Ayla

Three-Year Package | Cornell

Ayla joined us late in 9th grade from the Madeira School, an all-girls private school in northern Virginia. While her grades were solid, her résumé was thin: recreational-level swimming, no clubs, and no structured summer plans. Her parents stressed two priorities—boost Ayla’s confidence and help her discover a genuine intellectual focus—while noting she was not a natural test-taker.

Insight

Early conversations revealed a budding passion for environmental sustainability. Childhood creek excursions with her father had sparked a love of nature, and Ayla was troubled to learn that her father’s Subway franchises discarded pounds of unsold bread nightly. That personal anecdote signaled an authentic entry point for both leadership and impact.

Strategy & Execution

Purpose-driven venture. We guided Ayla in launching a nonprofit that upcycled discarded bread into dog treats, with proceeds donated to local shelters. She perfected recipes, branded the project, and ran booths at farmers’ markets. Success led to partnerships with Whole Foods and Panera for additional bread supply, expanding both scale and visibility.

Research depth.

  • 10th-grade summer: Secured a spot in George Mason University’s free Aspiring Summer Scientists Program, where Ayla assisted a public-health professor on food-waste mitigation.

  • 11th-grade summer: Won two selective placements—GMU’s President’s Park Greenhouse (hydroponic farming research) and USDA’s AgDiscovery program (agribusiness and food security).

Narrative cohesion. Across essays, interviews, and recommendations, we wove a story of food-system stewardship that linked her nonprofit leadership with empirical research, showcasing both initiative and intellectual rigor.

Testing strategy. Because major targets were test-optional, we kept test prep low-stress and focused on incremental score gains rather than perfection.

Outcome

With a clear sustainability-and-food narrative—and freedom from testing pressure—Ayla applied Early Decision to Cornell’s College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, her top choice for its blend of food science, business, and pre-professional flexibility. She was admitted and will pursue a double major in Food Science and Business starting fall 2025.