“YOU’RE THE BEST-KEPT SECRET IN COLLEGE ADMISSIONS”

My ‘One Word’ this week is: SECRET

That’s what a parent told me when she hired me.

Her daughter attends a private school with 80 students, and in today’s fierce admissions race, she saw my approach as the edge her child needed to stand-out.

At first, I was taken aback. Here I am, helping students discover their 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝 in 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝, the 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 that makes their story cohesive, compelling, and unforgettable.

Then I took a deep breath and realized she had just validated everything I’ve built since leaving my corporate career.

𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞.

I focus on 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 by helping students identify the core value they bring to a college so they can show how they help that school win.

And in this case, the win is a school saying,

“We want this student on our campus.”

That’s what she meant by calling me the best-kept secret in college admissions.

(I joked, “Thanks for trying to keep me a secret,” and she laughed: “Once you’re done with my daughter, I’ll tell the whole world about you.”)

The stress keeps parents up at night wondering:
❌ Will my child’s application get lost in a sea of thousands?
❌ Do they have to follow a cookie-cutter formula just to impress admissions officers?
❌ How can they showcase their individuality in a way that truly stands-out?

Here’s the truth: Colleges don’t want a template. They want authenticity.

And the key to unlocking that authentic story?

Discovering their 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝, the core value that defines who they truly are.

In this 𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐄 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐒, I’ll show parents (and students!) how to uncover this 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 and use it to:

🟢 Craft a standout personal statement and supplemental essays.
🟢 Make alumni interviews and letters of recommendation pop.
🟢 Align extracurriculars with a clear personal brand.

You’ll Learn How To:

✅ Define a core value in 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 to shape a powerful personal brand
✅ Use that 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 as a storytelling thread for a cohesive, unforgettable application
✅ Leverage 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 as a compass to guide choices and naturally stand-out

This isn’t about fitting in.

𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐞.