Life cycle · starting point

Future Story: dream it, see it, plan it

Every Unraised Genius student starts here — before any grade plan. Here's a real example from Aria, 9th grade.

Step 1

She answered the questions

Where would you like to live?: Atlanta, Georgia — walking distance from my lab
What career do you see yourself in 10–15 years?: A biomedical engineer designing affordable prosthetic hands for kids
How much money would you like to have in the bank?: $150,000 saved, plus a retirement account I actually contribute to
Would you like to be married?: Not sure
Would you like children?: Yes
Would you like to own real estate?: Yes
What type of home would you have?: A small brick house with a garage I turned into a prototype shop
How many cars do you have, and what make and model?: One — a Honda CR-V
What kind of music do you like?: Jazz piano and warm lo-fi

The story we wrote from her answers

Ten years from now I'm a biomedical engineer in Atlanta, designing prosthetic hands that kids can actually afford. I have my own lab bench, a wall of 3D-printed prototypes, and a little sister who tells everybody her sister builds hands. I had to get really good at calculus and CAD, and I had to stop being scared of asking professors for help. My mom cried at graduation. I never gave up on the sketchbook I started in 7th grade.

Step 2

We made it a movie

Biomedical engineer designing affordable prosthetics for kids

Biomedical engineering

An 8-second movie of Aria in her lab

Signed-in students generate a real video clip of the future they described, with sound, saved to their account to replay any time.

Step 3

Then we worked backward

What this future requires

Calculus and physics fluencyCAD and 3D prototypingResearch lab experienceGrant and scholarship writingPresenting technical work to non-engineers

9th–10th GradeHigh school admissions

Lock in the honors math track — geometry now, pre-calc by 11th
Join or start a robotics / maker club and keep the prototype sketchbook going
Ask one science teacher to be your long-term mentor

11th GradeCollege admissions

Take AP Calculus and AP Physics; sit the SAT twice with prep between
Apply to one university summer research or engineering program
Build a 10-school list with strong BME programs across reach, target, and likely

12th GradePaying for it

File the FAFSA the week it opens
Apply to 12+ STEM scholarships — lead the essay with the prosthetics story
Compare award letters on net cost, not sticker price

College Sophomore–JuniorCollege admissions

Declare biomedical engineering and get into a lab by sophomore spring
Land one paid internship at a device or prosthetics company
Publish or present one project — a poster counts

Write your own future story See the sample students