Stop Struggling With Your Grad School Application
You are at a coffee shop on a Sunday, working on your grad school essays, while your friends are at brunch sipping on mimosas. You stare at the blinking cursor on your Google doc, unsure what to write about in your personal statement.
Where do you begin writing your life story in 500 words?
Your life journey hasn’t been linear with many twists and turns. You maybe tried a few different studies and had a slew of different jobs, but work is no longer fulfilling. You have an underlying spark for a new direction in your career and know that grad school will be the perfect next step for your career.
However, you worry that you don’t have enough experience in the field to get in. Your GPA and GRE scores are unimpressive, and who will you even ask for a letter of rec?
You aren’t sure how to describe your past experiences and your enthusiasm for grad school in a way that makes you stand out.
So you continue procrastinating by scrolling the internet looking for resources on writing a statement of purpose.
After countless edits, you feel nervous asking for feedback. Your imposter syndrome constantly creeps up on you. You doubt whether you should even continue with your application and wonder if you are wasting your time and money.
That was my story.
Applying to grad school was months of torture,
constantly doubting myself.
I don’t want others to suffer alone like I did, so I created a YouTube channel and Grad App Academy, teaching insider secrets for applying to graduate school. I've helped over 500 people apply to graduate school, and in my experience on admissions committees for graduate school and fellowships, I've read upwards of 1,000 personal statements and statement of purpose essays. Most of the students I work with are first-generation college students or international students from Asia, Latin America, and Africa.
I regularly see the same mistakes over and over, and I know what it takes to stand out against tough competition. I've learned a lot along the way about how to guide students to stop doubting themselves and learn how to write powerfully.
Hi, I’m Lauren
Applying to Grad School Without the Stress
What would it be like if, instead of starting from scratch and scrolling the internet for resources, you had support to make writing the application essays quick and pain-free?
Instead of being alone and trying to motivate yourself to work on your application outside of your 40-hour work week, just imagine you have a weekly accountability group and a mentor helping you through the process and giving you feedback along the way.
That’s why I created Grad App Academy.
Inside the Grad App Academy Community, I help applicants gain clarity and confidence on their grad school goals and write faster and more powerful than ever before.
Watch your imposter syndrome fade away as you learn to write about yourself with confidence and ease.
Fast forward to a few weeks from now, where you will understand and embody the principles of how to tell your story in a statement of purpose or any application. You will take this skill set and apply it to any scholarship application, job application cover letter, or anything else you pursue!
Just think of how good it will feel after you hit submit on your application, confidently knowing that you put forward the strongest application possible.
Should You Go For It Alone?
You can find many free resources on applying to grad school, but the quality can vary. I started my YouTube channel to give the best free advice on applying. But going through free resources is time-consuming, and you might struggle to apply the information to your specific needs. You might find info on writing a statement of purpose, but what about writing a statement of purpose for a Master's in Computer Science? Or you might struggle to have the courage and confidence to reach out to professors.
I’ve heard from students I’ve worked with that they have previously tried downloading writing templates or self-paced online courses, but they end up being generic advice and aren’t targeted toward grad school.
You might have looked at consulting, proofreading, or essay review services, but these providers may not have experience on an admissions committee or be unfamiliar with your specific field.
Grad App Academy is my shortcut to working on a grad school application.
What I Do That's Different
I had to learn the hard way. With trial and error, through writing workshops, leadership seminars, and a lot of help from a supportive community, I learned to get good at applications.
I know what it’s like to struggle with writing about yourself. AND I know that massive improvement is possible.
My parents had me young and didn’t have the chance to graduate college. Growing up, we struggled financially, and I saw that going to college was my only opportunity to break the intergenerational cycle of poverty. Fortunately, I had the privilege of having a large Mexican family that believed in me and pushed me to do well academically.
I graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in architecture and a minor in international development. But college was challenging.
I felt like everyone was smarter than me, and I doubted whether I deserved to be at Berkeley. But a few mentors saw something special in me that I couldn’t see in myself. They encouraged me to apply for things I thought I was unqualified for and helped me believe in my potential.
Now, that is what I do with my students. I help you see what is special about you and help you communicate your potential.
