Columbia University 2014-2015합격생

 

Let me tell you my story. I’ve always been jealous of my best friend, whose mother has a literature degree from Harvard. My closest friend would always just call up her mother whenever she needed help on an important writing assignment, and her college application was no exception. Having a mother who could barely understand the English language, I couldn’t even dream about asking my mom for her opinion on my writing. But I met David. David was more than just a counselor—he was a friend, a parent. He read my writing even more carefully than I ever could and listened to everything I had to say wholeheartedly. I could tell him everything even if he was a complete stranger at first, because I saw how much he cared. David recognized the hidden significance of every event that I simply overlooked as something trivial. Those little details that he caught that I had failed to notice soon became important keystones of my writing, truly capturing who I am and whom I want to be. David knows what matters when it comes to portraying what is unique about me, how I could add something special to a community. I wouldn’t have been able to write about myself half the way I did if it weren’t for the brainstorming sessions that we had together. In fact, I wouldn’t have been able to be so self-aware if I hadn’t met David. I think the biggest reason why I am grateful for meeting David is how he helped me see who I am, what I love, and why I live more clearly than ever before. And good personal essays come from those who know themselves well. How could you write a story if you don’t know the protagonists? I could dare say that meeting David was one of the major turning points in my life.

 

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Columbia University 2014-2015합격생

 

I first thought that seeking help in my application process was an immoral act because I saw it as an unfair advantage. If you think this way too, you are not alone. But I realized that the whole college application process is inaccurate, imperfect for gauging the student's academic capacity. How are the admissions readers supposed to understand the academic, personal vitality of a student that they have never met through limited medium like GPA, SAT scores, teacher's recommendations, the personal essay, etc.? That is when I realized that it is absolutely essential to show as many important aspects of you as the student within the parameters given. And seeking assistance to help you do so in an effective way is in fact not an unfair advantage.

 

David at Stanford Academy, with his years of expertise, not only helped me write more compelling essays but also more importantly helped me find my own true voice and passion. Although we may have certain interests that are compelling and unique, we may be unaware of this. David helped me discover more about myself through our lengthy one to one Skype calls. Now able to vocalize some of my deepest passions in my life that I was not completely aware of beforehand, I could not only improve the quality of my application, but also learn more about myself as a person. I would say that the most important thing I learned from working with Stanford Academy is my personal drive, academic goals, and important global issues that matter to me the most. It was not only a process of revising and improving college essays, but also a process of self-discovery. 

 

I also am thankful that I was given full control over my essays. Although David gave me many advices, he always would let me choose which revision I preferred more. I think this combination of having control over my work and finding more about myself sets Stanford Academy from other Korean counseling services that are known for revising the essays to such an extent that the student's "voice" is no longer there.
I would highly advise Stanford Academy’s counseling for any student, regardless of his or her English skills, wishing for an introspective experience, all the while overcoming the huge amount of stress that high school students normally experience in first semester of senior year. 

 

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Cornell University 2014-2015 합격생

 

저는 정신적으로 굉장히 유약해서 스트레스를 받으면 말그대로 멘탈이 붕괴됩니다. 당연지사로 SAT 전날 밤에는 항상 잠을 설쳤습니다. 결국 SAT 점수는 평소 모의고사 때보다 현저히 낮게 나왔었습니다. 디베이트나 스피치 대회같은 것들은 꿈도 꾸지 못했습니다. 그다지 뛰어나지 않은 GPA. 낮은 SAT. 특별할거 없는 엑스트라 커리큘럼 엑티비티. 그럼에도 불구하고 제가 Cornell에 얼리로 붙을 수 있었던 것은 스탠포드 아카데미의 도움이 컸습니다.

