My goal is to find the schools that are right for you, and help you present yourself as the right student for them.
Let’s chat about finding that “perfect fit” college.
- David Parker -
My Services
Why Work With An Admissions Coach?
✔️ One-on-one continuous guidance & mentorship
✔️ Apply only to schools that truly make sense for you
✔️ Reduce stress & anxiety for both students and parents
✔️ Learn how to set yourself apart from a pool of applicants
✔️ Insider perspective on Ivy League college application processes
✔️ Exclusive online portal & access-restricted college selection resources
✔️ Competition increases each year, while acceptance rates continue to drop
✔️ PhD former English professor guidance in writing the most important essay(s) of your life
✔️ Peace of mind that comes from having a dedicated project manager for a massively high-stakes decision
✔️ Mentor & partner in accountability, to keep you feeling motivated and challenged in your pursuit of top schools
Need Help With Your Essays?
The personal statement and supplemental admissions essays are often the most daunting part of the college application process. With a PhD in English and over twenty years teaching college composition, I can help take your draft to the next level.
With many schools becoming test-optional or even test-blind, college admissions officers are giving essays more weight than ever. Don’t let a weak or too-predictable personal essay hold you back from acceptance at your dream school.
How The Admissions Process Is Looking This Year
Suffice it to say, 2023 was a hard year for those seeking admission to elite colleges. This is particularly true for those who might have traditionally expected to get in on the basis of test scores, prep school pedigree, and legacy, all three of which have been largely neutralized in the current cycle.
As a junior or sophomore, what should I be doing to prepare to apply to college?
Develop a college list with real range, including reach schools, target schools, and safety schools that you would actually want to attend... Make your list as ambitious as you like, but fill out both ends of the spectrum with schools you would like to attend. Look for schools that aren’t as “elite” but might be a great fit for you. Look at Chapman in addition to UCLA. Look at Emerson as well as Harvard. There are hundreds of smaller, less “famous” schools that are going to nurture you as an individual, maybe more than a giant prestigious university that spends its time and money on graduate students and research facilities.
Take at least one SAT or ACT. As much as the test-optional phenomenon has captured media attention, some schools are backing down from the policy. The university systems of Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida all require an SAT or ACT. Some schools that are test-optional do require the tests for scholarship consideration. Additionally, now that we’re starting to see the results of a couple of years of test optional policies, the anecdotal evidence is that applicants who submit test scores at elite test-optional schools are being admitted at higher rates than those who don’t. While correlation doesn’t equal causation, it’s a correlation worth noting.
Start on your applications early, especially the essays. When applying to elite schools with a 5% acceptance rate, you can guess that 30% of applicants are “perfect” students (SAT above 1500, GPA above 4.0, lots of activities, etc.). Therefore even if you are a “perfect” student, you still only have a one in six chance of acceptance. How do you stand out from the other five competitors? ESSAYS. Be funny, be serious, be inspirational, but most of all be AUTHENTIC. Readers can spot a contrived essay a mile away. And for Heaven’s sake, be interesting! These folks are reading hundreds and hundreds of student essays. Do almost anything, but don’t bore them.
(Here comes the advertisement) Work with an Admissions Consultant! Your high school counselor will do their very best to help you, but the average school counselor is responsible for 500-600 students, and has to help not only with admissions, but with high school graduation requirements, and a dozen other things. In my consultancy, on the other hand, I only accept 20 students per class, and college admissions is all I do. My clients have been accepted at Ivy League colleges, international schools, big state universities, and smaller schools from the elite to the quirky. Mine is a boutique practice. You will never be handed off to an assistant or intern, because there are none. If you call or text, I’m the one who answers. You will get my personal attention to every question and concern.
The college admissions process is overwhelming and important.
I can help. Contact me today to set up a free conversation.
We’ll talk about your goals and questions, and I’ll show you how working with me can get you closer to your dreams.
Private College Admissions Coaching, by David Parker
Full-service application coaching/mentoring, from Sophomore, Junior, or Senior year all the way up to the decision.
In this package, Dr. Parker will:
Provide the most current information about colleges and best judgment about options available
Evaluate the student’s record, including high school transcript, standardized test results, extracurricular activities, athletic activities, and special talents
Assist in selection of high school academic curricular choices and plan extracurricular activities, including meaningful summer activities
Assess career and possible college major interests
… and that’s only the beginning! TAP TO SEE FULL SERVICES.
Essay Creation, Consulting
Dr. Parker has a proven record assisting with personal statements (Common App, Coalition App), the University of California system “Personal Insight” questions, and most common individual college supplemental essays.
Together, we’ll work on:
Topic Selection: what will set you apart from the crowd?
Brainstorming exercises
Crafting details that will stay with the reader
Polishing the final product in multiple drafts until you’re ready to hit “send”
… let me help you with the most important essay of your life! TAP TO SEE FULL SERVICES.