In today’s competitive environment, a stellar application allows a student to stand out to college admissions committees. At Champion, we believe that the success of a college application depends greatly on what the student brings to the process. The ideal student for our program is self-motivated and willing to do the arduous work of revision.

In a free consultation, our Executive Director will meet with the student and his/her parents to determine goals and address specific concerns. There is no “one size fits all” approach to the college application process. Therefore, we do not adhere to a set formula, nor do we require a minimum number of sessions—instead, we offer a customized program consisting of the following three components:

One-on-one Sessions

The bulk of the one-on-one time between teacher and student usually focuses on the personal essays, but experienced teachers are available to help at all stages of the application process. The first session begins with student and teacher brainstorming ideas together, which is a key part of any successful writing process. The essay topic must be original and eye-catching, as well as personal to the student, something he/she feels passionately about. We recommend a minimum of 4–5 one-on-one sessions per essay. This may sound like a lot, but only through multiple drafts will the student truly reach the pinnacle of the idea. Even what appears to be a solid draft to a parent or student—i.e., free of grammatical errors—can lack the “it” factor necessary to elevate the essay from competent to memorable. The revision process requires a willingness on the student’s and teacher’s parts to scrap original ideas that may have once seemed relevant, but in retrospect merely served as a stepping-stone to the crux of the essay.

Consulting

Consultations are usually conducted over the phone or in-person with a parent, although occasionally it is necessary to have a phone session with a student. Consultation topics vary according to the needs of the individual student and the concerns of each family. Sometimes, the teacher will use consultation time to evaluate actual essay content with parents, and at other times parents will wish to discuss “big picture” admissions questions. Champion’s teachers will work with the recommendations of a student’s guidance counselor, who would ideally play an active role in every stage of the college search process. While incorporating the advice and recommendations of the counselor, Champion’s experts can add a level of personal attention that is not always readily available within a school setting. At Champion, we believe strongly in working with the school because such a partnership will ultimately benefit the student.

Online Editing

In between one-on-one sessions, the student works independently to more fully develop his/her ideas. By the latter stages of the drafting process, both student and teacher understand the direction that the essay will take; rather than spending valuable time discussing relatively minor revisions, email conversations become a powerful and cost-effective tool for moving the essay forward.

Our Teachers

Champion’s reputation has always rested on the quality and dedication of our teaching staff. Just as important is the rapport between teacher and student, which is particularly essential during the intensely personal college application process. Students must feel like they have a “safe space” to discuss ideas that may initially be outside their comfort zone. We are committed to matching each student with a teacher who not only understands the college application process but who also is able to help the student highlight his/her unique talents and experiences. Champion’s College Prep instructors have been carefully selected for their specialized teaching experience as well as their insights into the college application process. All our teachers have at minimum a Master’s degree, as well as relevant experience in college admissions and/or college essay pedagogy.

Contact Champion Tutoring

Our College Prep program begins during the summer and is offered throughout the fall/winter. During the spring semester, we are available for consultations for families who are just beginning the process of researching colleges. Typically, the summer before 12th grade is the ideal time to begin working on college applications. However, we recognize that every student has different needs and our program is designed to work with families at any stage of the college application process.

For more information, or to set up a free consultation with our Executive Director, please call or email us.