DARIA levinA
Harvard state of mind
or 60 days to a successful application to the university of your dreams
Prepare and submit successful application for a master’s program of your dreams and change your life forever, all without quitting your job or skipping your studies.
Thinking of boosting your career, making a professional shift, or living in a country of your dreams?
What if I told you that study abroad is more accessible than you think?That it’s not for geniuses only?That you are not too old or too poor to study at a great university and change your life?
The secret ingredient of success
I've been submitting study applications for 11 years now and learned a lot about what it takes to develop a successful application and fund your degree.I’ve searched high and low for the secret sauce that helps to get into the top schools in the world.
You know what? There is none.
Getting to Harvard or any other top university is mostly a matter of –
Knowing yourself (self-awareness),
learning how to communicate your self-awareness to other people,
and doing the hard work – research, writing, and editing.
There is no ‘right’ profile that will get you to this or that university. There is only you and your work. In this program, I’ll teachyou how to:
gain the self-awareness you need;
talk about yourself so that the admissions committee listens;
and prepare the key components of your application.
But let's admit it: preparing a successful master's application is easier said than done.
You face challenges like:
You have no role models to show you how it’s done – or that it can be done at all
You have to choose from the enormous variety of programs those that are the right fit for you
You worry there is nothing interesting about you to say
You constantly think about whether you’ve got the right profile and ‘what they actually want to hear’
You’ve got to do this while working or studying full-time
You have to talk and write about yourself which feels self-indulgent and awkward
You have to figure out what to write about & what to leave out
You fear that you are not good enough to aim high
On top of everything, you’ve got to figure out how to fund this whole thing
Most importantly, you need to learn about all components of the application, such as personal statements, motivation letters, CVs, recommendation letters, writing samples, and many more – what they are, what is expected, and how do you prepare them - there is just not enough time
and you've got to do all this (and a lot more!!) while juggling your job, studies, relationships, and health, doing the best you can not to burn out and forget why on earth you started all this in the first place....and so you spend hours researching but still end up sitting in front of the blank screen having no clue as to how you could write something remotely decent or where to even start.
But once you overcome these obstacles, life can become pretty amazing. In my quest for high-quality education,
I got admissions from 4 top schools and $140,000 in scholarship offers
single-handedly crowdfunded $27,000 for my tuition fee
chose Harvard and spent one of the best years of my life there
danced ballroom competitively at MIT
realized a goal of transitioning from practice of law to academia
changed 5 countries in 5 years
felt happy in the process
inspired other people do the same
Introducing...
Harvard State of Mind
I am thrilled to show you the way. ‘Harvard State of Mind’ is an 8-week program where I’ll teach you everything you need to know about how to develop and submit a successful application for a master’s degree abroad, an application that will land you admissions from your dream universities and help you start a new life, all without having to quit your job or studies.
Outcomes & results
By the end of the 8-week program, you will:
You’ll have chosen 3 – 5 programs to apply
You’ll have the next 3 – 6 months of actions planned out, and a solid plan to prepare and submit your applications
You’ll learn tons of new stuff about yourself and will be much more comfortable talking about yourself in your application documents and the interviewsYou’ll have clear guidelines for developing your most important documents: CV, personal statement, and letters of recommendation
You’ll have upgraded your English (if you are a non-native speaker) and be much more comfortable writing in it
You’ll have a strategy for planning and writing your personal statement in a way that truly appeals to the admissions committee
You’ll understand how to maximize your chances for success by efficiently repurposing your material for other applications
You’ll define your funding strategy and understand what funding options are available to you
You’ll know the value of getting help from your friends, family, and colleagues
harvard state of mind
Who is it for?
Your reasons can be manifold: to improve your career (or start a new one), get a head start in your professional journey, learn a language, live abroad, get a better education, move permanently to the country of your dreams, or anything and all in between.
Students & recent graduates
You see friends going abroad to accelerate their careers, or maybe you wanted to study abroad and change your life for a while now and are finally ready to do it. You have no clue where to start, or you’ve tried, got overwhelmed, and didn’t get anywhere.
Junior & mid-level professionals
You worked for some time and decided you need a career boost, a life change, or to shift your professional direction completely. Whatever it is, I’ve got you covered.
English speakers, native & not
I’ve done my best to make sure the vocabulary I use is accessible and understandable for everyone. Doing this program in English gives you a unique opportunity not only to learn the vocabulary you need for your applications, but also to start preparing for your studies early and gain confidence in your language abilities.
Who is it NOT for?
harvard state of mind
is NOT for you if:
you are not willing to put in the time and effort to do the assignments and homework.
you are looking for a magic bullet that will make your applications write themselves.
you are looking for guaranteed success.
this is because:
The program is built to give you everything you need and it’s up to you whether and how to take it.
