Jun-Ho
Four-Year Package| Princeton University
Jun-ho joined us in the spring of 8th grade after receiving rejections from every private school on his list. During our first meeting he repeated his father’s stinging words—“We didn’t come to America for you to fail”—and confessed that, while his grades were solid, his interests were scattered across politics, business, engineering, and even the possibility of a collegiate-soccer path.
Insight
Two qualities stood out immediately: Jun-ho’s natural poise as a public speaker and an almost preternatural calm under pressure—both hallmarks of future leadership. We also learned that public service ran in the family; his grandfather had been a police chief in South Korea. That legacy became our compass.
Strategy & Execution
Leadership over athletics. We repositioned soccer as a hobby and leaned into service. With refined messaging and debate coaching, Jun-ho won the election for freshman-class president at McLean High School.
Immersive service experience. He enrolled in the local Junior ROTC, rising quickly to cadet commander and honing the disciplined leadership style that would later anchor his application narrative.
Academic alignment. To reinforce a service-oriented STEM profile, we targeted chemical engineering and secured a coveted research internship at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, where he studied atmospheric corrosion on naval hulls.