I had the privilege of working with Becca when she was at Accepted, and I am 100% sure I would not have had so many great results if it wasn’t for her. She made me do a lot of work throughout the whole process, but everything proved to be valuable. My statements, CV, and other required materials were infinitely better than the ones I would have produced without Becca’s feedback. I know this because I came to Becca after total failure in the previous application cycle, and after working together I was accepted to my top three PhD programs with full funding at each. It’s important to note that Becca’s engagement with my drafts fully preserved my personal, professional, and research trajectories, as well as my achievements and aspirations. Everything in my written materials was specific to me. Becca taught me to connect my personal trajectory to my research interests and future goals, and go on to specify why each program would be the right choice. She helped me show my best self to the faculty. This was one of the best investments I have made in my life.
Diana C. — PhD in Statistical Analysis at Upenn
Becca has been a life-changing mentor to me. When I first arrived at the UCLA Scholarship Resource Center in the fall of my first year, I felt anxious and vulnerable in needing to find and apply to scholarships so that I could gain financial independence from my parents who did not support me as a queer and trans person. With kindness and compassion, Becca helped me find and apply to over 12 scholarships in our first year of working together. Over four years, I applied to 34 scholarships, became financially independent, and graduated debt-free from UCLA with a BS in Psychobiology. Scholarships received for community service, leadership and advocacy in LGBTQ community allowed me to focus on my goals and try to just enjoy my time as a college student. I also became a finalist for both Truman and Marshall, national scholarships for graduate study. Through this all, Becca was incredibly kind, patient, reassuring, and optimistic. When I was overwhelmed, she gave me space and support to keep working at my own pace, providing me with spreadsheets and templates to keep organized. I have learned so much about the writing and editing process, organization, and how to stay kind to myself during stressful times from Becca. I am forever grateful for her openness to learning and growing with me, unconditional support of and allyship to me as a queer and trans student, and I recommend her wholeheartedly.
Kai H. — MD at UCSF in PRIME-US
As a non-traditional and transfer student, I had many unique hurdles when it came to positioning myself to transition from the music industry to environmental policy. Aside from her ability to work at a high level, what is special about Becca is that she makes space for diverse voices and experiences daily. She has taken the time to do this for me and I have seen her do it for other people. Working with her gave me hope when I felt like I did not have much. I always felt like I could be great but I really struggled to relay my accomplishments and future goals on paper. It is very difficult to write about yourself, your trauma, and change the "if" to "when." Becca saw all this in me by taking the time to hear my story, be emotionally available, and read between the lines. Other people had helped me work on essays before but no one that I worked with previously committed to my success in the way she did. Anytime I dreamed a bit higher, she was 100% on board. Becca has always been realistic with me about my potential leading up to new goals. She is also incredibly talented at finding key messages, Becca has an intuitively organized mind and structures goal-oriented plans for everything I have ever put in front of her. Since I am a first-generation college student with immigrant parents, the kind of support and guidance I received from Rebecca is absolutely invaluable to me. You will take something away from Becca’s workshops at a minimum, but you will probably walk out with way more than you expected.
Linda M. — Masters in Public Policy at UCLA
I ran a bit anxious, but it felt easy to work with Becca. She made the information I needed relatable and broadened my scope by asking questions about my interests and goals. Becca’s communication style and genuine engagement empowered me to more clearly understand myself and see where I wanted to be in the future. From the moment I met her, she heard my goal to become a bilingual and Latinx Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) and supported me to connect my thoughts to actions through time-managed step-by-step processes and tools. Becca identified resources that enabled me to connect the dots and find confidence despite the fact that less than 7% of the SLP field is bilingual. As a result of using the skills and mindsets I learned from Becca, I am now fully funded for an MS in SLP. Our work together also made me more assertive when asking for support, applying for research positions, and participating in out-of-state research conferences. Many of the opportunities and successes in my educational path are the result of meeting Becca and learning how to reach for more. My goal is to further diversify the availability of SLPs who can support multilingual patients.
