Trust the Process: One Family’s Journey to MIT, Penn, Penn State—and Back Again

A few years ago, I had the privilege of working with Loreen's triplets as they navigated the college admissions process. They ultimately enrolled at MIT, Penn, and Penn State.

When it was time for her daughter Gwen to apply, Loreen came back.

After Gwen's admissions season wrapped up, I asked Loreen what she found most helpful about the process.

Her answer wasn't about timelines or application strategy. It was about the story.

"The way Jessie organized and articulated my daughter's accomplishments for her activities and goals within her application while keeping everything tied to a clear theme."

She went on to explain that the theme wasn't something imposed on Gwen's application but reflected who Gwen already was:

"Jessie was able to do this in a way that fit my daughter's personality, which made the process feel natural and helped us get really strong results."

Loreen also shared some advice for families beginning the admissions journey:

"Encourage your child to be patient, especially when it comes to essays and supplements, and to understand that these pieces will go through multiple revisions."

As parents, it can be hard to watch your student revise the same essay over and over again. As students, it can be hard to receive feedback on something you've worked so hard to write.

But Loreen offered an important reminder—that feedback isn't personal: "Their guidance is meant to strengthen the message that your child is trying to convey in their application."

After sending four kids through this process, she understands better than most.

Gwen is headed to Penn this fall, and we are so excited for her! Loreen, thank you for trusting me with all four. That's not something I take for granted.