Hello! My name is Igor, and I got admitted into Dartmouth College in the Class of 2029! Read this story to see my path!

My background

I have lived my entire life in São Paulo and, since the age of 5, have studied at the British College of Brazil. There, I followed the IGCSE and then the IB method once I reached high school, which I find interesting because it allowed me to choose subjects aligned with my field of interest, besides studying in a rigorous method.

Studying Abroad: My decision

Many of my friends were always interested in studying abroad, and as this was a common topic, my curiosity grew as well. After doing some research, I became interested too. Additionally, I was accustomed to listening to and watching content in English, which further strengthened my desire to study abroad.

Because of this desire, I also considered other countries, such as Canada, for its English-speaking environment, and Japan, due to its lower cost of living, my familiarity with the language, and my heritage.

Why Dartmouth?

I have always lived in São Paulo, so I know what it’s like to live in a big city. However, I have always been curious about experiencing life in a rural town with a smaller population.

Besides that, Dartmouth's School of Engineering has a very respected faculty and teaching, with both its professors and research projects appealing to me. In particular, they have research groups focused on renewable energy, a field in which I plan to work in the future.

Another point was the class sizes. My classes in school were always small, which meant I was accustomed to receiving more attention from teachers. I knew I wanted a similar environment in college, where I could build strong connections with both my classmates and professors.

Dartmouth has a strong presence in D1 sports. While I may not be skilled enough to participate as an athlete, I would love to watch the games and take photos. I have a passion for photography, so it would be an exciting opportunity to get involved with a competitive team as a photographer.

Lastly, although Brazil is a generally warm country, São Paulo is one of its colder cities, and I have always enjoyed that. I wanted to experience living in a place with snow, and Dartmouth’s location was ideal — it offered everything I was looking for.

My Stats

I scored 1510 on the SAT and 8.5 on the IELTS. In the IB curriculum, there is no GPA, but my predicted grade is 43/45.

Extracurriculars

One of my key extracurricular activities was serving as the Vice-Director of Communications for GreenPathway, an NGO project originally developed within my school class. The project focused on creating an educational platform to teach sustainability and renewable energy for free. We developed various classes on these topics and also participated in educational conferences to promote our mission and share our work.

My other most important extracurricular activity was co-founding an organization called “Computers for All”. The initiative focused on collecting old, unused computers, recycling their components, and assembling new ones to donate to schools that couldn’t afford to purchase them. Inspired by the benefits we experienced using computers in our own education, we aimed to provide the same opportunities to underprivileged schools. Through our efforts, we raised over $60,000 and donated 200 computers, making a tangible impact on educational access and digital inclusion.

My Personal Statement: A sensitive story

My personal statement focused on how I developed and adapted the way I approached my relationships with people, particularly with my friends, after I tragically lost one of my closest friends in 2022. This extremely traumatic experience was shocking as you never expect it to happen to you. It grounded me for a while but served to teach me the importance of creating open and supportive communication, ensuring that those around me always feel they can rely on me. It also motivated me to extend this impact beyond my close circle of friends, aiming to foster this sense of connection and trust with a broader audience.

Crafting My Profile

I had knowledge of the application process for universities abroad from the start of high school, as I attended an international school where this topic was a common focus among students. Additionally, I received valuable support from my friends in building and refining my application profile.