Meet Ellie

Ellie had a clear vision for her future: she wanted to become a nurse, and she wasn’t interested in the path of uncertainty. From the start, Ellie set her sights on direct-admit nursing programs—highly competitive pathways with guaranteed placement in nursing school after graduation.

Ellie had already built a strong resume. She became a certified nursing assistant, volunteered in multiple healthcare settings, and took courses in anatomy and medical terminology. But when it came to packaging all those experiences for her college applications—and exploring them in several essays—she felt overwhelmed.

A Team Effort for a Specialized Application

Ellie turned to HelloCollege for guidance. Her personal counselor, Kim, helped her stay organized, meet early deadlines, and expand her college list with well-matched nursing programs she hadn’t considered before.

To tackle the essays, Ellie worked with multiple coaches over the course of the season. Chris Bench, Director of Essay Services, helped her assess her many experiences and strategically choose the best stories to feature for each school.

When it came time to prepare for the University of Iowa’s direct-admit nursing program nursing interview, Kim connected Ellie with Raymond, a HelloCollege counselor with a background in nursing. He ran a mock interview and provided a list of potential questions. “That preparation was a game changer,” Ellie said. “It gave me the confidence I needed.”

A Place in One of the Nation’s Best Programs

Thanks to her hard work and HelloCollege’s holistic support, Ellie was accepted into Iowa’s nursing program—ranked among the top in the country with a 13% acceptance rate.

“I definitely think HelloCollege gave me a great shot at getting in,” Ellie said. “More importantly, they made the process feel manageable. Without them, I would’ve been 10 times more stressed.”