I went on to be a Fulbright Scholar in Brazil. With a below-average GPA and GRE score, I got accepted to every graduate school I applied to (MIT, UCLA, UC Berkeley), with top scholarship offers from each school. I completed dual master's degrees in Public Health and City Planning. I also spent three years teaching UC Berkeley students, where I helped students improve their research and writing skills. In my professional career, I've written many grant applications and have been awarded over $4 million in grants. I'm not smarter than the average person, but I learned how to write powerfully and stand out on applications.
Working with over 500 students across countless disciplines, I’ve developed three pillars in Grad App Academy that will support you from deciding where to apply to negotiating funding and beyond.
Academic Coaching
I take a holistic view in reviewing grad school applications. I help you discover your strengths and communicate your potential. I do more coaching than directing. I'm not an expert on your life or your field of work. But I am a master of storytelling. I can point out your blind spots. I can help you connect the dots between your experiences. I will ask you tough questions to help you think deeply about what you want, not just in grad school but in life. It's not uncommon for me to have students cry when I hit an emotional chord or for me to be moved to tears when reading a powerful personal statement.
Group Learning
I believe that students learn best by seeing examples of what works and what doesn't, which is why my YouTube channel has many real essays of students admitted to top graduate programs. During my weekly office hours, we will learn together by reading many essays to learn from each other. All of us have blind spots in our writing. When we work in a group, the group can point out areas of weakness we often can't see ourselves. Someone may ask a question that you never thought to ask, but the answer ends up being beneficial to you. As I coach students through improving their essays, you will find that my prompts or suggestions also apply to you.
Wrap-around Support
We don't just focus on essays. Our curriculum takes you on a learning journey to help you develop the skills of identifying what programs are a good fit for you, teaching you how to do outreach to professors and potential advisors, how to write a strong academic CV, how to identify scholarships and how to be successful as a graduate student. You can ask questions about any part of the application journey through the online forum.
What's Inside Grad App Academy
Program Runs Sep 14th - Dec 19th
The program takes place in an online learning platform called Circle, where you will find the curriculum, resources, post homework, ask questions, and interact with a community of mentors and peers.
Curriculum
Our goal is to teach you the skills of being successful with any application, whether its grad school, scholarships or even a job. Each week will have a focus, exercises, and a homework assignment. The modules cover the following topics:
- How to select the best fit programs
- How to do effective cold outreach to students, alumni, professors, potential advisors, etc.
- How to craft a strong Statement of Purpose, Personal Statement, Diversity Statement
- How to research scholarships
- How to improve your resume
1
Office Hours
Lauren and Ashlee each host group office hours on Zoom to provide feedback and workshop applications.
Two time slots for Office Hours per week (Tuesdays at 9am Eastern Time, and Thursdays at 11am Eastern Time) are offered to cater to different time zones across the globe.
During Office Hours:
- We will summarize common mistakes we saw in the homework submissions.
- We will highlight homework submissions that are good examples for others to learn from.
- We will do breakout rooms and workshop the homework assignments together.
2
Community
SIGN UP HERE
We use an online community platform, Circle.so. There is a discussion forum to post questions and engage with the instructors and other students. In the online forum, you will get:
- Access to an online group discussion forum to get questions answered by Lauren & Team.
- Lifetime access to the alumni discussion forum to get support finding grad school funding, support on transitioning into grad school, applying for visas, etc.
3
Bonuses
- Lifetime access to private community discussion forum.
- First Access to Tools for Rapid Success:
- Sample Letters of Recommendation
- Sample CVs and templates
- Professor Networking Strategies
- Statement of Purpose Outline Template
- Over 40 Sample Essays not posted on YouTube
Testimonials
Three years ago, I applied to 10 Master's programs in the US. Of those 10, I got accepted into one school (my safety school). Needless to say, it was very disheartening, and I decided to take a year out before applying again.
To improve my application this time, I decided to sign up for Grad App Academy. As engineering students, we tend to think our essays play an insignificant role when compared to work experience, GPA, research etc., and as such, I questioned how useful this program would be for me.
To answer that question, I ended up getting into 3 of the 5 programs I applied to, and I'm now pursuing my Master's in Applied Data Science at USC with a $15,000 scholarship. The defining change in my application? My statement of purpose.
