It all started 10 months ago, when I decided to apply to university in the United States. A decision usually preceded by a long and careful thought process, but a rather impulsive one for me. I knew I no longer had time and that everyone else had already started the process. The following 6 months were probably the period in my life when I created a college application that changed my life and during which I grew the most as a person.

I compared myself a lot with other people and did not feel I had an impressive resume. I procrastinated the process a bit in 11th grade. The most important decision that improved my chances was starting counselling at Upgrade. The application process is hard and a little frightening. My experience with Upgrade completely changed my outlook: it gave me a structure and a clear timeline. What I liked most was the feedback. I felt I was improving with every session.

My journey with Upgrade Education started after a call and a free one-on-one session. I first took part in the creative writing course, which managed to undo years and years of anxiety. I came out of the programme with a new interest in expressing my thoughts, experiences and aspirations through prose. After starting out as a stereotypical STEM olympiad participant with almost non-existent written self-expression skills, Upgrade helped me show my true traits to the admissions offices in the USA.

I started thinking about university in 10th grade. At first I wanted psychology, then journalism, and in the end I chose social sciences and political science. Sometimes I felt I had not been involved enough in extracurricular activities. In 12th grade I focused more and fixed the situation. The preparation classes for economics / politics / and Coach me Sciences Po helped me a lot. I feel truly fulfilled: this is where I belong.

I still remember the overwhelming feeling of panic when I first decided to write the drafts of my college essay. My sentences sounded artificial, my experiences seemed superficial. I tried for days on end to crack this code, but I quickly realised I could not do it on my own. That was the moment I decided to work with Upgrade Education. I would never have believed that my dream of studying at MIT would become reality.

My interest in architecture appeared as early as primary school. My biggest fear was not about how difficult admission would be, but about the major change I was about to make. Working with Upgrade radically changed the way I saw the process: it removed the immense pressure I would have felt on my own. I gained much greater clarity about the steps I needed to follow.

Upgrade Education is a community of passionate people. Nothing about the Upgrade experience feels impersonal, artificial or ordinary. The mentors I worked with helped me put things in perspective, refine my essays and improve my techniques. The things I learned at Upgrade go far beyond the admission process: they are things I will put into practice for the rest of my life.

I always thought about university, but I started more seriously in ninth grade. I always knew I wanted something technical. I used materials that simulate exam conditions so I could see my progress. The most important decision: I started studying seriously and asked for help where I could (Upgrade). I am very happy with the university: the courses are interesting and I like the community.

I had always known about the renowned universities in Europe, and from 9th grade I started doing real research. I compared myself with students from more prestigious schools and that made me anxious. Upgrade helped me on the networking side and with plenty of resources. The most important thing that helped me in the application process was improving my essay writing.

My mentor is an extraordinary person from whom I learned a lot of things. We communicated well and had great synergy. I was able to share with her all the anxiety, hope and joy that applying to US universities involves, and she did nothing but support me.

It was only in 9th grade that I started thinking seriously. The most important decision: I started studying seriously and asked for help where I could (Upgrade). I cannot stress this enough: give yourself time to think. The teaching philosophy here is so different than what I was used to back in Romania: they put way more emphasis on each student's freedom and on how they want to approach their own studies.

At the beginning of 10th grade I attended my first Upgrade presentation seminar. The most important decision for the USA was to focus on writing the best possible Common App essay. For the UK, it was essential to highlight both my academic achievements and those outside school. What helped me most was being able to write to them whenever I had a question and getting a quick reply.

At the beginning of the process, it was extremely difficult to truly open up in my essays. That is why I spent a lot of time with my mentor discussing the pressure to impress that was inherent in all my first attempts, and to build a more natural voice together.

My biggest fear was probably that it was too late. I started preparing seriously for admission in 11th grade and realised quite quickly how complex the application process in the USA is. After I started working in a structured way, the process became much clearer. The most important decision was to begin mentorship.

The admission process in the United States is very creative and requires you to be able to highlight what sets you apart. I managed to turn essays that initially seemed difficult and impersonal to me into captivating stories that highlighted my true values and experiences.

I wanted to combine business with pleasure and concluded that the Netherlands would be the most suitable place for me. Upgrade Education played an important role in my evolution: it made me discover weaknesses I used to treat superficially. I discovered my true, authentic self, and ever since I have stayed faithful to it.

Working with Upgrade Education was the best decision I could have made. Communication was always fantastic and a kind of "family" formed around the shared goal of fulfilling students' dreams.

My journey with Upgrade Education began at the start of 10th grade, because I wanted to prepare for the admission process at universities in the United States. My mentor was the first to introduce me to the summer programmes in the USA.