Testimonials

Your system really works. Four words: I got into Stanford.

Working with you was the single best decision that we made. Thanks to you, we were able to look past all the “marketing fluff” as you call it, and find the colleges that were right for XXXX as an individual and for us as a family. XXXX says she learned so much from you, and I know the skills she learned will benefit her in the future when she starts applying to grad school, internships, and jobs. Heck, I’m applying for a new job right now, and even I have learned a thing or two from you about how to “strategically position myself” and create a unified story about who I am. These lessons are essential in the competitive job market these days. Trust me, I get it! Wherever XXXX goes to college, I know she will do well. Thank you.

First of all I wanted to say a HUGE thank you for everything you have done. I felt like before I was late and unprepared applying for colleges, but with your help I feel like I gained some momentum and motivation into the college process. University Peak helped me to stay on track and also kept me informed. I ended up applying to 14 colleges…. Thank you for helping me with my essay–some colleges quoted it in my acceptance letter! I feel like my writing and my recommendations were the strongest parts of my application, both of which you helped me with. I have thought about college so much this year which led to a lot of positive thinking. I am growing more and more eager and thrilled about my future in college. I am going to New York in two weeks to visit Sarah Lawrence College and New York University (where I got accepted into Tisch School of the Arts!) and seeing which one I love more. I really want to officially thank you for everything you have done. I never would have imagined that I would have been accepted to one of my dream schools. Now that all the cards have fallen into place I just wanted to say thank you, this process has honestly been amazing and I never thought it would be like this. I never thought that I would enjoy applying to college. The preparation and the work that you helped me with really paid off. I am so thankful for this wonderful opportunity and it had to be fate finding your program because it has only benefited me for the better. I can’t thank you enough and I am so sorry for this novel that I have just written. I will definitely, definitely let you know where I decide to go! I wish you all the best! THANK YOU

I will miss you! What am I going to do with my time now that I’m done with all of my applications, essays, and everything! Thank you so much for everything!

You are the best!!! Last May, I was feeling beyond overwhelmed by the whole college application process. My counselor at my school recommended you, and said you were great with students who wanted to get into competitive colleges. I’m so glad we met! You taught me how to take the application process into my own hands. I learned how to think strategically about every part of an application, how to present myself on paper, and how to write essays about things that matter to me. I know these are skills that I will use for many years to come!! On top of all that, you taught me to never get paralyzed by fear of the unknown! You said, “Knowledge and action are the anecdotes to fear,” and you are 100% right! I look back at this past year, and am amazed of how much we accomplished together. I feel really good about the colleges that I have applied to, and my applications are better than I could have imagined. Thank you!!!

In addition to all of your help with the applications, essays, and letters of recommendation, you helped me stay on track with the deadlines that we set together. I submitted all of my applications and essays weeks before all of my friends. While they were stressing out and scrambling, I was enjoying the last few weeks of the year. It felt good to be honest. I felt very confident that my applications reflected me in the best light possible. We worked hard together, and it was worth it!

More good news. I got into Duke. Now, I have to decide if I want to be a “Blue Devil” or a…. Trojan. You probably know what I’m already thinking, but I have a feeling I’ll be buying a surfboard in the next few months. Thanks for everything! I’ll keep you posted as always.

I am done with my college application essays! All of them! The past few months went by so quickly. We were a great team. I don’t even want to think about what my essays would have looked like without your help. They are really, really good. I am 100% proud of them. They reflect who I am, and they fit perfectly with the other parts of my applications that we worked so hard on. Your guidance, editing, and feedback brought out the best in me, and I am forever thankful. Thanksgiving is next week, and I’m already done with all of my applications. I feel great. While my buddies are stressing over their essays, I’m going to be gobbling up turkey! Thanks again!

