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Finding A Top College Consultant - Stephenie Lee

5/30/2015

3 Comments

 
The college application process is daunting and fiercely competitive. However, a top college consultant can help her students greatly when it comes to achieving admissions at many leading universities. Before deciding to partner with a college consultant, you must be sure that person has the skills and credentials you need to reach your goals.

So, how can you be certain a college consultant is someone who can truly help you?

  1. Look for Quality Training
College counseling is an extremely specialized area. Very few people can claim they have top training, and even fewer potential clients know what to look for. One of the top training courses in college counseling is the graduate level UCLA College Counseling Certificate Program completed by Stephenie Lee, the Founder of Lee Academia. Ms. Lee is a graduate of an Ivy League school – Columbia University, where she obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedical Engineering.

   2.  Expect Membership in Leading Organizations

Verifying that a college consultant has a commitment to the highest standards of ethics and good practice as well as ongoing education is extremely important. Consultants who offer professional services need to be part of a community of experts so they can constantly improve their knowledge. Ms. Lee is a member of multiple college consulting organizations recognized nationally and internationally for their professionalism in this field, like NACAC, NAFSA, OACAC, NJACAC, and NYSACAC.

   3.  Verify Ivy League Knowledge and Experience

Ms. Lee
is not only an Ivy League graduate, but a mentor who is often invited to serve as a speaker at top admissions and corporate seminars. Her publications and courses attest to her drive to remain at the forefront of the changing world of Ivy League admissions. When not working with clients, she visits campuses of the top universities across the U.S. and worldwide and stays up-to-date with current admission trends and news.

   4.  Understand the Value of the College Application, Essay, and Interview.

To achieve your admissions goals, you need help from someone who can assist you in distilling your distinct value and achievements into a series of compelling essays. A great personal statement serves to demonstrate who you are and your potential values as a member of a school community. And both a standout essay and interview can elevate your chances of admission to the Ivy League and other top-tier universities. Ms. Lee has an instinct for helping students organize their ideas and express themselves effectively in writing and in the interviews -  helping them stand out during the application process.
As a former Ivy-League Alumna Interviewer and Co-Chair of the Interview committee, she is familiar with the Dos and Don'ts of a College Interview.

   5.  Use Strategic Planning to Complete the Admissions Process


Last, but certainly not least, is the ability to bring knowledge together and deploy it in practice. Ms. Lee has thousands of hours of experience as a mentor who leads students through the complex process of Ivy League and top-tier admissions from beginning to end. That includes setting goals, maximizing the impact of time spent and aligning clients with the most demanding admissions expectations. All of this translates into his students routinely getting into the Ivies and other top colleges.

In order to be competitive in the prestigious and Ivy League admissions process, a top-level strategic approach must be employed - such a tactic can lay the strongest foundation possible for a lifetime of success and service.

When you need the best possible odds of securing admission to your school of choice, be diligent in choosing the mentor who will guide you along the way. Lee Academia stands ready to help you on your admissions journey.

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Common Application - 2015-2016 Essay Prompts.

5/27/2015

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  1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

  2. The lessons we take from failure can be fundamental to later success. Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

  3. Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?

  4. Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma-anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.

  5. Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.

Get started with your College essay this summer.

Lee Academia Consultants can guide you through the brainstorming, developing and/or editing process. For more information about our packages, contact us.
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Ways to Avoid Rejection

12/4/2014

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When many students begin their college applications and send off their college applications, they may actually forget that the application itself is just one part of what needs to be submitted.  There are several other documents that must be received before  your file is considered ready for review by the college. And because of this, many students are going to receive a ton of emails and postcards just after they submit their applications, notifying them that all their materials have not been received. Panicking parents and students will begin to stress out. Here are some ways to avoid having your application sidelined in the admissions process.

School Forms / Naviance

Your school college counselor should have a list of colleges that you will be applying to several weeks before your first deadline. He/She will need to prepare all the forms that need to be submitted from the school. Some guidance office will rely on students to pick up the documents and send them to colleges, while others will collect and send all the school materials together.

So, what are the forms that MUST be received by each of your colleges?

Teacher recommendations, the guidance counselor recommendation, your transcript, and the school profile MUST ALL be received by each of your colleges.

Some schools now file electronically via the Naviance or Common App, but other schools may still remain locked in the era of paper and the U.S. Post Office (also known as snail mail). Thus, it will be important to give your counselor plenty of notice as to where you will be applying. If school materials get lost in the mail, some colleges will wait a few days for another set to be sent, but it is better to avoid this situation.

Test Scores (SAT I, SAT II Subject Tests, or ACT scores)

These test scores must be sent directly from the reporting agency to colleges, unless you are applying to a test optional institution. The only scores that colleges will accept come directly from the Collegeboard (www.collegeboard.com) for the SATs or the www.act.org for the ACT.

With an unusually high number of issues with missing SAT scores during some of the early admissions, it would be best to request your scores at least 2 weeks before your deadlines whenever possible.

