When I started working with Steve Gardner, I thought I knew exactly what college prep looked like. Take the hardest classes. Join the most impressive clubs. Do everything you possibly can and then do more. That was the formula, right?

I was wrong.

I went into the Ivy League Challenge expecting a typical college prep course that would tell me what admissions officers wanted to see and how I could fit their mold. Instead, the first thing he did was help me change my mindset. Honestly, that surprised me. I wasn't sure at first what mindset had to do with getting into college. But once I finished the program, I understood completely.

Before working with Steve, I was genuinely worried I wouldn't stand out.

I had good grades and strong test scores, but so did thousands of other students. I didn't know what would make me different.

I was doing extracurriculars I thought would look impressive, not ones I actually cared about. And I was exhausted.

Steve helped me figure out my core values–what I actually care about and why it matters. Once I had that clarity, everything changed. I stopped doing activities because they looked good on paper and started focusing on things I was genuinely passionate about. For me, that was coding and teaching. I had always loved both. With Steve's guidance, I found ways to combine them in my community in ways that felt natural and meaningful rather than forced.

The difference in how I felt was immediate. When you're doing things you actually care about, you don't burn out the same way. The work doesn't feel like a sacrifice.

Steve also helped me with my essays in a way that made a real difference. Instead of trying to sound impressive, I learned how to tell my actual story–who I am, what I value, and how I've tried to make my community better. That framing made me feel genuinely confident about submitting my application for the first time.

One of the things I carry with me from the program that I didn't expect is how much it changed my relationship with my own health. Early in the program, Steve had us do a 30-day challenge focused on sleep, hydration, nutrition, and exercise. It sounds simple, but it shifted something for me. I realized I had been sacrificing my health to do more and more, thinking that was what success required.

Now at Dartmouth, I prioritize sleep. I eat well. I make sure I'm taking care of myself. Those habits I built in Steve's program are still with me every day.