Alice is super unique as a college counselor because she focuses on bringing out your own unique passions rather than trying to morph you into a copy of others — which I think is what ultimately got me into Stanford! She has been incredibly supportive of everything I do and has helped me find so many different opportunities related to my passions.

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For the essay-writing process, Alice was a HUUUGE help, not just by helping with technique and style, but also by pushing me to reflect on myself and to really focus on the concepts in my essays. I think my essays were probably one of the main reasons I got into Stanford, and it’s thanks to brainstorming with Alice for hours that I was able to think of them! I went from being completely stumped on my personal statement to having an essay that I’m still extremely proud of. 

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Honestly, talking to Alice sometimes felt like a therapy session because she helped me figure out countless things about myself. She told me that the goal of writing essays was to “discover your philosophy”, and I definitely did! 

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I’m so, so grateful to Alice for helping me get into my dream school, and I can’t wait to go to Stanford!

I met Alice in my sophomore year, which was back when I was still skeptical of how useful a college counselor could really be. After a few exchanges with Alice, I was much obliged to her for all her amazing advice. 

What I appreciated most about Alice was how comfortable it was to communicate with her. If I ever had any questions about anything, Alice would be able to get back to me ASAP. In addition to that, Alice provided extremely timely editing tips for my essays. That way, I could continue working on my college applications without experiencing extended delays, which I think can sometimes be detrimental to the fluidity of one's writing, as well as interrupt your train of thought. 

I also appreciate Alice's enthusiasm, including her willingness to read draft after draft of my writing, even when she thought my additional edits were no longer necessary. All in all, throughout my later years of high school, Alice became more than a college counselor to me. Alice became a friend and a confidant whom I could be certain I had the unwavering support of! 

I wholeheartedly and unequivocally recommend Polaris College Counseling to any student who finds themselves in the muddy waters of the college application process. I believe that even the most accomplished students can greatly benefit from the mentorship of an experienced, kind, intelligent, and extremely knowledgeable college counselor like Alice. 

Without Alice’s help, I sincerely do not think I would have been accepted to Stanford. Essays are such an important part of the application process because they are the only chance for a student to show who they are, but I was never a great narrative writer. Alice helped me transform the ideas in my head into just the right sequences of words on paper to highlight the aspects of my personality and life I most wanted to portray. From brainstorming about essay topics to navigating the revision process, Alice was somehow both extremely quick to respond and highly detailed and insightful in her suggestions and feedback. Alice also helped me put together a more cohesive application and compelling profile, find scholarship opportunities, and determine which colleges were the best fit. And beyond her concrete ability, Alice’s deeply caring personality also truly made me feel like we had developed a very close one-on-one relationship; I have complete trust in her judgement, character, and ability.

I believe what has been more important than the tangibles of the college application process is the personal development I have gone through this application season. By working with Alice on writing deeply personal essays about all parts of my life (some of which I had forgotten until this year), I’ve not only developed a greater sense of conviction about the abstract-yet-very-real idea of “my life purpose” but also feel infinitely better prepared to tackle the academic, extracurricular, and social challenges of college—and life!

I have worked with Alice and the Polaris counseling team for all four years of high school. It has truly made an enormous difference in both my high school experience and college applications. Alice’s patience and professionalism in this field helped me avoid many common obstacles that others may face. Her advice covered crucial topics like standardized testing, school and online course selections, and extracurricular activities like contests and clubs. In addition, under her guidance, I was presented with many opportunities that allowed me to challenge and improve myself. One thing that helped my applications the most was the numerous summer programs that Alice recommended, covering a range of topics like volunteer, research, and exploration of uncommon subject areas. I can then pick the ones that match my interests and skills the most, thus utilizing my summer to do productive activities that I enjoy.

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As a result of Alice’s careful planning, I had a relatively stress-free four years of high school until my college application season came around, which was where this program really shined. Alice took a ton of time (with weekly calls) to help me finalize my college list and perfect my applications, showing care and support whenever I needed them. Her firm but gentle advice helped me power through times of frustration and procrastination. From brainstorming ideas to drafting and then polishing and editing, Alice offered help on every step of my writing process. Her unique perspectives and diction helped transform what I wrote into what I had always imagined.

