My Background
I’m Nikoloz, and I grew up in a small town in the country of Georgia. For twelve years, I went to the same public school, sat in the same classrooms, and lived in a world where everyone followed a very specific, singular path. In Georgia, the education system is sturdy but rigid. If you study economics, you take economics classes. There is no such thing as a minor or an interdisciplinary approach.
I constantly felt like an interdisciplinary person in a structured world. I loved chemistry for its beauty, but I wasn't naturally fast at it. I loved math, but I also loved observing how people interact. I knew that if I stayed home, I’d be boxed into one version of myself. I wanted more freedom than that, so I decided to look toward the United States.
Specifically, I looked at Dartmouth. Coming from a tight-knit community where everyone knows your name, the idea of a small, high-quality school in a quiet town felt like home. I applied Early Decision because the more I researched, the more I realized it aligned with who I am.
Breaking the Mental Restrictions
One of the biggest challenges wasn't my grades or the SAT. It was the mental restriction I placed on myself. Growing up in a small town, you don't necessarily wake up thinking you belong in the Ivy League. I used to think those schools were only for kids from elite feeder schools with perfect lives.
When I went to an economics camp after doing well in a national competition, I met students from those big-city schools. They had the audacity to apply internationally. They asked me, why wouldn't you try? That simple question changed everything. I realized that the only thing stopping me from jumping across the ocean was my own fear of not belonging. I did need some advice and outside help to truly have a strong application, and I found the videos that were posted on the Borderless social media platforms to be the most informative and comprehensible for a high school student.
I actually ended up writing my personal statement about how we impose limits on ourselves and how I had to break through that mindset. I even tied it to a joke I once made about Brexit in front of the British Ambassador. I wanted the admissions officers to see the real me, not some polished, robotic version of a student.
The Stats and the Strategy
People always ask about the numbers, so I’ll be direct. I took the SAT once and got a 1530. That was enough for me, so I didn't stress over it again. In Georgia, we don't have a single cumulative GPA. We have 17 different subjects, and I had 10s, which is the highest possible grade, in all of them. For English proficiency, I turned in a 110 on the TOEFL.
I honestly believe that having my test scores finished early was a huge advantage. It gave me three or four months to just think creatively about my essays. If you are still grinding for an SAT score in November, you don't have the mental energy to be brave in your writing.
Extracurriculars
My extracurricular profile was really the heart of my application, and I kept it focused on my school and my town. I spent four years building an economics club because I wanted my school to participate in the National Economics Olympiad. My friends and I actually had to contact the national organizers to get our school registered. We didn't just join a club, we brought the entire competition to our town. I also helped run a public speaking club that we eventually transformed into a stand-up comedy club, which added a bit of flavor to my profile.
One project I'm particularly proud of involved helping local entrepreneurs in nearby villages. These were older folks, mostly beekeepers or people running small metallurgy stations, who didn’t have good internet access. They were missing out on funding because they didn't know how to apply. My friends and I stepped in to handle the organizational side of things, and we actually helped five micro-businesses secure their funding. Beyond that, I did research on political polarization for an EU contest, and even spent time tutoring Georgian, Russian, and Ukrainian refugee children. I also made sure to include my love for painting because I wanted them to see my artistic side, not just the academic one.
Being Human in the Application
If I could tell applicants one thing, it's that admissions officers are human beings. Many of them are under 30. They understand cultural references, and they appreciate a good joke. You don't have to be formal and stale.
I was terrified of the administrative side, like checking the right boxes for my F1 visa or filling out the financial aid forms. That was the most stressful part for me. But when it came to applying, I let myself be funny and a bit daring.
When my acceptance came, it wasn't some grand movie moment. I saw it in the middle of the night in my bedroom. I sat there in disbelief for two hours before telling anyone. The best part wasn't the status of the school; it was seeing family members around me so happy.
Coming from a tiny town to a place that costs nearly 100,000 dollars a year is a massive jump. Thanks to financial aid, it's a jump I can actually make. I'm heading to Dartmouth to study social sciences and economics, and eventually, I want to take everything I learn back home to Georgia. Sometimes, all it takes is the audacity to try.
