The post Meet the Team: “Hard Work Can Take You to New Heights” appeared first on Project Access.
]]>The second I entered the rock-climbing gym at age thirteen, I immediately boasted to everyone I met that I would be an Olympian. Parents, coaches, and even random people. I’m sure the cashier at my local CVS found my goals quite entertaining.
Ambitious? Well… yes. But I was driven! The naïve claims that I would be World Champion within a year of competing may have been a tad overstated, but the vision was the key driver that has let me systematically progress towards my goal.
Over the past six years, I’ve trained relentlessly. Thousands of hours of hard work unlocked the amazing opportunity to join the Finnish National Team, and I have since represented Team Finland on the World Cup circuit. I’ve been pushed to test my skills during each and every competition, but I see a clear progression and each step forward motivates me further.
So, you may be thinking… what does this have to do with applying to university? Well, as it turns out, a lot more than you might think.
When I sat down to write my Harvard application essay, the biggest thing I tried to emphasize was my story.
What narrative did I want to show that tied all my activities, athletics, and academics together?
Why am I unique to other applicants?
What sets me apart?
My strong ties to both my Finnish and American identities, combined with the worldview I forged through my experiences as a competitive athlete proved to be my answer to these questions. Climbing helped me realize that there is no “either-or” answer, but rather an “and.”
I don’t think that I was accepted to Harvard for being smarter, more talented, or more accomplished than everyone else. I think I was accepted because I was able to turn every element of my application into a pillar that supported my greater narrative – I had a story.
So, as you approach your applications, I encourage you to look at everything you’ve done leading up to this moment and dig deep – find your vision, core, story, whatever you want to call it. The thing that has motivated you to get up out of bed every morning and do all the amazing things you’ve worked on over the past four years.
Once you’ve found that, make it shine. Show the admissions officers not only who you are, but why you are who you are. Look at each activity, supplemental essay, and main essay as a chance to highlight this core.
This doesn’t mean being redundant! If you find your driving vision, you will likely have many examples across many domains that you can highlight as a part of your application.
So all in all, as you tackle your college applications, let what makes you unique shine through. For me, it was my journey as an athlete. For you, it might be something like mastering the flute or discovering a passion for coaching after a sidelined injury. Whatever your story, own it with confidence — you’ll find the university that’s the right fit.
Rejections? They just mean it wasn’t your match.
Acceptances? They’re keys to doors you didn’t even know were there. Go tell your story and open them!
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]]>The post Project Access Wins International University Access Organisation of the Year Award appeared first on Project Access.
]]>Global education non-profit organisation and UK charity, Project Access International, is proud to announce that it has been named the International University Access Organisation of the Year 2024 and has received the UK Excellence in Social Mobility Award 2024 by Acquisition International.
Project Access is dedicated to levelling the playing field by providing equal educational opportunities to students from underrepresented backgrounds. We achieve this by helping applicants overcome various barriers — such as financial constraints, lack of information, privilege, gender, disability, and class — through a holistic screening process that addresses the unique challenges each student may face in their application journey. The award recognises Project Access’ commitment to fighting higher education inequalities and its remarkable progress in empowering aspiring, disadvantaged students.
Research highlights a troubling disparity that has persisted over time: US students from the top 1% of the income distribution are 77 times more likely to attend an Ivy League school than those in the bottom 20%. In the same vein, the UK’s most advantaged high school students are 15 times more likely to gain admission to a top university than the most disadvantaged – a number that continues to rise.
Project Access addresses the socioeconomic and underrepresentation gap by pairing student mentors from top institutions across the US, UK, and EU with high-potential, low-opportunity students who aspire to attend these institutions.
By widening awareness through such recognitions, Project Access aims to enhance support for eligible students by offering personalised mentorship throughout their entire university application process, free of charge. The project has assisted over 5,000 mentees from over 140 countries and has achieved a success rate of over 78%.
Lukas Popp, Chief Executive Officer at Project Access, said:
“Receiving the UK Excellence in Social Mobility Award is a tremendous honour for us. This recognition reflects the dedication, passion, and hard work of our entire team and mentors.
It highlights not only our collective achievements but also the strength of our internal culture, where each team member fully embraces and takes ownership of our shared mission. Our unwavering commitment to providing equal opportunities for high-achieving students from underrepresented backgrounds drives this success.”
Taran Glasson, Chief Mentorship Officer at Project Access, added:
“We’re extremely grateful to Acquisition International for the award, and for shining a light on the issue of global educational inequality.