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Throughout this process, she also used the essay prompts to help me dig deeper into myself and become a better-rounded person, for she could always find the gem in every little story that I shared. My family and I were both super surprised and thrilled when I got into my dream school MIT. I could not have done it without Alice’s guidance, and I am grateful to have such an amazing mentor.

While I was initially uncertain about the merits of working with a college counselor, my experience with Alice has left me with no doubt about the value and impact of her work. Even at our very first meeting, Alice's experience provided immense help in crafting a holistic story in my application. 

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From helping to brainstorm ideas and messages to polishing off words and sentences, Alice took my trivial ideas and transformed them, asking purposeful questions to unearth the deeper connections between my activities and interests and strengths. Her thoughts inspired me to write stories I would never have considered approaching when alone. Additionally, Alice's willingness to read draft after draft and leave unapologetic feedback pushed me to become a better writer — not just with applications, but in all my academic writing. By the time I submitted my last application, Alice taken on the role of a rapid editor, mentor, cheerleader, and thoughtful confidante, greatly reducing the pressure of what is otherwise the most stressful period in all of high school.

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Ultimately, Alice's advice was crucial to writing the application that gave me an acceptance to my dream school. I would truly recommend her to anyone getting ready to face the college application process. 

I started working with Alice in 10th grade, when I was still skeptical of getting a college counselor. As a shy and quiet kid, it was hard for me to open up about my thoughts. However, Alice remained patient and slowly pushed me to develop my interests and passions. She provided a countless amount of opportunities and connections that helped expand the bubble I was stuck in before then. Her communication throughout these two years has been consistent and fast, as I could always count on her for quick help and advice. As the college application process began, I found it difficult to find ideas to write about, specifically with my personal statement. However, through my meetings with Alice, we churned out many solid ideas throughout brainstorming exercises and talks. She gave me the perfect push as I started writing my first essays, remaining heavily involved throughout the writing and editing process. Writing has never been my forte (I’m more of a STEM guy) but Alice always provided an encouraging atmosphere when we met and worked through my essays. In the end, I got into the majority of the colleges I applied to, including two of the schools I most wanted to get into—Yale and MIT. If I could re-do my college process, I would change some things but one thing I would keep for sure is Alice’s help and involvement in my application process.

Going into the college application process, I was beyond overwhelmed. How many colleges should I apply to? When should I start writing my personal statement? What is a personal statement? Additionally, upperclassmen told me about their painful experiences with strict and insensitive college advisors. It felt like every part of the process was going to be difficult to navigate.

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But as soon as I met Alice, I felt at ease. She clearly outlined everything I needed to complete while sprinkling in tips and tricks accumulated from years of experience. In the first couple weeks of working together, we were able to create a schedule to fit my busy high school schedule. From refining my resume to dwindling down my mile-long college list, Alice guided me every step of the way. 

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Something that I was particularly pleased about was how Alice immediately showed genuine interest in who I am as a person. The first time we met, she asked about my passions, goals, and areas of anxiety regarding the process. Something I initially didn't consider about college essays was how personal they would be. Alice created an atmosphere where I felt safe and comfortable sharing my stories, knowing that my experiences would be respected. 

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When it came time to write my essays, my first drafts were beyond discouraging to me. They were long-winded and unorganized, usually double the permitted word count. Nevertheless, Alice would patiently read every idea on the page, mining out small pieces of gold that were worth refining. Most importantly, she gave me the confidence to write whatever felt right to me--after all, all great ideas have to start somewhere.

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I've worked with Alice for close to two years. She is one of very few individuals I've met who will push you to be the best you can be while also making sure you aren't overworking yourself. With her guidance, I was admitted to my dream school, and could not be more thrilled. I am forever grateful to all of the kindness and faith she has shown me in just the two years we've worked together.

