1:1 Comprehensive College Admissions Coaching
Our Comprehensive Pathway to College Admissions
Our 1:1 counseling packages are designed to grow with your teen. Whether they start working with us during their freshman year or a little later in their high school career, we meet students where they are and walk beside them every step of the way.
We begin their college admission journey with an in-depth intake, during which we gain insights into our students’ values, strengths, and interests. From there, our advisors personalize their 1:1 sessions to guide their students through our six-module approach, each developed with a focus on different aspects of their college search, application, essay writing, and admissions journey.
In addition to 1:1 support, our students access supplemental resources, including small group workshops, special events, and curated emails.
Our Proven Journey Model
Our six-module approach guides our 1:1 students through the complete college admissions journey. Each module builds upon the previous one, creating a supportive and structured pathway where our expertise transforms the complex college admissions process into manageable stages. We identify key milestones for each student along the way, and celebrate their accomplishments at each step, ensuring our students stay motivated, confident about their progress, and excited for their next steps.
Foundation
We begin by getting to know our student, learning about who they are now and who they aspire to become. This phase builds self-awareness and sets the tone for the entire process. We lay the groundwork by understanding our students’ and their families’ goals for the process and outcomes, starting early planning, organizing materials, demystifying terminology, and identifying test preparation timelines.
Exploration
Based on their unique goals, our counselor will tailor their advice, from how to research schools, creating curated college lists, organizing information, to preparing for their campus tours.
We conduct detailed program comparisons and help our students discover schools that truly align with their academic interests, career aspirations, and personal preferences. We also guide students through reflective exercises and discussions to identify personal strengths, define academic goals, and understand the college landscape. We provide strategies to maximize their experience as they demonstrate interest by attending tours, college fairs, and admission events – laying the groundwork for a “just right” list of schools and programs.
Preparation
We create customized application timelines, offer specialized test prep resources, and host application and essay workshops. Our counselors conduct detailed academic profile reviews and help organize application materials through our proprietary tracking system, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks. Our writing specialists help brainstorm essay topics, provide advice on best practices, and equip our students with the tools to craft their best essays. We also monitor their “just right” list for school-specific application requirements and supplemental essay topics.
Refinement
As our students’ lists and essay topics evolve, we go deeper to help our students’ applications stand out. We work with each student to help them align what they’re doing now with what they’re hoping for next, so they’re not just building a college application, but figuring out who they are becoming. We encourage our students to take ownership of their journey by pursuing leadership roles, planning impactful summers, refining their activities list, and researching scholarships.
Through our 1:1 support, group workshops, and open office hours, we help our students tell their story powerfully and authentically. Our writing specialists provide substantive feedback on essays through multiple revision cycles, while our counselors conduct mock interviews and help develop video supplements. We help students strategically highlight their achievements and unique qualities to create compelling, authentic applications that stand out to admissions committees.
Action
This is the heart of the application journey. We roll up our sleeves to prepare each submission by finalizing activity lists, resumes, personal statements, and supplemental essays. We hold interview preparation sessions and conduct final application review sessions. And, we remain accessible throughout the waiting period, providing timely advice on waitlist strategies and additional material submissions.
Celebration
At College Bound Advising, we are all about the celebration, and not just when our students email us the news that they got in! As decisions roll in, we help evaluate options by providing strategic consultations on admission offers. And, after our students commit to a school, we shift the conversation from just getting in to preparing for life at college.
Real Results, Real Families
of our students are admitted to one of their top three schools
apply at least two weeks before their first deadline
of early decision applicants receive acceptance letters
What You Get by Grade
We tailor our services to your teen’s academic year, using in-depth intake sessions to gain a deeper understanding of our students’ values, strengths, and interests. Here’s what a typical journey looks like:
Freshman Year
- High school course selection guidance
- Intro to extracurriculars that matter to the student (and spark joy!)
- Early exposure to the college landscape
- Summer activity assistance
- Standardized testing timeline (preliminary)
- Year-end family meeting
Sophomore Year
- Personality and learning-style assessments
- Values-based exploration of college options
- Early introduction to the "college list" concept using our College List Builder system
- Encouragement to deepen involvement and leadership
- High school course selection guidance
- Continued organization of testing plans and timelines
- Planning for meaningful summer opportunities
- Family meetings throughout the year
Junior Year
- Full access to our College List Builder system
- Timeline planning for testing, tours, and applications
- Personalized to-do lists and accountability check-ins
- Ongoing review of the student’s activities list with suggestions for refinement
- Demonstrated interest guidance (visits, meetings with college representatives, follow-ups)
- Essay brainstorming sessions, and advising for both personal statements and supplements
- Guidance on recommendations, scholarships, and interviews
- Summer writing workshops and office hours access
- Strategic planning kick-off to the application season
Senior Year
- Strategies to finalize the college list and all application tasks
- Customized application checklists and calendars
- Final essay development: personal statement and supplements
- Continued support for obtaining recommendations, scholarships, and interviews
- Review of Common Application, activities list, and resumes
- Access to our office hours
- Final application review and submission meetings
