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From Northwestern to Emory: How One Friendship Helped Shape My Admissions Coaching Journey
SUCCESS HIGHLIGHT | Graduate School Admissions | Emory University
Our laughter filled dorm halls. Our conversations stretched for hours as we pontificated about life. Our effervescent connection made us feel like long-lost sisters.
That was Jessica and me.
We met during our first week at Northwestern University and became best buddies almost instantly. Both of our dads hailed from West Africa. We both loved African and Hip-Hop dance, and our laughter was insatiably contagious.
But there was one glaring difference that brought us even closer together.
I was an assured journalism major with a heart for history and economics. Jessica, on the other hand, was an unsure pre-med major struggling to make sense of her passion for medicine and social justice.
While I had the blessing of my whole family behind my chosen major, Jessica seemed to be following the expectations of her parents and private school community: becoming a highly respected doctor.
This contrast drew us into many nights of deep conversations.
Jessica introduced me to the arduous path to medical school. I learned about the MCAT, the challenge of passing Organic Chemistry, and the demands of Northwestern's rigorous pre-med curriculum. I even discovered that post-medical-school residency had absolutely nothing to do with picking your dorm room!
But as I learned about medical school, Jessica was discovering something even more important about herself.
The Courage to Choose a Different Dream
After weeks of African dancing and deep discussions, Jessica finally told me one day:
"I don't want to be a doctor anymore. I want to pursue African American Studies."
I wholeheartedly encouraged her.
Jessica had begun to name the passion that had been emerging through our conversations. Her interest in social justice deserved serious exploration, and African American Studies offered a path that spoke to her intellectual curiosity.
She pursued it.
Meanwhile, as I advanced in my journey toward becoming an international journalist, I became a magnet for peers seeking help with graduate school, job, and internship applications.
My reputation for life-changing, motivational editing—editing that sees the applicant as more than they ever imagined—quickly grew. Friends began gaining admission to elite jobs and program.
Then came another wonderful chapter in Jessica's story.
A New Direction: Emory University
Not long after graduation, I was delighted to learn that Jessica, African American Studies bachelor's degree in tow, had set her sights on Emory University's public health program.
She was accepted with flying colors—with a little application support from her bestie!
For me, her success was especially meaningful.
I had watched Jessica wrestle with a future that others had envisioned for her. I had listened as she questioned her direction, discovered a field that excited her, and eventually pursued graduate study that connected with her evolving interests.
Her journey reinforced something that would become central to my work with students: the most compelling applications begin with a deep understanding of the person behind them.
From One Best Friend to Hundreds of Scholars
Today, I'm proud to have helped hundreds of students gain the confidence to pursue their dreams.
Much of my work centers on strategic storytelling, helping students unearth the purpose and impact of their life's work and translate those discoveries into powerful applications.
Sometimes, that means meticulous research and untangling a complicated personal narrative. Other times, it means sitting through tearful one-on-one sessions as students navigate personal challenges alongside testing requirements, demanding deadlines, or the pressures of medical residency applications.
I've held the hands of future world-changers—helping them get through and to the other side of their dreams.
I understand the psychological vulnerability and quiet desperation that can shape the lives of aspiring professionals. Over time, I've developed a coaching approach that makes room for those realities while helping applicants regain focus and move forward with a clear strategy.
The Heart of My Coaching Philosophy
My approach is rooted in my DREAM Framework, a personalized and renewable four-week college admissions coaching experience that helps students:
D — Discover: Uncover their greatest strengths, defining experiences, and authentic stories.
R — Refine: Develop their unique voice and deepen the insight that makes their applications compelling.
E — Execute: Turn their vision into cohesive, strategically developed essays and applications.
A — Amplify: Showcase their intellectual curiosity, personal growth, and potential for impact.
M — Make It Happen: Move forward with confidence, a clear strategy, and applications ready to open doors.
Through my DREAM Rubric & Scorecard, students receive targeted feedback on their voice, insight, intellectual curiosity, transformation, clarity, and impact—so they know exactly where to grow and when their essays are truly undeniable.
But the earliest inspiration for this work came from the creative audacity and nurturing spirit of my closest friends.
Jessica's journey from Northwestern to Emory remains one of my favorite reminders that our greatest gifts sometimes emerge when we find the courage to question the path before us.
