Overview: CollegeAdvisor.com Client Success Stories
Every year, hundreds of students work with CollegeAdvisor to achieve their college goals. College lists, extracurricular activities, essays, letters of recommendation — our admissions experts provide guidance on every step of the process. It’s a lot of work for students and advisors alike, and it pays off. To celebrate those achievements, we like to highlight those outcomes in our Client Success Stories.
For each student we cover in this series, we interview them to learn about their time working with us. We ask about their expectations and challenges in the process and how their advisor fit into the picture. These interviews give us insight into each student’s unique experience, which we hope will inspire you as you set off on your own college journey.
In this edition, we interviewed Sharvi Jha, whose multi-year journey with CollegeAdvisor recently came to a close. What does she want to study, and where is she going to school in the fall? Let’s find out.
Meet Sharvi
Sharvi talked to us from her home in Pennsylvania. “I moved here in 2014,” she said, “so I’ve been here for most of my life.” In school, she’s always liked a challenge, which has led her to take several AP courses. “AP Calc AB, [which] I took last year, was pretty difficult, but it was fun. I also liked AP Bio, and then this year I’m taking AP Chem. Those are probably some of my favorite subjects,” Sharvi said. Her interest in STEM was informed by her academic interests and plans for her career.
“I was originally thinking [about] computer science,” Sharvi told us. “I took some classes in that area, but I realized it wasn’t for me. … I knew I wanted to do something STEM-related, so I ended up landing on dentistry. Then I did some career explorations with that, and I had way more fun with it.”
What does she mean by explorations? “I’ve done shadowing at my dentist’s office over the summers,” she explained. “I also did a couple summer programs out of state to explore potential careers in dentistry.” She also got more general healthcare work experience. “I worked at a senior living center for a year and a half as a dining server.”
With plenty of extracurriculars under her belt, Sharvi was already a highly driven student. So, it should come as no surprise that by sophomore year, she was already thinking ahead to college.
How did Sharvi feel going into the college admissions process?
“Going into it, I was kind of worried,” Sharvi told us. Going into the end of her sophomore year, she knew applying to college would be a huge undertaking. She said, “I didn’t know if I’d be able to stay on top of [the admissions process], because I knew that there were a lot of deadlines to meet.” Since she was researching early decision and early action admissions options, she was concerned about scheduling.
Even with a summer and fall schedule for college applications, the workload can pile up if you’re not careful. Beyond essays, many colleges require recommendation letters and transcripts, which require communication — well in advance — with recommenders and school counselors. You may also need to (re)take standardized tests like the ACT or SAT if your schools require scores. Particular schools may even offer interviews, for which ample preparation is essential.
Sharvi was also feeling unsure about her major. “I was considering switching my interest from computer science to something else,” she explained. So, although she was beginning to plan for admissions season, Sharvi felt a bit overwhelmed. Fortunately, her parents were a step ahead of her.
Getting Started with CollegeAdvisor
We asked Sharvi how she found out about CollegeAdvisor. “My parents were pretty invested in that process… They did some research, and they decided that this would be a good pick,” she said. Before she knew it, she scheduled a call.
Based on an initial interview and survey, students are matched with an advisor who is best positioned to help them meet their objectives. Sharvi got paired with Senior Advisor Michele Lutz.
Why Michele? Well, when Sharvi reached out to us, she was heavily considering UMich among other colleges. Michele is a UMich alumna who has over a decade of experience in college counseling. On a personal note, her own children have also gone on to UMich. Naturally, Michele was a perfect match, and Sharvi thought so, too. “[Michele] was my original assigned advisor,” she recalled. “I remember I was given the option to switch if I wanted to, but I just didn’t want to because she’s really easy to work with.”
Since Sharvi was starting early, she and Michele initially didn’t meet very often. But Michele still offered advice, even when Sharvi was contemplating switching her goal from computer science. “She helped me through that, which was really cool. I feel like Michelle would help with a lot more than just college applications.”
How Sharvi’s Advisor Helped Her Be Successful
From the beginning, Michele knew what Sharvi needed at each stage and how she could help. Sharvi told us, “The biggest thing she helped with was making my college list. We had a lot of meetings about that because it was a very long process for me. I was adding schools and taking stuff off; I even had some schools added and taken off during the application process.”
Creating a balanced college list that carefully considers factors like public vs. private and cost is immensely helpful. Creating a list made future planning much smoother, since Sharvi knew what requirements to expect.
However, one of the most challenging requirements for her — and for most students — was supplemental essays. Fortunately, Michele was ready to help. “Michele told me, ‘Okay, you need to have more specifics,’” Sharvi said. “[She asked me,] ‘What courses do you want to take? What research labs are you interested in? Name the professors, name the clubs and organizations you want to join.’” Michele’s advice helped Sharvi write strong, specific supplemental essays that fit her personal narrative.
After the end of junior year, as application season closed in, Sharvi and Michele met more often. These more frequent meetings were helpful for keeping Sharvi on schedule. “I will say, there were times when I would be slacking during college applications,” Sharvi said. There were times when she’d come to their weekly meeting without completing some tasks. “When [Michele] needed to say something, she did, which I appreciated… She kept me on top of things.”
Taking the Early Decision Route
Staying on track was a key concern for Sharvi, since she had an eye on early deadlines. Early action (EA) and early decision (ED) are the two most common early deadlines for college applications. While both have earlier due dates than regular decision, there are some key distinctions between them. Essentially, EA is non-binding, so students still have until spring to make their final choice. On the other hand, ED is binding: if admitted through an ED application, a student must enroll. In other words, students should be absolutely certain they’d attend if applying ED.
