The Best U College Admissions Consulting

  We meet a lot of students who are eager to ‘make an impact’ in high school, motivated by both the desire to contribute meaningfully to issues that matter, and to strengthen their college applications with the kind of special project they believe will set them apart. We meet even more parents who are anxious to see their kids have this kind of tangible item to put on their activities list or resume. While parents and students alike are often hungry for direction from us, wondering what outcome to strive for and what will ‘look good,’ we take a different approach. Read on for how we recommend high school students think about doing something that matters– Our greatest advice is quite simple: just begin. Any project or objective you devise for the express purpose of impressing others is not likely to have the impact you hope for.  The truth is, good projects come from good works, good questions, and good relationships.  Here’s what that looks like: Take an issue that is imp...

  If we look closely at the common threads shared by the students we see thriving in the college process, there are a few pieces that often define them.  Does it surprise you to know that these are not grades or test scores? Undoubtedly, a strong academic curriculum in high school, taking advantage of rigorous classes, earning good grades, and to a lesser extent, performing well on standardized tests are common features of the applications of students who are admitted to the most selective colleges. However, if you were to examine the admissions pools at these colleges, you would find that likely 6 in 10 applicants share these similar ‘academic profiles.’ And yet, the acceptance rates at the most selective colleges are far less than 60%.  So what distinguishes the 1 in 10 or even 1 in 25 who get in?  The factors that distinguish them are often things that not only set their application apart, but in our view, are ways of seeing and being that have given them a more f...