Do The Right Thing: Startup helps college applicants boost their odds, inserting character alongside test scores

The following profile features one of five finalists for the “Do The Right Thing” social impact pitch competition organized by the KC BizCare Office, Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City and Startland News. Finalist features will be published throughout the week. Click here to read more features.

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Storyboards College Admission Portfolios is giving students the secret to success for college applications, said Dr. Stephen Himes, describing how his startup platform walks undergrad hopefuls through a holistic process that better targets the priorities of schools’ admission boards.

“What colleges have been telling us is that kids’ experiences — their personal stories, their values — those kinds of things matter as much, if not more to them, than traditional metrics,” said Himes, co-founder of Storyboards College Admission Portfolios.

Recognizing the limitations of standardized testing during the COVID-19 pandemic, Himes and Franci Erdmann founded Storyboards in 2020 to guide students through completing their application portfolios in a broader approach that focuses on student development beyond academic metrics.

Click here to learn more about the July 25 Do The Right Thing pitch competition.

Giving students the cheat code

Over Himes’ 21 years in education and Erdmann’s experience as a former associate dean of college admission, the duo observed that school systems often revolve around opportunity, with disparities in access for minority students.

The stress of the college admissions process itself on families can become an obstacle, Himes added.

“You see like all of these amazing kids who have talent, who have character, who have skills and abilities, but there are barriers that have been erected in front of them, that keep them away from realizing their dreams,” he said.

The startup aims to close the disparity gap using insights from the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 SFFA v. Harvard case, which showed the majority of colleges emphasized qualitative factors over test/GPA metrics in admissions.

Key facts: Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College

Storyboards used this insight to develop a curriculum that connects students’ life experiences to what colleges seek in application portfolios.

“If we can figure out how to make this easier for kids and families to navigate, that is a significant barrier that you take down between kids and the opportunities that they deserve,” said Himes.

Dr. Stephen Himes and Franci Erdmann, Storyboards College Admission Portfolios; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News

Connecting identity to criteria

Even though SFFA v. Harvard provided the cheat code into admissions, it also abolished affirmative action practices, restricting minority students from fully expressing their identity and life experiences in college essays.

ICYMI: Supreme Court Rejects Affirmative Action Programs at Harvard and U.N.C.

“You can’t only write about your racial or gender identity; those experiences have to be connected to your character and why you’re applying. So, a lot of kids need some guidance on how to navigate this,” said Himes.

Because of the U.S. Supreme Court deciding that racial identity or heritage must be tied to the student’s unique contributions and qualities, Storyboards partners with public high schools to guide students on how to apply within that scope throughout their essays.

“The curriculum helps students connect those dots. By showing, ‘What is it that I’ve done, and how it is related to what they’re looking for?’ You really can just zoom in on the thing that I want to talk about, rather than it being very generic,” said Erdmann. 

A complete curriculum 

The flexible curriculum designed to fit students’ schedules walks them through modules on how to make a complete portfolio, including their resume, personal statement, essay, transcript, letters of recommendation, and any supplemental information. 

The Storyboards methodology empowers students to create materials independently and share them with counselors for advising, as well as training sessions for counselors to target specific areas of support.

With the platform’s beta launch set for September, the two founders see how Storyboards can be implemented into curriculums in Kansas City that are focused on-real world learning. Organizations like PrepKC or Network53 are partnering with schools to provide students with valuable experiences beyond traditional classrooms. 

“There’s a real synergy between what we’ve done and what’s been incubated here in Kansas City,” said Himes. “It’s great that they have these experiences, but to maximize that value, they have to be able to do it in this particular form. That’s where we come to play.”