Build Your PURPOSE Project | Go Ivy or Go Free Ep. 3 w/ Andra Campos

Welcome to Episode 3 of the Go Ivy or Go Free Podcast! In this episode, host Andreas Stamatakis sits down with Stanford student and founder of Project Connect Forum, Andra Campos (aka @projectconnectforum), to hear how a first-generation, low-income student from Southern California built two organizations from scratch and landed acceptances to Stanford, Columbia (likely letter), UCLA, UC Berkeley, USC, and more.If you think elite college admissions are reserved for students with expensive consultants and prep school pedigrees, think again. In this episode, Andreas and Andra get real about what it actually takes to stand out when you don't come from privilege. Andra walks through her journey of building Project Connect Forum into a platform with tens of thousands of users and founding Solace for Outdoor Workers, a nonprofit that provides sunscreen and sun safety resources to gardeners and other outdoor workers at higher risk of skin cancer. She shares what drove her to start both organizations, the setbacks she faced along the way, and how these passion projects became the backbone of her applications.The conversation also goes deep on the practical side of admissions: Andra talks about the importance of starting your essays early, how she approached writing authentically about her background, and what it was like opening her Stanford acceptance letter. Andreas breaks down why Andra's story is a masterclass in his strategic admissions philosophy, showing how genuine impact and a compelling narrative can outperform a perfect-on-paper applicant every time. They also cover how to start a successful nonprofit as a high school student—from finding a real problem to solve, to scaling your impact, to making it all feel genuine rather than resume-driven. Expect plenty of laughs, some hard truths about what "impressive" really means to admissions officers, and actionable advice you can start using today.🎙️ About Our Guest: Andra CamposAndra is a current Stanford University student, founder of Project Connect Forum—a platform with over 60,000 users that connects high school students with extracurricular opportunities and helps them launch their own passion projects. She is also the founder of Solace for Outdoor Workers, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing sun safety resources to outdoor workers, and the creator of SunScan, a UV index app that won the Congressional App Challenge. Andra is the author of Math Speaks: Discovering the Wonders of Mathematics in Everyday Life and a recipient of the Edison Scholars Award ($50,000). She is passionate about empowering the next generation of student changemakers.🎙️ About Your Host: Andreas StamatakisWidely considered the #1 Ivy Admissions Advisor on Earth, Andreas Stamatakis has spent over a decade advising on elite college admissions and has built a social media empire dedicated to democratizing elite admissions advice, making top-tier Ivy strategies accessible to millions of students worldwide for free. Andreas started his consulting practice when he was just 18 years old, right after making the ultimate strategic move: turning down multiple Ivy League acceptances for a full-ride scholarship to Stony Brook University. Holding degrees in Physics, Pure Math, and Applied Math, he brings a first-principles approach to the admissions process, debunking the myths using hard facts and contrarian strategies that have helped thousands of students get accepted.🔗 Connect with Us!Follow Andra Campos:Instagram: / https://www.instagram.com/projectconnectforum/ TikTok: / https://www.tiktok.com/@projectconnectforum Website: https://projectconnectforum.com/ Follow Andreas Stamatakis & The Ivy League Roadmap:Instagram: / ivy_roadmap TikTok: / ivy_roadmap Website & Consulting: https://ivyroadmap.org/Book: The Ivy League Roadmap (Available on Amazon): https://a.co/d/0bhf10mC