;)
Counseling Services
Our two master counselors, between them, have over 20 years experience editing applications and connecting students to their best college matches.
Ralph Becker
BA Yale, MBA UCLA, Counseling Certificate, UCLA; former Yale Alumni Interviewer; Columnist-Kyocharo, Town News, Grunion Gazette; HECA, WACAC Member, Unigo Counseling Expert
Rose Peters
BA, MA (Psychology), PPS, 17 years experience, former head of Torrance USD English Department. Placed hundreds of students in many most selective schools.
• Recommended Counseling Websites
Personal College Planning: Sophomore year (10th Grade)
5 Sessions-Unlimited Internet and Phone
- Create and review high school class plan for next three years
- Analyze and assess the student's current academic, extracurricular, and personal records
- Take an interest inventory to focus activities over the next 3 years: investigate various majors
- Set plans for upcoming summer:volunteer, internships, summer school
- Set standardized testing plans for the next years
- Build a strategically-organized personal resume (activity list)
- Participate actively in class and build solid teacher relationships for future recommendations
- Begin developing a list of colleges and universities to research and consider
- Discuss possible financial options for college-start early
- Visit key college websites (and student blogs) to gain a sense of various campus cultures
- Begin to work on essay writing skills. Also begin writing a series of essays that might be used in the application process
- Develop study and organizational skills: filing systems, both digital and paper
Personal College Planning: Junior year (11th Grade)
5 Sessions-Unlimited Internet and Phone
- Ensure UC a-g requirements will be met; review transcript and class selection for balance of high school years
- Set testing schedule for the entire year: PSAT/NMSQT; ACT or SAT; AP exams; SAT Subject tests
- Stay committed to two solid extracurricular activities; depth of commitment is esteemed by Admissions officers
- Review and edit list of top colleges: have reach, target, and safeties in mind
- Visit, tour, attend information sessions and interview (if possible) at colleges of interest during spring break
- Determine college funding. Use web and college sources to determine costs
- Sign up for summer courses, internships or jobs
- Review and update activity list
- Begin initial drafts of Common Application and Personal Statement essays Download Sample College Planning
Application Consulting: Senior year (12th Grade)
6 Sessions-Begins Summer Between Junior and Senior Year
Session 1
Overview of application process; Transcript evaluation; Review college selection process; Understanding college deadlines and timetables.
Session 2
Go over college requirements; Revise college list; Discuss student/parent preferences; Elements of successful resume (Activity List); Tips for internet college research.
Session 3
Students review Common Application; Discussion of letters of recommendation; Selecting recommenders/specifics to include; Correlation of essay topics based on individual college selection list; Initial essay development organizing and clustering; In-depth essay planning.
Session 4
Tips for outstanding essays; Review rough drafts of Common Application for cohesion and mechanics; Discuss revisions necessary to polish each essay; Position the application at each school; Final review of essays.
Session 5
Ongoing review of essays for organization, cohesion and mechanics; Final application revisions/check essays for Impact; Confirmation for letters of recommendation; Review essay requirements; Completion of supplementary essays.
Session 6
Final review of each application to assure completeness and accuracy of data; Timetable for submitting each application; Assure all special supplements are sent: art portfolio, music samples; Checklist for following on wait lists and acceptances.
2012-2013 Admission Acceptances
2011-2012 Admission Acceptances
- Columbia University
- MIT
- University of Pennsylvania
- Stanford
- Brown (2)
- Duke University (Full Scholarship)
- Rice University (Full Scholarship)
- Dartmouth
- NYU (5)
- Occidental College (2)
- Carnegie Mellon (3)
- Boston University (3)
- Northwestern University
- University of Michigan
- Emory University (4)
- UCLA (9)
- UC Berkeley (10)
- UC San Diego (9)
- All other UC Campuses
- USC (4)
- University of Washington
- Boston College (4)
- University of San Diego
- George Washington University
- The Ohio State University
- Case Western University (3)
- Pepperdine
- University of Arizona
- American University
- University of Connecticut
- Adelphi/NYU (BS/DDS Program) $108K Scholarship
- Smith College ($75K Scholarship)
- University of Richmond (2)
- Sarah Lawrence
- Whitman College
- Pepperdine
- Willamette College
- Rose Hullman ($40K Scholarship)
- CS Poly SLO
- Dickenson College
- Bowdoin College
- Penn State University
- Notre Dame (2)
- Middlebury College