How Lucas Got Into
Harvard University

Lucas came to AcceptU as a high-achieving student at a competitive public high school in Massachusetts. He had done many of the things selective colleges look for: strong grades, challenging coursework, and clear academic strength in computer science and statistics. But like many students applying to highly selective schools, his profile still felt a little too defined by what happened in the classroom. He needed help turning strong performance into a more distinctive college admissions story.

At the start, the focus was not on adding random new activities. Instead, Lucas’s counselor helped him step back and see where there was room to build something more personal and meaningful within a profile that was already strong academically.

Through that process, chess emerged as a genuine point of connection. What had started as an existing interest became the foundation for a larger community initiative and a clearer source of impact beyond school.

Over time, that gave the rest of his profile more shape. His work around chess began to connect more naturally with the way he thought about leadership, problem-solving, and his broader interests in economics, computer science, and statistics. That shift helped his application feel less like a list of accomplishments and more like a coherent story, which is especially important in selective school admissions.

Throughout the process, we worked closely with Lucas on application strategy, essay development, college list building, and interview preparation. For families looking for Ivy League and Ivy+ admissions support, this kind of refinement is often what helps a strong student stand out.

By the end, Lucas was moving through the process with much more confidence, and his profile felt distinctive, authentic, and well positioned for highly selective admissions.