My Background

Hello! I’m Branton. My educational journey began in Elgeyo-Marakwet, Kenya, where I attended a public high school. After graduating in December 2022, I took two gap years before starting college in the fall of 2024.

The Decision to Study Abroad

Initially, I planned to stay in Kenya to pursue medicine. I earned the required grade to be admitted to medical school and was on track to realize my dream of becoming a doctor. However, someone encouraged me to explore education abroad. I first considered the University of Melbourne in Australia due to its prestigious medical program, but no scholarships were available.

I got accepted into the Kenya Scholar Access Program (KENSAP). Through this program, I applied to Davidson College during the early decision 1 round, and luckily I was accepted with a full-ride scholarship.

Why Davidson?

Coming from a small high school, I wanted a similar educational environment. I didn’t think I would fit in at a large institution. Davidson’s small size and close-knit community were appealing factors.

The classes here are only 10 to 13 students. This setting has allowed me to build meaningful relationships with professors, which led to a research assistant job with one of them.

Academic and Extracurricular Achievements

In high school, I achieved an A grade, which translates to a 4.0 GPA. My English proficiency test was waived because most of my subjects in high school were taught in English, and I earned an A in the language. I also didn’t take the SAT. 

I served as a library captain and class secretary in my school. I also did some volunteering at a children’s home. I participated in math and science clubs and captained my school's badminton team.

I received several honors, including an award in the Math Leads Math Contest and a chemistry award in 12th grade.

My Personal Statement on Overcoming Challenges

For my essays, I detailed my life and focused on the challenges I’ve faced. Significant challenges marked my journey. In grade 5, I dropped out of school for a year due to financial constraints. Then, my grandmother enrolled me in a local school, so I had to repeat class five. However, after taking a midterm exam and ranking first, I was quickly promoted from grade 5 to grade 6.

In grade 8, my education was again disrupted when my father passed away. Despite a period of instability and having to work for a month, I returned to school for the final term and excelled in the national examination. I ended up ranking first in my school, and I think, in top ten in my country. 

My academic excellence earned me admission to a prestigious high school, but financial challenges persisted. I returned to my primary school to repeat grade 8 before being connected to a high school scholarship through the support of my primary school head teacher.

Despite facing these challenges and other social challenges in high school due to ethnic stereotypes, I chose to embrace my identity and reflect on what I believe in and my principles. My academic performance improved dramatically, leading me to become the first student in the school's history to achieve an A grade and rank in the top five in the county.

Pre-University Experience

After high school, I participated in a pre-university internship program for best-performing students nationally. I gained work experience at a local bank handling transactions exceeding 10 million shillings. It was nice getting some work experience considering most of the kids from my background never get access to these opportunities. During this period, I learned about the Kenya Scholar Access Program (KENSAP) and successfully applied, earning one of the 20 coveted spots from over 1,000 applications.

Application Process and Tips

My college application preparation took around three months, involving document gathering and securing strong recommendation letters. Besides KENSAP, I also benefited from the Equity Leaders Program from my pre-university internship. 

I would encourage applicants to attend the university's information sessions. Even though they say it doesn't count towards your application, you never know. It could show demonstrated interest. Also, when you are structuring your application, search the school’s website extensively. Look deeply for the resources the schools offer. Then try to secure strong recommendation letters because they play a significant role in your application. For the peer recommendation, look for that from someone who has a sort of professional background because you need something unique. I got mine from one of my co-workers. 

Life at Davidson College

In my application, I mentioned that I wanted to do public health and mathematics, but Davidson is a liberal arts college, so you don't have to decide on what you're going to do until your sophomore year. So far, I've tried economics, computer science, political science, and history. I don't know what major I’ll declare yet. I think I'm leaning towards economics. 

My first week was great because there was pre-orientation for international students, so I had the chance to meet other international students and interact with them. But as the semester progressed, I experienced an identity crisis. Being an international student, first-generation college student, and from a low-income background, it felt like there was a lot against me, and I was struggling to fit in and be like other students. It was tough for me, so I went to counseling for two months, and I think it helped a lot. 

My Activities at Davidson

I’ve been actively involved in campus life, joining the Black Students Coalition Public Committee, Davidson Investment Club, Davidson Entrepreneurship Club, and Davidson African Students Association. I’m also a member of the badminton and ping pong clubs.

Academic Workload and Participation

The academic workload is fair. I think most of the classes are similar to what you would expect in an African university. The most interesting part of the academic life over here is that they encourage class participation. One of the merits they're going to use to evaluate your grade is class participation, and it takes 10% of your final grade.