Student Spotlight: Meet Gaby

Gabriel Terech

Graduated from Shalhevet High School (Class of 2024)

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First practice ACT: 26

Official composite ACT: 32

Superscore: 34

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1. Please introduce yourself

My name is Gaby Terech. I was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina but grew up in Los Angeles where I went to Shalhevet High School (Class of 2024).

I was accepted to U of Maryland, U of Miami, UCSD, Columbia University School of General Studies and WashU where I decided to enroll. I thought it was the right fit for me mostly because of the community and a large merit scholarship I was awarded.

I decided to defer a year and am currently studying at Yeshivat Orayta in the Old City of Jerusalem. I will continue to study there for a second year before attending WashU.

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2. Tell us about your Vault Prep experience.

I never really struggled with test taking, but the ACT’s time pressure made me realize I had to approach problems differently — and fast. After my first meeting with Johnny (and later working with Megan), I saw just how wrong my old way of thinking had been. Instead of just practicing questions, they taught me to break problems into categories, look for patterns, and read with a purpose. It wasn’t just about beating the clock, but about training my mind to see structure where I’d only seen stress. Those skills helped me on test day, but more importantly, they changed the way I tackle challenges everywhere.

3. What are your best advice and tips you'd give to students who are going through the stressful college prep process?

Once you finally commit to a school, you’ll realize that all the stressing over every little detail didn’t really change the outcome — and it definitely wasn’t worth sacrificing your peace of mind. So take breaks, do things you enjoy, and try to keep perspective: the less you stress, the better your life will feel, both now and later.

When you’re at college, hanging out with friends and making new memories, you won’t wish you were somewhere else. You’ll be exactly where you’re meant to be, and you’ll enjoy it so much more if you let yourself breathe during the process. Instead of constantly worrying about getting into what you think is the “better” school, focus on living in the moment. Slow down, and appreciate where you are and what you have right now — because that matters just as much as where you’ll end up.

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