三名本科生合作，将无障碍, high-quality education consulting services to the community. 现在，他们的业务已经扩展到十大赌博正规老平台以外的地区.
两年前, 24岁的Adarsh Mavathaveedu在家乡弗莱明顿帮弟弟填写大学申请, 新泽西, 当他醒悟过来的时候.
“我可以为他提供丰富的资源和指导——这些资源是我希望自己在高中时就拥有的,“ 十大赌博正规老平台 神经科学专业的学生说. “But being the eldest child in an immigrant family, I had navigated the process alone. 我想，‘如果有一种方法能让我哥哥和像他这样的学生得到免费的建议呢?’”
当Mavathaveedu向26岁的Hana 张提出自己的想法时，他是十大赌博正规老平台生物课的助教, 一个健康, 行为, 和韦斯特伯里的社会专业, 纽约, 以及26岁的凯拉·唐纳利, 维克多的神经科学和心理学双学位, 纽约.
“我们一起创立了 项目平整场地Mavathaveedu说. “我们的座右铭是‘让大学申请变得更好’.’” (A take on the University’s motto of Meliora, meaning “ever better”).
The rise of educational consultants in college 招生
Free advice to aspiring college students is available online, 尽管在没有更熟悉美国大学申请流程的人的帮助或指导的情况下找到它并申请它可能是具有挑战性的. There are also numerous independent educational consultants, 或iec, 在全国范围内提供一对一的学生辅导. 但这是一项代价高昂的冒险 data from the Independent Educational Consultants Association, most IECs charge more than $4,000 per year for services, with some as high as $40,000.
IECA报告说大约有1个,500 full-time independent educational consultants in 2010, 这个数字已经飙升到近10个,今年是1000万, 估计还有10人,000 to 15,000兼职工作. The reasons for the influx include the increased cost of higher education, 超负荷工作的高中辅导员, 改变大学录取的趋势, 在某种程度上, 随着介绍 1975年通用申请. 大约在一代人之前，考试成绩和平均绩点是关键的决定因素. 现在, 许多学院和大学, 包括罗彻斯特, 减少对标准化考试成绩的重视，在录取选择时采取更全面的方法.
多年来, college 招生 process in the United States has become increasingly complex, 部分原因是学生们正在申请更多的大学,Jason Nevinger说, 十大赌博正规老平台的高级主管 招生. “申请量的增加, 再加上招生办公室管理申请过程的非标准化方法——使用标准化测试, 以及各种应用方案，如 早做决定，早行动这导致越来越多的家庭求助于付费的教育顾问，以帮助他们在大学录取过程中获得优势. But, in general, it’s those families with the financial means that can afford them.”
使大学申请过程更容易
Mavathaveedu, 唐纳利, and 张 created a program that would “level the field,“为代表性不足的第一代学生提供成功开展并完成当今大学申请流程所需的指导, 这通常包括写一篇长篇文章, 编写简历或活动清单, 获得推荐信, 并提供高中成绩单.
项目平整场地 currently has 12 volunteer student mentors—10 from Rochester, 一个来自新泽西理工学院, 还有一个来自北卡罗莱纳州. “We connected with the non-Rochester students through LinkedInMavathaveedu说.
The group’s mission is to ensure that everybody has free, high-quality college application resources regardless of race, 种族, 或者财务状况. 比如付费的教育顾问, Level the Field students—who refer to themselves as mentors—provide various services, 包括简历创建, 大学论文编辑, 面试培训, 以及财政援助. 作为指导过程的一部分, 他们还帮助参与的高中生十大赌博正规老平台并编制一份他们可能申请的潜在大学名单.
Project leaders reach out to high school guidance counselors, 提供面对面或远程一对一的课程. 他们也会在小组中推广他们的志愿工作 网站 Instagram (@projectlevelthefield). Outreach efforts and events have taken place at many Rochester area high schools, but mentors also have advised students at their former high schools.
“这一切都是关于回馈，”Mavathaveedu说.
到目前为止, 150多名高中生——大部分来自罗彻斯特市学区——参加了这个项目, with students being accepted to a range of higher education institutions. Mavathaveedu说，学生们已经被康奈尔大学等常春藤盟校和十大赌博正规老平台等名牌大学录取, 宾夕法尼亚州立大学, 巴黎圣母院, 罗格斯大学, 和锡拉丘兹, as well as community colleges and small liberal arts colleges.
该组织计划在未来一年从十大赌博正规老平台和约翰霍普金斯大学分别聘请约20名新导师, and recently filed paperwork to become recognized as a non-profit organization, 这将进一步扩大他们的影响力. 即使是在Mavathaveedu，他们也在大幅扩张, 谁构思了这个项目?, 准备在五月毕业.
