The Accepted consultant team is thrilled to welcome Sadie Polen, who previously ran highly selective summer programs at Harvard University, where she reviewed more than 1,000 applications a year. Through these programs, Sadie worked with partner individuals and organizations across the public service and political spectrum, including economic development, journalism, elected officials, law, civic tech, and NGOs, and with students who went on to graduate from master’s and PhD programs in law, business, health, government, and education.

Sadie’s undergraduate work at UC Davis was in the field of community development, and her graduate work at the Harvard Graduate School of Education centered on the intersection of community and education and how the two forces interact to make each other stronger. In addition, she earned a diversity, equity, and inclusion certificate from Cornell University.

With a collaborative, strategic, and process-oriented coaching style, Sadie focuses on understanding her clients, helping them determine where they want to apply and why, and with brainstorming, outlining, drafting, redrafting, and editing essays so that they convey their stories with impact.

Sadie understands that writing and editing are iterative processes. “I want my clients to feel comfortable trying new things and making ‘mistakes’ along the way,” she says. “The best results often come from unexpected places. The process of applying to graduate school is a fantastic opportunity to reflect on who you are, what makes you a unique applicant, and what your goals are. The experience of working together through the application process can continue to benefit you in – and beyond – graduate school. I’m excited to be part of that process with you!”