Princeton NJ Schools Articles

The College Consulting Pyramid Part 1

Oftentimes, when I meet with families and prospective applicants, I notice that students underestimate how much power they have to shape their own stories and take control of their journey of self-discovery early in high school. This brings to mind a quote by Chilean-American writer Isabel Allende: “You are the storyteller of your own life, and you can create your own legend, or not.”

This quote is a valuable reminder for students navigating (or about to begin) the college application process—not just to craft a narrative, but to lean into your interests, discover what truly matters to you, and pursue it with purpose.

As college admissions have become more competitive, with declining acceptance rates and increasingly nuanced application requirements, students must adopt a strategic approach to stand out among a sea of qualified applicants. As a parent, you may wonder: What can my child do to distinguish themselves in this process? PCC provides a comprehensive, three-tiered consulting framework designed to guide students through every stage of the process: building essential skills, defining their “genius zone,” and putting together polished applications.

In Part 1 of this two-part series, we’ll dive deeper into skill building and the genius zone admissions strategy, demonstrating how each empowers students to navigate the process with clarity and confidence. And stay tuned for Part 2, where we’ll take a closer look at how students can prepare to complete the application process in a timely manner, beginning with their personal statement.

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