In this interview, Gianna, a high‑school senior who participated in the College Ready program, reflects on her freshman year during the peak of COVID, shares advice for her younger self, and describes how she began working with College Ready late in her senior year. She highlights the personalized one‑on‑one counseling she received, which helped her craft individualized essays and activity lists. Gianna applied to 12‑13 colleges—including several UC and CSU campuses, UCLA, and Loyola Marymount—and was admitted to all but one. She has committed to Loyola Marymount to play soccer but is still weighing UCLA as her top choice. Gianna reveals her academic credentials (4.67 GPA, 1260 SAT) and notes she only submitted her SAT score to Loyola Marymount. Looking ahead, she plans to study business and hopes to expand her small‑scale photography venture into a full‑time business or integrate it into a marketing career. The interview underscores her newfound confidence, the value of personalized college counseling, and her excitement for future academic and athletic opportunities.
Chapters
So your senior year is coming to a close, and I am really excited to give a snapshot in time. So let's start with the freshman you. Can you remember all the way back to your freshman year, the things that you were concerned about, or the things that you wish you could have done differently? Any advice if you were to do your freshman year all over again?
Well, for me, my freshman year was like peak COVID, so it was a completely different learning environment. But I think that what I would tell my freshman self is to trust the process, because I think in the moment, especially as a freshman, it felt like the whole COVID high school style would never— was never going to end, when like in reality it did relatively quickly. And The rest of my high school was pretty normal, but I would think— I would say that, yeah, just trust the process and like be excited about learning and excited about the next 3 years and like the classes you get to take and all the new people and all that.
Yeah, I love it. When did you start with College Ready? What grade were you in?
I started the summer going into my senior year, so pretty late.
Yeah, so that's— I mean, you were definitely on your way, right? And so going into your senior year, such an exciting time. And what was the, the best part about working with College Ready? What, what would you tell another student who is considering it?
Um, I would say the best part is definitely having a counselor who one-on-one knew you really well and got, like, at the beginning got to know you as, like, an individual and therefore could like personalize your experience in your college application process and really help you like dive into like all the essays and your activity list with a personalized approach rather than just any random person who's like, well, this is what a successful application looks like. She's like, at least with me, Christine was very intentional about getting to know me first., and then taking that and using it to create individualized essays and activity lists and all that.
I love it. I love it. How many schools did you apply to?
I think it was 12 or 13.
Okay, excellent. And how many did you get into?
I got into all but one. What?
That's outstanding. Thank you.
Oh my goodness.
Can you remember off the top of your head the schools you applied to?
I applied to Cal State Fullerton, Cal State Long Beach, Cal— or San Diego State University, Cal Poly SLO, UC San Diego, UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara, UCLA, Westmont, Point Loma. I think that was it. Westmont, Point Loma.
Outstanding! Do you know how— and, and I have to have it on record— are you— what state do you live in?
I live in California.
Do you know statistically that you have broke every odd with being a California student and getting into that many UC and state schools?
I did not know that.
Yes, you should be so incredibly proud of yourself. So have you made your final commitment? Have you committed?
I actually also applied to Loyola Marymount and got in. So I am committed to Loyola Marymount to play soccer, but I also got into UCLA, so I haven't officially decided yet. But those are my top two. I think I'll probably end up going to UCLA, but I'm just really waiting it out and making sure before I ultimately make a decision.
Yeah, I mean, you have a quality problem, is you got into so many great schools. And for, for your future self, I can't wait to hear what you finally commit to. That's gonna be super exciting. What did you learn about yourself during this college application process?
Honestly, I like, I learned that I was capable like of doing that. I never like, I don't know why I just didn't believe in myself for some reason. I didn't realize that I, I was capable of getting into these schools. I never ever expected to get into expected to get into these schools. I was honestly like, most of those schools were REACH schools. And, um, yeah, I think I, I just learned that like I can like have more faith in myself and like realize like you are capable of doing these things. So it was really— it gave me confidence.
Yes, and you deserve it. Will you share what your GPA test scores. Will you share what those were when you applied?
Yes, so I had a 4.67 GPA, and, and I took the SAT once and got a 1260.
Okay, so did you go test blind? Did you put your test score or not?
I put— only put my test score for Loyola Marymount, I believe. The rest, I don't think Cal States or UCs ask for them, right? Yes, and I don't— I might have put them for Point Loma and Westmont. I might have, but I'm— I know for sure I did Loyola Marymount.
Outstanding. You have such a great opportunity, and being a scholar athlete, that's going to make a huge difference as well, right? Because that's your sport, you love it, and, um, I cannot wait to find out exactly where you've decided. What are you looking most forward to either at UCLA or Loyola?
Well, if I decide to go to Loyola Marymount, I would be really excited about being able to be a student athlete and having that experience. But I think overall, going to either school, I would be studying business and they're both great schools for business. And I think I would just, I would just be excited to be in a new learning environment with new people. And all surrounded by people who are also passionate about the same thing as me.
Oh my gosh, so exciting. So for the future, you, you're gonna go into business. Do you have any idea, like, are you gonna open your own business? What are you thinking?
Potentially I would want to start my own photography business. Um, I mean, like, I kind of already have just like like to a small scale, but hopefully I would be able to grow that into like a successful something that I could live off of and be my full-time career or go into marketing and kind of use photography in that aspect of business.
Outstanding. Well, we at College Ready are so excited for you. You had a massive successful season and we just can't wait to see what's in front.
