Congratulations!
Sophomore Private Advance Training
for you, your spouse (if married) and teen to watch prior to our Decision Call
Ready for your teen to get ready for college, without the stress of trying to do it for them?
If you haven’t already confirmed our Decision call, click here to book a time that works for you:
There’s no other program out there that delivers everything you need in junior year to prepare for college AND includes life skills development and social-emotional wellness.
We combine personalized coaching, constructive feedback on your entire application portfolio, insight from visiting 500+ campus visits PLUS advance training and tools to take away the stress of feeling overwhelmed.
Because your teen is NOT first generation.
One of the things you already know is that applying to college these days is nothing like it was when you applied. While there are countless programs out there that support “first generation” students, you may be wondering “What about my teen? Will my teen be overlooked because I went to college?”
I asked the very same question
Not only am I a first generation college-student, I’m a first generation high school graduate. My mom finished 8th grade and my dad finished 10th so they did not know how to guide me through high school. My mother desperately wanted me to stay at home and commute to a local college. She had never heard of Stanford and having her “baby” that far from home was unthinkable.
What if my mother didn’t allow me to go away to college because it was a college that was a) too far away and b) she had never heard of it?
I vowed that I would never let this happen to anyone else again.
When I became a mom, I was obsessed with schooling and learning everything I could to help them navigate the education systems. One of the things I recognized even when my kids were younger is that they were not eligible for many programs. Although I was first generation, my kids were NOT.
Because my kids are second generation . . .
As “second generation” students, my kids would not receive the extra help that I had when applying to college.
I didn’t want my kids to be left out, so it was up to me to continue learning and figuring out all I could to be an advocate and counselor for them. Especially when my kids were in schools with few peers that looked like them, I had to ensure that there was equity in their classrooms and they maintained their sense of identity.
When the obsession got real bad, I returned to Stanford to get my doctorate degree in Education. My research focused on black males in education and high school to college transition. My programs have been developed with this perspective, adolescent research and social emotional learning.
Once my initial students were admitted to their top choice colleges AND getting big scholarship money, I knew it wasn’t a fluke. I had perfected my process and I decided that day to help as many families as I possibly could crack the code on getting in and getting money for college.
You’re tired of trying to figure out what to do and when for college.
There’s a lot of hype and frenzy around college admissions. You know it because you’re hearing it from other parents. Your teen is also stressed because they hear all the talk about the changes in the college landscape and test cancellations but are unsure of what it means for them.
During this current crisis, I’m talking with students and parents daily and see the toll that the uncertainty is taking on families’ ability to focus and plan ahead with confidence!!
This is for you if you have a college-bound 10th grader AND you find yourself answering "Yes" to any of the following questions...0
- Concerned that your teen is not doing enough to get into the colleges of their dreams?
- Afraid that all the campus visits and test cancellations will hurt your teen’s chances of getting into their top choice colleges?
- Worried that there are things your teen should be doing but not sure what or when or whether they’ve MISSED OUT?
- Concerned that it will be too competitive to get into the colleges your teen desires to attend?
- Stressed out/anxious about how much college will cost and the need to go into debt?
I have put my heart and soul into this program because I see how many families miss massive opportunities when they’re overwhelmed with searching online for answers and don’t even realize that their teen is off track for college.
Let me help you turn your overwhelm into opportunity with one of our
SIGNATURE SOPHOMORE PROGRAMS.
My life changed dramatically over 10 years ago.
I had been looking at colleges in a limited way.
I didn’t realize it then that this limited perspective also narrowed the list of college choices for the teens I worked with.
Here’s what happened: I was resolved to expand my own knowledge of colleges. I went on a crazy search of visiting college campuses all over the US. I found that as I worked with more diverse students, I needed to know the range of schools that could meet their needs.
I didn’t want any of my students to be at the wrong college that didn’t provide the learning support they needed to be successful.
This quest took me to colleges large and small, in the middle of nowhere as well as those in the big cities. I even visited colleges in the UK when a teen expressed interest in colleges there.
With every new client, I applied this college knowledge to help develop the right list tailored to their needs and interests. I literally went home and grabbed my laptop and started creating what today has become The Education Doctor® Curriculum which has led to my proprietary framework.
Starting to work on my system was the beginning of the best years of my business. It kickstarted this amazing journey that I’ve been on, some 10 years later and 500+ campuses visited, thousands of students have benefitted from my proven system, Keep C.A.L.M. (College and Accelerated Leadership Methodology) which has resulted in 95% of my clients being admitted to their top choice colleges and receiving an average of $75,000 in scholarships.
Our proven system, Keep C.A.L.M. (College and Accelerated Leadership Methodology), has resulted in 95% of my clients being admitted to their top choice colleges and receiving an average of $75,000 in scholarships.
Discover – this phase is all about your teen, their why, strengths and talents and personal/family values
Develop – this phase is all about creating a college list with purpose and intention so that it meets the 5 factors of fit – academic, social, financial, vocational and cultural
Action – this phase is about applying the knowledge about your college list to take action on your activities resume, testing, courses and more in junior year
Enroll now for your teen to find the right colleges that feel like home and avoid future regret of them being in the wrong place.
