MIT

CANDIDATE: Aarav Gupta, Indian Citizen

CURRICULUM: CBSE

SCHOOL: Delhi Public School, Faridabad

SUBJECTS: Physics, Chemistry, Math, Computer Science, Yoga and English

GRADES: 95%+

SAT/ACT SCORE: 1530

INTERESTED MAJOR: Mathematics

APPROACH

Aarav Gupta built his profile around one thing: an IMO gold medal and five years of hermetic dedication to mathematical excellence. We focused on conveying what the trophies couldn’t: His obsession, journey, and the person behind the numbers. We also wove in his teaching experience to show that his love of mathematics wasn’t just competitive but generous. When a student’s story is that singular, you go all in.

JOURNEY

GRADE 9

  • NSEJS 2022, State Topper (top 1% among 2061 candidates in Uttar Pradesh)
  • German A1 Level, Scored 57/60 ; top scorer in school; attended Goethe Institut youth camp
  • STEAM Quest Interschool Competition,  1st place in Escape Root (math-based contest), Kothari School, Noida
  • Haldiram Scholarship, Awarded for being the top student in Grade 9


GRADE 10

  • IOQM 2023, qualified for RMO 2023
  • RMO 2023, qualified for INMO 2024
  • NSEA 2023,  Certificate of Merit; State Topper (top 1% in UP); qualified for INAO 2024
  • NSEP 2023,  Certificate of Merit; State Topper (top 1% in UP); qualified for INPhO 2024


GRADE 11 & 12

  • INMO 2024 & 2025, INMO Awardee both years (top 73–78 in India)
  • IMOTC 2024, Among top 7; narrowly missed IMO team
  • IMOTC 2025, Selected for the Indian IMO team
  • IMO 2025, Australia,  Gold Medal, ranked 27th out of 630 contestants globally
  • APMO 2024 & 2025, Honourable Mention both years
  • INPhO, INChO, INAO 2025, Top 24 / 23 / 45 in India, respectively
  • NSEP, NSEC, NSEA 2024, Qualified for national olympiad rounds
  • INPhO 2024 & INAO 2024, Appeared for national-level olympiads
  • Mentoring via OTIS (Evan Chen’s platform),  1-on-1 math mentoring for 2 students
  • Teaching via Sophie Fellowship,  Classes on Graph Theory and Arrows
  • Podcast appearances (Aakash Institute, CBSE Secretary), Shared olympiad prep strategies; ~25K views
  • Blogging, Published on Medium: “Understanding Olympiads in India”
  • JEE preparation 2025

THE RED PEN ADVANTAGE

  • Built a singular, high-impact narrative by centring the entire application around one exceptional strength (mathematics) rather than spreading achievements 
  • Gave purpose to elite achievements through essays that showcased Aarav’s obsession, growth, and generosity, supported by mentoring, teaching, podcasts, and blogging.
  • Translated a world-class spike into admissions success, resulting in offers from MIT, Stanford, Caltech, and Oxford, with eventual enrollment at MIT

OUTCOME

Offers from

MIT
Caltech
Stanford University
University of Oxford
new york university

CANDIDATE:  
AN

GRE/GMAT:
Did not take

GPA:
3.43/4.0 (as per her WES evaluation)

Qualification:
BA Economics

Work Experience:
Less than six months

Admitted to:
NYU

Background

AN aimed for an MS in Marketing in the US and the UK. The applicant was prompt in balancing the WES evaluation and other application components. However, while brainstorming the SOP we encountered a challenge. The applicant lacked sufficient work experience, which is gained through internships. They only had a two-month marketing internship in a finance company. However, as an undergraduate, the applicant was editor-in-chief of the college magazine, co-authored academic papers and hosted an Instagram series on mental health, diversity, and the LGBTQ+ community.

Approach

While storyboarding, we strategically guided the applicant to match their academic endeavours with their desire to become an inclusive impact marketer. As an editor, writer and social media content creator for diversity and inclusivity, AN developed excellent communication skills, an understanding of different people, and concise and compelling storytelling abilities. We advised the applicant to position themself as a collaborative marketing person who understood diverse needs, has problem-solving skills and was familiar with contemporary communication platforms.

Key Takeaway

AN exemplifies how storyboarding with expert counsellors can help applicants identify experiences that align with their goals. Our strategic advice proved valuable, and the applicant received offers from programmes of their choice. It reinforced the fact that transferable skills, like problem-solving, communication, collaboration and technical proficiency, are greatly valued and can compensate for work experience.