Meet Luis Aguero, a first-generation college-bound student from San Bernardino, Paraguay. Self-taught in English as well as the unfamiliar ways of the college admissions process in the United States, Luis navigated his admissions process entirely on his own: "I didn't have any information at all, I had to go out of my way to learn about the colleges, to learn about admissions and how it works..." He followed his dream toward an American undergraduate experience with the help of the U.S. State Department's EducationUSA program in Paraguay, a book he found about college admissions, and a certain podcast that appeared in his newsfeed. "There's a lot of talk about holistic admissions, but listening to you made me believe it," he tells Coffin. To anyone without a working knowledge of selective college admissions, Luis offers an accessible playbook for self-advocacy.
Meet Luis Aguero, a first-generation college-bound student from San Bernardino, Paraguay. Self-taught in English as well as the unfamiliar ways of the college admissions process in the United States, Luis navigated his admissions process entirely on his own: "I didn't have any information at all, I had to go out of my way to learn about the colleges, to learn about admissions and how it works..." He followed his dream toward an American undergraduate experience with the help of the U.S. State Department's EducationUSA program in Paraguay, a book he found about college admissions, and a certain podcast that appeared in his newsfeed. "There's a lot of talk about holistic admissions, but listening to you made me believe it," he tells Coffin. To anyone without a working knowledge of selective college admissions, Luis offers an accessible playbook for self-advocacy.
Lee Coffin:
From Hanover, New Hampshire. I'm Lee Coffin, Dartmouth's vice president and dean of admission and financial aid, and this is Admissions Beat.
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Every once in a while, I get listener feedback from students, parents, guidance counselors that makes me pause and reflect on the work we're doing on this podcast. And one of the things I've noticed over and over again is podding is such an interesting medium, but I can't see you consuming the story. In a typical day in my life, I would be on a stage presenting, watching someone listen and responding. This is a really different conversation. It's like radio. We put it out there, the listener hears it and we hope it lands. And a few weeks ago, I received the really lovely email from a listener, and the listener happened to be an applicant from Paraguay who reached out to say, "Thanks for the podcast and what it has meant to his search." So I responded and I said, "Hola, come on the podcast with me and let's talk about your experience as an international student." So I'm excited to welcome Luis Humberto Daniel Aguero-Diaz from San Bernardino, Paraguay. Hello, Luis.
Luis Aguero:
Hello, there. So I'm from Paraguay. I'm on a gap year, and I'll be part of the class of 2029 from Dartmouth.
Lee Coffin:
As I got your email and I looked back to see your application, you graduated from a very small rural high school in Paraguay. Tell us a little bit about where you attended school.
Luis Aguero:
So I attended in a very small school. It's around 80 people in total from high school. And it's been a wild journey, because I really didn't have any information at all during my high school years. I basically had to go out of my way to learn about the college admissions, to learn about how it works, about how do I apply? Where do I begin? And I was really lost because I didn't have any answers at all at the beginning. So my journey differs a little bit from the usual applicant because I learned about the U.S. colleges after I graduated high school.
Lee Coffin:
So let me pause you there. So when you were in high school, you had not been planning to come to the United States for college?
Luis Aguero:
Not at all. I was planning to do the tests that we do for the national university here. So I was preparing for math, geometry, algebra, and that sort of thing. And I actually did get in here, but after that I learned of the US colleges and everything.
Lee Coffin:
And so you changed course?
Luis Aguero:
Yeah, you can say that.
Lee Coffin:
Yeah, no, I mean that's a, it's a fascinating story to have gone through high school thinking you would be at a Paraguayan university and you were about to matriculate to an American university a couple years later. So let me go to your email you sent me. I think that's a really important component of what you're saying.
You started off, you said, "Dear Dean Coffin, you don't know me, but we've spent a lot of time together." Which I thought was a really lovely way of saying hello. And you said, "When I started this whole admission thing, I was lost. I kept asking myself, ‘What if my SAT score is not enough? How do I even begin my essay? What's my deal?’ Spoiler, I had no idea. You kept me company on long nights when my personal statement refused to make sense. You walked me through the process, nudging me to be real, to show who I am instead of guessing what the admission committee wanted to hear. You reminded me that this whole process goes beyond getting in. It's about telling my story in a way that matters. Not your exact words, but that was the spirit of it. So thank you."
