A little about me and why I decided to study abroad

Hello! My name is Maia, I’m from Peru and so thrilled to share my story with you.

I attended San Jose Monterrico High School and graduated from there in 2022. I very much enjoyed my school experience, in which I developed most of my interests and passions. Additionally, it taught me how to manage my time correctly, since by living in a single-parent household, I was constantly busy helping my mom with some things at home.

I believe that the moment that created my desire to study abroad was when I discovered UWC, which I applied to and got rejected. What does everyone say? Rejection is redirection? That’s totally true, people!

Some time later, UWC shared “Cometa Camp”, a Peruvian program that specializes in guiding students on how to prepare to apply to some of the 9 top universities in the United States.

I couldn’t believe a program like it could exist in my country. In Cometa Camp, if admitted, I could access individual mental health support, individual college essay feedback, international exam prep, registration, and travel support, as well as monthly college application guidance ALL FOR FREE!

Even better, if admitted to one of its universities, I could become eligible to compete for one of the 20 Beca Cometa Scholarships offered each year. Beca Cometa Scholarships can cover up to the total cost of undergraduate studies for selected students for up to 4 years.

Isn’t that awesome?

Proudly, I can tell you that I was one of 65 students chosen out of 2488 Peruvian applicants to receive a spot in the Cometa Camp.

And that’s how my journey began!

Why Dartmouth?

I think that the first thing that caught my eye about this college was reading and seeing their charismatic way to engage with their community. I had the opportunity to attend an information session hosted by Dartmouth in Peru, where the university president and some alumni came here. There, I could learn a little bit more about Dartmouth as an institution and above all, as a caring community. I didn’t have a huge community feeling during high school, so I was looking for that crucial factor in college.

On the other hand, a highlight of my research moments is that professors and admission officers of Dartmouth always answered my emails! I even got some responses from Tuck, the School of Business. All the information they provided me gave me a lot of insight about their government program and the possibility of combining it with economics, which really appealed to me.

Furthermore, I’m very interested in Greek Life and Dartmouth has so many student group organizations and clubs. I was very excited about the stand-up comedy club, the poetry club and the Investment club as well. While researching each one of those, I just couldn’t wish for anything else than being admitted and satisfying all my well-rounded passions with these opportunities.

Finally, by being in the middle of the woods, of course, I was so enchanted by their outing and swimming club! I love Dartmouth's interest in outdoor activities. I was looking for a school where everything was not based on studying and staying in a room, but exploring the surroundings as well.