Alice and her team walked by my side throughout high school; they made the entire journey a lot less overwhelming and a lot more enjoyable! Whenever I had questions about what I should do or should not do, Alice was the single most helpful source of advice. She was always caring, responsive, dependable, and, above all, creative. My proudest personal projects outside of school were accomplished with her assistance and encouragement. During college essay writing, Alice, being a remarkable listener, skillfully elicited stories from me and helped me present them wonderfully well in applications. Looking back, I don’t think I’d have got into Penn without her guidance. I’m extremely grateful to have her as my invaluable mentor! 

I started working with Alice the summer before my senior year. I never planned on working with a college counselor, but as 11th grade was coming to a close, I realized how little I knew about applying to colleges and that I needed a lot of help very quickly. 

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Alice came highly recommended by a family friend, and after contacting her, she immediately began helping me. I really only knew a few schools I was going to apply to, but Alice helped me find several more and helped me decide on which majors to apply to. She gave me several opportunities and connections that I never would've gotten otherwise and made me realize I actually had a lot more to add to my resume than I thought. She was always available through text or call whenever I had questions and had advice for every step of the process - from filling out information on Commonapp to checking grammar on my essays to college interviews.

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One of the most impactful ways Alice helped me was with all my essays. I've always liked writing, but I had no idea where to start with any of my college essays. Alice helped me organize all the supplementals I would have to write and gave me advice for certain prompts. Some drafts I asked her to read many times over and she was always willing and gave me advice and support until we were both satisfied. "

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Alice was able to break down the extremely daunting challenge of getting into college into small manageable tasks. With her help, I was able to get into Cornell University as well as several other colleges. I'm so grateful I worked with Alice and would highly recommend Polaris College Counselling to anyone applying to college!

I had the pleasure of working with Alice throughout my college search and application process for the past two years. Alice began by helping me thread together my most meaningful activities and accomplishments into a coherent story that was persuasive and true to myself. She also took the time to get to know me personally. Alice found ways to extrapolate from my stories more complicated implications and was able to elevate my writing into higher dimensions in thought and analysis. She asked deeper questions to guide me into my own realizations, which is reflected through the evolution of drafts we've worked on together. Through all the edits she has always preserved my voice while providing gentle nudges to guide me towards a more meaningful conclusion that I had been dancing around.  I'm an endless procrastinator and Alice always moved me along. She was constantly on top of all revisions and deadlines. Through the college app process, I've learned a lot about myself: who I am, what motivates me, and what I truly care about. And all those things would not have been possible without Alice's questioning, nudging, and steering.

Three years ago, my sister had a bumpy start in the college admissions process before working with Alice. Alice helped her clear her head and directed her to the right direction. With Alice’s expert guidance, she got into her dream school. When the time came for me to apply to college, I was assured by my sister that I was under excellent hands with Alice. 

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With my early admissions schools, Alice set me off to work on college applications early in the spring of junior year. Unlike my sister, I got off to a smooth start. Before May, I already had a few essay drafts that I felt satisfied with. However, after my AP exams and a family vacation, I seemed to be running out of steam. I was more of a sprinter rather than a marathoner. I had a hard time coming back to refocus on my college applications. When I seemed to be forever stuck in the writer’s block, Alice supported me with copious encouragement, confirming me again and again that I could do it. Along with her enthusiastic cheers and professional guidance, I pulled myself together and went full steam ahead. 

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Alice is someone who both has a big vision and is attentive to even the smallest details on the application. She always reminded me to retain a bird’s eye view of my application and taught me to understand how each part contributed to the whole. This kept me away from the danger of not seeing the wood for the trees. Alice is also extremely approachable and understanding, which made me willing to open and share. She was always non-judgmental towards my life but also told me honestly what materials would look good on my application based on her years of experience. 

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Overall, I’m extremely happy about my application results and look forward to starting my college life. I would recommend Alice and her team to high school students without reservation!
 