在罗彻斯特拉平场地，同时向外扩张
张, 移民的女儿, 她说，“平场项目”很有吸引力，因为她想改变那些和她有同样经历的学生的生活.
“I was scared to reach out for help when I was applying to college,她说。. “I didn’t share my 招生 essay with anyone because I didn’t want to be judged. If I didn’t get in, I felt people would see me as a failure.”
张老师和她的学生们有着强烈的联系，因为她和他们目前的经历并没有太大的距离. “当我们第一次去十大赌博正规老平台的东部高中时，, 我比学生们大一岁,她说。. “我能理解他们的经历和艰辛.”
去年11月, 项目水平领域与十大赌博正规老平台兄弟会在大学的河校区共同举办了一次医学预科研讨会 σφε. The event included representatives from the University’s 本科生十大赌博正规老平台办公室, 格林职业教育和联系中心, 少数族裔医学院预科学生协会，以及其他.
More than 160 十大赌博正规老平台 undergraduates attended.
“Level the Field has a great mission with a great cause,乔纳森·布拉特说, a senior career advisor at the Greene Center who 太k part in the symposium. “他们看到了需求，并开发了一种方法来支持和鼓励需要指导的高中生和大学生度过整个申请过程.”
即使Mavathaveedu毕业了, 项目平整场地’s other founders are excited about expanding beyond Rochester.
唐纳利说:“我们想在一些导师所在的地方建立新的分支机构。. “虽然这个项目起源于十大赌博正规老平台, its missions and values transcend the confines of any single community. 我们知道没有阿达什会很困难. He’s been an accessible and insightful mentor, integral to our journey.”
唐纳利说, “The greatest challenge lies in the uncertainty of the future, 但是作为一个团队, 我们喜欢接受挑战, and cannot wait to see how Level the Field will grow in the future.”
Tips from 项目平整场地’s student educational consultants
The founders of 项目平整场地—Keira 唐纳利 ’26, Adarsh Mavathaveedu ' 24, and Hana 张 ’26—offer tips for high school students interested in applying to college.
选择质量而不是数量.
高中生经常会打一场“简历大战”,仅仅因为看到别人这样做，就觉得有必要参加自己可能不感兴趣的活动. 当他们把自己和同龄人比较时,y may unnecessarily feel like they are falling behind. 在现实中, 每个人都有独特的品质, 个人应该参加他们热爱的课外活动. This ensures that not only do you spend time doing things you love, but that it also translates well for the application process. 对一些你喜欢的活动有一个明确的承诺，比一长串肤浅的约定更有说服力.
休息一下.
许多学生在大学申请过程中忽视了他们的身心健康. We can only produce our best work when we’re feeling our best. This means actively protecting our health by scheduling periodic rest days, 吃好, 锻炼, 与家人和朋友共度时光.
请注意, 太, 很少有一个理想的时间开始写通常要求的大学申请论文. 通常，写一篇完美文章的压力会阻碍和拖延写作过程. However, some clues may indicate that you should take a break. 例如, 如果你感到精神上的迷雾, or if you’re having trouble staying awake or concentrating, 是时候休息一下了. Go for a walk, take a nap, clear your head, and come back.
类似的, 你的环境会起到很大的作用:我们建议找一个干扰最小的地方, 自然采光, 一个能让你好好工作的环境.
保持开放的心态.
A rigid mindset can prevent you from exploring schools and limit your application pool. College is largely about taking risks and discovering yourself, 所以不要犹豫，在申请过程中冒同样的风险，尝试新事物. 我们中的许多人都过于关注常春藤盟校的声望，而忽视了其他院校的绝佳机会, 无论是国内还是国际. 不管录取率如何，许多大学都提供同样有价值的教育经历. Taking risks means considering schools in unexpected locations. Sometimes, place we least expect to find ourselves is where we truly belong.
做真实的自己.
You will attend the college you choose, not anyone else. Find a school that meets your criteria with regard to academics, 辅助课程的机会, 体育运动, 和更多的. Visualize your ideal college experience, considering both social and academic aspects. Ask yourself: “Are there social organizations that represent my identity and beliefs? Are there student clubs tailored to my hobbies and interests? 这所大学是如何处理校园冲突的?“选择一个既能促进个人成长，又能提供安全空间的地方至关重要. 你探索得越多——阅读在招生网站或网上其他地方发布的学生经历, 会见在校生, 最后参加录取学生日——这样你就能更好地决定哪所大学最适合你.
