My Background Information

I’m from a small town in central Nicaragua called Rio Blanco in Matagalpa. It is almost rural. My high school was a big public high school following the national standard curriculum, a place where many students unfortunately don’t go on to college. Since 2020, my school has stopped providing midterm exams; instead, our grades have been calculated through short tests (20-30 mins), projects, and assignments.

My family was and is really important in this process of college applications. I started to learn English when I was 5 years old, which gave me an amazing privilege, and my family supported me immensely throughout. Furthermore, to solidify my skills, I studied for one year at the American Nicaraguan School—an international private school in Managua—specifically in their English institute to improve my English proficiency.

Why I Decided to Study Abroad in the U.S.

I chose the USA because it’s geographically near my home country, I have family living there, and I absolutely love the campus culture in U.S. colleges, alongside their obviously excellent education system.

I did look at other options like the UK and Spain. However, the UK generally does not accept the Nicaraguan standard high school diploma directly, and in Spain, I felt that I didn’t connect with their college culture. The U.S. offered the perfect mix of community and academic rigor.

My Academic Credentials

My stats are considered average for top-tier admissions: I had a 91/100 GPA in the Nicaraguan National Standard Curriculum, but I was Class rank 1/173 and the valedictorian.

I took the SAT twice in 2024, but I didn’t get the score I hoped for. I almost took the December SAT because I was scoring well on practice tests, but after careful deliberation, I decided to go Test Optional. I also took the Duolingo English Test (DET), but I didn’t submit it because I received an English proficiency waiver since it isn’t required by Williams for my profile.

My advice regarding testing: Please prepare for the SAT and English proficiency tests as soon as you can. Use Bluebook for SAT practice and Oneprep. Those are good resources.

My Journey Outside of the Classroom

In my activity section, I did a lot of things during my gap years. I founded an international non-profit that is registered in the US. It is climate-focused, helped pass laws, reached 100k+ people, raised $2k, and made collaborations with organizations like Ocean Uprise, Ashoka, Earth Day Network, and even the University of Exeter. Within this same organization, I serve as editor-in-chief of a global journal featuring young inspiring people, with readers from 30+ countries and 50k+ words published.

My other amazing extracurricular is at Climate Cardinals as Deputy Director of Community, where I helped bring ideas for projects and social media posts. One of my biggest milestones there was leading a global project with Yale University.

I also served as a youth advisor for the Generation Global initiative by the Tony Blair Institute of Global Change. I participated in a bunch of conferences with schools from different countries and received mentorship for youth leadership by the former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Additionally, I was a contributing writer about climate policy and global affairs, published by The Harvard Crimson, Rights&Minds, and an honor by The New York Times.

Regarding honors, I was one of the three finalists for the Global Youth Awards in the environmental leadership category (and the first Central American to be a finalist). I was a Runner-Up at the summer reading contest by The New York Times, I received an honor by Forbes USA, and I was a finalist at Crimson 18U18 2024.

My Application Process and Resources that I Leveraged

During high school, I became interested in studying abroad but initially lacked a clear strategy, which made my first application cycle challenging. I actually applied to college twice before this success—first in December 2023, then in November 2024—taking two gap years between cycles to strengthen my profile.

Over time, I learned to manage my time more intentionally by researching colleges early, setting weekly goals, and working on essays well in advance. One of the most valuable resources in my journey was EducationUSA, Brandon Tineo, Borderless, and UStrive.

Financially, I relied on application fee waivers requested through the Common App, directly from colleges, and with the support of my advisors and mentors, allowing me to apply without placing a financial burden on my family.

My Process of Dealing with Application Essays

For my Personal Statement, I wrote about how Nicaragua's unnamed streets confused me, but how these same nameless streets encouraged me to speak up and act for my climate activism. It was a metaphor for finding direction. My mentor from UStrive helped me a lot with editing, as well as a Yale alumni.

For my supplemental writing piece for Williams (a 3-5 page creative/analytical document), I was honestly lost and almost didn't submit it because it’s optional. However, the Borderless Community encouraged me to do it, and I wrote a writing piece inspired by them.

My Process of Dealing with Supplementary Materials

For my Letters of Recommendation (LORs), I sent my teachers an example of a LOR for inspiration, owing to the fact that here in Nicaragua, LORs are very different from what US colleges expect.

Regarding my extracurriculars and honors, I believe they were a main factor in my admission. For a standout application, I would recommend you to do incredible things that make colleges say "wow."

My Why to Choose Williams for my Bachelor's

I decided to apply Early Decision (ED) to Williams due to many factors. I love their Political Science core, their study abroad programs such as Williams-Exeter (Oxford University), the Williams United community, and their academic reputation as a "Little Ivy" and the best liberal arts college.

I was also drawn to the Zilkha Center for the Environment, which is a good resource for my major. I did deep research by talking with alumni and taking virtual campus tours. I’m so excited to go to the Purple Valley.

My Best Piece of Advice to Students Who Desire to Study Abroad

I wish I had studied for the SAT so much earlier. Even though I have the privilege of being test-optional, I’d say to take the SAT at least once.

My biggest advice is to register yourself for as many opportunities as you can and, if they don't exist, create your own opportunities.

My Scholarship Details at Williams

My financial aid is comprehensive. It covers tuition, housing, meals, flights, visa process, and medical insurance, among many other things. I sent the CSS Profile plus their own required financial aid documents.