Find Yourself Searching For College Advisors Near Me?

Case Studies

The following stories are case studies on how we have helped students and their families get into their best fit college and graduate debt free!

One of our College Ready students was passionate about fashion. She learned from her older sibling that not all children around the world have their own clothing—often wearing hand-me-downs or items that are old and worn out. When she saw pictures of these children, she was devastated to think that they would never have something of their own.

Determined to make a difference, she decided to step into her passion for fashion and create an organization called Dress of Hope.

• First, she taught herself how to sew using YouTube tutorials.
• Then, she gathered her close friends and taught them how to sew.
• They would get together each Friday evening for sewing parties that included pizza, music, and lots of laughter.
• They asked people to donate gently used pillowcases and transformed them into beautiful little dresses.
• Next, they needed to figure out how to get these dresses to the children in need around the world.
• One of her friends suggested contacting Doctors Without Borders.
• Long story short, thousands of these little dresses were delivered by doctors to children in needy communities worldwide.

By tapping into her passion, she not only enjoyed what she was doing but also made a significant impact—and colleges noticed.

Let me share the journey of one of my students, Daniel Parker.

Background:

Daniel had a passion for space and astronomy. He could spend hours talking about the universe, stars, and black holes. However, he struggled to showcase this passion in a way that would make him stand out to colleges.

When he talked to his friends about it, they teased him, calling him a ‘space nerd.’ When he mentioned it to his parents, they saw it as just another hobby.

Our Approach:

We helped Daniel embrace his passion and recognize that it was a unique strength. We encouraged him to dive deeper.

• Passion Project: Daniel created a project where he filled backpacks with school supplies for children in underprivileged neighborhoods, always including something related to space. He wanted to share his love for astronomy with others.
• Community Outreach: He organized stargazing nights for the community, partnering with local organizations.
• Research Opportunities: We assisted him in connecting with a university professor working on black hole research. Daniel contributed to a project that led to his work being published—a remarkable achievement for a high school student.

Here is the journey of Katelyn Kolberg.

Background:

Katelyn and her family were unfamiliar with the U.S. admissions process. Her parents were first-generation immigrants, and while they were highly educated in their home country, the U.S. system was new to them.

They felt anxious and overwhelmed, worried about making mistakes that could jeopardize Katelyn’s chances.

Our Approach:

• Demystifying the Process
• We broke down each step, explaining the ‘why’ and ‘how’ behind it.
• Personalized Planning
• Created a customized roadmap for Katelyn, focusing on her strengths and goals.
• Family Empowerment
• Provided resources and education for her parents so they felt confident supporting her.

Outcome:

• Katelyn applied confidently and was accepted into several top-tier universities, including her dream school, UC Berkeley.
• She is now a senior at UC Berkeley, set to graduate debt-free, and on her way to the career of her dreams.”

Let us share the story of Henry Knox, a current senior.

Background:

Henry was passionate about global education access. He believed that every child deserved the opportunity to learn, regardless of where they lived or their economic status.

Our Approach:

• Project Creation: We helped Henry develop EmpowerEducation.world, an initiative supporting education in Uganda and Oaxaca, Mexico.
• Leadership Development: Henry led a team of 42 students from around the world, organizing fundraising events and partnerships with local organizations.

Impact Achieved:

• Raised over $27,000.
• Built two classrooms in Uganda.
• Provided resources for an orphanage in Oaxaca.

Outcome:

Henry’s passion project not only made a tangible difference but also showcased his leadership, initiative, and commitment to education.

His application stood out, and he has inspired many students and parents to encourage their children to initiate passion projects.

The Miller family, like many others, found themselves overwhelmed by the college admissions process. Their daughter, Sarah, was a great student with strong extracurricular involvement, but the family didn’t know where to begin with building a college list, managing deadlines, or writing the best applications. They worried about missing key opportunities, navigating financial aid, and finding the right fit for Sarah.

Challenges:

 Lack of a structured plan for researching colleges and meeting deadlines.
 Uncertainty about how to showcase Sarah’s strengths in her applications.
 Confusion over financial aid, scholarships, and affordability.

Our Approach: Once the Millers partnered with College Ready, we took immediate steps to streamlinethe process:

1. Personalized Planning: We worked closely with Sarah in her custom student Vault of knowledge and to create a detailed college plan. Her plan included a balanced list of schools and a timeline to manage deadlines for testing, applications, and scholarships.

2. Application Strategy: Our team guided Sarah in writing authentic, standout essays that highlighted her unique passions and community service. We also helped her secure strong letters of recommendation.

3. Financial Aid Expertise: We provided the Millers with a clear understanding of financial aid and scholarship options.

Outcome: Success and Acceptance

With College Ready’s guidance, Sarah confidently navigated the admissions process, avoiding common pitfalls like rushed applications or missed deadlines. She was accepted into her top three schools all with a generous financial aid package. Sarah received over $42,000 in scholarships she will not need to pay back. The Millers felt relieved and empowered, knowing they had made informed decisions every step of theway.

By working with College Ready, the stress and confusion around college admissions were replaced with clarity and success.

The Jones family contacted College Ready when their son, Ethan, a high-achieving high school sophomore, felt uncertain about his future. Despite excelling academically and being involved in various extracurricular activities, Ethan had no clear direction on what career path or college major interested him. Ethan’s parents were concerned that without a clear goal, Ethan would struggle to build a compelling college application and miss out on opportunities to explore his potential.

Challenges:

 Lack of clarity on career interests or a specific college major.

 Difficulty in choosing extracurriculars and courses that aligned with his skills and
interests.

 Fear of applying to colleges without a defined direction, leading to confusion and lost opportunities. Unsure what a good college fit would be.

Our Approach:

When they partnered with College Ready, we developed a tailored plan to help Ethan explore his options and discover his strengths:

1. Exploration of Interests: We began by guiding Ethan through several custom-made high school personality assessments, career exploration tools, and discussions to uncover his passions, gifts, talents and advocacy. By encouraging him to explore different subjects and potential career paths, we helped him get a better sense of what excited him.

2. Tailored College Planning: With this new clarity, we created a personalized roadmap, focusing on colleges that offered strong exploratory programs and diverse academic opportunities. We helped Ethan choose courses and extracurriculars that would allow him to explore his interests while building a strong profile.

3. Setting Milestones and Accountability: We set clear milestones for Ethan, including timelines for test prep, internship opportunities, and summer research programs that allowed him to experiment with different fields. Regular check-ins kept him accountable and gave him a sense of progress and purpose, even without a set career goal.

Outcome: Success and Direction

With guidance from College Ready, Ethan felt more confident in his future. By senior year, he had gained valuable insights into his interests through hands-on experiences and exploratory courses. He applied to colleges that had the major he was interested in and even found 12 perfect fit colleges he was excited to apply to. Ethan was accepted into several top-tier schools, ultimately choosing one that offered the flexibility to discover his passion while earning his degree.

Thanks to his personalized roadmap and structured support, Ethan found direction in his college journey, even without a defined career path at the start. He and his family were grateful for the clarity and confidence the process provided.