 

많은 컨설팅회사에 상담을 받으러 갔었지만, 스탠포드만큼 파격적인 방향을 제시하는 곳은 없었습니다.처음 상담을 받으러 갔을대 어떤 major에 제 마음을 정해야 하는지 갈피도 못 잡고 있었는데 스탠포드에서는 제가 상상도 못했던 major를 제의했고, 곧 전 제 활동들을 그쪽으로 맞춰갔습니다. 스탠포드에서 제시한 방향으로 제 활동을 맞춘 후 스탠포드에서 추천한 여름 캠프까지 다녀왔습니다. 그 후 남은 여름 동안 스탠포드에 적어도 일주일에 한 번씩은 꼭 들리며 몇 시간동안 데이빗 쌤과 에세이에 대해서 토론했습니다. 맨 처음에는 스탠포드에서 여름동안 에세이를 최대한 많이 끝내놓아야 한다고 했을 때는 반신반의하는 마음이 컸었습니다. 왠지 에세이들은 미국 돌아가서도 할수 있을거 같고 여름 동안에는 너무나 먼나라 얘기 같았습니다.

 

그러나 스탠포드를 믿고 여름에 거의 모든 학교들의 에세이들을 참작해놓은 결과, 시니어 일학기 동안에는 오롯이 GPA 관리와 SAT에만 신경쓸 수 있었습니다. 앞이 보이지 않는 입시이거니와 제 SAT 점수, GPA등등 모든 숫자적인 면에서 굉장히 불안정했기 때문에 항상 쌤들께 불안에 떤 이메일들을 보내곤 했습니다. 제 혼란스러움과 걱정에도 불구하고 스탠포드에서는 항상 침착하고 다정한 격려의 말을 아끼지 않았습니다. 데이빗 쌤은 항상 모든 인터뷰 때마다 저에게 진솔할 수 있도록 정말 대학 에세이에서 제 자신이 될수 있도록 도와주셨고 제가 에세이에서 정말 제 자신이 될 수 있도록 도와주셨습니다. 다듬어지지 않은 원석인 제 에세이가 데이빗 쌤의 손을 통해 빛나는 다이아몬드가 될 수 있었다고 생각합니다.

 

제 에세이는 정말 누가 보면 모 아니면 도 라고 할만큼 진취적이고 특별했습니다. 솔직히 말하자면 맨 처음에는 걱정을 많이 했었습니다. 너무 튀려고 하는 게 아닐까. 하지만 역시나 전문가이신 데이빗 쌤에 믿음을 가지고 에세이를 서브밋 했습니다. 결국 전 합격통지를 받았고 제 염려가 부질 없었다는 것을 깨달았습니다. 데이빗 쌤께서 봐주신 제 에세이에는 제가 잘 들어있다고 생각합니다. 저는 절대 볼 수 없는 저를 데이빗 쌤은 정확히 잘 봐주셨고 그 것을 에세이로 표현해 주셨습니다. 제 다른 스펙으로는 Cornell에 발도 못 붙였을 것입니다. 다시 한번 데이빗 쌤의 깊은 배려와 노력 감사 드립니다.

 

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Rice University 2014-2015 합격생

 

미국에서 대학교를 가기 위해 무엇보다도 정보력이 중요한 요즘 이 시대에 저와 어머니는 좋은 컨설팅을 찾기 위해 정말여러 곳을 방문하였습니다. 그러던 중, 스탠포드 아카데미의 David선생님을 만나고 난 뒤 저와 어머니는 “바로 여기다!” 하고 결정하였습니다.

 

저의 경우, SAT 성적이 그렇게 높지 않고 별다른 스팩도 없었던 반면, 제가 합격할 수 있었던 key 중에 하나는 바로 David 선생님의 개인별 학생들의 수준에 맞춘 “눈높이 에세이” 였다고 생각합니다. 한국 유학생들의 수는 매년 늘어나는 반면, 합격소식은 점점 줄어들고 있는 요즘 추세에, 한국인들은 많이 뽑지 않는다는 루머와 여러 가지 들려오는 유출소식에 요즘 한국학생들이 미국대학에 입학할 수 있는 기회가 많이 적어진 것은 부정 할 수 없는 현실입니다.  특히 SAT 점수만으로 학생들을 구별하기에는 이제 분별력이 없다고 많이 알려져 있습니다. 그럼 다음으로 미국 입학사정관이 보는 요소는 학생들의 personal essay 입니다.