This was the best money I have ever spent. We spent thousands on other tutors, and University Peak’s college application coaching services were far more valuable. This alleviated a lot of my own stress and the stress for my daughter. The system was very organized and personalized. You helped keep my daughter on track throughout the entire process. Once she got to college, she was accepted into a study abroad program in her first semester in college, and is having the time of her life right now. She is learning and growing so much, and I am glad to see her thriving at the college she dreamed of attending. Thank you so much.

Thank you so much for all of your advice and hard work. XXXX said he emailed you to share the good news. You were an effective and helpful guide every step of the way–from creating the college list, brainstorming and editing the essays, to every little detail in the application. Your program is unrivaled. We will miss you. I hope you don’t mind if I continue to email you with questions if any come up!

We are thrilled!!!! We got another [acceptance letter]!! XXXX is getting into colleges that her classmates with similar families as ours and better GPAs and test scores are getting rejected from!!! Wow! I know this is because of you!! XXXX couldn’t have done it without you!!! Thank you for everything!

You have this way of making the most complex processes seem simple. And you have this way of teaching me to think about things in ways I never did before. You understand me. You dig deep, and you know how to get through. I learned so much from you. Thanks for helping me.

You were worth every penny. The training and skills that you impart are wholly unparalleled. As a guy who has been in the corporate world for 20 years, I see qualities in you that I wish every leader possessed. You possess an ideal balance of being practical, solution-oriented, organized, and compassionate. You are also exceptionally creative and analytical at the same time. You inspired and challenged XXXX to do his best, evaluate his own motivations, and approach the college application process in a strategic, practical way. I can’t praise you enough.

I am tearing up now as I think of how much XXXX has grown during the year with you. We sent XXXX to one of the best private schools in town, but she struggled at the beginning of high school because of peer pressure. She was surrounded by the wrong friends and made some unwise decisions. She was always hiding her intelligence. But you — you really brought out the best in her. You drew out the beautiful daughter that I always saw, but that she was too afraid to see herself. You drew that side of her out, and helped her feel good about herself. She learned that her intelligence is an asset, not a burden. I see the spiked confidence in her every single day. She embraces her intellectual talents, and she’s doing so well in all of her classes this year, even her AP classes. Now, XXXX knows she can accomplish anything she sets her mind to, and she is so excited about starting college. With college applications, I was so pleased with your process and outcome. You kept XXXX so organized and focused, and you always kept her in motion. You kept her moving towards her goals and personal deadlines, and truly examined her motivations. XXXX really felt good about the process every step of the way. We have a lot of difficult decisions to make now, because XXXX got into some fabulous colleges already (and we’re still waiting to hear back from a few more!). I can’t thank you enough. XXXX has said to me so many times, “I know for a fact that I couldn’t have done all of this without you.” Thank you from the bottom of my heart. As a parent, you always wonder if you’re doing the right thing for your child, and I know with full certainty that finding you was the best blessing that we could have imagined. I will recommend you with the highest praise to my friends and relatives. Thank you again.

The results speak for itself. You are marvelous at what you do. During all of our times together, what I most appreciated about you is your way of pulling the parent and student together towards a common goal. You never took sides, but helped us understand each other better. You are a perfect example of how a neutral third party is beneficial in a sensitive topic like college admissions. Thank you.

You must save a spot for my younger son next year. And a spot for my daughter when she’s in high school. Just so you know, I’m sending all my kids to you. You have been such a great partner in XXXX’s accomplishments. Thank you again.

Please come to college with me! Pretty please!!! 🙂 I’m just kidding. I am forever thankful to you, and will always remember you! And I’ll think of everything you taught me when I have to apply to a job or grad school in the future!!! I’ll always remember the “Quadruple R” approach!

I loved our meetings! First of all, you listened to me. You always are so understanding. Secondly, you kept me on track towards our established deadlines. You keep me focused and it all paid off. Lastly, you took all the fear out of the college application process. It felt so good to see myself make progress as the months went on. I saw myself getting closer and closer to the goal, and you guided me every step of the way. I can’t believe I was done with all of my applications by the beginning of December! YAY!!! And I swear, my essays were way better than any of my friends. They were even better than the ones in those “college application essays” books from Amazon. Now, all of my applications are submitted, and I can finally exhale!

