As I'm about to send the kid off to school, it felt appropriate to write this review since it…read morewouldn't have happened without them. The kid is a great applicant, but trying to guide her on my own was a nightmare. After trying that approach for far too long, I enrolled her in this program and instantly felt at ease. I didn't have to nag because they kindly nudged the kid with all that needed to happen. They had all these additional tips that I had no clue about. Like little known, less competitive majors or what tired, overdone personal statement topics to avoid. Well worth the money for expert advice and less fighting. Ok, I can't help myself. I have to brag that the kid is a UCLA Bruin. Couldn't be prouder. Feels like I was the one admitted!

Came across Senior procrastination Package as the name indicates ... late. My son is my only…read morechild, so I had plenty of regrets about not starting the college preparation process sooner. I had him at 20 and attended college later as an adult so I wasn't quite aware of the process out of high school. I was sooo happy that I found them. Julie was simply amazing and broke everything down for me and supported my son by prioritizing his needs with the deadlines, help with the application process, and utilizing their essay review service. I knew that signing up in the summer before my son's senior year wouldn't magically make everything right, but it definitely brought down the stress level for both of us. Apparently, they sell out every year and I'm glad I was able to get a spot. If you have a child who needs help for the college admissions process, don't wait until school starts their senior year. I wish I would have known about their parent companies Premiere Prep and Junior Scramble sooner, but you live and learn. Hopefully I've saved one parent from procrastinating with this post!! Looking forward to some good news in the months ahead for my son.

I recommended Leo Consulting to my cousin, whose sons are getting ready for college. They have very…read moreunique backgrounds and needs, such as interest in different sports and an interest in premed (but not necessarily heading into many years of medical school). My cousin absolutely raved about Maxine's service, and I would feel highly confident recommending her to anyone who wants guidance in the transition from high school to college. What sets Maxine's consulting apart from other college consulting is that she is focused on exploration and investigation, which leads to finding hidden gems within the student and learning more about the infinite college options that few ppl know exist. I would say it's safe to say that in Irvine, many families and students hone in on HYP schools and the namebrand schools, but they may not necessarily be a good fit for the student. The best results come from students who are open to exploring good matches as opposed to aiming for a top Ivy, since Maxine's goal isn't to help students aim for goals that other people designed for them. On top of what she does for helping students find their fit, she also is particularly skilled at mediating and facilitating complex parent-teen relationships/communication issues that often come up in the process. Maxine goes deeper than the surface, and enjoys working with parents and teens equally so that both sides are heard and seen.

We'd interviewed at least 5 different college counselors before deciding to go with Maxine. When…read moreyou first meet her, you'll realize she asks A LOT of questions, so get ready to learn a lot about yourself while talking for her. She has an extensive background in investigative journalism, which is what sets her apart from other college counselors in O.C. She's not nosy but simply has a way of getting ideas out of others' heads and giving them credit for the whole process. Maxine was able to somehow ask the right questions and identify where we needed the most help with college apps, curate a personalized college plan, and efficiently serve our needs without us having to go with a $30k comprehensive package elsewhere. Every meeting with Maxine was relaxed but productive with her insights on hidden gem colleges that we weren't initially familiar with but ended up loving. We ultimately got into 3 dream schools with her help and just committed to 1. She's the most competent, respectful, and coolest college counselor out there! Don't look anywhere else.

I highly recommend Justin and his team. Justin is professional, communicative, honest and…read moreunderstanding. He truly wants to help students put forth the best versions of themselves in the application process. Premier Prep is the ideal partner for navigating college admissions throughout the course of high school or simply if you need application help during senior year. I can't say enough good things about Justin and Premier Prep!

Though Premiere Prep is typically geared towards high school students preparing for college, I used…read morethis company for hourly consultations for my academic transition. I didn't know it when I met him, but Justin was a game changer for me. I never knew the value or importance of receiving professional academic/career guidance. I can honestly say that I would not be nearly close to where I am today without Justin's guidance or support. He has helped me in my professional development through editing my resumes, interviewing skills, and most importantly, he saw my potential and helped me realize it too. His advice is honest and compassionate (though not necessarily what I always wanted to hear) and he wholeheartedly invested his time in me. Justin helped me transition through one of the most difficult times in my life between undergrad and post-undergrad at UCI. These days, I am proud to say I am at my top choice graduate program in occupational therapy. Whether it is college counseling or personal development, you couldn't be in better hands with Justin or his team at Premiere Prep.

I was incredibly fortunate to have James Pak as my mentor over the past two years. Initially, I…read morejust wanted help transferring to a four-year university and choosing the right classes. With his guidance, I was able to transfer from community college to USC after just one year. What sets James apart is that his support goes beyond college admissions. He provided resources on scholarships, research opportunities, student organizations, and internships. He also spent time helping me refine my resume and interviewing skills, which ultimately helped me land my first aerospace internship. James genuinely cares about his students' success, and I highly recommend him to anyone looking for guidance with college admissions, career planning, or professional development.

