Ratings GPA: Conc: Level: Level:Career: Search: EC 1: EC 2: to year: Prgm 7ier: RanN: ([FW RanN: DO%:Se[: )HH:: Ath: Fac: Ed: Empl Marital StatXs: P2: 6HS'LY: EC Grid %LUWKSODFH: +RPHWRZQ: Citizenship: Fac/Staff: / 6LEOLQJV: ': 0: / $OXP,9: +UV:NV Harvard Class of 2028 7$*6: AI: )LQ$LG: HFAI Prob: LiNely/HttHU: IMP-Est: 6WDII,9: StatXV: &LW7\SH SS5 Parent and Sib Information 3 (G Empl 1+'HFLOH +6'HFLOH 2$'HFLOH Torto, Micheal-Nat; DOB: 03/24/2003; ID: 615038802 dashboard11/15/2024 13:01 1/3 Torto, Micheal-Nat Torgbor (Michael) S2021 Early Action S-5 S-23 North Star Academy - Lincoln Most demanding 95 4.58 4 Weighted 144 NJ-04 Newark, NJ M 03/24/2003 Newark, NJ 229.00 United States US Yes Yes Yes3 DramaticsWriter or journalist 1 Journalism KGF 3+ 2- 3+ 5 2 3+ 3+ 1 RXB 2- 2- 3+ 5 1- 2- 2- Steiner 2017Divorced Rebecca Nathaniel Torto 2012 Essex County College 0 2016 Seton Hall University HomeWell Senior Care Other Debate/Speech 16President 10, 11, 12 During 30 Internship IT & Customer Engagement Intern 11, 12 All year 15 48 Community Service Volunteer 10, 11 During school year10 20 Other Club/Activity Publicist 11, 12 During school year4 32 Other Club/Activity AP Language & Composition Tutor 11 During school year2 10 Other Club/Activity Algebra II tutor 10 During school year2 20 Work (Paid) Member 10, 11 During school break30 10 Theater/Drama Member 11, 12 During school year12 15 Work (Paid) Cashier 12 All year 15 50
Notes: Reader Comments: Torto, Micheal-Nat; DOB: 03/24/2003; ID: 615038802 dashboard11/15/2024 13:01 2/3 KGF 5x5; pe: mom's sacrifice; 1111; RXB KGF -This is North Star Lincoln Park (not the same as NS Washington Park) - before this year, only one prior applicant Michael is the presumed valedictorian at this Newark charter, and has done so in the context of essentially living alone while mom works (see the PE). He's a talented leader of the speech team, holds an Audible Internship, and the support really hammers how impactful his tutoring has been ("He has done this without question, without complaint, without incentive. He has simply done it to be of service to others.") The TRs read much warmer and stronger than the coding suggests - a gracious, brilliant, thoughtful altruist who isn't afraid to shake things up in pursuit of a better future. With a confirming IV, a strong case. Giving the BoD with 1st column...five 5s! UPDATE: scores in, 68/71 (12/3) RXB I'm bumping up a bit all around as I think the school is trying to tell us how special he is. This is a kid who has essentially done everything on his own for the last 3 years - and it's amazing what he has been able to accomplish. This feels like a real opportunity, and I hope IV goes well.
Reader Comments: Torto, Micheal-Nat; DOB: 03/24/2003; ID: 615038802 dashboard11/15/2024 13:01 3/3
Alumni Interview Form c/o 2025 Form Title Alumni Interview Form c/o 2025 Form Submitted 11/12/2020 Applicant Information First Name Micheal-Nat Last Name Torto High School North Star Academy College Preparatory High School Lincoln Park CEEB 310016 Club/Group Number 0075-0140 Email Address michael.torto@student.northstaracademy.org Interview location* zoom Interview date* 11/10/2020 Interviewer Name* Personal Qualities Personal* 1 Openness to new ideas and new people* 1 (truly unusual) Potential contribution to college life* 1 What kind of roommate would this student be?* 1 (truly unusual) Please list descriptors you would use in regard to this student's personal qualities and character: balanced, mature, leader, passionate, empathetic, compassionate gravitas Personal Rating Prose* Michael-Nat Torto Of all the remarkable candidates I have met as an alumni interviewer, Michael - Nat Torto is by far the most impressive. He exudes a quiet strength that demonstrates why he will become a leader in his field. From the very first interaction, to the final follow up he demonstrated a mature understanding of what it takes to get a job done. He is not only passionate but effective at telling stories that are important to him and to society. If he pursues his interest in public speaking and broadcast journalism, I have no doubt he will be effective at "mediating between the world and me to have an impact at making the world a better place." He spoke eloquently and with profound purpose talking about the impact of the pandemic on him and his classmates and the "mental health of kids trapped in toxic households trying to figure out their own place in the BLM movement." I think this concern demonstrates his unusual ability to extend his personal concerns to more broad social concerns of his peers and to try to do something about it with hope and vision. He communicated effectively his passion without volume or resort to base emotions. He is quite charismatic but I took a few days to let his message sink in for me and the content has staying power. He would be a considerate and inspirational roommate with a keen sense of what is going on for other people and when to get involved. I would expect he Torto, Micheal-Nat; DOB: 03/24/2003; ID: Form11/15/2024 13:01 1/4
Alumni Interview Form c/o 2025 (continued) would be a leader in house and campus activities. I suggested he look into Phillips Brooks House. He has demonstrated leadership prowess in his school’s Senior Committee where he was elected by his peers out of 144 highly competitive students. He clearly exudes character that appeals to his classmates. He has a rare ability to put himself in someone else’s shoes and see troubles without judgement from another perspective: He spoke about specific classmates who were struggling in school: One girl who was not making the grade in the highly competitive academic environment and is now a top 50 student showed he knows where people are is not necessarily where they end up and you never know what might be going on at home or inside a person so their performance may not reflect their ability. He also spoke about his plan to set up a Brother to Brother peer mentoring program to pair juniors and seniors with freshman and sophomores who are being disruptive. He mentioned that “a nice good kid who was always getting in trouble and how things can go awry when in a disruptive group. For the good of the kid and the school he wanted to get them set up straight.” Extracurricular, Athletic, Community, Employment, and Family Commitments Extracurricular Rating* 1 Extracurricular Rating Prose* His commitment to his public