Every student has a story.

“Finding Your Story”

We firmly believe that each and every student has a “story” that is worthy of sharing—unique interests, talents, and/or experiences. Our goal is to help identify, cultivate, and showcase this story in order to bolster a student’s confidence and ultimately success in the admissions process by helping them stand out from the crowd.

What is your student passionate about? What brings them joy and excitement? To what does your student devote their time and energy? Through in-depth conversations with students and parents, we help hone in on what it is that makes each student unique. Then, we help them leverage this to put together applications that are not only strategically sound, but also brimming with authenticity and personality.

College List Advising

The key to being happy with the outcome of the admissions process is starting with a well-thought, balanced college list. The list also provides the foundation for efficient, thoughtful college visit planning—a must for busy parents and students! We help sift through the thousands of colleges across the country (and world!) to identify best-fit colleges for your student. Our goal is ultimately for every student to not simply identify a “first-choice” college, but to identify several colleges about which they are excited and at which they could be happy.

To do this, we prioritize truly getting to know your child first and foremost. In fact, this is our favorite part! Through discussions with you and your child, along with a variety of thought-provoking exercises, we learn as much as we can in order to put together recommendations on not only where your child can “get in” but where your child is likely to thrive academically, socially, and personally for years to come.

Essay Assistance

Once your “story” has been identified, then it is time to tell it. We start by breaking down misconceptions surrounding the essay: there is one “right” approach, only the strongest writers can be successful, and the essay is a task to be feared. In so doing, we help students see the essay for what it is: an exciting opportunity.

What is more, we help each and every student tell their authentic story and do so in a way that showcases their unique personality, goals, and perspective. For some students, this may come naturally. For others, it may start as a struggle. Regardless, we meet each student where they are, use a variety of individualized techniques to move them forward, and guide them toward crafting an essay about which they can be proud.

We offer assistance on essays of all types: Common Application Personal Statement, the Coalition Application essay, university-specific supplemental essays, the University of California Personal Insight Questions, and more.

Having reviewed thousands of applications and assisted students in the completion of hundreds more, we are well-versed in the ins and outs of the application platforms including the Common Application, the Coalition Application, and the University of California application. We offer guidance on how a student can most effectively highlight their strengths and make their application pop. We also provide a thorough, hands-on review of completed applications to ensure each student is putting their best foot forward before pushing “send.”

While typically not required as part of the application process, interviews offer students another opportunity to share information about themselves and to connect with a college representive in a meaningful way. Through detailed recommendations and practice, we help students to make the most out of this opportunity and to approach it feeling confident and well-prepared.

A well-crafted resume is useful on multiple fronts. In the admissions process, a resume may be: uploaded as part of the application, provided to interviewers, used to apply for internships or summer programs, and repurposed to guide application completion. We can assist at all stages of the resume process—whether starting from the ground up or simply providing final touches.