Monique E.V. — Masters in Speech Language Pathology at Cal State LA
Becca is a very kind, down-to-earth individual, and a pleasure to work with. She provides honest and constructive feedback and will help you step the right foot forward for all your applications, interviews, and presentations. When I first started working with her, Becca advised me about fellowships and scholarships I was unaware of - she genuinely cares about her clients and wants to make sure they are aware of and prepared for all available opportunities. In our dialogues, Becca did not simply review my application materials, but she taught me what programs look for, and how to incorporate those details into my resume, essays, and personal statements. As a result, I walked away knowing how to assemble competitive applications for academic programs, fellowships, and professional opportunities. I got into some of my top graduate programs with her help and almost won a Gates-Cambridge Scholarship. I made it to the end of the process and was placed on a wait-list, which is an achievement alone
Andrew B. — PhD in STEM at Stanford University
Becca is very professional and at the same time she genuinely cares for your growth. I went from being clueless at the beginning of the application process to getting offers from almost all the master programmes I selected. I’m not sure I could have accomplished this without her support. I learned to be more organized and to always draft before writing something. Helpful, professional, reliable, and caring, Becca will teach you, not only how to thrive in the application process, but also how to know yourself better, think, write, and make a clear argument. Working with Becca, you will grow and learn not only in writing, but also as a person. It's absolutely worth it.
S. Y. — Mphil in Anthropology at Oxford University
Becca is one of the greatest developmental editors I had the opportunity to work with at the UCLA scholarship resource center. Through her superb communication skills, Becca’s guidance enabled me to improve my writing and earn a highly competitive, merit-based scholarship at UCLA. Becca guided me to the weak points in my writing by asking thought-provoking questions, enabling me to brainstorm ways I could improve areas of my writing that weren't highlighting my traits or accomplishments enough. Becca did an excellent job in helping me filter my writing, leading me to emphasize and highlight important aspects of my story while minimizing details that weren't as essential for my essay. She was very patient, enthusiastic and even took time out of our regular sessions to read my paper and provide feedback. She was a great joy to work with and I always recommend her to friends that are applying for scholarships and awards as well.
Sofia Y. — Pre MED at UCLA
Becca’s ability to understand others, their backgrounds, and the information they are trying to convey is extremely unique and versatile. Becca displays a high degree of social intelligence and empathy every time we interact. I loved working with her for four years at UCLA, and I would gladly work with her again in the future. She made everything smooth sailing and kept me on time with reasonable deadlines and work style. For a little context, I graduated with a bachelor's degree in materials science and engineering from UCLA and worked with Becca every year. She helped revise my scholarship application materials and I earned three scholarships for academic merit and service to the community. Becca was able to help me demonstrate my goals as an engineer even when I had no more than two months of higher education under my belt. She's the best!
grant H. — BS in Materials science & engineering at UCLA
Becca supported me during her role as an advisor in the Scholarship Resource Center at UCLA while I was studying Bioengineering. She takes a highly interpersonal and people-oriented approach that I personally appreciate and translates well to creating a comfortable and collaborative environment for students and co-workers alike. Becca helped me identify several technical areas where my application was lacking and provided concrete advice to improve it. It's also apparent that she really cares for her students and enjoys empowering others to succeed. After some editing sessions, I landed a full-tuition merit-based scholarship! Becca definitely improved my odds significantly and I'm confident she'd perform well across professional contexts.
Eric P. — BS in Bioengineering at ucla
I worked with Becca on my statement of purpose essay for PhD programs. She was incredibly responsive and gave insightful feedback. I bought a package for one university-specific statement of purpose, and was able to use the process Becca taught me to write all of my other application essays for the season. I was fortunate to be accepted to 3 out of the 6 schools I applied to, including my top 2 choices, and I received fellowships from two schools.