Payments


Students, do not forget that in order for your application to be processed, your payment must be received. Most college allow credit card payments, and/or checks. Make sure you put your ID or SSN number on the check and send it directly to the admissions office (follow directions). For students who are submitting a fee waiver, be sure to call the admissions office and make sure that the required information for a waiver was received and that your request was accepted.

Supplements

While all the aforementioned are important, the Supplements is the part of the application that can be deal breaker.

Colleges may wait for late SAT scores or payments, but if the supplements are not transmitted by the deadline, the application may be rejected. So, make sure you work carefully on these essays and submit them on time.

For college services, contact Lee Academia consultants and avoid application rejections.


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LAEC's International Students : 2002-2013

10/30/2014

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Picture
This week, Lee Academia's team gathered data from 2002-2013 and created this graph on the left. We can see the increased interest in U.S Colleges/Universities as more and more International students apply and seek LAEC's High School/College/Graduate School Counseling.

Lee Academia limits the number of students we work with, as we dedicate our expertise and professionalism in helping each and every one of our clients. In 2012-2013, we see a tremendous increase in our International Students (especially from China) applying to U.S. Colleges seeking our help during the Spring and early Summer term, thus limiting our availability for American students.

Here are sample services that we helped our International Students with:
  • Choosing U.S. Boarding, Colleges & Graduate Schools
  • College List - Selection 
  • College Research
  • College Tours & Visits
  • ART & Visual Schools
  • Art Portfolios
  • Interview Training
  • Building Resume / Brag Sheet
  • Applying to High Schools/Colleges/Graduate Schools
  • TOEFL / IELTS Preparation
  • SAT / ACT Preparation
  • MCAT/GRE/GMAT/LSAT and more
  • Finding Interests / Extracurricular
  • College Application Essays
  • Transitions / Adapting to U.S. Colleges
  • Scholarship Searches for International Students
  • GAP Year / Conditional Year / Transfer Admissions
So don't hesitate and enroll now! LAEC is a first-come, first-serve based Educational Consulting center. We will do our best to accommodate all our interested students and parents from both the U.S and International countries. Contact us now.

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Identify the Best-Fit Colleges and Universities

8/16/2014

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Now that you have your grades, test scores, activity lists and interests, where should you consider applying?  We will help you find a set of schools that meet your needs.  We are problem solvers and can find great options for any student, no matter what the circumstance.  

Think you can’t afford college? Worried that test scores or grades don’t reflect actual abilities?  Want to apply to the most elite institutions?  Interested in special career paths? We can find the solution that works for you.

Call us now to schedule a consultation and let us help you find best-fit colleges for you!
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No Excuse For Not Starting Now...

7/27/2014

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Yes, we know the 2014-2015 Common Application will not officially be live until August 1st, however, as we have been telling our students, the essay prompts this year have not changed from last year's application.

So, rising seniors, what are you waiting for? Students can (and should!) get started on their essays now.

Common Application Prompts

Do you (the student) need help writing an essay that will improve your admissions odds? 

Contact us today! We will guide you through everything you need to know about writing a great college application essay.

Writing a Compelling College Essay in 1-Day!

Our 1-day course (5 hours, with 30 minute break included) will include:
  • What admissions officers are looking for in the essay
  • How to pick a compelling essay topic
  • Topics students should never write about
  • Common mistakes to avoid
  • How to use humor and anecdotes
  • How to wow admissions officers with a great opening (with examples) 
  • How to approach each common application prompt
  • How to write a great "Why Here" essay (for Supplemental Applications)
  • How to write about a weakness or failure 
  • Brainstorming, Developing, and Editing a final draft before the end of the 1-Day Program.
  • Plus, a question and answer session just for you about the process.
Seats are limited (small group course of 3 students or 1-on-1 private available)*. For more details or to register, contact us now at 646-266-6084 (8AM-6PM EST) or email us at Stephenie@Leeacademia.com with the following information to reserve your seat:


Student Name, High School, Home Address, Phone Number, Email Address
Credit Card Number (MC or Visa)
Name on Card
Expiration Date

Early Registration (register before August 1 at 7pm EST): only $450
Regular Registration (begins August 2): $550


*Online courses are available, as well. Contact us for more details.

Questions?  Call 646.266.6084
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Why a Private Consultant?

7/18/2014

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The cost of a college education is one of the second largest financial investment next to purchasing a home. Currently, many private tuitions range between $180,000 and $250,000, and state governments have been decreasing their funding. Your financial decisions will benefit from our professional guidance.

As many students choose a college without adequate investigation and research regarding what the college has to offer them, research shows that one out of three college students leave or transfer to another college and five out of ten students require five or more years to earn a degree. Our objective assessment of the student’s needs at Lee Academia help us to use current research beyond website information to find the right “student-college fit”.

Many colleges have become more selective and Lee Academia's College Consultants understand what is needed for top students to gain admissions. However, finding the right college for the average or learning differences students is just as important. Many less competitive colleges have higher drop out rates and lower graduation rates, therefore it is essential we carefully place average students in appropriate educational settings.

High school counselors – both in public and private institutions – are so overwhelmed with student caseloads, federally mandated paperwork for special needs students, dealing with disciplinary situations, and scheduling courses. There is little time left for quality personal contact between counselor and the student applying to college. Guidance counselors will write a letter of recommendation, assemble a transcript, and include a student profile in the college packet – nothing more.

For more information and to contact us for a consultation: click here.


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May Day

5/1/2014

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Today is the deadline for first-year candidates to choose among their offers of admissions, financial aid and scholarships. Congratulations to all college-bound students and hopefully, you all deposited on time.

Remember:

While some colleges may offer an extension of the May 1 deadline, students need to call and/or email their admission counselor, and state the reason for the indecision, and many schools do not grant extensions.

Deposits are not refundable after May 1.

Also, after going through all the years of planning, researching, arguing, traveling, debating, analyzing, comparing, writing, thinking, fretting, and finishing strong, do not forget that getting accepted in to the college is FAR less important than staying in and successfully completing college.

As always, we welcome your comments and questions. Feel free to email us or call us at 646-266-6084. Join us on Facebook and Twitter.


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Columbia University Tour

4/22/2014

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Last week, Ms. Stephenie, our college consultant brought 14 high school students around the Columbia University undergraduate campus at Morningside on 116th Street, Manhattan, for a tour. They were told the superstitious stories about the Alma Mater and the students rushed to find the owl to determine who would become the incoming class' Valedictorian. Stories about the Tunnel and Manhattan Project were told as the students walked around and had a firsthand look at the academic classrooms. The infamous Havemeyer classroom where most filming take place was visited, as well as Dodge Fitness Center. Students had the opportunity to ask informal questions and to see a typical Columbia day in progress with many undergraduate and graduate students walking around campus, sitting at the Low steps, and playing soccer at the South Lawn.

After lunch at Columbia's popular cafe, the students toured the Butler Library and had the opportunity to visit the Stacks, observe the old card catalogs, and see hundreds of books that dated back to the early 1900s.
The tour concluded at Columbia's Bookstore, where students had the opportunity to rest and buy Columbia logo clothing.

For more information about future tours and the opportunity to have Ms. Stephenie provide you with a fun unofficial Columbia University tour, contact us.

Picture
Courtesy of BRAVO
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Ivy League Acceptance Rates for the Class of 2018

4/1/2014

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Last week, top high school students from around the world found out whether they were attending one of the eight prestigious Ivy League universities Fall of 2014.

This year was extremely competitive for some of the Ivies, as Princeton University, Cornell University, and University of Pennsylvania had one of their most selective admissions classes ever recorded, and Brown University, Yale University also had a lower acceptance rate than last year's rate.

Princeton admitted 7.28% of applicants and accepted 1,939 students out of 26,641 applicants. This was down slightly from their 7.29% in 2013.

Cornell admitted 14% this year, taking 6,025 students from 43,041 applications. Cornell accepted 15.2% of applicants last year. While Cornell has the highest admissions rate in the Ivy League, the school dropped their admissions percentage point this year.

University of Penn admitted 9.9% applicants to the Class of 2018, where it was 12.1% for the Class of 2017. 3,551 of 35,788 applicants was accepted.

Brown University admitted 8.6% acceptance rate, with 2,619 of 30,291 applicants accepted.
Last year, Brown had a 9.2% acceptance rate.

Yale University was the last to release their admissions data, and posted a lower acceptance rate than last year's 6.72% Yale admitted 6.26% acceptance rate this year, admitting 1,93
5 of 30,932 applicants.

The other Ivies saw their acceptance rate rise from last year.

Harvard University admitted 5.9% of applicants from last year's 5.8% admissions rate, accepting 2,023 of their 34,295 applications.

Columbia University admitted 6.94% of applicants, up from their record low
of 6.89% acceptance rate for Class of 2017. Columbia accepted 2,291 of their 32,967 applicants.

Dartmouth College took 11.5% of applicants to the Class of 2018, which was up from last year's 10% admissions rate. Dartmouth received 19,235 applications and accepted 2,220 this year.

Other top colleges also released their admissions data this week. MIT took 7.7% of applications. Here's a summary of the data:

  • Brown University — 30,291 applicants (2,619 accepted)
  • Columbia University — 32,967 applicants (2,291 accepted)
  • Cornell University — 43,041 applicants (6,025 accepted)
  • Dartmouth College — 19,235 applicants (2,220 accepted)
  • Harvard University — 34,295 applicants (2,023 accepted)
  • University of Pennsylvania — 35,788 applicants (3,551 accepted)
  • Princeton University — 26,607 applicants (1,939 accepted)
  • Yale University — 30,922 applicants (1,935 accepted)
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    Stephenie Lee

    Stephenie, having been a tutor/instructor/mentor since 1996, discovered her passion and founded Lee Academia Educational Consulting, LLC. after she left the dental and medical field. She loves teaching/mentoring and counseling her students.  Her passion lies in educating others and helping them pursue their educational path. Today, certified in College Counseling and with more than 10 years of experience, Stephenie and her team continues to blog about current updated educational news and events.

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