I strongly, wholeheartedly recommend Polaris College Counseling! Dr. Zeng and her team are professional, experienced, knowledgeable, yet also so friendly, patient, and down to earth!

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Dr. Zeng is able to find the unique "shine" in a student through close one-on-one communication and highlight those aspects of my personality and life on paper. During the important essay writing process, Dr. Zeng encouraged me to discover the deeply personal experiences that had shaped who "I" am through brainstorming sessions. She guided me to transform thoughts into compelling stories, never asking me to follow some templates of others.

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Dr. Zeng helped me streamline the college application process and made it clear what I should do and kept me on track and on task. She was never more than a message/text away, and I could always count on her to answer questions with highly detailed and insightful advice!

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I had an amazing time working with Dr. Zeng and her team! She was definitely an essential part of my college application experience!

I worked with Alice for two years, and had the fortune of going through my college search, essay, and application process with her!

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Alice was a great guiding hand throughout my high school career as I was understanding more of who I am and what I wanted to do in the future. In high school, I was able to be an intern at a local coding school, a math tutor, and a leading dancer. I was able to take full advantage of each of these opportunities with Alice’s support and genuine interest in what I was doing and how I was growing as a person. 

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When it came time to begin our college search and create our final list, Alice knew who I was, she knew my preferences and what I wanted for my future, which made making our list a hundred times easier. She was actually the one who put my dream school on my radar, one that I had never even considered but fallen in love with the moment I saw it.  

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The college application process was made very simple with Alice, and we were able to go through our essays very efficiently. She was always available on call or text if I had any questions about writing my essays, and gave me thorough feedback on each of my drafts. Alice also made sure we were prepared with all of our applications weeks before the final deadlines, so there was no sense of urgency or lost time.  

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Working with Alice has been incredible because she was not only a mentor but also a pillar of support throughout my high school career and the application process. I had a great time working with her, and would definitely recommend Polaris College Counselling! 

I initially had no idea about what studies I wanted to pursue in college. Alice started by offering me various resources to broaden my horizon and fully explore my interests. After confirming my broad interests, I focused on exploring specific subjects. Alice suggested that I participate in summer camps in California, where I developed my initial interest in computer science. The following year, Alice recommended me to a biology lab, where I got a taste of the research culture. This experience piqued my interest in biology throughout my high school years. 

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Applying to the Yale Young Global Scholars Summer Camp served as a warm-up for my application to US universities. Alice and I brainstormed together to identify my unique perspective and strong points, and I successfully got an offer. The process helped me understand the standards for an excellent essay for college application, which greatly reduced my fumbling costs in the subsequent essay writing process and saved precious time during my senior year of high school.

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Alice’s extensive experience and well-articulated working methods greatly aided me during the stressful college application process. The activities I had done at Alice’s suggestion made my resume stand out. Many of the clues I extracted from it gave me confidence and later became important components of my essays. Given the fierce competition in the application for computer science, Alice suggested different strategies for each colleges applied to. We went over every detail to ensure that each application is highly targeted and genuine. Despite the time difference between Switzerland and the United States, Alice gave me the most support, always answering my questions and giving me suggestions as soon as possible. Moreover, Alice always paid attention to my psychological health during our conversations, relieving my stress when I felt frustrated, or setting higher goals when I needed to be pushed. 

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What I gained from Alice’s assistance was not only the offer from my dream college, but also the habit of reflecting on myself constantly, which helped me understand myself more clearly and know where I should be heading in the new chapter of life.

I started working with Alice in the second semester of Grade 9, during which time my parents’ family business took off and they became busier and busier. As much as they cared about my studies, they were often swamped by responsibilities and chores of their work. I really appreciate it that Alice made our family conferences happen regularly at her office so I could sit down with my parents to talk about my progress as well as my needs. With the guidance of Alice, I tried to keep my high school life as organized as possible, from school work to outside learning programs to summer camps and to the final college applications. Over the years, she gradually increased the difficulty of the tasks she suggested that I take on, and each time I achieved something daunting I gained more confidence in myself. Right now COVID-19 casts a cloud of uncertainty to my college life, but I feel I’m ready for any challenges. 

