My name is Noah Weiss, and I moved to Manhattan Beach when I was 12. I recently graduated from Mira Costa High School, and this fall I will begin my studies at Stanford University, where I plan to dual major in Mechanical Engineering and Aeronautics & Astronautics.

From an early age, I’ve been fascinated by physics and engineering. What began as curiosity about how things work developed into years of projects, from building circuits and testing sensors to designing and launching model rockets. I’ve always approached engineering with genuine interest rather than seeing it as only an academic pursuit.

That same mindset led me to create Tiku (thetiku.com), a platform designed to make the college application process more organized, effective, and efficient. When I was preparing my own applications, I realized how difficult it was to write essays that truly stood out. The official resources from each school often repeated the same information, so most applicants were working with identical material. What was missing were the authentic details and perspectives that could set an application apart. I saw an opportunity to engineer a solution.

Building Tiku required teaching myself multiple programming languages and frameworks, from web development tools to database and security design. I spent last summer debugging and refining the system until the platform became stable and scalable. I approached it the same way I approach any engineering project: breaking the problem into smaller parts, solving each piece, and integrating them into a complete system.

Today, Tiku includes several core features. It automatically generates essay folders for each college on a student’s list, keeping materials organized from the start. Application deadlines are tracked and updated automatically, reducing the chance of missing important dates. AI-powered tools help with brainstorming and refining essays, making the process more efficient while keeping the student’s voice intact. At the center of the platform is the ability to schedule one-on-one conversations with current students at top universities such as Stanford, Harvard, Yale, and Princeton. These conversations provide applicants with insights into programs, opportunities, and campus culture that go far beyond what’s available elsewhere.

I now work on Tiku with my co-founder, who is also a Stanford student. Together, we continue to improve the platform and make it a reliable resource for families navigating the admissions process. For me, Tiku is both personal and practical—it solves a challenge I’ve experienced myself.

My passion for engineering also grew through hands-on projects. At Mira Costa, I founded the Aerospace Club, where we designed and built a rocket for the American Rocketry Challenge. It used onboard sensors and a custom flight algorithm to control steerable fins on the nose, allowing it to reach a precise altitude.

Robotics gave me another outlet. As president of the Mira Costa VEX Club, I led our teams to qualify for the state championships multiple times. I also competed as a driver for Team 294 in the FIRST Robotics Competition, where our team advanced to the World Championship for the first time in over a decade. Out of more than 3,400 teams worldwide, we placed second overall in Houston, Texas, in front of nearly 70,000 people.

Music has been another defining part of my life. In my senior year, I served as concertmaster of the Mira Costa Orchestras, performing on violins passed down from my great-grandfather. During the COVID pandemic, when live concerts weren’t possible, I composed a piece for world-renowned violinist Ray Chen and organized global community concerts that brought together more than fifty musicians from around the world. After editing their recordings into a single performance, the project became a source of connection during an otherwise isolating time.

With Mira Costa, I toured Europe and performed at historic venues including the Rudolfinum in Prague. Locally, I twice won the Mira Costa Rotary Solo Competition, most recently performing Bach’s Chaconne during my junior year. I also played with the Los Angeles Youth Orchestra as principal second violinist, which gave me the opportunity to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York.

As I begin my time at Stanford, I’m eager to continue advancing both my academic studies and Tiku. My long-term goal is to deepen my knowledge of engineering and physics with the intent of solving practical problems and making a meaningful difference. Manhattan Beach has provided me with the environment to explore these interests with discipline and curiosity, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to represent this community as I take the next step in my journey.

If you or someone you know is beginning the college application process, I’d be glad to help. I encourage families and students to visit thetiku.com, explore the platform, and see how connecting with real undergraduates can provide the kind of insight that makes applications clearer, stronger, and far less stressful.