Thank you for that because it was such a, all of us involved in Admissions Beat had a weepy moment. When I read that to them at one of our production meetings, I said, look at this, but how did you find us? How did Admissions Beat come on your radar as you were shifting gears from staying in your home country to coming to the U.S.?
Luis Aguero:
It all began with EducationUSA here in Paraguay. They are the official source for U.S. education at the embassies all over the world. And they told me that about Dartmouth. They basically told me that they were going to be here in Paraguay around May. After that I researched about Dartmouth. So what's this college? I began looking like, where's Dartmouth? What are some interesting things that are here? It popped up on my feed, the Admissions Beat podcast. So I told myself, "Well, let's hear it. Let's listen to it." Yeah, it was really interesting. It was, I think about the episode, about ‘What's My Deal?’ Because that was a really catchy name. I told you myself, "What's my deal?" And yeah, I didn't know why would a college accept me? Who I am and what do I want? So I began like that. I listened to the podcast and it really touched me deeply, because this whole process is like finding yourself because the process here at Paraguay is not based on holistic admissions, it's based on just numbers.
So you're nothing but a number. And I was prepared my whole high school journey to be that, just a number. And after I began researching about the holistic admissions, basically it was an introspection of myself. It was a journey to discover who I am because I had no idea. I only knew that I wanted to go to college to study computers, to study math, but I didn't know anything beyond that. I didn't know why I want to do that. What do I like? What's beyond just high school numbers and this education? So that's how I came to discover the Admissions Beat podcast.
Lee Coffin:
I love that. I love the idea that “What's My Deal?” was the episode that grabbed your attention. I thought that was one of our playful titles, where sometimes when we name them, they're a little boring and sometimes when we name them, they're a little more playful. And I think playful resonates with a lot of students. But I also really appreciate what you're saying about the difference between a numerically based admission process, which is the norm in most countries versus the United States where we do a very atypical holistic application where you as an applicant are more than numbers. And how did that feel? Did that feel empowering? Did it feel so alien that it was intimidating? How did it feel to be more than numbers?
Luis Aguero:
At first, it was really intimidating, because I wasn't aware of anything at all. I had an idea that you basically had to write an essay about yourself, that you had to answer different questions, that you have to put a story of yourself. But it was really alien to me, because for me, I'd been shown the admission process was just about doing a test and being good at it. And it was so different for me because I come from another country and it's not like that here. So what I did was I researched a lot about it.
So I discovered a Common App, the different tests that I had to do, what clubs and extracurricular activities are, because that is not really an established thing here. It is not the norm to have different clubs and meetings outside of the, let's say, curricular ones. So I had to discover a lot of things, but luckily I already did a lot of those things at high school. Not because I wanted to get into college or anything, but because I really liked those things. I had multiple passions and I built upon that to do all of my college and essays and everything.
Lee Coffin:
Yeah. Well, and you're doing exactly what we advise students to do, which is don't do things because it looks good for your application, do things because you enjoy them, you love them. And your story then becomes authentic, because you're telling your story that grew from your own activities and interests that were organically you. And you said that in your email too, that, "The process started to feel human. There's a lot of talk about holistic admission, but listening to the podcast made me believe it. At times, it felt like trying to win a game without knowing the rules. But as I listened, became less a game and more like a conversation." A conversation between you and the college, is that how it felt?
Luis Aguero:
Yeah, because at first it was writing to an unknown entity. It was writing to higher entity that basically you have no contact with. But after I began listening to you, that made me feel like, okay, admissions officers are in fact real people. They are just like me, just like anyone else. They actually read your things and they can feel emotions. Because well, the Common App itself is let's say really the opposite of that because yeah, you're right. And you have no contact with a human at all. You are basically, it could be an AI for all I know. It is really unknown. And when I began, I was like, "Okay, I have to do something about this." And I was so lost the beginning. But then after I began, I also, apart from the podcast, I read a book from, I don't remember the name, but she was an admissions officer as well at Dartmouth.
