Connect Me is built upon providing free, online tutoring, and as such, we also work to help our student tutors. One such way that Connect Me does this is by hosting a number of interactive and informative webinars, including our fifth annual College Applications webinar that took place earlier this month on June 7th, 2025, from 3-4 PM EST. Ritvik Ellendula, Silvana Solsoloy, and Bianca Perry — all of whom are Connect Me seniors — were the guest speakers and openly discussed different aspects of the college application process, from academics and extracurricular activities to navigating the Common App.
Ritvik Ellendula, from Northville, Michigan, was Season 5 president and now serves as Director of Public Relations on the Board of Directors. He will attend the University of Pennsylvania, majoring in Bioengineering and possibly Economics.
Silvana Solsoloy, from Fresno, California, led the Operations Department and helped launch the new tutor portal. She will be headed to Johns Hopkins University to double-major in Molecular Cell Biology and Medicine, Science, and the Humanities.
Bianca Perry, from Long Beach, California, is one of Connect Me’s Admissions Officers, helping pair students with tutors. This fall, she will study Aerospace Engineering at University of California, Berkeley.
This webinar was hosted by Aarav Shah, External Vice President and Director of Chapters, and Agastya Kukudala, Director of Advertising. After brief introductions, the speakers took turns to answer questions about key parts of the college application process:
Essays/Personal Statements
- How long it took to write the personal statement, when to start the personal statement, how to brainstorm, and some of the topics the speakers developed in their own writing.
Extracurricular Activities
- What activities carried the most weight for each speaker and how they were presented in the Common App, what activities to pursue for specific majors, and how to find opportunities throughout high school to show one’s passion.
Academics and Standardized Testing
- What standardized tests were taken, how much weight they carried, and how to study for them.
- Speakers also addressed questions about whether lower GPAs or test scores from having a tough academic year would negatively impact a student’s application. In short, no! Our speakers stressed the importance of displaying true passion for a subject or activity.
In the second half, the floor was opened to the audience, who asked more specific questions to a speaker of their choosing. This portion of the webinar covered topics about selecting schools, finding one’s strengths and passions, and navigating the general process of applying to college.
Each speaker highlighted their work with Connect Me—leadership, mentorship, and service—and how that played a valuable role in their applications. Connect Me continues to provide ample opportunities for students to learn and grow, whether as a tutor or tutee.
The recording for this year’s webinar can be found on the College Treehouse Youtube Channel. Connect Me wishes all students the best of luck on their college applications!
Author: Michelle Ke, Connect Me Reporter & Media Department Deputy Chair
