Why do I need a college admission consultant? +

Covid has caused many colleges to eliminate the SAT/ACT requirement, so admissions is more competitive than ever. In 2020, applications went up 42% at Harvard and 28% at UCLA. Top schools like Stanford which used to accept about 4.2% of students are now no longer publishing their admission rates, probably so as not to dissuade applicants.

It is getting more and more difficult to stand out. The essay is crucial to your application. If you have the grades and extracurriculars, an outstanding hook illuminated through your essays will improve your chances of admission.

Our specialty is essay consulting and we are one of the top 1% of experts in the field.

What's your student admission rate to top-tier schools?+

Two-thirds of our students who apply are admitted to Ivy League - level schools and top-tier UCs (Berkeley and LA).

This is remarkable given that the admission rate at top-tier schools is roughly 4% depending on major and demographic profile of the candidate.

The vast majority of our students are Asian-American, non-legacy / non-donor / non-athlete / non-faculty children and many of our students pursue STEM fields, which is hypercompetitive.

The admission rate for a non-specially recruited category, especially Asian Americans, is far lower than the generally published admission rate.

What additional value do you bring? +

We teach students priceless life skills through the vehicle of the college admissions process. If you can master these skills, you can rise to the top of your industry.

Entrepreneurial Mindset: Create opportunities, pitch ideas for internships/employers
Leadership: Take risks and grow as leaders. Become a thought leader, which enables students to command the highest pay rate when they enter their careers
Self Advocacy: Present oneself in the best possible light, using strong, confident language to describe accomplishments
Communication: Develop oral and written communication skills which are crucial for getting hired and promoted
Confidence: Aim high, put oneself out there with applications
Selling Oneself: Identify unique “hook”, capitalize on it to get hired / promoted / accepted to college
Creativity: Learn unique ways to pursue passion projects and set oneself apart. Identify and communicate creative stories about one’s life to earn acceptances to schools and employers
Self Care: Realize the value of taking care of oneself in order to perform at one’s highest level

How exactly can you help? +

If you choose us, you'll maximize your chances of getting into your top school possible.

As a veteran journalist, Alice is uniquely adept at identifying your unique hook and helping you craft essays that will stand out.

Ex. 1) Alice helped a student whose elite private school guidance counselor said she had "no chance" of getting into Stanford or an Ivy League.

The student wanted to write her main personal statement on her scientific research, but Alice discovered the student's parent had a serious illness. Alice advised the student to write about the illness because it was more personal.

The student got into Stanford.

Later, Alice consulted a former Stanford admissions reader who agreed an essay on research probably would not have gotten the student in.

Ex. 2) Private school administrators hired Alice to train their guidance counselor on essay coaching. No student at the private school had gotten into an Ivy-level university in the school's 22-year history.

The student Alice coached wanted to write about his experiences as a student body tri-president. The essay seemed flat to Alice, so she dug into the student's experiences and discovered he worked as a dishwasher at Cracker Barrel.

Alice encouraged her student to write about Cracker Barrel because it was unique. Most students applying to MIT would probably write about leadership, research, community service, etc. The student set himself apart with a humorous yet earnest essay about what he learned from a humble, minimum wage job.

Alice's student got into MIT.

What sets your company apart? +

Top 1% Expertise

Alice is a Stanford graduate who's worked full-time in the highly competitive fields of TV and print journalism. Very few people -- if ever -- are hired for full-time jobs as on-air reporters and anchors. And print journalism is also a highly competitive field - only the top candidates in the country are hired and published at large papers. As a professional journalist, Alice uses her interviewing, analytical and editing skills quite frequently in coaching her students.

In addition to excelling in journalism, Alice is an expert coach. Her admission coaching colleagues hire her to coach them in their craft and also for their own personal applications.

Alice knows how to help you tell influential stories - she's done it herself and won everything from a full scholarship to Wellesley College, to competitive grants from Stanford to explore the Amazon Rainforest and conduct research in London. In fact, one of her news stories helped a nonprofit win a $4 million Google Grant.

You'll work directly with Alice. She does not outsource editing to college students, graduate students or recent college graduates.

Highly personalized

Alice accepts only a handful of students in order to provide the best possible outcomes. Alice will know every aspect of your profile and help you come up with your outstanding hook and personalized application strategy.

What's the financial investment for a package? +

How much could a degree from your dream school impact your life, future career and earning potential? And how much do you value learning skills that can help you win jobs, promotions and raises?

Working with us is an investment in your future. Four years at a private university like Stanford can cost $370,000. Strong writing, verbal and advocacy skills will help you in your career and beyond.

BrightStory offers custom packages for families. Rates depend on factors like number of meetings, topics covered, depth of editing, and our availability.

Email alice.c.chen [AT] stanfordalumni.org for a package quote.