Six Students, All Admitted to Their Dream Schools… What Did They Have in Common?

UC Berkeley · MIT · NYU Stern · Carnegie Mellon · Pratt · Cornell—The Differentiation Strategy That Started in 8th-10th Grade!

Here are six students. From 8th to 10th grade, they participated in GDS’s Activity Portfolio Program, and years later, they were admitted to their dream schools. UC Berkeley, NYU Stern, MIT, Carnegie Mellon, Pratt, and Cornell’s School of Art. When this photo was taken, these students were still in 8th, 9th, and 10th grade. Back then, no one could have predicted the results they would achieve years later. But they all had one clear commonality.

Their Common Thread: ‘Their Own Story’ Found Outside the Classroom

Their grades, backgrounds, and areas of academic interest were all different. For some, strong academics were their advantage. For others, their activities stood out. Still others had relatively average grades. If we looked at these students simply through the lens of “who got into the better college,” their results might have seemed scattered. But they all shared one clear commonality. They found meaning in their lives and experiences outside the classroom and demonstrated their unique achievements to admissions officers through visual portfolios. And most importantly, they knew exactly ‘which dream school was right for them’ rather than pursuing some vague notion of a “prestigious university.”

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Dream Schools Are Not One-Size-Fits-All

When many parents and students talk about ‘dream schools,’ they unconsciously think of rankings. But in the actual college admissions landscape, dream schools don’t exist as a single name.

• • For some students, a research-focused Ivy League university might be their dream school

• • For others, a prestigious private university specializing in a specific major might be their dream school

• • For still others, an art school focused on portfolios and creative work might be their dream school

In other words: ❌ Dream School = Ranking ⭕ Dream School = Goals · Major · Growth Path The six students we introduced earlier were no different. Some chose business, some chose engineering, and others chose art. They didn’t have the same goals, but they all found the dream school that fit them.

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Once Their Goals Became Clear, Their Preparation Strategies Changed

The six students didn’t start with the same goals.

• • Some had certainty about their intended major

• • Others were exploring multiple interests

• • Still others were still figuring out their direction and refining it along the way

What mattered was not “who aimed higher” but “whether each student clearly defined what they wanted.” Throughout this process, the students consistently asked themselves these questions: 📌 What field have I been most deeply engaged with? 📌 How will this university enable my growth? 📌 Does this choice connect to who I want to be after graduation? Once they answered these questions, each student’s dream school naturally became concrete.

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A Clear Goal Creates Strategy

College admissions isn’t simply a matter of “working hard.” You need direction before you can have a strategy. Once all six students had a clear understanding of their dream schools, their approach to preparation changed completely.

One student Reduced the number of activities and focused on major-related projects Another student Devoted energy to crafting their essays as a cohesive narrative from their experiences Yet another student Aligned their portfolio and academics in a unified direction On the surface, their preparation methods differed, but the essence was the same: They could answer for themselves: “Why is this school right for this student?”

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What Admissions Officers Look for Isn’t ‘Comparison’

Many people view college admissions as a competition of “who did better,” but admissions officers view it differently. Rather than ranking students against each other, admissions officers ask questions like:

• • What goals does this student have?

• • How can our university support those goals?

• • How will this student grow within our university community?

That’s why the six students didn’t all have the same result. But each result was a ‘success’ for that individual student.

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Different Paths to Admission, Same Result: Success

The six students weren’t all admitted to the same university. However, they all reached the dream school they wanted. This is the essence of admissions as GDS understands it. ✅ Dream schools are not one-size-fits-all. ✅ When goals are clear, different paths to admission still lead to success.

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Why You Should Start Now

When these six students began their activity portfolios, they were in 8th, 9th, and 10th grade. They started early, clarified their direction, and built their own stories. “Finding meaning in life and experiences outside the classroom, and showing admissions officers their unique achievements through visual portfolios.” This is the core objective of the GDS Activity Portfolio Program.

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In Closing

College admissions may seem like a process filled with anxiety and comparison, but at its core, it’s about self-understanding and direction-setting. As these six students demonstrate, students who prepare with clear goals create their own path to admission. If you’re currently feeling lost, facing the question “What is my dream school?” try asking yourself this question first: “What kind of person do I want to become?” The answer to that question becomes the starting point for your admissions strategy. Six students. Each had different dreams, and each was admitted to a different university. But they had one thing in common: ‘They knew clearly why they wanted that particular school.’

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If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at any time. We’ll work together to prepare for your dream school admission. 📞 GDS Admissions Consulting Inquiry 02-3443-5397

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