I am a sophomore at Yale College studying the History of Science, Medicine, and Public Health with a concentration in Gender, Reproduction, and the Body. I am most interested in studying maternal health care in immigrant/refugee populations. I am currently on the pre-med track, hoping to become a reproductive endocrinologist in the Central Valley. I hail from Merced, CA, where I grew up surrounded by farms all of my life. My accessibility to fresh produce all my life caused a love of food and cooking, which I explore on campus through Asian Recipes at Yale. I also do global health research at the School of Public Health, where I am currently working on a manuscript for publication.

What drew you to working with AASPIRES?

I was drawn to working with AASPIRES as I grew up in an under-resourced town. Many of the adults in my life, even at my high school, were not quite sure how to help me achieve my goals of attending an Ivy-Plus. Additionally, my family was immensely supportive of me receiving help from AASPIRES, as many of them attended community college before transferring to a 4-year university, so the college application process was a bit foreign. I also heard great recommendations from previous scholars, which reassured me of the decision to work together with AASPIRES.

What was the college-readiness process like with AASPIRES?

Working with AASPIRES was immensely helpful for college-readiness and the college application process. Whilst I had a general knowledge of college applications, AASPIRES was able to help me thoroughly understand the intricacies and nuances of it. For example, through AASPIRES, I learned how to approach my teachers for requesting letters of recommendation for the Common App. AASPIRES also educated me on the importance of picking a university whose mission and community actually resonate with you. Rather than apply to 15+ different schools just for admission purposes, I was able to confidently apply to 8, knowing that my personal investment was more secure. AASPIRES was greatly helpful while writing my college applications, as the foundation built from my past English classes differed from the style of writing for college essays.

What would you say to students from communities like yours who are unsure about the college application process?

To students from similar communities like mine, I would greatly encourage them to work with AASPIRES. Having the opportunity to have the college application process explained was immensely important in understanding how to pick which colleges to apply to and ultimately influenced my decision to attend Yale. Additionally, even if you feel your background in writing may be weaker, AASPIRES does a great job preparing you for writing your college essays with brainstorming sessions and check-ins throughout the semester. The feedback I received on each draft was truly helpful in the revision process. Overall, I felt greatly supported throughout my time working with AASPIRES and am glad to know that the support does not stop just after applying to college.