Thank you! With your help XXXX was accepted at Pomona as Early Decision 1. It is the perfect fit for XXXX. Smart kids. Laid back. 8-1 student teacher ratio. The School consortium means there are so many class options and 6-thousand students combined, and of course that California weather. Your assistance was essential in helping prepare the materials needed for application. This is a life changing moment for XXXX. I am so thankful and appreciative of your support these past two years. Thank you!

Your program is the best in every possible way. There is nothing I wish you had done differently with XXXX. The time and dedication that you provided him was extraordinary. He received so much personalized attention from you every step of the college application process. He trusted you and felt very comfortable with you, and I saw that in how he talked about you. As parents, it was a relief that he was able to find trust in somebody we trusted, because he rarely opens up to us anymore. We were pleased with his college list and the entire application process. And of course, we’re thrilled of where he decided to go. Other counselors only offered a third (at most!) of what you offered, and their programs seemed much more cookie-cutter, much less personalized. We are certain we made the right decision with you, and you can be sure I will recommend you whenever I can to our friends.

Thank you for working with XXXX. He thoroughly enjoyed working with you. He certainly wouldn’t be as far along with this process if it weren’t for you. Thanks again, XXXX.

I just want to thank you for all of your help. I appreciate that you took the time to understand and guide me every step of the way. You are a good balance of being gentle and nice and funny AND really knowing how to raise the bar. You taught me how to think about my goals in steps, and how to think get to the goal. I knew that I had to do my best in order for colleges to see my best. I learned that I had to work smarter, not harder. While we worked together, I enjoyed our time because you always encouraged me. Our meetings were always a breath of fresh air. You gave me all the tools, kindness, and guidance I needed to achieve my goals. I feel really proud of myself. Thank you.

I just noticed through the mail that I got into Notre Dame!! I never expected this, so I’m absolutely shocked and thrilled. This throws a wrench into my decision for college because I just never saw this happening. Thank you so much for all the help and guidance you gave me. Without you, none of this would have been possible. I cannot thank you enough and my parents echo this thanks.

When I talked to my friends, relatives, and even XXXX’s high school guidance counselor, they couldn’t believe the schools that she was accepted into. I told them with pride that University Peak played a huge role in this. But I am not surprised. You already helped us through this process with our older daughter a couple years ago! We love you guys. You are awesome!!
Both our daughters had a tough time deciding where to go. You got them each into the schools where they’d do well, and helped them decide where to go.
Both of our daughters worked very hard throughout high school, and had so many different organizations they were involved in. But we all know they are complete opposites of each other! You did a great job of getting to know them, and teaching them what to highlight on each application to show each of them in the best light. The self-discovery process was very useful for them as they got to know themselves much better throughout their time with each of you. You helped them become stronger young women, and you helped them stand out.
XXXX is absolutely loving her freshman year at her top college choice right now. [Our older daughter] is a senior now in college, and has done everything she set out to do. And she’s having so much fun in college too. We are so proud of them both.
With everything I have seen and heard with my friends’ children and my children’s classmates, I am so proud of my two girls. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping them through the process. Thank you for being a part of our family for these years!

I love your approach. I sat in on a few of the meetings with you and XXXX, and was amazed at the way you helped her explore her identity and goals. Your insights have been spot-on, and I learned some new things about XXXX too. Did I ever tell you that you would have been a great therapist???! XXXX grew to respect you immensely, as did I, and I think that propelled her to work even harder on her applications. As a parent, something I always appreciated about you is that you helped XXXX and me grow closer as parent-child. You listened to us both, and helped us understand each other better with mutual respect. You always said to XXXX and me, “Let’s find the win-win solution!” I appreciated that. The college application process could have been stressful, but you made it an enjoyable process for us.

