What schools did you apply to?

I applied for Rolling Admission to the University of Pittsburgh, Early Action to the University of Southern California, the University of Michigan, Northeastern University, and the University of Chicago, and Early Decision to Johns Hopkins University.

Although I did not submit, I also had the Regular Decision applications prepared for Lehigh University, Columbia University, University of Pennsylvania, Harvard University, and others.

Where do you commit to, and why?

I decided to Early Decision to Johns Hopkins because of its heavy emphasis on cutting-edge research and the pursuit of discoveries. Known as America’s first research university, Johns Hopkins has led the nation in receiving research funds for over 43 years. Recently, Johns Hopkins acquired monumental federal funding to transform its hometown of Baltimore to become the nation’s hub for artificial intelligence and medicine. With my primary focus being on CRISPR, I am incredibly invested in the prospect of working in tandem with both globally renowned professors and the advent of artificial intelligence to explore the different facets of genetic engineering. As someone interested in making a tangible impact through academia research, I recognize that having an undergraduate degree at Hopkins would provide me with the tools, network, and experience necessary to make significant contributions to my field as early as possible. 

What are your academic/career aspirations?

After undergrad, I plan on joining either the Jennifer Doudna lab at UC Berkeley or the Feng Zhang lab at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. Jennifer Doudna, the 2020 Nobel Prize winner for her discovery of CRISPR, and Feng Zhang, the current patent holder and human gene-editing expert of CRISPR, are the two leading powerhouses in genetic engineering that I hope to learn from. In the future, I hope to work at an R1 institution where I can freely choose what I want to research. By working with dedicated graduate students, I aspire to work in my own lab and explore both the ethical implications and endless possibilities associated with CRISPR. With the discoveries that I make, I plan on establishing my own startups where I can ensure that CRISPR will be affordable, accessible, and safe for everyone. 

What are you most excited for next year?

I am excited to meet new friends, talk to professors about past papers, explore the city of Baltimore, and begin my own research at Hopkins.

What is your favorite North Penn memory?

My favorite North Penn Memory would have to be the daily Biology classes that I got to experience as a 10th grader with Mr. Boucher. His unique teaching style along with his clear passion for science made his class something I looked forward to everyday. Whenever we had scientific questions unfamiliar to him, Mr. Boucher would spend the night researching on recent discoveries to bring us a clear answer the very next day. I could always count on learning something new everytime I stepped foot into his class. Mr. Boucher’s profound dedication to science inspired me to take the path that I am on today.