Ultimately, this award is for two groups of people. Firstly, it recognises the hard work of our 150 student volunteers around the world. Secondly, and crucially, this award is for the thousands of underrepresented students we advocate for, but for whom more support is still needed. This is why we’re eager to build on the unprecedented growth we’ve experienced over the past 12 months by collaborating with like-minded organisations to benefit more students than ever before.”
You can find the official published article on page 11 of the Acquisition International Magazine HERE.
Project Access International is a global not-for-profit organisation and UK-registered charity that promotes equal access to education — our mission is “to create a world where passion and potential define a young person’s future”. With a key focus on the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union, we advocate for equal and fair access to top universities.
That’s why we’ve developed a free programme to support students who face barriers of any kind in their application — be they financial, informational, privilege, gender, disability, class, or otherwise — to both undergraduate and graduate programmes.
At the heart of our programme is one-to-one mentoring, whereby we pair applicants with a mentor who is studying the desired programme at their university of choice. In addition to mentoring, Project Access mentees join a community of applicants worldwide and receive access to an extensive pool of resources, content, and our dedicated programme classes.
Richa Ved
Public Relations Manager, Project Access International
E: [email protected]
Acquisition International is a monthly magazine brought to you by AI Global Media Ltd, a publishing house that has reinvigorated corporate finance news and reporting. Its topical news articles make it a valued read, and this readability ensures that advertisers will benefit greatly from their investment.
Acquisition International launched in 2010, and has, over the years, evolved into a business title that professionals rely on to bring them the business knowledge, insight and news they need. Each month our magazine is circulated to in-excess of 85,000 professionals, including Top Tier Managers, Investment Professionals, Business Advisers and Service Providers.
As well as the monthly magazine, we also have a dedicated website as well as Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook pages, all delivering up-to-the-minute news to our engaged viewers. To share the benefit of our vast network of contacts who recommend businesses, products and solutions, we also have a number of awards programmes running throughout the year, commending the businesses doing truly great things within their respective fields of expertise.
Image credits: Pexels
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]]>The post Dont’s for your Personal Statement – from an Oxford Student appeared first on Project Access.
]]>These are written from the perspective of a Law student at Oxford; hence I am less able to comment on peculiarities that may come up outside of Social Sciences subjects. Nevertheless, the general principles below should apply regardless of subject.
If you are writing a personal statement for a subject in the humanities/arts/social sciences I strongly recommend reading George Orwell’s Six Rules for Writing while writing your personal statement and ensuring that your personal statement does not breach any of these six rules.
A common mistake in personal statements is overly convoluted phrasing. This can take the form of sentences that are too long, the use of a confusing structure, and arguments/statements that are inconsistent. Often this signifies a lack of proofreading or a rushed personal statement.
A useful task to do to avoid this mistake is to seek feedback on your personal statement from friends or family. In addition, it is very useful to read aloud your personal statement to yourself in the mirror.
The reader of your personal statement will likely be looking for some combination of the following requirements:
Therefore, a good personal statement needs to address all three requirements. ‘Weak’ personal statements from otherwise talented students often miss one of the three requirements above.
As a side point, this is also why your personal statement needs to be tailored to the specific course that you are applying for.
A common mistake made when writing a personal statement is to merely mention an academic controversy, or area of debate, without really “unpacking” it. Unpacking refers to a process of explaining what is relevant about a topic that interests you and showing to the reader that you have thought about this subject in detail. This step of your personal statement is vital for applications for courses in the humanities or social sciences.
Here is a quote from an early draft of my personal statement, which mentioned an area of constitutional law (the law that binds governments and political systems) I found interesting. The excerpt was from a first (and very imperfect) draft.
‘In that context, one element of Indian constitutional law, the Basic Structure Doctrine, which emerged after the seminal case Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala stood out to me due to its influence in countries with similar judicial systems. The doctrine states that there are certain fundamental elements to a country’s constitution, such as the Rule of Law and Separation of powers, which cannot be modified or altered by the respective country’s parliament. What interested me in particular was the reasoning for its non adoption in the Singaporean context in Teo Soh Lung v. Minister for Home Affairs, and what it illustrated about the Singaporean Constitution about the Singaporean Parliament being able to modify all elements of the constitution without judicial review.’
This quote is unhelpful since it does not tell the reader anything useful, besides the fact that both Singapore and India have a constitution, and the constitution of the former can be amended much more easily than the latter. Common sense, or looking at a Wikipedia article, could have told you that; ChatGPT would probably give you a similar output. Let’s try working on that quote a bit.
