Isabella had the grades, the activities, and the ambition to achieve her big dreams, but she needed help turning it all into a winning application. With HelloCollege’s balance of structure and independence, Isabella built confidence, found her authentic voice, and earned admission to Cornell University to pursue her passion for engineering.
Cornell University
Isabella
College Counselor
Bella was aiming higher. She did everything she needed to do in high school—she just needed our help packaging her accolades and pitching herself to the most competitive schools.
Location: San Antonio, TX
Class Rank: Salutatorian
Test Score: 95th Percentile
Major: Engineering
Research Intern, Texas A&M
Key Club
Spanish Club
Brazilian Jiu-jitsu
Isabella Rodriguez came to HelloCollege as an already impressive student. She was near the very top of her class with straight A’s in all AP and advanced courses. She was active in several clubs, in additional to orchestra, and practiced jiu-jitsu, and she had just landed a summer internship in an engineering lab at Texas A&M. Isabella had the résumé—she just needed help turning her accomplishments into a standout college application and a future in engineering.
Isabella was used to managing a demanding schedule and holding herself accountable. She and her parents both wanted to preserve that independence throughout the application process while still getting expert guidance. Her parents were intentionally hands-off, looking for support that allowed Bella to lead the way. HelloCollege offered the perfect balance: professional structure and mentorship, without taking over. Isabella remained in control, while her parents could stay supportive from a healthy distance.
Despite her accomplishments, Isabella struggled with how to approach her college essays. “I was guided to the things that make me me,” she said of her work with HelloCollege. She didn’t know how to structure her essays or which stories to focus on. Her essay coach helped her filter through her experiences and choose the ones that best matched each prompt. The result? An authentic, cohesive application that reflected who she truly is.
Isabella admits she’s a procrastinator. Staying organized was hard, especially with such a big task ahead. HelloCollege helped her create a manageable routine and stick to deadlines. Her counselor, Kim, was a steady, encouraging presence throughout the process. “She was one of, if not the biggest supporter during this journey,” Isabella said. “She took a personal interest in my life and success.”
With a strong application taking shape, Bella turned to one of the toughest decisions—where to apply Early Decision. She had options, but Kim encouraged her to look beyond name recognition and dig into what each school offered. That reflection helped Bella realize that Cornell wasn’t just impressive—it felt right. And with newfound clarity, she applied ED.
Bella was accepted to Cornell with most of her costs covered. She brought the drive, and HelloCollege helped her shape the vision. Together, we made sure her hard work led her to the right place.
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