Lee Coffin:
Yeah. Oh, Becky Sabky. Valedictorians at the Gate, that book?
Luis Aguero:
Yes, that is.
Lee Coffin:
So listeners, Luis is referencing a book by my former colleague Becky Sabky called Valedictorians at the Gate, where she reflects on her work as an admission officer at Dartmouth before I was dean. It's still a, it sounds like you're telling me that it was a helpful way of peeking inside the admission process and helping you move forward.
Luis Aguero:
It was like complementing the information I got from the Admissions Beat podcast. So that's how I began my journey, learning about colleges and everything.
Lee Coffin:
So if you were giving advice to your peers around the world, so a small assignment there, Luis is representing the global applicant pool, but there are a lot of students like you who are first generation college bound, attending schools that don't normally send students to the United States or maybe even the UK or Canada. Your journey is atypical of the community where you are, and you have to be very self-reliant. And I think the story you're sharing for listeners is someone who found his way on his own. I mean, there's a degree of independence here, with the help of EducationUSA in Paraguay, but you had to be the one to initiate a lot of this. And what advice would you give high school students who will apply next year who are coming from communities and countries like yours?
Luis Aguero:
So this may sound cliche, but do what you like. For example, if you like math, go there and try to win Olympiads. If you like computers, you should go there and make programs and stuff, which people will use. If you like other things, you should make use of that talent and make it worthwhile because that way you will have proof of what you have done. You will have an impact on others, not just on yourself. It will be more impactful for everyone else, for your community, for the people around you. So that's my advice.
Lee Coffin:
That's good advice. And was EdUSA a resource you would also encourage?
Luis Aguero:
Yeah, definitely. They basically helped me a lot, not just with the costs, for example of the TOEFL, the SAT, but they help me a lot with advice like, where should I apply? How good is my profile? They also advised regarding my essay, and they are really helpful. If you have an EducationUSA office near you, you should definitely go there. They are friendly, they're helpful, and I cannot emphasize how important they were for my journey.
Lee Coffin:
Yeah, what I laughed about too is you said in your very first sentence, "What if my SAT score isn't enough?" And I won't tell the world what your scores are, but they're very good. So how did you find your way through standardized testing? Because assuming that's not, well, tell me, maybe it is normal in Paraguay to take a test that's similar to the SAT or did that feel like a whole new space for you?
Luis Aguero:
Yeah, so this was a new thing for me because, well, I am used to taking tests in Spanish. I didn't have math in English in my high school, so I had to figure that out from the beginning. Luckily, EducationUSA helped me with that because they offered me classes in math and English to help me navigate through the material of the SAT. And it was really intimidating in the beginning. Like, okay, the SAT is something I need to do and I need to prep for it. But I didn't know how good or bad I was at it until I actually took the test and it was really scary. But at the end it was something that is necessary because that way you show how good or bad you are academically to the college. Although it is not representative of yourself as a whole, it is a component that needs to be looked with the rest of your application as well.
Lee Coffin:
No, that's exactly right. And what's so interesting about that example you gave, Luis, is you're a student in a Spanish-speaking country who followed a math curriculum taught in Spanish. And so I don't think most people stop and think, "Oh, the SAT would capture your English ability on the verbal side." But on the mathematics part, the numbers are also framed in an English-speaking perspective.
Luis Aguero:
It's really different, because you don't really notice it until you have had the experience of doing the test in Spanish and separately in English, because there are just concepts that are framed differently, as you said, in Spanish and in English or in another language. So that's another barrier for people who are going to take the SAT. But with enough study, it should be enough to solve that problem.
Lee Coffin:
After taking the SAT in English, are you nervous about coming to an English-speaking curriculum in the United States? You're going to land here in the fall, and unless you're taking Spanish, all of your courses will be in English. How does that feel as you approach it?
Luis Aguero:
Yeah, so it is a little bit overwhelming, because I never had the experience of not even taking classes in total English, but I didn't have the experience of being surrounded by English-speaking people. So it'll be my first time as well of having the experience to talk to people in English, of being surrounded by English. And yeah, it is a little bit scary, but I think I'll manage with the help of everyone basically.
