Swarna Jeewajee (MIT- Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

“You are lucky because your mom will help you with your US college applications,” many people told me.

True, I was lucky, but not necessarily in the way they might have thought. I was lucky because my mother could give me an earful when I was slacking off. I was lucky because she pushed me to take the SATs when all I wanted was to enjoy my school breaks. I was lucky because she convinced me that I should be actively seeking teachers’ recommendation letters when all I wanted was to prioritize my A levels like most HSC students would. I even found myself taking SATs in the middle of my HSC exams. Believe it or not, that turned to be my best score! My mother knew best!

Indeed, I was lucky because she stood by me throughout the application process, constantly urging me to see the larger picture, and make choices that would benefit me in the long run.

In Mauritius, sadly, not everyone can be a laureate. Yet, it is a dream that thousands of HSC students pursue, year in year out; I ranked 11th among girls nationwide. Had I not been offered acceptance with a generous financial aid at MIT, I could not have fulfilled my dream of pursuing my tertiary studies in one of the most costly institutions in the world. I may have missed the chance of having my name inscribed in gold on my high school’s board of honor, but I will forever carry within me, the golden MIT experience that I am currently living.

This would not have been possible, had it not been for the ongoing support of my mother: she gives her all when it comes to helping students with their college applications—be it her own children or other students. She is determined to see all her students succeed, and achieve, what she did not have the opportunity of doing, at our age. This is what makes my mother a most dependable admission counselor!