FOR her persistence and strong desire to attain her dream, Nicah Santos landed a scholarship slot at Harvard University.

During the pandemic, Santos focused on her graduate school applications by seeking the free college advising service offered by the EducationUSA office of the US Embassy in the Philippines.

She is now on track to begin her Master’s degree in Education Leadership, Organizations, and Entrepreneurship at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education on a partial scholarship.

“EducationUSA provided helpful advice about preparing my application materials and was so encouraging throughout the process,” Santos said.

The former English teacher at Xavier School San Juan said she is excited to “learn from the world’s brightest minds.”

She added that Harvard’s career services office provided her helpful guidance in figuring out what to do next in her career.

“With the university’s help, we students underwent a skills gap analysis in which we figured out what knowledge, skills, and experiences we needed to gain to reach our dream positions and companies,” Santos said.

The teacher also encouraged other Filipinos to find a good-fit US graduate school that matches their career plans.

“Find a program that aligns perfectly with your career goals and interests.  Grad schools seek out prospective students whose values and ambitions align with their own.  If it feels right for you, then it may very well be for you,” she said.

A program under the US State Department, EducationUSA provides free advising services to prospective international students in more than 170 countries and offers students resources and tools to help navigate the five steps to US study: researching schools, identifying financial aid opportunities, completing the application, obtaining a student visa, and preparing for departure.