If you want to send someone your essay expecting a finished version in return, Grad App Academy is not for you. The truth is, only you can tell your story. Delegating the task to someone else will only result in a generic essay lacking authenticity and depth. However, if you want expert guidance on how to make your unique experiences and perspectives shine in your essays then this program is truly invaluable!
-Joshua, USC Data Science Student
I reached out to Lauren to gain clarity on how I can best convey my experiences, passion, and goals for the future in a succinct manner and was amazed with how she addressed my questions. She was able to tell me how I can detail out my experiences and make sure that my unique perspective stands out.
Her recorded video was especially useful as it provided personal, detailed inputs on my work. She has incredible first-hand experience and is empathetic towards applicants with diverse backgrounds - I highly recommend her resources and services.
I was accepted into both my top choices for graduate school, Carnegie Mellon (Master of Human-Computer Interaction) and UC Berkeley (Master of Information Management and Systems).
-Gowri Swamy
Stumbling upon Lauren’s insightful YouTube videos on navigating the maze of graduate school applications quite serendipitously years ago, I feel incredibly fortunate to have been part of her Grad App Academy’s first cohort.
Lauren’s exceptional talent in academic coaching lies not just in recognizing potential but in genuinely empowering others to unlock and fully realize it. In my case--an international and first-generation
graduate student who sought a return to academia after over a decade in the workforce--I faced a daunting path.
With Lauren’s unique wrap-around support, I overcame self-doubt, bridged the intimidating gap, and put my best foot forward: a transformative experience that made me finally achieve my strongest academic aspirations.
-Fulbright Scholar to MIT
Grad School & Beyond
It’s decision time.
Imagine if every time you had to submit an application for school, a fellowship, a grant, or even a job, you could feel confident hitting submit, knowing that you can powerfully communicate your story and abilities.
You could apply to more things because applications are quick and pain-free for you. As you get more acceptances and awards, your confidence grows, and you apply for bigger awards and promotions. Getting into grad school is just the beginning.
You can’t afford to waste the most valuable resources of all - your time and your potential. Don’t spend years reapplying to grad school. Don’t resign yourself to not applying for top awards and schools because you doubt yourself. Don’t settle for less than you know you are capable of.
Join me on this incredible journey of learning how to get good at applications.
Is Grad App Academy Right for You?
This is for you if:
You’re ready to commit to applying to grad school.
You want weekly accountability for getting your grad school app in.
You want feedback from experts on your application.
You’re limited on time and want the shortcut to working on your grad school application.
You want to eliminate anxiety and increase your confidence in applying to grad school.
You want to give yourself the best chance of getting into grad school with a scholarship offer.
This is not for you if:
You’re on the fence about applying to grad school.
You don’t want to participate actively with others.
You are not open-minded to constructive feedback.
You want someone else to write your essays for you.
You already feel confident about your grad school application and have a network of support.
The Team
Lauren Valdez, MPH/MCP
Instructor
Ashlee Dauphinais, PhD
Instructor
Lauren completed a Dual Master's in City Planning and Public Health at UC Berkeley, and an undergraduate degree in Architecture and Global Poverty and Practice. She was also a Fulbright Research Fellow to Brazil.
Lauren taught courses on international development as a graduate student instructor for 3 years at UC Berkeley. There she discovered her passion for mentoring students and helping them improve their writing. She has also served on admissions and fellowship committees.
In her career, Lauren has been awarded over $3 Million in grants and scholarships. She has worked in public health communications and community development in low-income communities of color.
Lauren is also the Co-Founder of Forte Labs, an online education company. She currently consults with health departments on community engagement and media messaging.
Ashlee Dauphinais has a PhD in Hispanic Linguistics from the Ohio State University, with additional background in anthropology and public health.
As the first person in her extended family to receive a Bachelor's degree, she is committed to uncovering the "hidden curriculum" of higher education and graduate school particularly for first-gen and other underserved students.
She was a Fulbright-Hays fellow in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where she conducted her dissertation research. She brings over 15 years of experience in higher education and over 9 years of mentoring undergraduate students, several of whom have gone on to graduate or professional school or received grants such as the Fulbright.
