I began my consulting as a Harvard interviewer and now a college consultant of 30 years with the knowledge of how to "package" my student's special strengths so they stand out from their competition. Later, I thought my interests could best be utilized by working in advertising, which I did on both the account management and creative sides- mainly with package goods. The translation to students was easy, especially since I was meeting and evaluating Harvard applicants while working in advertising. When we presented our students to the Harvard Dean of Admissions, and the other Admissions Interviewers, it was striking how some students were presented with their outstanding qualities and supporting examples, while others just ran down a laundry list. This realization prompted me to use this kind of format, which I had seen work so effectively in promoting one student over another, into my work as a college consultant. This summary and presentation of a student's most outstanding qualities/character traits also forms the basis of how I feel the college personal statement essays should be constructed. After 10 years of college counseling with students, I expanded my focus to grad school preparation. Many of my students who worked with me to get into college, wanted help getting into business, law and other grad school areas. So many of the effective self-promotion techniques, which worked so well in college prep, my students adapted to their grad school presentation with great success. Currently I do a mix of college counseling as well as grad school counseling.