I have worked with Alice for almost 4 years, and, needless to say, without her help, I can never dream to receive the acceptance letter of my first-choice school. Alice and her team helped me greatly in various fields, including course selection, extracurricular activities, and most importantly, college essays. Writing a college essay was a painstaking process because it is nothing like the essay I usually write in the English classes at school. It requires the writer to express the positivity of him/herself without sounding boastful or insincere. Telling a compelling story within the word limit was a lot of times difficult, but with Alice and her team’s help, I was able to win the heart of college admissions officers. I believe other students, like me, will enjoy the benefits of having such a helpful team.

I visited Wellesley in Grade 9 and knew immediately that this was my place. I want to thank you for helping me get into my dream school! Having never been a good writer myself, I was surprised to find how much I enjoyed the writing process. The discussions we had challenged me to look deep into my soul and create a purpose for my life. With a stronger sense of who I am and what I can do, I find I'm more prepared to become a woman leader, which I wrote in my essays for Wellesley. Thank you again for your guidance along the way.  

Working with Dr. Zeng on my college applications was like taking a self-discovery journey. College applications became less stressful after we put together a plan, quarter by quarter. Each meeting with Dr. Zeng dug a little deeper into my past experiences – accomplishments, struggles and triumphs, and what I look forward to in college life. A few potential essay topics emerged as a result, as well as a list of colleges that suited my needs. Dr. Zeng provided thorough and thoughtful comments on my essays, and helped me get into the college that I aspired to go to. I would highly recommend Dr. Zeng to anyone.

Alice was wonderfully experienced in helping me get through the college admissions process. She dramatically simplified Common App’s convoluted system of inputting activities, additional information, adding colleges, and filling out forms by providing structured instructions, examples, and templates which I could easily fill out. Her recommendations for colleges, updates for new tasks like interviews, and suggestions for essays pushed me in the right direction in getting the best chance of being accepted. Alice’s biggest strengths are her communication skills, accessibility, and flexibility; from college choices to essay corrections, she’s always there to help you get your concerns and questions addressed.

I’ve been working with Alice since Grade 9. She is an amazingly inspiring woman! She directs me to all sorts of opportunities to discovery my true colors and embrace my uniqueness. She teaches me the growth mindset and encourages me to learn in every circumstance. Looking back at the past three years, I find I have gone a long way. I just cannot say enough about her!

Hi Alice, I just wanted to thank you for everything you've done for me and all the guidance you provided during my college application. Currently, I got accepted all the colleges I applied for and the majors I chose except one. I feel extraordinarily accomplished and all this would not be possible without your help. So I would just like to thank you again for all the help you gave me.

We are very happy to update you that our daughter was accepted into Brown! She wouldn’t have got there without your help. We are very impressed by your professionalism and dedication. Thank you so much!"

I must say that we are incredibly satisfied with Alice in her handling of our daughter and her applications. She is highly efficient and organized. A superb communicator, she kept us informed about every stage of the progress while we had our daughter work independently with her. We have recommended her to all our friends who need help in college admissions. 

I worked with Alice for a couple of months throughout my college application process, and I was very pleased with how helpful she was with every little detail. She was super professional and was super clear on what I needed to do with my essays and such. Just overall a great experience and definitely couldn't have done it without her!

As the mother of an incoming senior, I was really stressed out about the whole process of applying for college. Alice came highly recommended by a friend. She started right away making plans with my daughter the beginning of the junior year summer break. Alice was most helpful picking out colleges best fitting my daughter’s needs. And her help on writing essays was tremendous. Alice checked in with my daughter regularly throughout the summer to make sure she was on track. By the start of the senior
year, my daughter made huge progress. They spent the next two months finalizing and polishing all the materials. When Nov. 1 came around, my daughter was ready for all her applications. Thanks to Alice’s help, my daughter was accepted to her top dream school (Cornell), as well as many others! I’m grateful for all the support and guidance my daughter got from Alice. Alice was knowledgeable and insightful. She was always kind, supportive, and straight to the point in what we needed to do. She knew how to
find what was special about each kid and present it in the best way to colleges. I would highly recommend her service!

