College Counseling for Palo Alto Families
In a community where every applicant has strong grades and test scores, the difference is in how you tell your story. We help Palo Alto students stand out with clarity, not gimmicks.
College Counseling Services for Palo Alto Students
College counseling for families in Palo Alto. We understand the intensity of this community: Crescent Park, Old Palo Alto, Professorville. Every student here is accomplished. The challenge is showing admissions officers what makes yours different.
College Application Strategy Where Most Families Start
School list building, timeline management, and positioning. In Palo Alto, where applications from the same zip code stack up by the hundreds, we help students identify schools where their particular strengths are a genuine match, not just another strong profile in a crowded pool.
Personal Essay Coaching
Story discovery, drafting, and revision. In a sea of high-achieving Palo Alto applicants, the essay is where differentiation happens. We help students find the story only they can tell, moving beyond resume recitation into genuine self-expression.
Interview Preparation
Mock interviews for selective schools. Palo Alto students are often polished on paper but need practice articulating their passions in person. We build confidence and authentic self-presentation for alumni interviews and campus visits.
Course Planning & Profile Building
Strategic course selection, extracurricular positioning, and summer planning starting sophomore year. We help Palo Alto students build a profile with depth and coherence, so admissions officers see a narrative rather than a checklist.
Financial Aid & Scholarship Guidance
FAFSA, CSS Profile, and scholarship search strategy. Even in Palo Alto, many families benefit from merit scholarships and institutional aid. We help navigate the financial side with clarity, so cost is part of the strategy from the start.
UC & CSU Application Support
PIQ (Personal Insight Questions) coaching and UC-specific strategy. Many Palo Alto students apply to the UC system alongside private universities. We know the nuances that make UC applications distinct, from major selection to campus-specific positioning.
We've helped Palo Alto students build applications for top-tier private universities, UCs, selective liberal arts colleges, and leading STEM programs. In a community this competitive, our focus is on finding schools where your student's strengths are valued, not just where everyone else is applying.
Common Questions from Palo Alto Families
When should we start college counseling?
Ideally sophomore year, when course planning and extracurricular choices start to matter most. In Palo Alto, where the admissions culture starts early, families who begin in 10th grade have the most flexibility to build a coherent, compelling profile before applications open.
Is this just for students applying to elite universities?
No. While many Palo Alto families are targeting highly selective schools, we also help students find strong-fit options across UCs, liberal arts colleges, and programs that match specific academic interests. Good counseling is about the right match, not just the most competitive one.
Do you help with essays?
Yes. Essay coaching is one of our most requested services. In Palo Alto, where so many applicants share similar academic profiles, the essay is often the deciding factor. We help students discover their story, draft, revise, and polish, for both Common App and UC PIQ essays.
My student would be the first in our family to attend college. Can you help?
Absolutely. We specialize in making the college process clear and navigable for all families, regardless of background. First-generation students often have incredible stories to tell. They just need someone to help them see it and communicate it. We walk through every step together.
What does college counseling cost?
Engagements typically start at $100/hour. Some families want comprehensive support from sophomore year through senior spring, and others need focused help during application season. We discuss fit, goals, and timeline during the free consultation before making any recommendations.
Your student's profile is strong. Let's make sure their application is too.
A candid conversation about where your student stands, what schools make sense, and how to present a compelling application in the most competitive zip code in the country.