I am writing an updated review. James is an extremely professional, ethical, and caring person. He…read morethinks at lightening speed and is typing away to give you a detailed researched response/ideas to questions you have. He is "the specialist" for UC applications. I would trust his advice in this area (ie, classes etc.). He was very active in helping my son with his PIQs and common app. James helped him pick topics that James felt could reveal the most about my son and helped him brain storm ideas. My son was a bit stubborn and didn't follow his advice on some points which made writing a bit hard I think. James also showed him how to research and answer the why us essays. My son is usually a fast thinker and worker but writing about himself was a real struggle. We started with James late and wished we had found him sooner so that he wasn't trying to get through individual applications while studying for school. James helped my son get early action at USC, early admissions at Berkeley, and all the UCs with medical schools that he applied to. His UPenn admissions officer wrote a response about his essay that made him felt heard and understood. James doesn't make you feel like you have to do anything that isn't authentic to you to be "competitive"; he doesn't make you a cookie cutter applicant. His advice takes into account the individual. Thank you, James, for working with him.

Many SAT prep companies have generic curricula, but we found quite a gem in Park Tutoring! From the…read morevery beginning, Park Tutoring was able to hone in on the specific areas where our son needed some extra support. He became more confident in his test-taking abilities over time, and he was able to reach the SAT score he could only dream of! In addition, he received tutoring service for AP Calc BC, and he also approaches the AP exam with confidence as well! Park Tutoring does a wonderful job matching the student with a compatible expert tutor, and they are very helpful with scheduling, understanding the hiccups that can occur with busy teen schedules. We are very grateful for their quality, patience, and care, and we would not hesitate to request their services again in the future for our other children!

We have used Park Tutoring for a number of years. The one-on-one support of their tutors as well as…read morethe prompt communication from the scheduling team is really why we keep coming back when needed. They are my go-to referral for others who might benefit as they work within an already busy family schedule.

This is very, very overdue but I cannot say enough good things about Doug Erickson and College…read moreClarity. My son wanted to go to college but I was having difficulties getting him to focus on college selections (even a wish list), let alone getting the common app, essays, recommendation letter process and financial aid journey underway. I contacted several college assistance firms in Orange County. Doug/College Clarity stood out as he was prompt with responding, crisp with answers, and knew exactly what I was encountering. The key was that I didn't want to harm my relationship with my son, pushing him to do what we both knew needed to be done. Doug met with him, we agreed it was a good fit and then he and my son started the college selection, applications, and admission processes. Doug always kept me in the loop, asked for my input when needed, and always got back to me with answers when I had any additional questions. In the end, my son applied to seven very good Universities and was accepted into six... with the seventh on a wait list. As I explained to my fellow parents, I'd be happy with him attending any of the seven. Thank you, Doug, thank you, College Clarity.

Doug was highly recommended by a close friend when my daughter was beginning her college journey…read more As she is our oldest, we really had no idea how to navigate things. Doug walked us through every step of the way ... researching potential schools, practice ACT and SATs, essay writing, and applications. Doug is so knowlegeble about the whole process he put us all at ease, and his monthly "assignments" made things manageable. He really listended to my daughter and was able to narrow down her applications and eventual final choice. I can say with certaintly that our daughter ended up right where she was supposed to and I know Doug played a vital role in that.

I definitely recommend College Access and give it a 5 star rating. The expertise and personal…read moreattention my daughter and I received starting in her junior year of high school was extremely valuable. Its certainly not easy to navigate the timelines for applications and the forms for financial aid, but College Access gave us one-on-one help every step of the way, including help with finding just the right college for our daughter. During the process, my daughter gained confidence and valuable knowledge for dealing with her college decision. Now that my daughter is in her first year away at college, we are again using the services of College Access to help us fill out this years FAFSA.

Get amazing help in finding the right college for your high school kids. Cara will walk you through…read morethis complicated process, helping your kids find the best fit and making sure all dates are met, letters are written, essays checked, etc. then she helps you figure out how to pay for it. This is such an amazing service to help make this stressful time lead to a really good outcome.

We were looking for a math(Algebra 2) tutor for our high school daughter…read more Eric, the area manager was amazing, such a speedy response and gave us opportunities to find the right tutor. My 9th grade daughter is excited to work on her math with a tutor. I would definitely recommend Elite Home Tutoring. Thank you!

Derek was assigned as my daughter's geometry tutor, and he has been excellent. He is very friendly…read moreand knowledgeable, and his personality works really well for tutoring--energetic, approachable, and easygoing.