Sienna P. — PhD in Technology Management at UCSB
Rebecca forced me to answer important questions about what I wanted to get out of studying the law, and helped me reach my goal of attending a top law program. The process was not easy and it took a lot of patience and I learned a lot. Becca helped me realize what I wanted to accomplish these next few years and our work together shed light on how to prepare for grant/application writing in the future. I submitted my applications in late January and was accepted into almost every school in one of the hardest application cycles coming out of COVID. Working with Becca is inspiring, and it's the best investment you can make to supercharge your applications and career potential. I can't thank her enough.
C. M. — Juris Doctorate at Harvard Law School
I worked with Becca while I was majoring in political science with a minor in spanish at UCLA. At the SRC, Becca welcomed me to the center with a smile on her face and supported my applications for merit-based and professional scholarships. I was immediately impressed by her attention to detail and keen eye for catching mistakes in my written work. She always gave brilliant recommendations for improving my writing skills and thinking critically in response to questions and prompts. Under Becca’s tutelage, I earned the equivalent of $10,000 in scholarships for my education, including an all-expense paid trip to Japan as a student-ambassador for the Kakehashi program, and a scholarship to more formally study international relations while in Japan. Overall, Becca inspired me to be a better writer in general, and became more confident in my language skills. Now a professional writer, I work on the naming process and verbal identities for multiple companies. My experience honing critical writing skills with Becca has helped me tremendously not only to attain this role, but to also excel in it.
Mariko D. — BA in Political Science at UCLA
Working with Becca was a real treat! She is truly unique and strongly differentiated from others I have worked with. Becca was very thorough and helpful in so many ways I had never encountered before. She is excellent at asking questions and listening to responses towards developing a final product that is very well done. I was impressed with her ability to synthesize a broad range of information and blend it together into a solid and well written statement. We worked on my applications for graduate school and enhanced my resume to capture all my experiences and accomplishments for future use. It was very interesting to work with Becca through a process that drew out many different aspects of my work style and approach to leadership that I had not considered deeply before. Very helpful and enlightening. Becca and I developed a solid representation of my experience and accomplishments which, given my professional background, are not always easy to present. Becca will work closely with you, find your unique gifts, abilities, and successes, and help you present those in a unique, differentiated, and successful manner!
L. S. — MS in Carbon Capture, Utilization, and/or Storage
When I first connected with Becca, I was so lost that I didn't know what to do or how to approach graduate school applications. It was my first experience as a student in the U.S., and the whole process was difficult and intimidating. Becca was truly my mentor and guide, she is a leader by nature, professional, kind, understanding, and knowledgeable. As she guided me through every step of the application process, Becca was very patient with me especially since I had little background in the American higher education system. I thought I knew what my goal was, but she made my vision crystal clear. Now I can confidently say I know what I want and I know how to get there. Becca's advising sessions introduced me and got me accustomed to the jargon, procedures, and paths regarding higher education in the U.S. When I received the happy news of being accepted into multiple colleges, I knew I wouldn't have done it without Becca. For anyone who feels confused or at a loss applying to graduate school, Becca knows exactly how and when to help.
Y. H. — MA in africana and film studies at cuny
My family recently embarked on a new and exciting adventure as I start my first semester in my dream program. Applying to graduate school after a decade in the workforce was overwhelming and exciting. Becca helped me organize my thoughts into a graduate application that aptly reflected my professional experience and personal interests. I appreciated her confidence in my ability to structure and organize several essays needed for my application while authentically representing my interests in the program. She skillfully helped me connect broader concepts with specific ideas and provided a skills refresher for creating an outline. She was invested in helping me refine the skills I needed to successfully apply to my dream program. Becca was also incredibly accommodating with my busy schedule as a full-time working Mom. She offered editing sessions on weeknights and weekends and quick phone calls when necessary. It is impossible to dismiss the value of working with someone who was kind, thoughtful, and genuinely curious about my short- and long-term goals. Acceptance into my graduate program of choice would be a life-changing event for my entire family. Becca understood that acceptance to my dream program meant moving my entire family, which also meant shifting employment, finding a new home and new schools, and leaving the stability of friends and community. I appreciated Becca for her empathy and support throughout the application process. And I cannot thank her enough for her professionalism and kindness.