My son went through quite a few rough patches during high school. Alice was instrumental in helping us make some of the very important decisions during those difficult times. While we were sometimes anxious and lost, she always remained calm, rational, and sympathetic at the same time. She was a skillful and sincere communicator between our son and us parents when we didn’t see eye to eye with each other. She helped us clear up misunderstandings and pointed out what was at the stake. We benefited greatly from her intellectual and personal investment far beyond what was required of her job. She is a valued mentor to our son during the college admissions process as well as a great family friend we cherish. 

When it comes to finding a college counseling service for my son, I look for someone who has a broad vision, who can listen, and who can pinpoint the essential qualities of the student so that my son can thrive beyond his college life. Dr. Alice Zeng and her team at Polaris College Counseling did exactly what I hoped for and even more than I expected. 

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Alice is very professional, attentive, and easy to work with. To foster my son’s long term growth, she and her team built up an individualized plan to meet my student’s needs in a comprehensive and systematic approach. She acknowledged and respected our needs and expectations, providing feasible solutions and strategies based on intensive research to help strengthen my son’s admissions profile every step throughout the whole application process. Her timely manner of coaching made the slow and tedious journey of college application vibrant and efficient. My son learnt to appreciate the challenges at all times. "This is amazing!" he said, as if he just emerged from rebirth with so much joy.  

Our family worked with Polaris College Counseling during the past three years and were very satisfied with the support we got from them! The world of college admissions changed drastically since we were teens, and the Polaris team helped us understand the nuances of the complicated process. We like that Dr. Zeng never made decisions on behalf of our son. Instead, every time she would lay out different possibilities, explain the pros and cons carefully, and encourage our son to make decisions himself that fit his unique circumstances. Our son felt empowered, and we parents felt relieved to sit in the passenger seat watching our son steering his own path. Dr. Zeng’s team was highly organized and efficient. Our son finished most of his applications before November and was admitted by his early decision school in December. We were all excited about the result and thankful for Polaris’ guidance!

Dr. Zeng counseled my daughter for her college application. From application planning to essay writing, Dr. Zeng provided invaluable guidance. I was amazed at how quickly Dr. Zeng was able to build a connection with my daughter. I can see my daughter’s trust in Dr. Zeng, allowing her to open up, go over her experiences, and discuss the future. It was such a relief to me knowing that she was in good hands. My daughter successfully got into a college she most desired. Throughout this process, I can’t help but notice my daughter’s growth - she became more confident and open. I would highly recommend Dr. Zeng to anyone seeking college planning counseling.

If you’re looking for a college admissions counselor, Dr. Zeng and her team would absolutely be the best choice! My daughter got accepted into her top choice school with the help of Dr. Zeng and her team. We started working with Dr. Zeng since my daughter was in 10th grade. Dr. Zeng is patient, kind, intelligent, and professional. She builds a close, trustworthy connection with my daughter, willing to listen to her and inspire her. She offers lots of helpful suggestions in terms of my daughter’s extracurricular activities, community service, and much more... When my daughter was stressed out during the college application season, Dr. Zeng provided her encouragements, kept her on schedule, supported her to feel prepared and gain confidence during the college application process!

I knew college application was a lot of work, but it was a lot more than I had thought. Alice knows inside out about college applications, and she knows how to bring out student’s strengths and tailor each application to them.

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In addition, the process itself is an important experience for teenagers. By bringing out her strengths, my daughter gained confidence. She learned a lot from this experience and it prepared her well for her future when she needs to apply for something.  

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Last but not the least, Alice's work released enormous pressure on me as a parent. Without her help, I would have worked really hard with my daughter to prepare her applications.