speaking is clearly genuine and not for the resume. He spoke of it coming from a deep desire to "Tell stories between the world and me with hope and vision and emotion." His school is laser focused on academics and he mentioned no sports and decried the lack of student clubs, but he found the public speaking circuit in his sophomore year and never looked back. He has enjoyed almost immediate success demonstrating natural gifts and he has built on these with hard work, great dedication, and focus. He has won awards at the National level as well as topping the charts at State and regional competitions. His recognition in dual interpretation suggests to me that he works well in small groups and is sensitive to other peers as well as judges. I asked him to what does he attribute his success, he replied “I don’t get nervous in front of a lot of people, I think about how to make the judges FEEL what you are saying” (his emphasis). I can well believe his does this to a remarkable degree; this was my first zoom interview but I felt the same level of engagement at a distance as I have sitting in a library with a candidate. I consider this communication at a distance no mean feat. This public speaking before large audiences and judges clearly brings him great joy and not just for the success, acclaim and trophies he earns. This joy comes from something inside him finding what he is meant to be doing. I hope he will consider Philips Brooks House, or writing for the Crimson or HPR, or explore theatrical productions as well as the student radio station as ways to feed the fire that burns within him. He may not have had such opportunities in his school but he might flourish and contributes to them in important ways. Academic Academic Rating* 1- Love of learning* 1 (Truly unusual) Intellectual curiosity* 1 (Truly unusual) Torto, Micheal-Nat; DOB: 03/24/2003; ID: 615038802 Form11/15/2024 13:01 2/4
Alumni Interview Form c/o 2025 (continued) Intellectual originality* 2 Academic Prose* Michael is an all- around talent and could excel in many different fields. I think this makes him an excellent candidate for a liberal arts education in general and Harvard in particular. I feel that it is important that he have the opportunity to explore knowledge widely an not get tracked too soon into preprofessional grooves if he so chooses. I would not be surprised if his interests evolve as a college student in a stimulating environment. He talked about his decision to shift his focus from computer science to broadcast journalism as a “desire to have greater social impact.” I think there are many ways he could fulfill this mission and he has just begun to explore more options. Clearly, he is an all rounder who can excel at whatever he chooses but his interests were impacted his sophomore year as he became involved in public speaking. Although he claims to have come late to the pursuit (since he did not participate as a freshman) he clearly has a gift and natural talent and so has enjoyed almost immediate and even increasing success at the regional state and national level in dramatic interpretation and declamation categories. I asked how his family felt about his dedication to public speaking. He said “My Momma was worried at first that all the time in preparation and competition might interfere with my academics, but she was pretty happy when I started bringing home trophies.” At this point he flashed a 1000 watt smile and turned behind his chair and hoisted a trophy that was about as tall as him! He has charm and good humor as well as wit and impeccable delivery. That said, I would not be surprised if his chooses a career in politics or media rather than academia. Compared with the high standards of Harvard applicants, I have not seen evidence of strikingly original thought or research at such a young age, although they may exist. Some of his theories are appropriate for a high school student and so it is hard to say whether or not he would mature into a Harvard faculty member if he so chooses. I suspect his goals lie elsewhere and he will make his impact in the world of action rather than thought. It would be wonderful if he could have four years of pursing knowledge for its own sake before committing to his present career path of broadcast journalism. I would not be surprised if he found new intellectual passion for politics or theater but even if he sticks with broadcast journalism, he will bring to it a richness and fullness of intellectual engagement and rigor. Overall Rating Overall* 1 Overall Rating Prose* There are circumstances that affect this student and myself, nevertheless I feel that he clearly rates a one. To say that he is one of this year’s best is, in my experience, clearly not enough. He is the best I have ever seen. Coming as he does from the challenges of Newark makes this all the more impressive to me. I live less than 10 miles away from him and his school and yet I inhabit a world apart. I cannot fully appreciate the challenges he has had to overcome as a young African American Man focused on outstanding achievement. I suspect he has had to be above reproach in situations I have never had to worry about. I have taken some time to reflect on my own feelings about this and my response to his undeniable charisma. I can well believe he has a visceral appreciation of “Nice good kids getting into trouble and needing to be set straight”. He has grit and you can feel it when he speaks to you. I feel that Torto, Micheal-Nat; DOB: 03/24/2003; ID: 615038802 Form11/15/2024 13:01 3/4
Alumni Interview Form c/o 2025 (continued) it is challenging to capture the FULL extent of the students desirability for admission to Harvard, but I have done my best here. Please feel free to contact me if you have any further questions. If not previously discussed, are there any extenuating or unusual circumstances you feel might have impacted the student's life, candidacy, or opportunities? I have discussed Newark as a challenging inner city environment. The admission committee probably knows more than I about North Star Academy and its role. These Charter schools must create both opportunities and constraints which you understand far better than I. Check all of the following that might apply to this interview: Rare and rewarding exchange of ideas Easy flow of conversation Diamond in the rough Torto, Micheal-Nat; DOB: 03/24/2003; ID: 615038802 Form11/15/2024 13:01 4/4