Hello! My name is Beatrice and I just got accepted into University of Miami as a Stamps Scholar! See how I did it:

My Background

I'm from São Paulo—more specifically, a small town nearby called Cotia. I attended two schools during my high school years. Actually, here in Brazil, we don’t usually consider 9th grade as part of high school, but for the college application process, it is.

Up until 9th grade, I studied at Colégio Giordano Bruno, and from 10th to 12th grade, I went to Colégio Davina Gasparini. In 9th grade, I didn’t really talk to my school much about applying abroad, because I already knew I would be leaving, so there wasn’t much support to be expected.

At Davina, though, they were really supportive. They appreciated how different my path was. No one else at the school was planning to study abroad like I was, but they showed me support no matter what.

Naturally, students who weren’t planning to study abroad got more structured support. But I was kind of a pioneer—I brought this topic into the school environment and ended up inspiring younger students to consider applying abroad too. In fact, there’s a student currently doing an exchange program in Germany now. They even invited me to come give a talk about my experience.

No one ever told me it was just a dream or that it couldn’t be my reality. Everyone thought it was really cool. And when it came time to ask for letters of recommendation, it was super easy. I had a great relationship with all my teachers and the coordinator.

Why I decided to Study Abroad

I've had this dream since I was very, very young. At first, it was actually my dad’s dream. But his parents didn’t support him at all when he wanted to study abroad, so he never had the chance to apply—he just didn’t have the resources.

My parents really worked hard and made a life for themselves. My dad always wanted me to see the world so I could understand what was out there and what kind of future I could explore.

He never forced this dream on me, but with everything he showed me about the U.S, I fell in love with the idea. And honestly, it goes beyond just the rational side of things. There’s also the lifestyle, that “American dream” that everyone kind of romanticizes. I never really saw myself studying in Brazil.

Why University of Miami?

When I was building my college list, I was very careful with the universities I selected because I wanted it to be a balanced list.

My main focus was New York, but it is one of the hardest places to get a full scholarship as an international student. So realistically, I knew I wouldn’t be able to afford a school there without significant aid.

So when I got the letter inviting me to be a finalist for the Stamps Scholarship, it was completely unexpected. But from that moment on, I started falling in love with Miami. Before, I saw the University of Miami as a bit of an impossible dream—it’s one of the most expensive universities in the U.S., and honestly, it doesn’t have a reputation for being super generous with financial aid.

But going through the Stamps finalist process made me dig deeper. I started researching not just the university, but also what the scholarship really meant—why they chose me, and why they believed in me enough to invest roughly $400,000 USD in my education.

Stats & Tips

My final high school GPA was 9.3 out of 10, which puts me with a 4.0 on the University of Miami’s GPA scale. My school was very strict with grading—it wasn’t just based on tests. Our grades also included assignments, participation, and projects, so getting a 10 was incredibly rare. Unfortunately, my school didn’t calculate class ranking, so I didn’t have that information to submit with my application.

As for standardized testing, my final SAT score was 1430. I had studied a lot the previous year and consistently scored over 1500 on my practice tests. But I struggle with anxiety, and at the time of the test, I wasn’t taking any medication for it yet. The pressure really affected my performance that day, and since the SAT is so sensitive to timing, it’s easy to drop 100 points with just a bit of stress. My score breakdown was around 700 in Math and 730 in English.

I also took the TOEFL as my English proficiency test and scored 105.

When it comes to school, I believe the key is really paying attention in class. A lot of people try to cram the day before a test, but that doesn’t always work out. The best strategy is to take good notes and stay engaged during lessons. There’s no magic formula to getting good grades—it’s really about effort and dedication.

Some subjects, like English, came naturally to me, and I barely had to study. But for others, like math, I sometimes studied for eight hours just to get the grade I wanted. So, it’s about doing your best and treating your studies as a real priority, especially in high school, because your grades and stats really matter.

For the SAT, I think the most important thing is consistency and analyzing your mistakes. I recommend starting by doing the entire Khan Academy SAT course, taking detailed notes so you really understand the content. Then, move on to practice tests. After each one, go over every single question you got wrong and write down why you missed it, and what you can do next time to avoid the same mistake. This deep analysis is something people often skip, but it’s what helps you break that 1500 barrier.

Anxiety also plays a big role in test performance. The SAT gives you about one minute per question, which adds pressure. I’m a pretty anxious person, so I don’t have the best advice for managing that, but for those who aren't as anxious, it's a huge advantage.

As for English proficiency tests, I took the TOEFL because I was applying to schools in Canada, and the Duolingo English Test isn’t accepted there. I even paid for a prep course, which helped a lot but was expensive. I ended up getting an advanced score, which was great. But honestly, I know people who didn’t even study much and still got amazing scores.