在认识Alice之前我妈妈非常的焦虑，因为美国大学的申请过程十分复杂，仅靠一个人的力量和有限的信息是很难做出正确的决定，所以我们很早就决定要找一个升学导师。在接触Alice之前我也见了一些朋友介绍的升学中介，但是都不是很理想，有些中介会给予我一些错误的信息来收取更多的费用，所以我一直比较抵触升学中介。

我跟Alice第一次见面谈了一个多小时，感觉Alice很友善并且真正关心我喜欢做什么，而不是要向我推销产品或者补习课程。在以后的接触中我也发现Alice对升学方面有自己的一套流程，从最开始的选课到课外活动，志愿者和夏令营，SAT 和AP 的考试补习，Alice都有很多资源推荐给我。这让我妈妈非常的省心不用为我的大学申请感到焦虑。如果我有问题可以随时在微信上问Alice和她的团队，我们定期也会有见面去了解我目前的情况和商讨下一步的计划。

在写大学文书这个阶段Alice也是坚持以学生的兴趣为主，她会在写之前帮你理清思路，在改正的时候给你提建议，最后会和你一起检查。我很喜欢这种方式因为她给予我足够的空间去向大学展示我的兴趣和故事。这个过程Alice一直很用心，每个学生她都会督促尽早完成，当然这个过程你需要配合Alice，否则无论什么老师都没法帮助到你。

我最后ED1成功进入了我最想去的NYU Stern 商学院，里我的梦想又进了一步。我非常满意并且已经向我的朋友推荐了Alice。很有实力的升学团队每年都有很多学生进入名校。对我有很大帮助。老师都很友善并且乐于回答问题。不会给予误导性信息去向你推销产品。一个有底线又很有人情的公司。

昨天，女儿成功完成了毕业演讲。她把老师帮她录制的演讲的完整视频带回来，我看着，多次留下眼泪……孩子流利的像歌声一样悦耳动听的语音，这哪里像是仅仅来美国四年的孩子所能达到的水平？先不说她那悦耳的声音、婷婷玉立的站姿、收放有度的手势，更重要的是她演讲的内容，章节条理思路清晰，似乎让我在她演讲的短短十几分钟内，重新陪着她走过了高中四年这一段漫长而又匆匆的时光。她用图片结合数据加上文字记录，把自己四年的高中生活写成了一首歌！她对这次演讲很重视，她一直说她要好好总结自己来美国这几年的经历和努力，更要好好总结自己的所获与所得。看完女儿毕业演讲的整段视频，也激发了我的激情，我也要写一下女儿除了学校之外的努力。尤其三年前我们经人介绍结识的辅导老师：Alice。

估计如果让女儿来说，当她讲到她的老师Alice时，一定会禁不住流露出感动和激动的表情……刚来美国时，我们全家都带着很大的压力寻找辅导老师，因为我们毕竟是从中国这个充满温暖和方便的故土来到完全陌生的美国，加上一切都寄希望于孩子的前途，我和她爸爸尽管在中国都是首屈一指的名牌大学毕业，但是美国教育体制到底什么样？高考到底咋回事？学习的整个过程到底应该怎样合理规划？都说这边社会实践很重要，但是到底应该如何去合理配置孩子的精力和时间，又怎样才能真正有助于孩子的成长，而不是仅仅为了填鸭式教育而迎合录取官的想法……这一系列的问题让我们很焦虑，孩子加上刚来，语言又很大障碍，她也一样的非常迷茫。（这里，我插一句话，女儿对我的评价：我妈妈对我的用心可以用几个字来总结：渴求、急迫、不惜一切代价。）一开始，曾经花好几万美元定制了网上授课的东海岸的藤校辅导班，但是我家可是加州啊，上课两周，就发现各种不方便，比如那里设计的社会实践就和我的现实生活不相符。后来又换了旧金山湾区的一个辅导机构，每周末全家像打仗的一样，我和她爸爸往返开车五六个小时带她去上课，最后搞得全家精疲力尽。主要是发现大部分时间都浪费在路上了，用在上课的时间仅仅一个半小时。