 

David 선생님은 일단 에세이를 진행하시기 전, 학생과 개인 면담하는 시간을 충분히 가지십니다. 다른 컨설팅 학원과는달리 1대 1 개인면담을 중요시 하시고 그 학생의 개성과 성격에 맞춰 에세이에 그 학생의 특성이 잘 드러나게 editing 해주십니다. 특히, 저는 아직도 David 선생님과의 면담 중 하신 말씀이 기억에 남습니다. 대학에서 personal essay를 보는이유는 바로 이 사람이 자신의 인생에 대해서 한번이라도 생각을 해 본 사람인지 아닌지를 구별하기 위함이라고 하셨습니다. 이 말을 듣고 난 뒤, 저는 대학 에세이를 쓰는 게 그저 학교에 apply 하기 위해 내는 숙제가 아닌, 제 인생을 한번 뒤돌아 보게 되는 시간을 가져다 주는 특권이라고 생각하며 에세이를 쓰게 되었습니다. 그리고 그 생각을 하는 시간과노력이 곧 대학에서 원하는 답이었습니다.

 

남들보다 조금 늦게 시작한 미국 유학 생활. 주변 사람들의 걱정과 우려 속에서도 저희 이모부께서는 저에게 꾸준히 말씀하셨습니다. “너”만의 스토리를 만들어라. 너의 스토리를 만드는 것이 곧 대학을 갈 수 있는 key다. 처음에 저는 그 스토리를 만든다는 것이 이해가 안가고 어렵기만 했습니다. 하지만 여러분 모두에게는 각자의 스토리가 존재합니다. 다만 그 스토리가 자신의 어디에 숨어있는지 발견하지 못하는 것뿐입니다. David 선생님께서는 저의 그 스토리를 찾아주셨고 저는제 안의 그 스토리를 선생님의 도움 덕에 완벽하게 표현 할 수 있었습니다. 여러분의 숨겨진 스토리를 찾아줄 수 있는, 여러분의 이야기를 통해 꿈을 현실로 만들어주시는 분은 바로 스탠포드 아카데미의 David 선생님이십니다.

 

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Northwestern University 2014-2015 합격생

 

If you came to Stanford Academy expecting someone to magically right a “perfect” piece

of essay to get you into top universities, you are at a wrong place. Stanford Academy and

David doesn’t write essays for you, but helps you through the long tunnel of college

entrance preparation that sometimes seems to be so dark and endless. Honestly

speaking, David could write essays that probably would instantaneously catch the eyes

of the admission officers – he is a great writer.  But that is not what he does. Rather, the

kind of assistance that David provides is helping you to find the ingredients you need to

write a college essay. He asks seemingly random but very sharp questions that help you

bring up memories inside that had been for long forgotten. In order to write essays that

can make an actual difference in the large pool of applications for top universities, you

need to present yourself in a way that admission officers will remember. Being a captain

of a club, leading your school as the student president, winning a debate tournament,

and participating in volunteer activities are all great achievements – but honestly, those

don’t stand out among top applicants. It doesn’t mean that you have to go on and win a

gold medal in IMO (International Mathematics Olympiad) to be a competitive applicant.

This is where David’s expertise and experience in handling students helps immensely.

He provides different approaches that you would not be able to think of by yourself.

This is what makes David so special and helpful. But remember, you will only be able to

make use of his ability only if you provide him with thoughtful answers to his questions,

so don’t be shy just because he is a “stranger”! Trust me, without David and Stanford

Academy, my college entrance process would have been much tougher. Now it is your

time to trust me, and place faith in David and Stanford Academy! Good Luck!