You did an incredible job getting my son into his top choice school. He was not only accepted into his first choice, but also got into the business school. He was absolutely ecstatic when he found out! We cannot wait till you work with our younger son and help him through the process too.

Just wanted to let you know that I’ve been admitted to Texas A&M! This is my number 1 choice so I’m super excited. Thanks for all the help on my applications!! I really appreciate it, because all the hard work has paid off. Thanks.

Your kindness inspires me. I will always appreciate what you have done from the bottom of my heart. You brought out sides of XXXX that required a lot of personal growth. You drew out her real inner-personality, and it not only made her a better person, but you also definitely made her college essays and applications a lot stronger. The college application process is supposed to be stressful, but it actually drew us closer together thanks to you.

Thank you so much for everything! I just wanted to let you know that I sent in my intent to enroll last night. I am so excited for everything to come. It was the best working with you on everything!

Thank you for everything you did for XXXX and our family. I was very happy with everything you provided my son. He got into the schools at the top of his list, and I am so proud of where he’s going. He cannot wait to get on campus and I know he’ll do well there. Now, our younger daughter is about to end her sophomore year, and I will be reaching out to you in the next couple of months. Please reserve a spot for her. Oftentimes, I do get asked about who I know that can help with college applications, and I always bring up University Peak. Thanks again.

My husband and I want to thank you for everything you have done for XXXX. Before he met you, he was always a good student but just seemed to be going through the motions. Since last year, I have seen XXXX grow in determination and confidence about what he needs to do for college. He has taken on new projects in his community, and he loves trying new things now. I know his increased drive is a direct result of his time with you. You gave him the tools he needed to set goals for himself, and you helped him achieve those goals by guiding him every step of the way. His essays were fantastic. You brought out the best in him, and his applications reflected that. You were exactly what we were looking for, and I would come back to you again and again.

A heartfelt thank you for everything you have done for us! I just wish we found you sooner. You were exceptional, and it was a pleasure to work with you. There is something about your demeanor that I appreciated. You are so calming, yet you know how to get things done. This rubbed off a lot on XXXX. You are like a sports coach (and a welcomed referee sometimes too, haha)! Guiding the team towards success!

You’re the best. You clarified every confusion I had about the application process. I got into my top college choices, and will fully endorse the application experience and results!

I always recommend University Peak whenever I can. You’ve worked with our family for years, and you did a great job with our two older kids. You helped strengthen their confidence and sharpen their focus. You taught both of them how to get into the schools that were a great fit for each of them. They each enjoyed their time with you. You provided a phenomenal experience, and I tell all my friends who have kids in high school about you whenever the topic comes up. XXXX and XXXX are both very happy in college right now. An added benefit for me is they ended up in the same city, so it is very easy for my husband and me to visit them while they’re in school. Without a doubt, I know you will help our third kid in the same way when the time comes.

We are ecstatic about XXXX’s admission to UCLA. I will forever remember the joy in his voice as he announced the good news to us. This could not have happened without your knowledge and support. We are forever grateful.

Two of my teachers have pulled me aside independently, and told me that they were impressed with how well I prepared them for my letters of recommendation. You were so right.

Thanks for the USC caps! My mom and I just got them in the mail today. Here’s a pic of us. They look good on us! I can’t believe it. I’m going to be a Trojan! You’re the best of the best, and I couldn’t have done this without you!!!

I just got my last acceptance email. Drumroll….. I got in!!!! Can you believe it? I got into all of the colleges that I applied to — just like you. Maybe now, I can be like you when I grow up. Ha, just kidding. In all seriousness, thanks for everything. You have no idea how much your guidance meant to me.

Thank you for all the support and coaching you have given me during the entire college application process. I learned so much about myself, and feel more confident about the ways that I stand out from others. You have a way of bringing out the best in people, and I don’t know how I would’ve gotten through the process without you.