across South Jersey. As a math tutor for K–10 students, she tailored instruction for small groups to meet students where they were. Through her work with Pantheon Prep, she supported other students’ college journeys by reviewing personal statements and supplemental essays. These experiences were about closing gaps in healthcare, in education, and in opportunity. As an Advocate, Priya created ripple effects for everyone around her.

A: I think the best advice I’d give myself is… not to start too early. I remember back in freshman year, I was already thinking about college. I’d be like, “What should I write my personal statement about?” It was always on my mind. But honestly, the idea I ended up using for my essay was something I never would’ve thought of during those first three years. It really just came to me later. I don’t want to say it happens naturally—it’s definitely hard to figure out—but it becomes clearer once you’re actually getting close to application season. That’s when you should really start thinking about what you want to write about. You don’t need to plan it all out from the beginning. In fact, freshman year me didn’t even think about applying to the Ivy League. That wasn’t on my radar at all. My goal back then was just to get a good scholarship—I didn’t want my parents to have to carry that financial burden. That’s why I worked so hard from the start. And the hard work did pay off—but in ways I never expected. So yeah, my advice would be: don’t do things just to get into a top school. That’s not how I started, and I think that’s what admissions officers can tell. I remember hearing that on the Yale admissions podcast—they said you can tell when someone’s only doing things to look good on paper. When it’s just resume-building, it shows. But when you do things because you genuinely enjoy them or care about them, that’s what stands out. That’s the best advice I’d give myself: do things for the right reasons. Be authentic. That’s what really matters

🎯 Matched, Not Just Admitted Priya applied to places where she saw herself thriving. Her essays, visits, and outreach all reflected a deep sense of fit. 🔍 Initiative Through Research Without access to a college counselor pipeline, Priya did the work herself by studying the Fiske Guide, cold-messaging current students, and learning how to show colleges she truly understood them. 🧠 Strategy Over Volume Priya applied to just 12 schools, choosing quality over quantity. Her early acceptance to Yale gave her the clarity to pull back from other apps and trust her instincts.