‘One element of Indian constitutional law emerging after Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala, the Basic Structure Doctrine, stood out to me due to its resonance with legal developments in Singapore. It states that there are certain concepts so fundamental to a country’s constitution, such as the rule of law and separation of powers, which should not be modified by any nation’s parliament. Yet in Teo Soh Lung v. Minister for Home Affairs, a nation whose post-colonial legal system shares historical similarities with India’s, held that the doctrine did not apply to Singapore’s constitution. I was drawn to the contrast between the Indian Constitutions with their basic, unalterable principles, which held final authority, and the Singaporean Constitution, where all its components could be altered depending on the wishes of a democratically elected government and parliament.’
This quote, from a later draft of my personal statement, is slightly better. It gives a clearer idea of what is involved, but it still sounds less like we have a genuine interest in this subject and more like polished ChatGPT regurgitation. What if we were to incorporate our own personal thoughts into it?
‘One element of Indian constitutional law emerging after Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala, the Basic Structure Doctrine, stood out to me due to its resonance with legal developments in Singapore. It states that there are certain concepts so fundamental to a country’s constitution, such as the rule of law and separation of powers, which should not be modified or altered by any nation’s parliament. Yet Teo Soh Lung v. Minister for Home Affairs, in a nation whose post-colonial constitution shares historical similarities with India’s, held that the doctrine did not apply to Singapore’s constitution. The notion that my fundamental rights as a Singaporean could be hypothetically erased by a future government makes me worried about my country’s approach to the constitution. Yet preserving an antiquated constitution that resists evolution will not muster the confidence of the public.’
This quote, while not perfect, does much of what a personal statement is supposed to do in showing passion or interest in a subject, while acknowledging the nuances and complexities involved.
This is essentially what the process of unpacking means; it involves finding a topic you care about and explaining to the reader of your personal statement why that is significant to you. Good grades, competition medals, extracurriculars, and work experience are all important in any Oxbridge application. At the same time, interest in an academic area gives the reader of your personal statement a reason to invite you to an interview, if only to hear about your opinions.
All the best!
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]]>The post Project Access partners with AI Application Advisor, Anyverse appeared first on Project Access.
]]>Project Access partners with Anyverse, a free AI university application advisor, to democratise education for all.
Project Access partners with Anyverse, a free AI university application advisor, to democratise education for all. The UK-based advisor Anyverse is co-founded by Taran Glasson, our former Chief Mentorship Officer at Project Access.
Like Project Access, Anyverse’s mission is to ensure that any student from any background has the resources to get into their dream university.
Anyverse empowers students with expert advice by working closely with lecturers and admissions tutors from Oxford, Cambridge, LSE & UCL. They’ve been helping students to get into their dream university — all for free.
Anyverse, the free AI university application advisor, offers students:
Recently, Anyverse has also been conducting free workshops on ‘How to Write the Perfect Personal Statement’ at schools across the United Kingdom.
If you’re applying to UK undergraduate courses, you can sign up today for free support:
https://anyverse.app/.
And if you’re no longer a high school student, please feel free to share this opportunity with your mentees or your old high school to help more students!
If you’re keen to find out more, feel free to contact Taran directly via
[email protected].
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]]>The post Learning to Succeed at Cambridge & Beyond – with Kam Taj appeared first on Project Access.
]]>Kam Taj and his coaching organisation Exam Success Academy exemplify the mission – and the paradox – that sits right at the heart of Project Access; through all our mentorship, guidance and group support, there is a central thread of individuality and independence that defines all that we do – as we work to emphasise that there is no right or wrong path. After all, there is only your path.
Kam Taj, with all his charisma, candour and moving vulnerability embodies striking, sometimes life-affirming, duality, so that while his experience is undeniably his own, it can resonate – and most importantly can help – every single one of us in the Cambridge sphere and beyond. Paying forward his struggles and the resultant personal growth, Kam says:
“This is what I wish I had but wasn’t offered… what I wish I knew.”
He established the personal touch right from the off in an exchange with the audience that organically led into a discussion of Kam’s journey from a grammar school to Churchill College, Cambridge, and then onwards to consultancy and, most recently, nine years dedicating himself to coaching students in his (or rather in our) position.
The frank authenticity of Kam is rare, arresting, vital and powerful as he chronologically breaks down his Cambridge experience.
A first-year: plagued by Imposters’ Syndrome and the negative habits that it engendered, chiefly the indignant assertion that he would rather fail not trying than try his best and find out it is not good enough – all of which culminated in the wake-up call of Results’ Day.
