When Mikael first came to us, his resume was glistening. He had started an app for breast cancer patients, led entrepreneurship programs at school, played soccer at a national level, and volunteered for the Special Olympics. On paper, his accomplishments were impressive, but to him, they felt disconnected. And for admissions officers, a clear, cohesive narrative is what sets you apart.
That’s where our work began.
We sat down with Mikael to learn what drove him. After a few sessions, we discovered a thread that tied all of his activities together. From sports and tech to service work, all of his projects hinged on his desire to make communities stronger. That was his X-Factor. Not the app, not the soccer, not the resume, but bringing people together and sharing resources.
Once that was clear, everything came together. His essays gained clarity. His interviews felt honest. His application stopped sounding like a list and started sounding like a person. And yes… he got into Dartmouth, but more importantly, he got there by being fully himself.
This is what we mean when we say your application needs to “tell a story.” To discover and get into your best-fit university, it’s not about doing every extracurricular out there. Rather, it’s about painting a picture that shows your values and passions. We call that your X-Factor. And we believe every student has one.
Sometimes it’s obvious. Other times, it takes digging. That’s where we come in.
At AddedEducation, our admissions experts work one-on-one with students and families to understand what makes them unique, and then guide them in shaping that into a powerful narrative.
Mikael found his X-Factor in his desire to serve. Yoselin found hers in honoring the sacrifices her parents made—and that clarity helped her earn a place at Yale. Lyla found hers in exploring a side of biology she didn’t even know existed, which led her to Columbia. And that’s the real point: your X-Factor is already there. You just need a little help seeing it clearly.
If you’re feeling unsure about what sets you apart—or how to even begin talking about it—we’re here to help. You don’t need to have the perfect answer. You just need a starting point.
Our Upcoming Webinars have been designed to help you identify and use what makes you unique.
Check them out and sign up before we run out of slots.
India
Build a Winning Arts portfolio: From India, to the World’s Top Art Schools
Date & Time: 15th May, 6:30PM IST
UAE
There are very few social work & community service opportunities in Dubai, most have been well covered by other students, how do I make my passion project unique?
Date & Time: 15th May, 6:00PM GST
Hong Kong
Leveraging Connections To Help My Child for Universities Abroad: How HK Families Can Support Applications Without Undermining Authenticity.
Date & Time: 22nd May, 6:00PM HKT
How can I use my experience of living in Indonesia to build a solid community initiative that will impress Admission Officers?
Date & Time: 15th May, 6:30 PM JKT
How can I use my experience of living in the Philippines to build a solid community initiative that will impress Admission Officers?
Date & Time: 14th May, 6:30PM PHT
