Eli

Eli Shi graduated from Stanford University with a B.A. in Human Biology and minors in Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity & Theater and Performance Studies. Currently based in San Francisco, Eli works as a freelance dancer and dance teacher while pursuing a Master's in Traditional Chinese Medicine to continue their family's lineage.

From Eli:

My approach to college application writing is simple: don't get overwhelmed, do the internal work to work through your frustration, and talk about something that makes you tick. Use your voice. Say things out loud before putting them on paper. Record yourself speaking and play it back to yourself. Be honest. Don't try to be quirky. Don't try to impress anyone. There are no gimmicks. Trust that you have interests and passions, even if they are hidden underneath other priorities like getting good grades or getting into college. Do the internal work. Use writing as a process to learn about yourself. Go deep, deep, deep. Don't worry about style, colleges don't care. Let go of the stakes, it's just words on a page, note, or Google doc. Don't fall pitfall to cliches. You are capable of being original.