Ok, now you have a choice to make.
There are really only two options…
Option 1: Keep doing it on your own
Keep doing it on your own, nagging your teen…
…while they flounder and continue waiting on mom to do it for them.
If they end up in the “wrong” college that you chose for them, then not only will they regret this decision but will blame you for stunting their growth and freedom.
or
Option 2: Enroll now
Enroll now for your teen to find the right colleges and avoid future regret of them being in the wrong place.
You will get all the 500+ campus visits, almost 15 years of experience helping 95% of my students get into their top choice colleges, and receiving total scholarship awards of $22.5M, to partner with your family and bring peace of mind to your home.
Frequently Asked Questions
It doesn’t matter. What most students do prior to working with us is that they look at colleges in a superficial way, with a limited understanding of what to look for. Therefore, we provide each student a step-by-step guidesheet for how to research each college.
We ask that the student follows the same approach to the colleges they’ve already looked at. When students follow the same approach, many have found that they no longer want to keep that college(s) on their list.
We couldn’t be more different. Here are 3 key ways we are different from your school counselor:
- Personalization – we get to know your family, your teen’s values and their ‘why’ so that we support them with finding the right colleges that are a fit for them.
- Recommended list – we recommend colleges that are a fit for your teen based on our 5 pillars of fit – academic, social, financial, vocational and cultural. School counselors recommend colleges that other students from your high school have applied to
- College Knowledge and Affordability database – our family portal has extensive college insight and shows you how you compare to all students around the world (not just the kids from your high school, like Naviance).
The BIGGEST difference from your school counselor is that we’ve visited 500+ colleges and your school counselor does not have time for that. . . it’s not even in their job description.
We ask that the student follows the same approach to the colleges they’ve already looked at. When students follow the same approach, many have found that they no longer want to keep that college(s) on their list.
Absolutely not. You can see from the client stories here and the clients you met during the training that our students apply to a range of colleges that are the best fit for them.
Absolutely not.
It’s essential that all students in our program own the process and put in the effort.
We hate to say it but know from experience that this program won’t work for students who a) don’t want accountability, b) are lazy and/or entitled, c) not interested in going to college.
In this program, your teen will complete such activities as personal assessments and interest inventories and create an activities resume and research colleges. Juniors will typically spend about 2-3 hours between sessions to complete their assignments.
Your teen can continue to work with us in senior year. During senior year, we would work together privately, 1 to 1.
- All essay coaching and guidance
- Scholarships/financial aid/spring negotiations
- Freshman transition
The senior year program would provide comprehensive essay coaching and guidance through all applications. In addition, as part of the applications, we discuss financial aid and your teen would be supported through fall of freshman year.
College is different than high school and will require the habits of mind, life skills and social emotional learning offered through our programs.
Senior year will be here before you know it.
But too often, when moms aren’t really ready to let go, they keep waiting on the proverbial perfect time for their teen to get ready for college and you know what happens . . .
The stress in their home is so heavy and their teen really isn’t talking to them anyway. Then when senior year does start, there is even more stress, anxiety and arguments because the teen is even more anxious. They realize that they’re not ready yet all their friends are talking about applying to colleges.
You start thinking to yourself, if only you had let a college coach help your teen, then you wouldn’t be in this predicament. And you know something, you really did miss out because that time is lost and can never be recovered. Not only are you full of regret but so is your teen.
I feel you because I know the pain of regret and the even worse feeling of disappointing your child.
About your future Family College Counselor
Pamela Ellis, MBA, PhD—The Education Doctor®—has helped hundreds of young people find and be admitted to best-fit colleges so their parents save time and avoid over-paying. As an award-winning CEO and consultant, Dr. Pamela’s experience with the education system includes advising school districts, community organizations, and institutes of higher education.
As a result of her research into student transitions from high school to college—and evaluating the ways colleges successfully retain their student populations once admitted—she developed The Education Doctor® curriculum.
She has visited more than 500 colleges and universities internationally to gain insight into their varying cultures and to explore the range of academic and social opportunities available to students on campus. Her research areas include high school to college transition, parent engagement, African-American males in education, and college completion.
She is a highly sought-after speaker and author of the best-selling book What to Know Before They Go. In the first of this series, College Edition, coined “the how-to guide for the teen years”, Dr. Pamela shares actionable insights and tips to help school leaders, counselors, mentors and parents/caregivers support teens toward higher education success.
Dr. Pamela graduated from Stanford University and the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College, and she earned a doctorate from the Stanford University School of Education.
Legal Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to accurately represent our programs and their potential. Any claims made of actual scholarships or examples of actual admissions can be verified upon request. The testimonials and examples used are exceptional results and are not intended to represent or guarantee that anyone will achieve the same or similar results. Each individual’s success depends on his or her application portfolio, commitment, follow-through and motivation. As with any college or program application, there is no guarantee of admissions.