It’s about teaching you how to fish, not feeding you fish every day.
What's included?
In this program, you get a unique blend of personal assistance in our live calls together, tailored feedback on the key components of your application, and the entire strategic process mapped out for you via videos, worksheets, templates, and sample documents.
1. Core Curriculum
Here’s what you get in the program. It’s a lot of stuff, and 8 weeks go by in a flash. The good news is that you’ll have a lifetime access to all the videos, materials, and live session recordings so you can always revisit anything if you need to.
Module 1
Map your life-changing plan
OUTCOME: You will finally believe in your ability to get into the best universities in the world and design a clear action plan to achieve it.
In this Module, you’ll:✓ clarify your vision for the life and education you want✓ replace limiting beliefs with a Harvard state of mind✓ understand the anatomy of a winning application✓ evaluate your profile to know your strengths and areas for improvement✓ map your timeline to know exactly what to do when
In this Module, you’ll:
✓ integrate your deeper ‘why’ into your choices✓ understand your needs & choose programs aligned with your true priorities✓ curate a set of personal criteria to evaluate programs and universities✓ understand your funding options to maximize your financial aid potential✓ build a diversified portfolio of programs to apply for
Module 2
Choose your dream programs
OUTCOME: No matter what your skills, grades, or budget are, this Module will ensure you choose the programs that are the right fit for you.
Module 3
Build your most effective CV
OUTCOME: You will create a CV that makes your profile shine.
In this Module, you'll:✓ discover the Harvard method for creating a fail-proof CV✓ elevate and strengthen your profile to maximize your chances of acceptance✓ get a tactic for what to do if you don't have not enough experience✓ avoid mistakes that can sabotage your application
In this Module, you’ll:✓ approach people most likely to give you fantastic letters and avoid those who don’t✓ learn how to ask for a letter to achieve the best results✓ get a tactic for what to do if a recommender asked you to draft a letter✓ master the vocabulary scientifically proven to give applicants an advantage
Module 4
Get stellar recommendation letters
OUTCOME: You will get the letters of recommendation that boost your chances for acceptance.
Module 5
Create a winning personal statement
OUTCOME: You will design and write a personal statement that strengthens your application and makes your voice come through.
In this Module, you’ll:✓ master the Daria Levina's fail-proof 5-step methodology for writing a successful essay✓ learn to meet the adcom expectations & stay authentic in the process✓ generate multiple great ideas for the topic of your essay✓ understand the main pitfalls of writing an essay and learn to avoid them✓ learn tactics to avoid the writer’s block✓ access examples of successful essays to help you navigate the process
In this module, you’ll:✓ learn why you should ignore most of the test prep advice on the web✓ choose the language test that’s right for you✓ get the 8-step preparation program✓ learn how to choose the prep materials✓ avoid common mistakes
Module 6
Ace your language tests
OUTCOME: You will get yourself in the best language shape ever.
Bonus: module 7
Apply for funding
OUTCOME: You will maximize your chances for a fully funded master’s degree.
In this module, you’ll:✓ assess your funding options✓ apply for scholarships✓ get the tactics to negotiate financial aid✓ learn about unconventional ways of funding your degree
2. Home assignments
In each module, I’ll give you a home assignment that will involve brainstorming a topic, planning or outlining a document, researching, writing or editing, and getting feedback from your family, friends, and colleagues.
Home assignments are the single most important part of the program.
If you can’t (or won’t) commit to writing and rewriting your documents, the program can’t do this for you. It would be like signing up for a gym class, showing up to watch a tutorial, and not doing the exercise. You might become more informed than before, but it won’t get you any results.To apply successfully to your dream university, you need to consistently put in the effort into preparing and writing your documents. There are exceptions, but in general you’ll need to work on your applications about 5 – 10 hours a week for at least 2 – 3 months before the submission deadline (the more you can budget, the better).
3. Live sessions
Over the course of 60 days, we’ll have 6 live sessions.
Almost each week for 2 months, we’ll meet on a live video call to plan, prepare, and submit your application where I will personally guide you through the application process.
Bonus:
Document Review
As a bonus, you get personal feedback from me on the key components of your application:
one review of the CV
one review of a recommendation letter
two reviews of the personal statement
Guarantees
There are no guarantees in this game. It’s like signing up for a writing course and expecting the book to write itself. This is not how it works. There are things you can control, like the quality of your application, and there are things you can’t, like the decisions of the admissions committee. A huge number of factors goes into the decision-making process. I can’t ‘guarantee’ you admission offers. What I can guarantee is that if you take this program and follow the recipes, models, and techniques that I teach you, you’ll create the best application you ever could on your own and will exponentially increase your chances of being accepted.
Thank You
If you still have questions, just drop me a message: