ESSAY GLIMMERS
Pre-College Preparation for 9th and 10th grade Students
What our support looks like.
Academic Course Selection: We help students identify the best-fit classes that challenge them to reach their full potential while honoring their diverse learning needs. We take a well-rounded approach, helping students select courses they can manage and thrive in, while equipping them with time-management and stress-management strategies. Additionally, we coach students on test-taking strategies and on preparing for standardized assessments and final exams.
Extracurricular Selection: One of our favorite parts of our work is helping students find spaces and communities that align with their interests and passions. We work with students to identify extracurricular activities, sports teams, and programs they can participate in at their schools and in their communities. We encourage students to step outside their comfort zones and be part of something bigger than themselves.
Relationship Building: We support students in building relationships with peers and faculty at their school sites. Knowing that college and internship applications often require teacher recommendations, we work with students early to identify and establish meaningful relationships with trusted adults at their school sites who can provide additional support as students approach the college application process during their 11th- and 12th-grade years. As we work with students to engage with their community, we encourage them to identify trustworthy mentors and to build their own networks of positive, influential people.
Summer Programming: Summers are opportune times for students to explore their creativity and try new experiences. With that, we work with students to identify summer internships, employment, volunteer opportunities, and more to help them in curating a well-rounded, niche resume that speaks to their versatility. We also offer additional summer services, including coaching students through the process of writing publishable papers and tutoring to prepare them for advanced placement courses.
*For pricing details, please contact us. We offer comprehensive consulting and coaching packages, as well as à la carte services billed hourly. We work with families on a sliding scale based on financial need to provide our community with equitable access to services.
Our Process
1. We begin by meeting with students and their guardians to build a comprehensive understanding of a student’s overall personal and academic goals. Students and families complete interest inventories, and we work together to structure a plan for a student’s academic year, including helping them select a passion project to pursue.
2. After we have worked collaboratively to build a student’s year-long academic plan, students and their designated coach begin meeting at a cadence that suits the student’s needs. During these meetings, students and their coach set short-term and long-term goals, conduct college and career research, and collaborate around course selection, volunteer experiences, internship opportunities, and more. Coaches meet with parents regularly, as needed, to monitor progress and cultivate a clear sense of their student’s progression. One of the most distinctive aspects of our collaboration at this stage is when students work with their coach to identify a community problem they would like to solve that centers on a passion or interest of theirs.
3. As we continue collaborating with students and their families and facilitating one-on-one consulting meetings, we work alongside students to build a comprehensive resume and set them up for their next academic year by providing grade -level specific support and enrichment opportunities. At the end of our year-long partnership, we review student’s goals and their progress, and provide students with a portfolio of the work and projects they’ve completed throughout the year.