Get to know our essay coaches! We sat down to interview Taralyn Torrini, one of our College Admissions Specialists!

What is one thing you wish more students knew before applying to college?

Start early. I didn’t have much information during my search, so I started very late. Now I know that the earlier you start planning, the better off you will be. Don’t wait until your junior or senior year! Figure out what academics and extracurriculars you want to pursue by the time you’re a freshman in high school. The better the portfolio you build, the better your chances. Sample a bunch of things, find your passions, and commit to them to show you’ve got the drive to succeed. While you have your entire life ahead of you after college, it’s still an important step in your future, and you want to stack the odds in your favor as much as you can, while you can.

What was the scariest part of applying to college for you and how did you get through it?

Coming from a poor family with no college graduates, navigating the application process itself was terrifying and mystifying. I had no one to turn to for advice, and back in those days, there weren’t very many resources at all to help students like myself. I didn’t even know I had to take the SAT until a few weeks before my college application deadline! I knuckled through it by digging for information where I could, doing what was in my power, and hoping for the best. Sometimes in life, that’s all you can do. That experience motivated me to spend my professional career working with students so no one I work with has to go through that alone!

What’s one piece of advice you would give to a freshman at your school?

Explore all the options available to you! Whatever college you choose to attend, I promise it offers much more than your high school. Sign up for Gen Ed classes that look interesting but may not be relevant to your major; attend social and sporting events. Hang out in public to see what people do in their off time or make new friends. Every campus has its own ecosystem, and you’ll get so much out of diving into it. Don’t let academics be your only focus.

What did you learn about yourself from your own college and educational journey?

Studying psychology revealed the reality of my autism, which fundamentally transformed the way I interacted with the world and others. It helped me grow into a person who can handle challenges and unexpected circumstances. College is ultimately a place where you can find yourself, as you’ll be alone for the first time and entirely in charge of your own destiny. Don’t be afraid to be open with yourself and explore who you are! The lessons you learn will stay with you for life.

What kinds of college essays do you love to work on?

I love it when students put their hearts and souls to paper. The essays that move me the most are ones in which students show exactly who they are and what makes them unique. It could be their life circumstances, a passion or hobby, or a driving goal that defines them and their future. Whatever it is, seeing that conviction and determination is inspiring.