Lee Coffin:
Well, you're certainly proficient in English and you seem quite fluent, and as I understand it, you're self-taught, is that correct? You taught yourself English?
Luis Aguero:
Yeah, mostly the basics. But EducationUSA, they had classes as well for grammar or SAT English specifically as well. So you could say that they helped me a lot to improve my English, so thanks to them again.
Lee Coffin:
Yeah. Well, tell me about Duolingo. You use Duolingo as your English proficiency exam and right before we started this conversation, I watched your video again and you were answering a question about libraries and whether they were still relevant in the 21st century. And your point was, "Yes, they're very relevant." But was that experience of staring at a computer screen and answering a prompt in English, what was that like?
Luis Aguero:
So it is more intimidating than speaking to someone, because you can kind of hear your voice and you can hear the mistakes that you've made and you're pressured to talk to the computer, you have to do it. There's no way around it. You cannot just pause, you cannot just look another way to think a little bit. So it's intimidating, definitely. But I wouldn't be worried if I was an international student, because it will be easier that you think. I thought that it would be harder, definitely.
Lee Coffin:
I mean, I found your Duolingo session to be really thought-provoking because you started talking about the permanence of books as a repository of knowledge from thousands of years versus the danger of digital books somehow being lost to a galactic storm. I thought, "I've never thought of that." So even in this test of your English skills, you were able to bring some really interesting ideas into this conversation about the relevance of a library in a digital space, so kudos.
Luis Aguero:
Thank you.
Lee Coffin:
Yeah. The last thing, just a compliment. You said,back to the pod, you said, "I'll remember all the nights you unknowingly sat with me. All the moments your words made me feel like I wasn't just shouting into the void." And I have to say, just as a dean who does a podcast, that really poetic line for me was a reminder of why we do this. And I wanted you to come join me on the pod as a representative of listeners, but also students who are not in the United States. And many of our listeners are in countries all around the world, which is very humbling. But I liked the idea that this podcast helped you feel more confident about what you were doing and that you weren't by yourself.
Luis Aguero:
Yes. Because the thing is, you may have the idea that everyone who listens already knows this stuff, but that really isn't the case. People like me who are in another countries, we do not have that information given to us. We have to research it by ourselves. And this podcast was really valuable, because it helped us catch up with the American students who are already in the game, let's say, let's put it that way. So thanks.
Lee Coffin:
Yeah, no, de nada. It's really my pleasure to do the pod, and I so appreciate the message you sent letting me know that these conversations helped you answer what's my deal, but also helped you achieve this dream you had to come to the United States. So thank you for that. Thank you for listening. And just to listeners, Luis applied to Dartmouth College as an early decision applicant. He was accepted, and he will be enrolling in September. The message from him came after his acceptance. So I didn't know about this until his letter had already been sent, but it makes me smile to know that the student from rural Paraguay is making his way to Northern New Hampshire in a few months.
Luis Aguero:
It'll definitely be cold.
Lee Coffin:
It's going to be cold, yeah. You just buy a couple of sweaters.
Luis Aguero:
I will.
Lee Coffin:
Yeah. It's okay. Well, Luis, thank you for joining me on Admission Beat. Thank you for your letter. Congratulations on navigating your college search on your own in English. And I look forward to saying hello in person in the fall.
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I love having student voices on Admissions Beat, and I think Luis is a good example of someone who leaned into self-advocacy and he made his search happen because he found the resources to teach himself how to do it. And I am really humbled that Admissions Beat was one of those resources. His episode was sparked by an email, and I wanted to bring him on as a way of saying to all of you, you got this, you have information, whether it's the podcast or other sites on the internet, or EducationUSA in his example where you could map a path forward if that's your choice. And I think Luis to the really great example of that. Next week we will meet Mary Pat McMahon from Duke, the Vice President, Vice Provost of Student Affairs, and we will ponder the question, "Now what?" as seniors like Luis, who have just finished their college search, turn the corner and start to map out their path to college. So for now, this is Lee Coffin from Dartmouth College. Thanks for listening.