
Path Perspectives
Path Perspectives is a series of articles written by our mentors, offering firsthand advice on college admissions, balancing academics, extracurriculars, and finding the best path to your dream school. Each piece shares a unique, personal perspective you won’t find anywhere else.
Read more below!
Academic Success
College essays are unequivocally the most important part of your college applications. This post introduces three exercises to help you begin brainstorming your essays.
During my Junior year of high school, my father gifted me a 800 page book listing nearly every college in the United States. Sitting before this enormous book, which was nearly too large for me to carry, I felt incredibly overwhelmed.
Attending office hours is one of the best ways to enhance your college experience and academic success. This blog dives into why making time for office hours can improve your grades, help you form strong relationships with professors, and support your future career or grad school plans.
Fast forward to the actual exam, and the results were astounding. I remember actually looking forward to the reading section, no longer intimidated by long, complex passages or the daunting time limit.
As college decision letters arrive for most high school seniors, the question of how to evaluate various offers and exciting opportunities is often raised.
As a high school student, I dreamed of the day I would open my college decision letter and see the words “Congratulations!” Sometimes, though, the message isn’t what you hoped for…
Extracurriculars & Impactful Projects
I used to think summer was for checking out, ignoring the planner, and just floating through July like a pool noodle. And for a few summers growing up, I did exactly that. But what I didn’t realize until later was that summer can be the most powerful stretch of the year.
An article in The Atlantic recently caught my attention: The Elite College Students who Can’t Read Books…
You often hear, “make the most of summer” — but what does that mean, and how do you begin?
For any high schooler with dreams of attending an Ivy League or top-ranked school, my advice is simple: Get out of your comfort zone. Start that club, join that team, and take on those leadership positions.
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.
Sometimes, becoming the best student you can be means choosing what you are passionate about with strategy.
Mindset & Personal Growth
Summer is the perfect time for high school students to explore interests, try new experiences, and reflect on future career paths.
Getting into the college that you wanted was probably the most paramount focus you had during the past few months.
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.