High school is not just a place to gain knowledge; it can also be a place where you can cultivate meaningful relationships with your teachers and mentors. These relationships can prove to be instrumental when it comes time to apply for college. A compelling recommendation letter can make your application stand out from the rest. Here's a guide on how to build strong connections with your high school teachers while also securing a stellar recommendation letter.

Both my parents worked 9am–5pm jobs, so I took on the responsibility of picking up my younger brother from elementary school each day. This duty, though seemingly simple, was seriously hard to implement into my daily schedule as a busy and overwhelmed high school student with dreams of attending a top university. I remember pleading with my parents to find some other solution for picking up my brother but there wasn’t any. Despite this added responsibility, I still managed to thrive as a varsity athlete, be an active leader of my school's art club, and ultimately secure admission to Brown University.

High school is a period marked by profound changes and opportunities for growth. For someone like myself, who started as a quiet introvert in and out of the classroom, the idea of evolving into a confident and outgoing person in my daily activities seemed almost unthinkable. Yet, my own path, marked by the hurdles of language barriers and doubts, shows that with the right mix of chances, support, and attitude, anyone can turn into a leader.

What happens when a student gets to do a project they’re passionate about? In the case of a real, Bay Area high school student like this, he was able to change his life and find his real passion through Path Mentors Co, an education company for high school students to work with recent Ivy League graduates on projects they’re interested in.