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MY COLLEGE GUIDANCE PHILOSOPHY

Mark Penticuff

c o l l e g e g u i d a n c e c o u n s e l i n g

I graduated from Pepperdine University with B.A. degrees in Political Science and Broadcast Journalism. I then obtained my Juris Doctorate from the Boston University School of Law. After six years as a trial attorney, I went on to earn my teaching credential from Concordia University and taught sixteen years in the classroom before founding my college guidance counseling business. I am a member of numerous college consulting professional organizations and enjoy traveling the country and visiting the large and small college gems found throughout the United States. I have a passion for tennis, reading, writing, and working with high school students to gain admittance to the college of their dreams.

THE PROCESS...

GPA & "rigor" of classes
Standardized test scores
Your "Interestingness" factor (as indicated by your "Activity List" and "Honors & Awards")
Your Personal Essays
Excellent Letters of Rec from your teachers

MY BACKGROUND

ADMISSIONS COUNSELORS BEST ADVICE

Don’t have your parents call the admissions office - or write your essay
Use three simple criteria to narrow your college search

1. size

2. location

3. climate

... and visit!

Don’t use text abbreviations in your essay
Don’t apply just to apply!
Keep in close touch with your guidance counselor

GREAT COLLEGE SEARCH WEBSITES

(continued) ... utilization of the latest in college application software, as well as a step-by-step, organized approach to make sense of and accomplish all that needs to be done to ensure you present yourself as the best applicant you can be. I make sure you do not miss a single aspect of developing a cohesive, thematic, outstanding application to colleges that will stand out when it counts.

STUCK?

FIVE WAYS TO JUMP START YOUR COLLEGE ESSAY

In a nutshell, I undertake three critical tasks: (1) direct students to do all that can be done to put themselves in the position of being a desirable candidate to colleges, (2) help students understand the range of colleges to which they are reasonably likely to win acceptance and (3) help students understand how to present themselves effectively in an application.

While that seems simple enough, the admissions process continues to become ever more complicated, competitive and high stress. There are a bewildering variety of deadlines and policies. Should students apply early decision, early application, or regular decision? What classes and activities carry the most weight with admissions offices? How generous is the financial aid?

Should essays highlight a personal obstacle overcome or a summer building houses for the poor? I can present the array of decisions to be made in an understandable and organized fashion.

That being said, my most valuable contribution may be stress reduction. I believe taking an emotionally fraught, highly competitive process and turning it into a time of shared discovery is absolutely the most valuable and enjoyable thing I do. College selection and the entire application process really can be an adventure that families enjoy together.

Acknowledging that organization will “make or break” a successful college search and application process, I offer utilization and training in the latest college admissions / tracking software. Your personalized college planning site will allow you to keep everything in one place and offers college profiles, links, demographics, lists, applications tasks, and a helpful "How do I match up?" student feature.

Easy access to compiled data for over 3,500 colleges and universities; what each college is all about, who they admit and for what they might be looking, as well as easy access for you to important college links — allows you to keep your college search, notes, and evaluations of schools easily organized.

THE "BIG FIVE" OF COLLEGE ADMISSION FACTORS

Mark Penticuff

c o l l e g e g u i d a n c e c o u n s e l i n g

"Seek and you shall find" or “Cerca Trova” was an ancient Italian phrase favored by Leonardo da Vinci. It is also a wonderfully apt description of my philosophy of college guidance counseling. In contemplating where you would like to attend college, I believe in the adage that successful college applications and ensuing college experiences are more "a match to be made than a prize to be won." With some 3,500 established colleges and universities in the United States, there is truly a great college fit for every high school student who wants to continue his or her education.

Although today's complex and anxiety-producing college admission process has become an ever more daunting task, whether you are seeking admission to the Ivy League, a national “football college,” or a more intimate liberal arts institution that match your distinct interests and personality, I can reduce your household stress and help you and your family through each hurdle of the application process. Let me assist you in discovering how to find the best college for you, and how to craft a competitively superior application.

GPA & "rigor" of classes
Standardized test scores
Your "Interestingness" factor (as indicated by your "Activity List" and "Honors & Awards")
Your Personal Essays
Excellent Letters of Rec from your teachers

Mark Penticuff

c o l l e g e g u i d a n c e c o u n s e l i n g

Make a list of all the essays you have to write
You don’t have to have a unique topic — just right about you !
Punch through the writers block:

Think about the essay while you’re doing something else
Instead of sentences, write details and moments you remember
Talk it out before you write. See if you can use an essay for more than one school