A second year: in which his avoidance mechanism of sport took him no closer to academic fulfilment, and hurt in more ways than one. “I cried hard”, explains Kam, referencing his second-year Results’ Day, immediately after describing the agonising process that something as simple as putting on his socks had become for his overworked body and the breakdown in his relationship.
A third-year: moment which led him to a “very dark place”.
“I needed to drop out.”
Instead, he asked for help and learned to “fall in love with [everything] again.” His message is refreshing and provocative, challenging Cambridge to ‘kick him out’ if they do not find him good enough because he is going to do Cambridge ‘on his terms’.
Taking us back to his third-year moment, he said:
“I am going to reclaim my relationship with Cambridge.”
The tone of this initial exchange defines that of his wider ethos; to not shy away from the rough that underlies the smooth. While engaging with the student audience, Kam asks ‘what is exciting them’ in the same breath as ‘what they find worrying’ – typical of a decidedly holistic approach.
This is most evident in his Rules of Eight, bringing together the academic, mental, physical and social aspects to set out a pathway to success.
“Where better to learn than Cambridge”, he asks, playing off the apparent obliquity of the tongue-in-cheek statement to explode the preconceptions around learning and success in the historic institution.
“It is OK not to get it right.”
The tendency is to get lost in the Cambridge world and forget that the outer world exists.
Everything at Cambridge is done to 11, exaggerating the best and worst in yourself.
An eight-week term means you are learning at a pace you have never experienced before.
Nobody gets everything right all the time, and supervisors will certainly tell you when you’re not – but that is what they (and you) are at Cambridge for.
Everyone has been performing above average in their respective schools, and suddenly you find yourself in a university full of extraordinary people like you.
That niggling sensation that someone, somewhere, has made a mistake, and you shouldn’t be at Cambridge after all.
You may feel like you should be doing what everyone else is doing — even if it’s impossible to do everything.
It is natural to feel lonely at some points during your first year (and beyond) at university, as friendships shift, form and change.
With a healthy dose of curiosity and bravery, this is what overcoming the ‘Eight Challenges’ can bring you!
Fall in love with the city, its nature, and history and be grateful to live amongst such beauty – separate from any academic concerns.
If every part of yourself is amplified, you quite quickly get to know yourself and grow as a result.
Like a gym HIIT session, slowly your brain will become hench – or in other words, able to do new, exciting things.
Opportunities to improve are always positive.
You will learn to validate yourself.
Every day that you stay at Cambridge, you prove to yourself that you deserve to be there.
Try things for your own enjoyment – “You do you.”
Get to know yourself, grow comfortable and confident with your own decisions, and enjoy avoiding the things that you know are just not right for where you are right now.
Kam offered a wealth of practical information, delivering it with such hope and flexibility. His overall message is to move toward self-fulfilment through perpetual curiosity – asking yourself “What do I resonate with right now?”.
As we go step-by-step through the years of a Cambridge pathway, the focus is never far from personal growth and the satisfaction that doing justice to yourself brings.
Year One is about discovery and adaptation, Year Two is about rhythm (joining the “Cambridge dance”), and Year Three is about performance. It should be noted that by this point we are well-acquainted with the notion that ‘performance’ is always in the eye of the beholder — or rather that good results are at most a happy by-product of a better frame of mind.
Cambridge University offers an opportunity for success completely unbeholden to the number they print on the paper at the end: “What a chance!”
Image credits: Pexels
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]]>The post The shifting U.S. education landscape – and what this means for you? appeared first on Project Access.
]]>In recent years, the United States’ higher education has undergone considerable changes as universities have actively been taking bold steps to prioritise accessibility and equity. By ending legacy admissions, revising financial aid policies, and expanding support for underrepresented students, institutions are working to ensure that potential—not privilege—defines opportunity.
In 2024, California became the second state to ban legacy preferences on a statewide level. Legacy admissions, which give preferential treatment to applicants with family ties to alumni, have long been criticized for perpetuating privilege. By removing this practice, California’s private colleges ensure that all students—regardless of their familial connections—are evaluated based on their abilities and achievements.
“This move reflects a growing trend across U.S. universities to reassess admission practices that have historically favoured privileged groups.”
Several states and institutions have followed suit, emphasising holistic admissions processes that consider a broader range of factors beyond grades and test scores.
More than 2,000 four-year colleges in the U.S., including highly selective universities such as Columbia, Vanderbilt, and Duke, stopped requiring SAT or ACT scores for fall 2025 admissions. These shifts are particularly significant given the strong correlation between standardized test scores and family income. Wealthier students often have access to extensive resources such as private tutors, test preparation programs, and the ability to retake exams multiple times, all of which can substantially boost scores.
