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College Application

The college application process is daunting and stressful. Students need to have solid standardized test scores, stellar grades in challenging classes, an impressive resume of activities and experiences, compelling college essays, and a lot more. These are all critical to maximizing a student’s chances of gaining admission to their dream school.

Cardinal Education’s college admissions consulting program is designed to provide superior college counseling and college admission assistance to students. We proactively work with our students and their families, carefully and expertly guiding them through the ever more competitive admissions process.

Using a comprehensive and holistic process, Cardinal Education is committed to providing personalized attention to your needs. Our team cares about every family’s dream and our world-class advising enables students to excel while also decreasing stress and anxiety.

APPLICATION PROCESS

College Selection Advising

We listen carefully to our clients to help families and students determine what they want to get out of college. Through a thorough assessment of client needs and goals, we compile a college list based on each student’s GPA, standardized test scores, and individual preferences (size, location, setting, program strength, extracurricular activities, etc.).

Letters of Recommendation Assistance

Unbeknownst to most private college counselors, there is a great deal of strategy behind a truly compelling set of recommendation letters. From selecting which teachers to ask for references to equipping teachers with the information that they need to write the perfect letter, we take pride in the care with which we help students manage this essential aspect of their applications.

Essays / Personal Statements Editing

In addition to the Personal Statement on the Common App, innumerable supplemental essays are required by most universities, all asking different things and prescribing different lengths and limits. At the heart of our consulting practice is an editorial advising system that enables students to write powerful essays about their experiences, accomplishments, and interests. We strive to structure the writing process so that students are writing essays of the highest caliber and as efficiently as possible.

Extracurricular and Project Planning

Developing the right portfolio of extracurriculars can be a full-time job for students. After creating an inventory of a student’s activities, we identify areas for growth and which activities to highlight. We use a comprehensive strategy to develop extracurricular profiles, enabling students to build stories that will leave a lasting impression on admissions officers.

Project Mentoring and Execution

There are times when students have considerable ambitions and broad aspirations but lack the know-how to transform them into tangible realities. Professional consultants at Cardinal Education guide students through the many unfamiliar steps of building a competitive resume. We help students cultivate experiences that are unique and which together will add up to a distinctly personal and intellectual signature.

Activity Sheet

To the untrained eye, the activity sheet is just a list, at best an incomplete resume. However, admissions officers read a great deal into activity sheets. They look to the spread of hours and activities to make judgments about student work ethic and commitment. From our strategic perspective, the activity sheet is an opportunity to shape the overall perception of a student’s profile. We advise clients on the experiences that they should highlight, to reinforce (or downplay) other themes in their applications. The right activity sheet can provide context that is missing from a student’s academic record, putting transcripts into a whole new light.

Standardized Test Preparation

Standardized testing remains one of the most stressful things about applying to college. Mixed signals from universities about testing policies and expectations only complicate matters. We bring clarity to the dilemmas of test prep, counseling students on what tests to take when to take them when to prepare for them, and when to submit (or omit) scores. We are experts in planning for the ACT, SAT, SAT Subject Tests, PSAT, ACT, TOEFL, and AP exams. We are also expert test prep coaches ourselves and offer one-on-one tutoring services at an hourly rate. We provide the best SAT practice tests and ACT practice tests for your child.

Interview Coaching

In preparing clients for college interviews, we attend to every aspect of a student’s self-presentation. Through mock interviews, we help students fine-tune their talking points and grow their confidence. For most high schoolers, interviews are an intimidating, unfamiliar experience. With the right strategy, coach, and practice regimen, however, college interviews can be one of the most enjoyable parts of the entire application process and an important stepping stone to future professional and intellectual development.

Summer Planning

Behind every successful college application is the judicious use of a student’s summer break. The summer between grades 11 and 12 is one of the most critical moments in a high school career. It can be a time to bulk up a resume or to reach for a higher SAT score. It is the perfect moment to write application essays because in the fall students should focus on grades. It is also a chance to rest and we are happy to help students find time to work on applications between family trips and vacations.

Assist in Submitting Final Applications

When the final essays and supplemental materials are ready to submit, we assist our students in completing their actual applications. Using our expert knowledge about current college admissions trends, we ensure that our students are presenting themselves in the best way possible and making suggestions about choosing the intended major(s) to improve their chances of admission. Often, a seemingly trivial answer to an application question can dramatically impact an admissions decision.

Supplementary Materials (add-on service)

Athletes, artists and other students with experiences that cannot be easily summarized in the standard application materials have—all things equal—an edge over other applicants. But this edge is meaningless if it is not effectively conveyed to colleges, and not every school has a system in place to solicit and receive extra materials. For an additional fee, we help students navigate this additional hurdle, devising ways to articulate, package, and demonstrate special talents for admissions committees. As part of this additional service, we can advise students in writing letters to college coaches and program directors. And for students with truly rare and unique talents, we can reach beyond our immediate network to find an expert consultant with the right background and specialized knowledge who fits the client’s needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Students should start working on their applications after the conclusion of their junior year. Any later will lead to stress during the fall of their senior year, but any earlier will likely miss the achievements and experiences students gain before the deadline.

Students should begin preparing for the college admissions tests during the summer following sophomore year and should plan on having their official scores no later than the summer following junior year. Athletes require scores earlier, so if your student is an athlete, contact us for more information!

Yes. Despite most colleges still being test-optional for this admission cycle, we strongly advise students to submit SAT/ACT scores especially if they do not have an impressive GPA. High test scores will be a differentiating factor in a student’s college application.

The key is asking the right people to write recommendation letters for you. Many applicants take this for granted and just give their recommendation letters without much thought or consideration. There is a great amount of strategy needed to get favorable recommendations. We know how to do it and we are happy to help you!

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College Application