High School Development

Grades and class rigor are the most important element in college admissions.

Four Year Plan. Together, coach and student review the school’s course offerings and build a fluid four-year plan.

Rigor. We encourage students to pursue rigor where appropriate, but never recommend courses that will overwhelm them.

Electives matter. We help students identify electives that align with their interests and goals, building a cohesive narrative that supports their college applications.

Family choice is central. Our role is to provide expert guidance, including teacher input and support options, but final decisions rest with the student and family.

Colleges are ultimately looking for initiative, follow-through, and the desire to make an impact on the community. To this end, we help students identify, develop, and deepen interests that feel authentic to them. 

We suggest activities, clubs, and service opportunities linked to their activities, throw out a range of ideas to see if any stick, and try to expand their thinking by sharing articles, ideas, and media that might interest them.

By the end of junior year, we have a story to tell the college that makes sense with the student’s academic strengths and extracurricular activities.

“Ben comes away from meetings with you lit up and energized. It’s priceless seeing him find his voice. Deep gratitude. It’s a true gem in this harrowing process of entering adulthood.”

We collaborate with families to design a summer experience that aligns with the student’s interests, strengths, budget, and schedule.

Every plan is tailored to the individual, with the goal of initiative, growth, and authenticity, the qualities that will make them stand out to admissions.

Strong test scores improve acceptance rates, and with more colleges returning to required testing, the ACT and SAT are back in focus. We help you navigate the pros and cons of applying 'test-optional' and develop a tailored submission strategy for every school on your list.

Item descMany families are surprised to learn how important AP exam scores are in college admissions and that an A in an AP class does not necessarily correlate to a 5 on the exam. 

AP scores serve as critical differentiators in college admissions. Rampant grade inflation means that half of college applicants apply with straight A’s, so admissions departments are looking for outside indicators of a student’s academic capabilities. AP exams are hard, and that’s the point. They’re designed to reflect what students have actually learned in a subject, which makes a 5 impossible to fake.

Even students who have put in hard work all year and are getting top grades need to prepare intensely to earn a top AP exam score. In addition to mastering content, students must learn how to take the tests. For example, in AP Lang, strong writers can lose points by summarizing instead of executing the tightly defined rhetorical analysis the exam requires. Students taking AP history exams must earn points through precise thesis writing, contextualization, and evidence use on LEQs and DBQs. ription

We build this document over the course of our work together, approaching the resumé as a chance to show personality and purpose.

For example, we don’t need to say the Editor of the school paper edits articles since admissions officers know that. Instead, we use to space to go beyond titles and responsibilities to show what the student brings to the role.

We use the resumé to fill out the activities section of the Common App. We might also send it to recommenders and regional admissions counselors.

Coaches keep conversations exploratory, focused on the student’s academic strengths, personal interests, and values. From there, they discuss possible college majors.

For students with a specific career in mind — business, medicine, education for example — our coaches will get more granular, introducing possible avenues, talking about various specializations, and even connecting students with people in the industry.

Becoming a collegiate athlete takes dedication, talent, and planning and there are ways to enhance your chances beyond your athletic performance. We can help you catch the eyes of college coaches and fulfill your goals of competing at the next level.

When appropriate, we help students decide if a postgraduate (PG) or gap year makes sense by getting to know their academic, emotional, and personal readiness for college.

If they need more time to grow, build confidence, or gain clarity about their goals, we work closely with the student and family to design a meaningful year. That might include identifying structured PG programs, internships, travel, work opportunities, or community involvement aligned with their interests.

For athletes, we can explore PG options that offer additional training and recruitment exposure. We also help students strengthen their applications if they plan to reapply to college, ensuring that the gap or PG year adds real value.

The goal is to make the time purposeful and personal—something that supports long-term success, not just a pause.

In a session with our College Financial Strategist, families will gain a strong understanding of the financial aid landscape, including how merit aid, need-based aid, the FAFSA, and the CSS Profile work. We'll cover common mistakes to avoid when planning for college costs and share practical tips to maximize eligibility for aid.

Working one-on-one with a passionate, dedicated educator unlocks student potential. We provide the academic support a student needs to review those Spanish verbs, master this geometry proof, and argue that thesis. A little support can build a lot of confidence — and also higher grades on report cards.