Q: What kind of student does Penn look for?

Mario lived in a house with seven other students senior year. “Every month, we made sure we hosted an event—could be a dinner party, a game night, whatever. We even had this rule: invite two strangers.” That community energy, he says, is strongest in the FGLI (First Gen, Low-Income) and Latino communities.

He knew the odds weren’t stacked in his favor.

Watching college reaction videos and seeing other applicants flaunt perfect stats only made things worse. “It's like constant, like, perfect scores, perfect scores. And I'm like I don't have that.” But instead of hiding the harder parts of his story, he leaned into them. “I had to work X, Y, Z amount of jobs, I had to do this with my family—and that's what got me here, made me who I am.” His advice to others in the same position? Don’t downplay your struggles. “They only know your story if you tell them. You really, really have to give a full analysis of everything that you've gone through.” Mario made sure his application showed the full picture—not just the achievements, but the context behind them.

Mario’s impact came from his consistency and depth of involvement: • Served on his Class Board, Student Council, and National Honor Society Board • Held leadership positions in his church and completed hundreds of hours of community service • Worked part-time jobs to support college savings • Selected as an HSF (Hispanic Scholarship Fund) Scholar • Protested against Trump-era immigration policies, including organizing against the border wall • Competed in UIL (University Interscholastic League) events in Texas, including math, calculator, and social studies competitions

Mario is a textbook Jack-of-All-Trades, with involvement that spans student government, academic competitions, community service, activism, church leadership, and part-time work. But he’s not just doing “everything”—he brings cohesion to his story by tying it all back to his central purpose: being a role model for his siblings and lifting up his family. This strong sense of why sets him apart from others with similarly busy resumes. He also clearly reflects the Underdog archetype. Coming from a low-income, Latino background in Laredo, Texas, Mario faced barriers that many of his peers didn’t. He talks openly about imposter syndrome, feeling out of place among applicants with “perfect scores and fancy internships,” and how he almost didn’t apply to top schools at all. But he persisted. His strength came from owning his story and letting the admissions team see the challenges he had overcome—and the resilience that made him stronger. Bonus archetype: Finally, there’s a powerful thread of the Genuine Article running through Mario’s application. His Common App essay wasn’t dressed up in metaphors or gimmicks. It was honest. Painful. Unpolished in the best way. “I tried to pull out those extreme metaphors… but it just wasn’t working for me,” he said. “So I ended up writing what was true to me.” That raw authenticity gave his application heart—and helped the admissions officers see him not as a number, but as a human being with real drive and purpose.

Leading By Protecting —His entire application stemmed from one moment of clarity: shielding his little sister. He succeeded by writing not about a passion, but about a purpose. “I knew right then and there that my main goal in life was to be the role model for my younger siblings.” No Metaphors, Just Truth —Mario didn’t force creativity, he told the truth. That honesty gave his application its power. “For me, it was like my life experience is the main thing that means a lot. So that’s what I pulled from.” Showing Up Despite Insecurity —Throughout the process, Mario doubted himself. But he applied anyway. “I almost didn’t apply. I thought they’d look at my application for two seconds and throw it in the bin… but I ended up just taking the shot.”

Mario’s advice to high school students is simple but powerful:

Throughout the college application process, he wrestled with insecurity, imposter syndrome, and the fear that his background—low-income, Latino, not “perfect” on paper—might hold him back. But he pushed through, stayed authentic, and grounded his essays in real, lived experiences rather than flashy metaphors. His biggest message? Don’t count yourself out. Be honest about your struggles, especially if you’ve faced systemic disadvantages, and let admissions officers see your full story. “You never know what exactly could happen,” he said. “So push yourself, be real, and go all in on what makes you, you.”

A: Honestly, no. I had doubts all the time—I didn’t think my stats were high enough, and I was super insecure about my chances. But I still took the shot. I’m really grateful for the time I had during COVID to work on my essays, to reflect and just give it my all. So no, I wouldn’t change anything. I’m proud of what I submitted because it was real. That’s what mattered most.

A: Don’t hold back. Just shoot your shot. You really never know what might happen. Don’t count yourself out just because you’re not a “perfect applicant”—I sure wasn’t. And be real in your application. Don’t try to be someone you’re not, or write what you think they want to hear. Talk about what you’re actually good at. Talk about what motivates you. Show who you are. The people reading your application are human. They’ll feel it when it’s true.

A: So many. Imposter syndrome was probably the biggest. I didn’t feel like I belonged in the same pool as the kids with perfect scores and fancy internships. I wasn’t athletic, and I didn’t have any of those polished, shiny stats you see in college reaction videos. Plus, coming from a low-income background, I knew I was at a disadvantage in terms of access and resources. But I made sure to talk about all of that in my application—the jobs I worked, the family responsibilities, the struggles. That context matters, and it’s what helped admissions officers really understand my story. If you’re low-income, don’t be afraid to talk about the hard parts. That’s your truth. And it can be your strength.