She is currently an assistant professor in a foreign language department and serves on the committee for her department's graduate programs, contributing experience from both sides of the graduate school application process.
Programs Our Students Have Gotten Into
Berkeley, MIT, Rutgers, Univ.of Alberta, Univ of Calgary, Cornell, Columbia, UCLA
Masters in Architecture/Landscape Arch
Masters in City Planning/Urban Design
Masters in Public Health
MIT, Cornell, Columbia, Berkeley, Carnegie Mellon, Uni. of Toronto, Washington Uni. in St. Louis, Uni. of Miami
Berkeley, Columbia, Emory, Boston U, Uni. of Washington, UC Irvine, U Penn, Harvard, John Hopkins, Uni. of Michigan, George Mason Uni, George Washington Univ., Stanford
Purdue, Univ. of Southern California, Univ. of Chicago, Northwestern UC Irvine, Vanderbilt, U Penn, Columbia, Uni of Waterloo, Uni of Toronto, Rutgers, Uni of Rochester
Masters in Computer Science/ Data Science/ Computer & Information Tech
Masters in Education
Harvard, NYU, Columbia, UIUC, UT-Austin, Purdue
Master of Public Policy / MPA
Princeton, Harvard, Berkeley, Duke, Columbia, Cornell, Georgetown, Uni of Chicago, Uni of Michigan, Carnegie Mellon, Uni of British Columbia
Masters in Electrical Engineering
Berkeley, Northeastern Uni, UT Austin, Columbia University, University of Michigan- Ann Arbor 5. Georgia Tech, Purdue, Imperial College London, Carnegie Mellon Uni
Masters in Business Analytics
Columbia, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, UC Davis, Purdue, University of Maryland, UC Irvine
Masters in Product/Design Engineering
Carnegie Mellon, Brown, Rhode Island School of Design, Parsons
UCLA
Masters in Applied Statistics
PhD in Education
Masters in Counseling/Psychology
University of British Columbia
Santa Clara University
PhD in Nursing
Masters in Social Welfare
Columbia University
Berkeley, USC
PhD in Policy
Masters in Aerospace Engineering
Univ. of Washington, Univ. of North Carolina
USC
PhD in Public Health /Community Health
Master of Information Management
John Hopkins, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Berkeley, Carnegie Mellon
PhD in Mechanical Enginering
Master in Energy Systems Engineering
Uni of Michigan, UT Austin
UC San Diego
Master in Bioengineering
PhD in Pharmacology
UC San Diego
UC San Francisco, UC Davis
Master of Industrial and Labor Relations
Cornell
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FAQ
Will I get personalized feedback on my essays from Lauren?
Yes you will get feedback from Lauren or the co-instructor Ashlee.
How long will it take to finish my application?
It depends on how much time you need to draft and revise your essays. The average student needs about eight weeks to have time for revisions and feedback.
When are the live office hour sessions?
Office Hours are hosted twice weekly, so you can choose the best time for your schedule. Office Hours are held on Tues, 9am Eastern Time and Thursdays at 11am Eastern Time.
What if I am not able to attend a session? Will it be recorded?
You can visit office hours as needed to fit your schedule and timeline. Sessions will also be recorded and posted in the community to rewatch as needed.
What if I am not comfortable sharing my essays during office hours? Can you review them privately?
No, if you are uncomfortable working in a group setting, you can still get value from going through the curriculum independently and listening in during office hours. However, there is tremendous value in sharing and learning from the group. Also, remember that your future professors will be on the admissions committees. You don't want to put anything too traumatic or vulnerable in your essays that you would feel uncomfortable with future colleagues knowing about you.
What if I'm concerned about plagiarism in the group?
A well-written Statement of Purpose is like your DNA. It can't be copied. Each sentence should be so unique and specific to your life experience that it wouldn't make sense for others to copy. If another person copied and pasted your entire SOP, they wouldn't get in because their resume, transcript, and letters of rec would not substantiate the experiences in the essay.
What is the refund policy?
We have a 14-day refund policy if you decide the program isn't for you.
Still Have Questions
Email team@gradappacademy.com