A bit about myself
Good morning, afternoon, or evening wherever you are in the world! My name is Mohamed Daly, I am 18 years old, and I am from Casablanca, Morocco. Today, I am writing to you about a one-of-a-kind experience, which is a gap year with Baret Scholars. We are traveling the globe, and so far, I have visited numerous countries such as; the United States, Brazil, France, Greece, Spain, Canada, Turkey, Kenya, India, and Sri Lanka. Nonetheless, the journey goes on! That being said, I think it would be really cool to share a bit of insight about the program and encourage you to add it to your list, whether you are in college or not.
So, buckle up, and let’s dive into this thrilling adventure…
My academic journey
Ever since I began learning English in the 6th grade, I was fascinated by the United States and studying there one day, so it has been my goal for the last 6 years to do whatever it takes to make it happen! I started working on my application in 9th grade and applied to international boarding schools at the age of 16, which gave me some sort of readiness to apply for college a year later. I took three SATs and scored (in order) 1390, 1490, and 1530, which encouraged me to target T20 schools and get an acceptance from Northwestern!
Academically speaking, I graduated from a local public high school in my city, specializing in Mathematical Sciences, and was valedictorian of my graduating class. Additionally, I took the DET and scored 130/160. When it comes to extracurricular activities, I’ve had a long track record of community service/volunteering and even founded my own non-profit organization called “Change” at the age of 15, where I acted on Sustainable Development Goals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 17 of the UN. Moreover, I topped in numerous competitions in math, physics, chemistry, and public speaking.
I also won first place with the Moroccan national team in an innovation and entrepreneurship contest in Nairobi (Kenya), participated in a research program with UNICEF and NYU, received a black-belt Shodan with the Moroccan Royal Federation of Karate, and speak 4 languages (Arabic, French, English, and Japanese).
How did I learn about Baret?
After getting accepted into college, I kept an open mind towards any opportunity that would come my way in the summer; that’s how I learned about Baret from a webinar explaining the program in depth and which underlined that this would be an opportunity to join the inaugural cohort of Baret Scholars.
At first, and as many of my peers know, I thought, “No way this is real!” However, I found it very intriguing and encouraging to try my best and apply, and to my biggest surprise, I was offered admission!
What is the Baret Scholars?
Baret Scholars is a global gap year program where we, approximately 100 scholars from 40+ countries, travel to 5 continents and approximately 10 countries from September to May with a winter break between December & January. You must be questioning: is there something like Baret? Simply answered: no!
Baret is a unique program that combines travel and learning, all while making it an unforgettable educational experience, or as we like to call it, “our best year yet!” Being a scholar, I’d say there are 5 essential parts:
Morning programs
A series of talks and conversations that we attend 4 days a week, and which cover different topics and themes, where we explore the meaning of success for different entrepreneurs, writers, politicians, changemakers, etc. My personal favorite has to be Walter Isaacson, a journalist who has had a career focused on interviewing the world’s most notable celebrities, such as Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, etc. With that, Mr. Isaacson had given us many intriguing insights into their lives, routines, and shared secrets I never thought I’d know of before!
Options
There are numerous classes that are offered to us by mentors that we refer to as “fellows” and who teach about their various fields of expertise. Personally, I am enrolled in Baret’s signature seminar: Starting Things with our founder Chris Whittle, who discusses entrepreneurship and the steps to build a product. I find the seminar incredibly inspiring and it has encouraged me to start my own business. I also signed up for Chinese language classes taught directly by our dean; now I can confidently save myself if I’m ever lost in the streets of Beijing in the next couple weeks, ha-ha!
Mentorship Program
Also, with fellows, it is composed of both house and 1-on-1 meetings that are done to follow up with us and our progress. From college/program applications all the way to finding solutions for everyday situations, fellows are regarded as the people who make us enjoy Baret to its fullest and are truly the stars that enlighten our way in Baret and beyond!
Independent Exploration
Simply said, our spare time is to hang out, discover, and be creative in making our journeys as memorable as possible.
Fellowships
Curated insightful “trips” that adapt a specific theme and push us to go out of our comfort zones. An example would be with my Biking in Spain fellowship, where we studied and observed different components of Gualcho’s and Grenada’s environment, all while biking dozens of kilometers across the region every day. At the end of the 10-day trip, we present our findings and head back to the main city to follow up with our schedule.
Why Baret?
Thinking about this question, it was more than obvious that I needed a break before starting college, as I was far too active in my high school years. I wanted to pursue my passions, follow up with my projects, and of course, travel the world! Therefore, being a Baret Scholar was more than ideal to me before beginning college next fall.
Conclusion
One piece of advice I find very helpful is to always be ready to “attack!” Say yes, instead of no, and eventually you’ll realize great things that you, yourself, didn’t think were possible. Work hard, and try the best you can to stand out in your own way. YOU GOT THIS MORE THAN
YOU THINK. Finally, seriously consider applying to Baret; this is the best thing I’ve done in my life!!!
