# @safiyajihan on Instagram

- **Type:** Video
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DTNnEtngPEm
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/63505828-safiyajihan-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/6c80cb1f07.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-01-07T14:33:07.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Safiya | Your AI Bestie (@safiyajihan) — https://gondola.cc/safiyajihan

## Caption

✈️ Part 3: I left the country at 16
My parents sent me to study abroad in Spain. Best decision they ever made.
That experience wasn’t just about learning Spanish or seeing Europe—it was about building the confidence, independence, and global perspective that Harvard admissions officers were looking for.

When you’re navigating a foreign country as a teenager (and thankfully I had my bestie and AUTHOR @ikendoit2 with me), figuring out public transportation, making friends in another language, and solving problems on your own, your independence skyrockets. You become resourceful. You become brave in new ways.

And that’s exactly what sets applicants apart in college admissions. Ivy League and top tier schools don’t just want smart students—they want students who take risks, who step outside their comfort zones, who have a worldview beyond their hometown (especially in the current 🌍 environment we are living in).

My parents understood that experiential learning would prepare me for Harvard in ways a perfect GPA or SAT score never could.

Study abroad programs for high school students aren’t just for fun—they’re strategic investments in your child’s future. And this one that I took thanks to the @iborganization with Señora Muñoz paid off big time… so I’m eternally grateful 🙏🏿 🌍

Catch up on Parts 1-2, then follow for Parts 4-7 of my “How I graduated from Harvard and Cornell with No Debt Series” 🎓

Have you or your kids studied abroad? Your friends? Share your experience below! 👇🏾
#studyabroaddreams #collegeadmissions #montessoripracticallife #howigotintoharvard #mindfulparenting

## Stats

- **Views:** 426
- **Likes:** 0
- **Shares:** 0
- **Comments:** 5

## Tags

montessoripracticallife, mindfulparenting, howigotintoharvard, studyabroaddreams, collegeadmissions

---
Copyright (c) Gondola