So, where was Sharvi going to apply? “I was originally planning to apply early decision to UPenn,” she said. However, things didn’t shake out that way. “My heart wasn’t set on it… Obviously it’s a really good school, but I wanted more of the student life aspect and a more dynamic school.”
Before making a decision, Sharvi needed to clarify what she wanted in a school. “I really wanted a school with good academics,” she said, “but I also wanted a school that was good for other majors… I wanted that just in case I have a change of interest; I would be able to explore other options at that same school.” She had also realized she wanted a rich student life experience as well as a robust athletics program.
In the end, she settled on UMich as her ED school. “I had toured the school I think once or twice before I applied,” she said. Both on and off campus, she was struck by what she saw in alumni and others. “People who have gone to Michigan are just so proud of it. … I’ve been to alumni events where people [are] not even being paid to be there, but they are so passionate about it and they want to tell people why they love their experience.” To top it off, Sharvi was deeply impressed by UMich’s biomedical engineering program. She was convinced. By mid-October, her application was in.
What was Sharvi’s favorite part about working with CollegeAdvisor?
Looking back, one of the most rewarding parts of Sharvi’s experience was working with Michele on her essays. Specifically, she got a huge morale boost as she saw herself improving as a writer. “Towards the end,” she told us, “I really had the hang of things, and then I was able to actually do what we had planned the previous meeting.”
As she improved, Sharvi found herself bringing more, better material to meetings. “I would bring [Michele] the whole thing, and she’d just be like, ‘Wow, you really have the hang of it now.’” Essays became easier, no matter the prompt. “I would know exactly how to write a supplemental for each school, and it would just come naturally.” How did Sharvi accomplish this? It was thanks to the collaborative process of writing and revising alongside Michele.
Being able to approach essays with a deeper understanding of what committees are looking for is a skill. Like any skill, it can be developed with the help of a mentor or advisor, like Michele. At CollegeAdvisor, we also offer dozens of free resources to help you approach supplemental essays and personal statements. If advising isn’t for you, there are plenty of ways to, as Sharvi says, “[be] taught how to do it instead of having it done for you.”
Getting the hang of essays and having Michele at her side helped Sharvi stay ahead of every milestone. She told us, “I had some friends who were struggling with staying on top of it, and I was glad that I had someone to keep me on track. I was submitting a lot of stuff before the early deadlines too… I felt pretty good about it.”
Sharvi’s Admissions Results and the Road Ahead
Because of her ED aspirations, Sharvi had an accelerated timeline for her college applications. At the same time, she still had other regular decision deadlines to meet just in case. When planning applications, your college list should contain a balance of schools. This extends to deadlines — if you’re eyeing early deadlines, have several backup schools in case you aren’t accepted.
How did Sharvi do it? “I applied in mid-October for Michigan, and then I think I did maybe three to four more schools after that,” she said. “I was actually in the middle of working on some more applications for some regular decisions on the day that my acceptance came in.” Because of the ED deadline, Sharvi got her acceptance letter to UMich in mid-December.
She told us about her intended academic and professional path. “I’m majoring in biomedical engineering at Michigan,” she said. “I’m gonna see where that takes me. [I’ll see] if I end up going to dental school after that, or if I decide to do something else post-grad.” Michigan is a great place for her major; in fact, it’s among the best in the nation for biomedical engineering.
Sharvi went on to tell us what specific things she’s looking forward to. She said, “They have a lot of research opportunities. The College of Engineering is good for every major within [it]. I talked to some people who are majoring in biomedical engineering at other schools, and they said, ‘Well, I know that people who come from Michigan with an engineering degree have a lot of options after graduation, and they’re very well prepared.’”
Sharvi’s Advice for Future Applicants
At the beginning of the process, Sharvi was intimidated by writer’s block. “I had done my Common App essay pretty early on, before August 1, but then, once supplementals started coming out, I just didn’t know how to approach the prompts.” With Michele’s help, she learned how to write and revise essays, and how to overcome that block. As we saw, by the time she got her acceptance from UMich, Sharvi felt completely in control.
Her advice to applicants was to take hesitation in stride and just write. “The original writer’s block that you’re going to get with essay writing? It’s scarier than it actually is to do it,” she said.
“[At first] you’re like, ‘How do I write? They’re all going to read this. They need to be impressed by what I’m going to write. I just don’t know what to say.’ You just have to start and make a rough draft, and then you will get the hang of it. It will get easier as time goes on.”
It’s easier said than done, but it’s not impossible. If you’re facing writer’s block, there are plenty of ways to face it. Try reading examples of personal statements and essays for the schools on your list. If you already have prompts in front of you, brainstorming exercises might help get the creative juices flowing. There are also many ways to come up with your own topics for open-ended prompts. It can be tough to stand out in an age of AI-generated text, but every student is capable of writing an original, compelling essay.
Why CollegeAdvisor?
Reflecting on her college admissions journey, Sharvi told us, “I’m just really glad that I decided to have an advisor. It was really great to be backed by someone who is very invested.” Michele’s availability, expertise, and personality enriched Sharvi’s college admissions experience and helped her craft applications she was proud of. “[Advisors] know everything about your process… You can get help from your parents, but this is someone who knows what they’re talking about, who has worked with admissions. … I’m just very happy that I ended up going through with it.”
Even the most capable students can benefit from extra admissions knowledge. At CollegeAdvisor, we have a wealth of articles and webinars on pretty much every part of the admissions process. From researching schools to sending letters of continued interest to navigating financial aid, we have something to help you. Need more personalized guidance? Schedule a free call today to learn how our admissions experts can help you achieve your dreams!
This article was written by Gina Goosby. Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.
