One-on-One Services Offered

Guiding students in course selection, grades and standardized testing.

Understanding colleges' expectations with regard to extracurricular engagement. Demonstrating excellence in a student's chosen area(s) of interest allowing them to culivate character qualities of inquisitiveness, initiative, leadership, maturity, etc. Enabling a student to begin to perceive future possibilites in areas of interest and equally to test and discard ideas that do not hold their interest.

Understanding the admissions process from the college's point of view. Matching students with colleges for academic, environmental and financial fit. Guiding students to prepare their best application for each school they choose to apply to, including cohesiveness and quality of each application facet. Giving consideration to early application, college visits, demonstrated interest, supplemental information, and interviews.

Upon entering high school, college is secondary. Primary is finding a student’s interests, both academically and extracurricularly, and exceling in them. That excellence builds character. Excellence is demonstrated through recognition at the national/international level, the regional level, the local level. Membership, though not recognition, is valuable as it does paint a picture of the student therefore coloring the application.

ThinkYes works with families to convey conceptually how to make the most of high school with an eye toward college, then formalizing, through an individual 4-year plan, both academic and extracurricular personal goals and expectations grounded in a realistic awareness of today’s college admissions expectations. The plan is adjusted on a semester basis. Toward the end of sophomore year, a brief theme reflecting the student’s interests and core values is developed supported by their engagement both academically and extracurricularly. This theme provides further direction for junior / senior year engagement as well as cohesion for the application.

A typical timetable consists of two successive meetings immediately prior to, or as early as possible in, the school year. Progress update sessions would be held at the close of each academic quarter or semester. Meetings would include both the student and parent(s).

The junior year is focused on standardized testing, demonstrating extracurricular excellence, building teacher relationships, and researching colleges. The goal is that by the end of the junior year standardized testing will be complete, an initial list of colleges will be made, and letters of recommendation requested. Accomplishing these goals allows students to move into senior year purely focused on preparing their best college application for each school.

ThinkYes spends time getting to know the student in order to identify and properly advise regarding colleges where they can thrive, not merely graduate. This learning is continual and gradual. If new to ThinkYes as a Junior/Senior, initial sessions include student surveys as a basis for discussion, which demand self-reflection. Guidance is provided on how to research schools and a framework for that research is provided. A theme is developed that articulates the student’s interests and strengths demonstrated through their chosen activities. This theme is kept front-and-center as students begin to provide their high school counselors and teachers with information for college applications – typically through some form of a “junior packet”. ThinkYes encourages families to identify opportunities, both inside and outside of the school environment, where students can continue to acquire and exhibit ability and character.

Junior/Senior summer is a time to draft initial essays and the common application so that students can hit the ground running senior year without being overwhelmed with early application deadlines (typically November 1st). If desired test scores have not been achieved, this takes priority over the summer.

When the senior year arrives, focus shifts from developing the person to developing their best application, though that process in itself is a maturing one.

ThinkYes helps seniors refine their college list and evaluate Early Action (EA) or Early Decision (ED) application types. We provide guidance and editing of applications, primarily essays and activity descriptions, and ensure that a clear theme threads throughout the application that conveys the student. Timelines are set to accommodate multiple revisions. Interview preparation is provided. Where not complete prior to senior year, ThinkYes will guide students in finalizing standardized testing and choosing recommenders. Where desired, an overview session of financial aid / scholarships is provided parents. Support continues throughout the year up to the final decision and/or wait list strategy.

Sessions are typically every six weeks to monthly from July 1st through June 30th of junior year, moving to every two weeks or as needed during senior year through the final application submission, with a goal of submission two weeks prior to due dates.