The Next Step in Life

College is an important transition for many people, it symbolizes the start of independence, the pursuit of higher education, and the desire to explore the world. With the growing amount of competition in this increasingly busy world, it has never been more important for parents and kids to be prepared for this important step.

The Chinese Culture and Community Service Center (CCACC) was honored to co-sponsor the Readying for College Seminar with OCA-Greater Washington DC Chapter on November 16 at CCACC headquarters. They invited Elisa Chen, a college consultant, who has helped kids navigate the complexities of the college admissions process to help them get accepted into top universities. The event was a success as parents and students flooded into the room to learn tips for college success.

The two most important things Elisa focused on was preparation and personality. Preparation refers to getting things done early and doing the best to prepare yourself for the application process. Personality refers to the WOW factor that many colleges are looking for.

While grades and test scores are important, these are only the first gatekeepers, what matters afterwards are the subjective factors and the narrative that the student creates. This narrative can be seen in a student’s extracurricular activities, personal essay, and recommendation letters. This is why it is important for students to build a good repertoire and begin developing good relationships with their counselors and teachers.

The final takeaway is to remember is that with college applications, a lot of things are relative, there is not necessarily a set number or a set score a student needs to achieve, instead, it often depends on how that student compares to others. In addition, it is important to find a college that fits the student; the top-ranking school may not be the best school or the most suitable school.

Elisa was able to bring her experience as a college consultant to provide tips. In addition to giving advice, she shared a lot of stories that she’s seen in the past, engaging both parents and students, helping them visualize the process. Parents and even some students demonstrated their interest in the topic as they offered a myriad of questions to Elisa. It was clear that both parents and students wanted to make the most of this seminar, making sure the students are college ready. Even at the end of the event, many parents were eager to talk to Elisa. Parents and students walked away with a better idea of how to prepare for college.