Why Employ a College Coach?
Finding the right fit
The college application process has become increasingly complex, and acceptance has become increasingly competitive. In this environment, it is imperative that a student’s application, especially his essays, differentiate him from other applicants, and leave a positive, lasting impact on the reader. Over the past ten years, I have worked with students of all abilities, and developed a compelling, team-based system that results in honest, effective and memorable essays — that lead to accepted applications.
I also stress the importance of choosing the proper schools for each individual student, so we formulate a list based on several criteria. Education is key, but it’s equally important that a student is happy, inspired, and motivated to succeed.
"Having perfect grades and test scores is no longer sufficient as Ivy League schools reject over 50% of valedictorians with perfect SAT scores. Top schools want evidence of intellectual vitality or a love of learning outside the classroom and an extremely angular extra-curricular profile that shows that a student is the best at one activity. What we as private college admissions consultants aim to do is give potential college applicants all the advantages and information possible in order for them to make their applications the best that they can be.” - Entrepreneur Magazine
From the NY Times:
“So we have jumped into this advising process to have someone hold our hands and keep us from second, third and fourth guessing ourselves. Someone else can give Charlie feedback on his essay (as a writer, I try to stay as far away from his work as possible), tell him whether he should retake any of the tests, tell him he should take A.P. English rather than regular. Someone else can get him to consider schools he has never heard of, hear him in ways that we can’t, and encourage more self-discovery. More important, someone else can give him deadlines and take over the nudging.” — Megan Zinn, The New York Times
Essays, essays, essays….
My favorite part of the application process! (It should be yours, too!)
“It can almost be taken for granted that the top 10% [of students] has high grades in college prep courses, come from programs with strong curriculum, did well on the ACT or SAT, and have solid grades across all their courses. The key differentiator among the top five factors is the essays. These essays must almost perfectly capture the key elements of who you are. You’ll need to edit, proofread, revise, get second opinions and make these essays as flawless as possible.” –– Gazettes Newspapers
“Ninety percent of the applications I read contain what I call McEssays – usually five-paragraph essays that consist primarily of abstractions and unsupported generalization. They are technically correct in that they are organized and have the correct sentence structure and spelling, but they are boring.” – Senior Assistant Dean, Office of Undergraduate Admission, University of Virginia
“The NACAC (National Association of College Admissions Counselors) top five factors affecting admissions: 1. grades in college prep courses; 2. strength of curriculum; 3. standardized test scores; 4. grades across all courses; 5. Essays.
