For a high school student who had been growing up in Beijing and had never been to the United States , applying to U.S. colleges could have been an overwhelming experience for me. There were many key steps along the application process that every student must manage: college search, personal statement, essays, extracurricular activities and many more. I was very fortunate to have Mr. David as my college counselor - he sat down with me to explain in plain terms how the pro- cess worked, he helped me with my essays for numerous iterations until they were perfect, and he helped me arrange the workstream so that I never needed to worry about missing a deadline. Mr. David knows so much about colleges that identifying the appropriate ones was an easy exer- cise. He had collegial relationships at the schools where I applied and that led to me meeting the admission officers who read my application. I attended Duke University and graduated magna cum laude with a degree in Economics and Statistical Science.

Four years at Duke was a life-defining journey, where I built lasting friendship and discovered the career that I’m strongly passionate about. Through Duke, I interned and then worked at Deutsche Bank in the U.S. and am current- ly working with CMC Capital in Shanghai. Personally, the chance to study and work in a foreign country by myself taught me the importance of working with people from completely different backgrounds and my own role in a diverse community - something I may never experience in my home country. Now employed in the financial service industry in Shanghai, I look forward to a more exciting journey to unfold.