We are proud to offer college counseling with a unique structure, specifically designed to give as much quality time and service to our clients as possible
Empowerment: our mission
We believe in giving students the tools they need as they take steps toward adulthood. Combining expert strategy, careful execution, and unwavering support, we give our families the confidence to conquer both the college admissions process and the many other stumbling blocks that arise during adolescence. Our families know that their kids do indeed have a bright future ahead.
Project management: our specialty
As far as we know, we are the only firm in our region (and perhaps the entire country) that provides individualized administrative and project management assistance for each of our clients. We realized long ago that we can provide the best advice in the world, but it will not be effective if teenagers do not follow through with it. For this reason, we provide constant reminders to ensure that each student follows through with every single task assigned in their individualized workflows. Yes, we have to charge a little more to be able to do this, but these reminders are worth their weight in gold. Thanks to this meticulous project management system and our strategic backwards-planning approach, most of our students submit all of their college applications months in advance of deadlines, at the end of the summer before their senior year of high school.
EXECUTION: OUR APPROACH
Our team is anchored by Colleen Paparella and Sonya Ohlsson, the experts in admissions strategy and college selection. After a warm welcome and look into what we do and how we help, Colleen and Sonya hold regular meetings to support students with strategies that complement their individualized personalities, learning styles, and future goals. We remain actively involved until acceptances are in hand.
The rest of the team is comprised of highly skilled individuals who manage the execution of each student’s customized admissions roadmap throughout the duration of a student’s engagement. From essay coaches, a student success coach, and a client support specialist, we provide guidance and oversight in every single area involved in the college admissions process, so nothing falls through the cracks.
CONCENTRATION: OUR SPACE
Our office is located on the Tysons side of Vienna, VA, and is strategically set up to be a study hub to encourage progress and success. We offer convenient, teenage-friendly hours and a cheerful office environment in which students can achieve their best results (with no distractions from peers or siblings, but plenty of snacks!).
WRITING: Our strength
You know that college essays are tough. As the most dreaded part of the admissions process, it’s easy to panic after seeing how many your teen has to write -- and it’s normal to worry that your high schooler might struggle to do their best work. Even if he hates writing or she has a hard time thinking of content, it doesn’t do any good for you as the parent to rewrite, edit, or change core ideas (as much as you feel tempted!). The essays will actually lose their authentic voice and unique perspective of the way your teen sees the world. Through our original, meticulously designed STAGE essay writing program, we help each student dig deep and pull out excellence in their own words -- no parental editing required. What they achieve in the end is exactly what we’re looking for: “17-year-old-perfect,” we call it.
Ongoing support: Our Promise
Our involvement with our students does not stop when the acceptance letters arrive. We offer academic coaching to high school, college, and graduate students to ensure that they are set up for success with time management, organization, and study skills. Current undergraduates also benefit from our hands-on college experience coaching, providing regular support with everything from course selection to internship applications to preparing for graduate school.
PARTNERSHIP: Our SERVICES
We work with our students in a variety of ways, but always collaborate together to customize an action plan designed to meet specific goals and needs.
MOST OF OUR STRATEGIC APPROACHES INCLUDE A COMBINATION OF THE FOLLOWING:
Guidance on which standardized tests to take and when, along with recommendations for test preparation services
Ongoing support regarding the college search and selection process to find the perfect fit
Strategic guidance on the use of the various application types (Rolling vs. Early Action vs. Early Decision vs. Restrictive Early Action vs. Single-Choice Early Action vs. Priority)
Tailored college visit guidance that results in a savings of time and money
Assistance with completing and editing The Common Application® and application supplements
Assistance with completing and editing the Coalition Application and application supplements
Assistance with completing the Self-Reported Academic Record
Strategy development, writing assistance, editing and review for The Common Application® and Coalition Application Personal Essays using our original, meticulously designed STAGE essay writing program
Strategy development, writing assistance, editing and review for the many required supplement essays
Teacher and counselor recommendation strategy, assistance, editing and review
Interview preparation
Organizational tools and support to monitor the status of each application component
PLANS MAY ALSO INCLUDE:
School-specific application assistance for colleges and universities that do not accept The Common Application® or Coalition Application, including the complex multi-campus University of California application
Help with navigating NCAA Division I, Division II or Division III athletic recruitment
Visual or performing art portfolios through SlideRoom
Chaperoned college tours
Honors program and merit scholarship application assistance
Summer program strategy and application assistance
Side-by-side assistance with application and test score submission to prevent user error
Deferral and waitlist action plans
Assistance with high school-based forms such as transcript requests and application cover sheets