I leaned into technology and making things real. I completed Logiscool’s Mix Intro and App Creation Workshop, then explored leadership and future skills at Robert College’s summer programs (Outdoor Leadership Training & Adventure and Future Life: An Experience-Based VR Journey). I also joined YMA Academy’s Next Generation Leadership and Career Discovery programs, which taught me to connect personal growth with service.

After ranking in the top 0.01% on the High School Placement Exam, I enrolled at Koç High School, one of Turkey’s most prestigious schools. While the academics were strong, the long commute became a serious challenge. Spending almost 4 hours each day on the school bus left little time for after-school events, club activities, or personal growth. By the end of 10th grade, my GPA was 85 — solid, but I knew I wasn’t reaching my full potential. That experience taught me that learning is not only about classes but also about the environment that allows you to explore, create, and contribute.

I deepened my programming with Logiscool Python Basic (431) and broadened my academic lens at DLD College London (Applied Math, Biology, Business, Chemistry, Economics & Entrepreneurship, Environmental Systems, Essay Writing, Physics, Media Studies). At Reach Cambridge (University of Cambridge), I studied Computer Science, confirming that building useful tools is where I’m happiest.

In 10th grade, I transferred to Hisar School after passing the entrance test. Hisar shares the same top-tier reputation as Koç in the High School Placement Exam rankings but had one decisive advantage — it was within walking distance of my home. This change freed up countless hours previously lost to commuting. My GPA quickly rose to 93, but the improvement was more than academic. For the first time, I had the time and energy to fully engage in club activities, take on extra courses, and invest in my personal interests. It wasn’t just about grades — it was about finally living the well-rounded student life I had been striving for.

At Summer Discovery: Dartmouth (Dartmouth Summer Scholars) I studied Data Science, and at Summer Discovery: Yale I worked on Quantum Mechanics and VEX Robotics. I also began stacking competitions: Canadian Computing Competition (Waterloo) and biology olympiads — proof that curiosity scales when you test yourself. On Coursera I completed University of Michigan’s “Programming for Everybody”, and at Koç University I earned Effective Speaking, sharpening how I present technical work.

This year I balanced AP exams with university-level study. At Stanford Summer Session, I took for credit:

CS 106A — Programming Methodology (A - 5 credits)
CS 193C — Client-Side Internet Technologies (B - 3 credits)
DATASCI 112 — Principles of Data Science (B - 5 credits)
STAT 110 — Statistics for Engineering & Sciences (A - 5 credits)

AP results reflected depth and consistency:

AP Chemistry (5 / A+), AP Computer Science A (4 / A+), AP Calculus AB (5 / A-), AP Computer Science Principles (5, self-study), AP Physics 1 (5 / A-)

Awards included AP Scholar with Distinction, CodeFest 2025 (Top 10), University of Waterloo Math Contest, CCC (Waterloo), and RIT High School Junior Award (USD 96,000 scholarship nomination). In 2024 I placed Top 15 at CodeFest and earned CCC (Waterloo), Intermediate Biology Olympiad (Bronze), UK British Biology Olympiad (Highly Commended), and İSBO.

By the end of 11th grade, my GPA had risen to 95 at Hisar School. Koç High School is a dream for many Turkish students, and I was proud to have earned a place there. High school, however, is a passage to the life ahead. Hisar supported me well and gave me the balance and opportunity for academic excellence combined with the freedom to grow as a creator, and community member.

I’m scheduled for AP Statistics, AP Calculus BC, AP Physics C: Mechanics, and AP Physics C: Electricity & Magnetism (scores released July). I’m also on track to earn the Fab Academy diploma at Hisar Fab Lab, bringing fabrication skills into my toolkit. Looking ahead, I plan to join or conduct research with Prof. Aydoğan Özcan (UCLA), exploring the space where AI meets imaging and health.

From nature-based learning to AP rigor, from Cambridge to Stanford, my academic path has been about converting curiosity into capability — and then turning capability into impact. I learn so I can build; I build so I can help.