These tests aren’t just about language skills—they’re about knowing the test format and having the right strategy. I’ve been fluent in English for years, since I’ve taken classes since I was little. Still, strategy and preparation matter a lot.

If you’re not applying to Canada, I’d definitely recommend taking the Duolingo test instead of the TOEFL. It’s cheaper and has a lot of free study resources, while TOEFL requires you to pay for almost everything. In my case, TOEFL made sense, and it worked out, but I know that’s not possible for everyone.

Also, TOEFL prep can actually help with the Reading and Writing sections of the SAT, so it’s definitely useful beyond just the language requirement.

Extracurricular Activities

I’ve done a lot of extracurricular activities, especially related to activism, which is definitely the area I’m most passionate about.

One of the experiences I loved the most was being part of a Girl Up club, and also working with a NGO called Nós Por Elas, which fights against period poverty in Brazil. I led their communications team, and through my work, we reached over one million people. We’ve been able to support women all over the country. I’ve organized and participated in actions where I gave talks about menstrual poverty, donated products, and had deeply moving experiences.

Another project I’m very proud of is the Empowerment Journal, which I created during my gap year. It’s a platform where I connect global issues with personal stories

Besides those, I’ve also done some short but meaningful summer programs. One of them was LALA (Latin American Leadership Academy). It was just a week long, but it was amazing for networking and the overall vibe was unforgettable.

Another program I joined was the CSPA Journalism Workshop at Columbia University, where I had incredible classes with Mr. Murray, a professor there. He even wrote me a letter of recommendation, which I know made a big difference in my application and added a lot of value to my profile.

Personal Statement

My personal statement was around the theme of how I overcame my fear of public speaking. I know it’s a somewhat common topic, but I made sure to keep it very personal and detailed, talking about several moments in my life that shaped who I am today.

I believe it was important to talk about this fear because public speaking is a key skill in journalism. So, in the end, it wasn’t just about facing a fear—it was about growing and pushing myself for the sake of my career and future. I think that message came through in the essay, and I’m really proud of how it turned out.

Creating a Strong Application

Although I began crafting my profile in the ninth grade, I knew I needed support with things like essay revision. That’s when I joined a mentorship program called M60, which helped me build a strong and cohesive college list and provided valuable guidance in editing my essays.

The Stamps Scholarship: Full Financial Aid to U.S

The Stamps Scholarship is one of the most prestigious and generous in the entire United States. It’s offered through a private foundation that partners with about 37 universities across the country.

You don’t have to submit a separate application, because you’re automatically considered if you apply to one of the partner universities.

Then, in early January, they contact the finalists for an interview. From there, I had to go through two interviews: one with the university’s scholarship committee, and another with the Stamps Foundation itself.

Across all 37 universities, there are something like 400,000 applications, and only about 400 students are chosen, so the acceptance rate is around 0.1%. That’s why I was honestly shocked when I got the news. I never imagined I’d be able to attend UMiami—this scholarship was my only way in, and it truly changed everything for me.

It’s a full-ride scholarship, but it’s actually more than that. It covers tuition, housing, meals, health insurance, books, transportation, personal expenses, and all fees. And on top of that, they give us a $12,000 enrichment fund, which we can use however we want—like for internships, research, or studying abroad. I personally plan to spend a semester in Europe.

Also, there’s a huge network of Stamps Scholars across the country. We get to attend national leadership conferencesat other Stamps partner schools, like in Boston or Texas. So it’s not just about the money—they’re really investing in our future, and they’re giving us tools and opportunities to grow both professionally and personally.

Why Journalism Major

I'm going as a Journalism major but I’m considering adding a minor in Women and Gender Studies because I’m deeply connected to activism, as I mentioned before.

My interest in journalism started during the transition from 9th to 10th grade (the first year of high school in Brazil). Before that, I was more drawn to the fashion industry — I wanted to either be a model or a fashion designer. I even took a fashion course from MoMA, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, but I didn’t enjoy it at all. That’s when I realized: maybe fashion just wasn’t for me.

What I did know was that I loved writing, and I also loved communication — talking, expressing myself. I’m quite the talker, you know? So, I took a journalism course from the University of Pennsylvania and I absolutely loved it.

One class in particular really stood out to me — it was about the 10 principles of journalism. One of those principles was empowerment, which is all about giving a voice to those who don’t have the means to speak for themselves. That deeply resonated with me and connected perfectly to my passion for activism.

It also aligned with my love for writing, which I’ve had since I was a little girl, writing fanfics on Wattpad (though I never actually posted them). So, yes — I want to be a journalist, but I also want to be a writer. I think journalism brought together two of my biggest passions: writing, which I used as a form of self-expression, and activism, which I’ve used to try to make the world a better place.