“In contrast, low-income students face significant barriers, including limited access to these resources and less well-funded schools, which tend to offer fewer Advanced Placement (AP) courses and test preparation opportunities. By removing standardised test requirements, colleges aim to mitigate these systemic inequities.”
Alongside these policy changes, U.S. universities have been focusing on improving financial aid accessibility and expanding first-generation student programs. To combat the financial struggles that serve as significant barriers to education, many institutions have expanded aid offerings and created specific scholarships for underrepresented groups.
A notable example is The NYU Promise, which guarantees that every undergraduate student — domestic or international — admitted to NYU’s New York campus with a family income under $100,000 will have their tuition fully covered. This policy even extends to current students who qualify, ensuring that their scholarships will be adjusted accordingly. Programs like this aim to make higher education more equitable for talented students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds.
Additionally, initiatives to support first-generation college students are becoming more widespread. Programs that provide mentorship, career guidance, and peer support are helping these students navigate the unfamiliar terrain of higher education. These efforts are designed to ensure that students not only gain admission but also thrive once they arrive on campus.
Organisations like Project Access play a critical role in supporting these efforts. With a mission to empower underrepresented students through mentorship and provide them with the tools needed to access top-tier universities — guidance on everything from application processes to securing financial aid — Project Access is helping to further these institutional changes.
The U.S. Undergraduate Program offers personalized support that prepares students for success, empowering them to navigate the complex higher education system.
“We at Project Access believe that students should thrive, not just survive.”
The removal of legacy admissions, coupled with the expansion of financial aid and first-generation programs, is part of a larger movement in U.S. higher education toward greater inclusivity. These actions show a clear commitment to creating a more diverse and equitable educational environment, where every student, no matter their background, has the opportunity to succeed.
Image credits: Pexels
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]]>The post Aiming High With Project Access appeared first on Project Access.
]]>Hey there! My name is Ceyda, and I’m a first-generation student and second-generation immigrant. Recently, I was accepted into Yale University as the first German applicant for the class of 2029. I spent the first ten years of my education at a German public school, before receiving a full scholarship to study the International Baccalaureate at an international school for my junior and senior years.
“I have always dreamed of attending an Ivy League institution because of the vibrant US college spirit, the research opportunities available to undergraduates, and the diverse, international student community.”
After studying in an English-speaking, multicultural environment during my last two years of high school, I became even more certain that this was the right path for me. Throughout high school, I dedicated most of my free time to local political work, and I hope to major in Political Science and Economics in college, to later pursue a career in governance.
Absolutely! My last two years of high school were especially challenging—during the application process, I had almost no free time, sometimes only an hour a day to myself. However, I believe much of the stress can be avoided with early planning!
If you’re considering applying to the US, aim to achieve your desired SAT score as early as possible—ideally before senior year starts. Prioritise getting at least eight hours of sleep per night; this is where many students struggle, leading to burnout. Lastly, I made daily exercise a non-negotiable, even if it was just 30 minutes.
There were many challenges on the journey to becoming a competitive applicant, but one of the biggest for me was self-doubt.
“It was difficult to imagine myself at an elite institution, especially when social media was filled with seemingly perfect applicants.”
If you know what I’m talking about, my advice is simple: don’t fall into the trap of comparison, whether with your classmates or with strangers online. It won’t give you an accurate picture of your own strengths, and more often than not, it’s toxic.
Instead, ask yourself: How can I make the very most of the opportunities I have access to?
I was incredibly fortunate to have a kind, supportive, and motivated mentor, who helped me and inspired me in many ways. Nilay gave me the confidence to apply to one of my reach schools, even though I was afraid of rejection.
She also made time in her busy schedule to check in on my well-being throughout the stressful admissions process. It was truly heartwarming to see how PA mentors go beyond just proofreading applications—they genuinely care about their mentees.
After reading dozens of supplemental essays from friends who were successful in the US admissions process, I’ve learned that the best essays are deeply personal and unique. My main advice is to ask yourself these three questions when writing and revising your essays:
I would tell myself not to stress about making my application look “perfect.” Sometimes, it’s better to focus on a few activities you genuinely enjoy rather than adding another leadership position, just for the sake of your résumé. Give yourself space to breathe, and choose activities you would enjoy regardless of college admissions. Embrace the process—you’ll end up where you’re meant to be.
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