My background

My name is Francesca Parodi, and I’m from Lima, Peru. I graduated from High School at Newton College in November 2025 and I’ll be part of the NYU Abu Dhabi Class of 2030. I was accepted with almost a full scholarship (~99%).

Why did I decide to study abroad? 

I’ve always known I wanted to study abroad. I’m the youngest of two sisters, and both of them studied overseas, one at UMiami and the other at NYU Abu Dhabi. In 2022, I went to Abu Dhabi for my sister’s graduation. I still remember walking around campus for the first time, seeing students from all over the world, hearing different languages, and feeling the energy of the place. It was exciting and completely different from anything I had seen before. Having older siblings who left home to study abroad definitely inspired me to follow in their footsteps.

Why did I choose Abu Dhabi? 

At first, being so far from home (over 24 hours of travel) felt scary. I also considered studying in the U.S. and Europe, but something about Abu Dhabi felt special. When I attended Candidate Weekend in December 2025, the city completely surprised me. It felt modern, safe, full of opportunity, and constantly growing. I realized that studying in such a global and emerging city would push me out of my comfort zone in the best way. Abu Dhabi feels like a place where different cultures meet, and that’s exactly the environment I was looking for. 

My experience at Candidate Weekend

My journey from Lima, Peru, took three flights and over 20 hours of travel. By the time I arrived, I was exhausted and completely jet-lagged, but the excitement of the trip somehow kept me awake. 

My favorite day was Friday, when we went on a desert trip. We did an icebreaker to get to know each other better: everyone brought an object that was meaningful to them. I brought a torito de Pucará, a small Peruvian ceramic bull that people traditionally put on rooftops for protection and good luck. It reminded me of home and my family, and it was a way to share a piece of my culture with everyone.

We also had interviews and a short English assessment. The assessment consisted of reading passages, listening to brief recordings, and writing an analytical response. The interviews were with faculty members. I was nervous at first, especially since I had planned to think through my answers in advance the previous night, but I had fallen asleep from jet lag before I could prepare. Honestly, it was the best thing that could have happened: I was able to speak from the heart and be genuinely myself without relying on a script. 

I shared extracurricular activities that shaped me while growing up, such as playing violin in the orchestra since kindergarten, being part of the basketball and dance teams, participating in community service, and even founding my own nonprofit during my freshman year called Wawakuna. Through Wawakuna, I was able to visit and support teenage mothers from rural areas of Peru, host workshops, learn how to crochet baby blankets, and bring them to the babies living there. 

I think it’s very important to be yourself and share your story as it is, without any scripts, so that the university can get to know you for who you truly are.

My Extracurriculars

On my application, I shared some of the activities that shaped me while growing up, such as playing violin in the orchestra since kindergarten, being part of the basketball and dance teams, participating in community service, and founding my own nonprofit during my freshman year called Wawakuna. I even wrote my Common App personal statement about how this experience shaped me, reflecting on what I learned from working with teenage mothers and how it inspired me to create meaningful impact.

Wawakuna was created to support teenage mothers from rural areas of Peru who lacked access to basic education, emotional support, and resources. What started as a small idea quickly became one of the most meaningful projects of my life. Through Wawakuna, I visited communities, listened to their stories, and worked alongside them to create safe spaces where they could learn, feel supported, and regain confidence in themselves. 

Some of our main achievements include leading tutoring and financial literacy workshops for 32 teenage mothers, raising 8,000 Peruvian soles to provide supplies, and handmaking over 200 baby blankets for their babies. I also learned how to crochet myself so I could personally contribute, which made the experience even more special and personal. 

More than the numbers, Wawakuna taught me empathy, leadership, and responsibility. It showed me how powerful it can be to use your time and skills to make a real difference in someone else’s life. This experience continues to motivate me to seek opportunities where I can serve others and create positive change.

In addition, I was selected to participate in the Bocconi University Summer School in Milan, where I completed college-level courses in Economics and Entrepreneurship with international peers. As part of a team project, we designed business models, analyzed real-world case studies, and brainstormed solutions to real social and economic problems. This was my first experience studying abroad in a university environment, and it strengthened my interest in social entrepreneurship by showing me how business can be a powerful tool for impact.

Balancing IB with University Applications

There were nights when I felt exhausted, confused, and overwhelmed, trying to understand deadlines, essays, requirements, and tests. The IB itself is intense, and balancing CAS, IAs, exams, and applications at the same time was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. Keeping 6s and 7s in my IB subjects was very important to me, and although it was challenging, I was able to do it through consistent effort and determination. My IB courses included Economics HL, English A: Language & Literature HL, Business Management HL, Environmental Systems and Societies SL, and Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation SL. I also completed Theory of Knowledge and the Extended Essay in Economics, earning 3 bonus points with grades of A and B. Across all my years of high school, my unweighted GPA was 19.11 out of 20, which is approximately a 3.9 on the 4.0 scale.

To stay organized, I created my own system with spreadsheets, calendars, weekly goals, and lots of trial and error. I kept a detailed spreadsheet with all my IAs and their due dates, planned deadlines months in advance, and broke big tasks into smaller, manageable steps. For studying, I used flashcards and repetition to reinforce concepts, which helped me retain material for exams and assessments. Even though many students in the IB often study from home, I made it a point to attend school as much as possible so I could ask teachers questions directly and clarify any doubts in real time. Some weeks I was ahead, and other weeks I felt completely behind, but I learned that progress is not always linear. Through this process, I learned how to manage my time, ask for help when I needed it, and trust myself even when I felt overwhelmed.

One of the key resources I used whilst applying to university was Borderless. It helped me proofread my essays and get tips on how to improve them, as well as understand what my strengths and key points I should focus on. I also spent a lot of time reading other students’ stories. Seeing people from different backgrounds going through the same process made me feel less alone and reassured me that what I was feeling was normal.

Applying to university wasn’t easy, but it reminded me that the best way to stand out is simply by being yourself. I’m excited to start this new chapter at NYU Abu Dhabi, continue meeting people from everywhere, and see where this journey takes me.