Question1: When and how should my child begin preparing for college applications?

Now.

Like any job application, a college application is about finding a college education that “matches” the student. The best outcome of any college application is when the student attends a school where the student gains the abilities to make a good living, live a good life, walk away with positive experiences, and become a contributing member of society.

Parents and students can look at this “matching” game in two different ways. 

The first way is to focus on your child’s growth. Please help your child become the best authentic version that they can be in their abilities, character, and passions. When the time is up for college applications, your child will honestly fill out the forms, proudly present their stories, and comfortably connect with the best “matching” schools.

The other way is to be goal-oriented. You can select a few goal schools for your child: the Big Three? Definitely! HYPSM? Great choices! You will then go to these schools’ websites and find out what kind of students they are looking for. You can also read about the application forms of your goal schools. Most likely, you will come to the conclusion that these top-tier schools are all looking for someone who is a good student and a nice person, has genuine passions and work ethics, and cares a lot about the people around them. Then, you will prepare your child to apply to these schools by cultivating the required elements in your child’s life day in and day out. When college application results come out, you will feel delighted if your child gets into these goal schools. If your child does not end up going to any of your goal schools, you will be glad that he/she has gained the valuable “matching” qualities of the goal schools and has become a genuinely hardworking, caring, and passionate person, who will be successful in life wherever he/she goes.

Question 2: When should my child begin taking standardized tests?

It is never too early; it is also never too late. 

We have worked with a student who took SAT in October of his senior year and got into his tier 1 reach college early. We have also worked with another student who took SAT Math 2 in 7th grade and got into his tier 1 match college early. The key is to take the tests when the student is most ready! Parents, teachers, and academic coaches can help prepare their students and decide when they are truly ready. 

Question 3: What makes you different/unique from the other college consultant firms?

We coach Academic Athletes to become the best they can be as students and nice people with genuine passions.

Instead of providing a fixed set of "formulas," we strive to fully understand their unique personal qualities, interests, abilities, life experiences, goals, and ambitions while we coach them to develop their individual and successful growth paths. We don't treat our students like Christmas trees by decorating them with shiny ornaments. Instead, we cultivate our students to bear their personal and brilliant fruits, which are wonderful, amazing, full of life and excitement, and always sought after by top-tier colleges. Transcend applications; we coach our students to develop the qualities and abilities for a good and successful life.

Question 4: What kind of results can you deliver after I use your service?

We provide coaching, guidance, and support for you to become an outstanding student, a great person, and someone who is pursuing an exciting passion. You, the Academic Athlete, will have to deliver the results with your hard work and determination.

Question 5: How do admissions officers view extracurricular activities?

Many parents and students feel that they must include some sort of sports and leadership activities to be competitive in college applications. However, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to what activity is most appealing or useful in any college application. Colleges will look at what a student does in his/her spare time if there is time left after healthy eating, sufficient sleeping, an active lifestyle, and being a good student at school. The activities should be natural outcomes of a young person’s curiosity and enthusiasm about life. Therefore, avoid copycat activities that do not connect with your personal stories; instead, focus on cultivating authentic and unique activities that highlight the essence of who you are. 

Question 6: What are college admission officers looking for in my essays?

First, you need to be able to write! So, good and easy-to-read essays without spelling, grammar, or other errors are essential. Please remember, colleges want to know as much as possible about you as a real person. Therefore, essays that include your stories, thoughts, experiences, abilities, passions, and, most importantly, the kind of person you truly are will be very appealing to most colleges.

Question 7: What is the weight of SAT or ACT for college applications nowadays? 

While many colleges have stopped requiring, considering, or accepting SAT or ACT scores, students who have done well on standardized tests can continue to use them as proof of their academic strengths. These scores can also be useful when applying for summer camps, scholarships, and internships.

Question 8: What if I don’t know what to major in college?

You can apply to schools that do not require you to choose a major on your application. For schools that do require you to select a major, you can consider the subjects in high school that you performed well in or the subjects that interested you the most and sparked your curiosity. You can also choose any basic sciences or the most cutting-edge and employable. No matter what you decide, you will continue to find success by following your interests, talents, and passion in college and beyond!