Branching out—stepping beyond the familiar—is the cornerstone of personal growth and a key differentiator in the competitive landscape of college admissions. When students push themselves to explore new environments, they move from being passive participants to active architects of their own lives.

On October 5th, the Kreeger Auditorium at Bender JCC of Greater Washington was filled with energy, inspiration, and gratitude as we celebrated a major milestone—our 10th anniversary. This special event brought together community members, students, mentors, and leaders to celebrate ten years of growth, leadership, and impactful service.

On May 7th, 2025, BranchOut! welcomed admissions officers from some of America’s top universities: Mr. Jua Howard from UC Berkeley, Mr. Adrian Gutierrez from Cornell University, and Ms. Courtney Bradshaw from the University of Pennsylvania. Each panelist shared unique aspects of their university, highlighted key factors for applicants to consider, and offered advice on a range of topics, from student-led initiatives to international academic competitions. Attendees also had

A decade ago, BranchOut! began with a mission to empower youth through education, mentorship, and community engagement. Today, we are proud to celebrate 10 incredible years of impact, growth, and success stories! 📽️ Watch our special 10th Anniversary Celebration video to relive the moments that shaped our journey! 🌱 Our Impact Over the Years: ✅ Thousands of students mentored & empowered ✅ Community partnerships that foster inclusivity ✅ Recognitions & awards for outstanding

This past fall, BranchOut! organized a College Admissions Night featuring admissions officers from top U.S. colleges and universities to shed light on the application process for students and parents. On Thursday, September 19th, the BranchOut! student leadership team, along with over 300 attendees, welcomed admissions officers from UC Berkeley, Yale, Princeton, MIT, UChicago, and Cornell. Each panelist highlighted what sets their university apart, pointed out “red flags” stu

Join us on Sunday, October 6th at 7 PM ET to celebrate with BranchOut! and learn more about how to join us next summer. During the event, we will review our progress this year, recognize top performers, announce the leadership team for next year, and answer your questions about how to join BranchOut! This virtual Zoom event will function as a celebration for the current BranchOut! mentors and an Open House for those interested in joining next summer. Register now for free:...

On July 19th, 2024, BranchOut! hosted an insightful community workshop on how AI is shaping industries. Our guest speakers included Dr. Grace Lindsay from New York University, Dr. Philip Frana from James Madison University, Dr. Michael Klein from James Madison University, and Dr. Huaxia Wang from Rowan University, all of whom are distinguished professors and researchers in their field. They discussed the transformative impact of AI in their field, as well as unique ways AI is

For the fifth year in a row, BranchOut! was proud to host a College Admissions Night with current admissions officers from top US colleges and universities to demystify the college application process. On Thursday, April 11, the BranchOut! student leadership team and around 300 registered participants were joined by current admissions representatives from Cornell, Stanford, Duke, UC Berkeley, and Penn. Each panelist introduced what made their school unique, clarified common

Join us this April for the return of BranchOut!'s popular admissions workshops to meet current admissions officers from colleges and ask questions! Upcoming Event: College Admissions Night Thursday, April 11th 2024, at 7:30 PM ET Duke University, Stanford University, University of Pennsylvania, UC Berkeley, Cornell University Register in advance HERE Webinar ID: 865 7139 5456 Passcode: 648601

On November 16th, 2023, Columbia University was gracious enough to bring their Essay Writing Workshop to BranchOut! friends and families. One of the Assistant Directors of Undergraduate Admissions at Columbia University, Mr. Benny Rivera, led this workshop and Q&A session. Attended by high school seniors fine-tuning their essays and high school juniors just beginning to brainstorm essay topics, the event was marked by key insights to the purpose of the college essay. Flyer fr

After a summer filled with new developments, lifelong connections, and hundreds of service hours logged, the BranchOut! Student Leadership team worked tirelessly to plan one last event: our 8th anniversary celebration and program wrap-up. On October 7th, 2023, BranchOut! mentors (and some potential new ones) gathered via zoom for an evening of performances, speeches, and reflections. If you were unable to attend this event live, keep reading on to get a taste of the growth an

Join us this November for a not-to-be-missed opportunity to prepare for your current or future college applications! Columbia University is gracious enough to host an essay writing workshop for BranchOut! students and friends. They will share insights on the purpose of college essays from an admissions perspective, dissect Common App and Columbia supplemental prompts, and lead interactive activities to help attendees develop essay topics. Who is this for? 12th graders polishi

This year, BranchOut! was honored to host admissions officers from 14 different colleges and universities for two informative College Admissions Webinars. Most recently, admissions officers from Stanford, MIT, Rice, Penn, Carnegie Mellon, Johns Hopkins, and Dartmouth joined us on September 26th, 2023. A testament to the wealth of knowledge each of these admissions officers possesses, they were able to answer over 50 audience questions! These questions included topics ranging

Calling all BranchOut! members: past and present! You and your families are invited to celebrate BranchOut!'s 8th Anniversary on Saturday, October 7th at 7pm - 9pm ET. Join us as we celebrate all the new growth and success you have helped BranchOut! achieved over the past year. Join us as we celebrate you! This virtual event will function as both a Celebration for current BranchOut! mentors and an Open House for those interested in joining next summer. This event features...

BranchOut! hosted its summer 2023 picnic to celebrate the end of a successful summer on Sunday, August 13, 2023, at the Cabin John Regional Park in Bethesda, Maryland with 60+ students, alumni, and parents in attendance. We want to thank the student leaders who worked very hard to make the event happen. Below are their post-event reflections. "The BranchOut! Summer 2023 picnic was incredibly moving as I got to see how much we’ve managed to accomplish across all of BranchOut!’

BranchOut! hosted its summer 2023 picnic to celebrate the end of a successful summer on Sunday, August 13, 2023, at the Cabin John Regional Park in Bethesda, Maryland with 60+ students, alumni, and parents in attendance. We were excited to see many of BranchOut!’s mentors at the picnic, meeting other mentors and students whom they have worked with online this summer. Mentors made quick friends with each other, bonding in discussions and playing games like frisbee and mafia. T

Join us this August and September for four admissions workshops to meet current admissions officers from private high schools and colleges and ask questions! Upcoming Event: College Admissions Night Tuesday, September 26th at 7:30 PM ET Carnegie Mellon University, Dartmouth University, Johns Hopkins University, MIT, Rice University, Stanford University, University of Pennsylvania Zoom Meeting ID: 838 2145 7660 Zoom Passcode: 066205 Direct Zoom link: link Past 2023 Admissions

To thank our mentors for their hard work this summer, BranchOut! is hosting a potluck-style Picnic to provide a fun opportunity for mentors to meet each other in person and network. BranchOut! alumni as well as parents/family members and friends are welcome to join this event. The BranchOut! Fall Picnic information Date: Sunday, August 13th, 2023 (rain or shine!) Time: 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM Location: Cabin John Regional Park: 7400 Tuckerman LN, Bethesda, MD, 20817 at Picnic Shel

Did you know that around 40% of Ivy League students attended a private high school? Did you know that Mark Zuckerberg went to Phillips Exeter Academy, a top private high school in the country, before joining Harvard? Join us on Tuesday, August 8th at 7:30 PM ET/4:30 PM PT via Zoom for insights from top US high school admissions officers! The audience will hear directly from the current admissions officers representing Phillips Exeter Academy, The Hill School, Taft School, The