这时候，我的一个校友介绍Alice给我们。从此，一切归于平静和规律。进而回复了我家原有的祥和。加上也许和Alice之间有缘，每次上课孩子都觉得时间过得好快，Alice也不是那么斤斤计较，如果遇到问题没有讲完，会比约定的时间延长一些，孩子收获还特别多而且明显。尽管也是网上视频授课，但是她交给孩子的是方向、做法和技巧，尤其应该谈到的是对我们全家当时处境的理解。总之，Alice的辅导是走心的辅导，是疏导与引导相结合的辅导。Alice在辅导孩子写作时，孩子经常会有茅塞顿开的感觉，学校老师也经常发现她写作能力的提高。Alice不但是耐心，还有发散型为学生考虑，当孩子临近综合考试时，Alice就会根据孩子具体情况帮她介绍相关科目的老师，比如我女儿的化学和数学考试，经Alice介绍的老师，短时间内帮助就让我女儿成绩达到满分💯。

尤其到了最后申请学校的紧要关头，Alice还刚刚做了母亲，但是一直是细致入微地认真研究，仔细分析，做到有的放矢的投放申请，还帮孩子做到知彼知己的深度考虑。Alice不仅仅是孩子的课程辅导老师，更是孩子的心理理疗师，每当我因为着急给孩子发火，孩子委屈了，Alice就会及时安慰孩子，劝慰家长，给我们以希望的曙光。千万个感恩无法表达Alice的三年陪伴。我们一路走过，把我女儿成功送进加州大学伯克利分校生物专业。说到生物，更应该提到的是Alice这几年，一直围绕孩子将来想做牙医的理想，帮孩子选定杂志，推荐与生物医学有关的社会实践，不厌其烦地帮着查找有关医学专业的相关学校和往年录取情况……总之，孩子努力有了回报，但是吃水不忘挖井人，Alice才是我们全家打这一个大胜仗的最好指挥官！但恩不言谢，祝福Alice好人好报！全家幸福！孩子健康成长！

申请美国大学是一个技术活，尤其对我们这样既不在中国也不在美国，而是在瑞士居住的家庭，更是充满困惑。我们所在的学校华人学生非常少，大部分孩子都申请欧洲的大学，大环境提供不了多少他人经验以供我们参考。我和先生没有海外求学的经历，对西方教育体系不了解。我们担心因为自己不了解西方教育体系，而在孩子面临选择时给出了错误的建议，因此参加了无数的讲座，入了各种美申群，认识了不少升学规划老师，而最终，Alice严谨认真的专业精神，使我们放心地把两个孩子的升学规划交给了她。

信任是我们敢把两个孩子的未来都交付给Alice的基础，这并不是因为她给过我们什么承诺。事实上有不少其他的升学规划机构为了吸引我们，会许下一个高远的目标，仿佛这就能证明他们的能力。Alice不同，她从不画大饼，她只是认认真真踏踏实实做好每一件事。令我印象深刻的是我问她的任何信息她都会给到准确的答复，有数据有案例有分析。即便有的问题她一时没有数据，也绝不敷衍，一定会查证之后告知，这就保证了孩子们的申请策略都是建立在准确的信息基础之上。为了给学音乐的大儿子做更科学的规划，Alice专门帮我们联系了专业的音乐规划老师为儿子做面试，寻找最适合他的音乐学院和专业，最后儿子如愿以偿进入了他心仪的学校。这个过程让我感受到了Alice是真的把学生的前途放在第一位，而不是首先考虑自己的利益最大化。正是基于这样的信任，在小女儿升学规划的过程中，我们更是和Alice紧密配合，及时沟通。

每一个申请过美国大学的孩子和家庭都承受过巨大的压力与焦虑，身处在信息风暴中我们，常常患得患失。Alice的存在，就像定海神针，每每在我们慌乱之时“拨乱反正”，让女儿情绪稳定地度过了艰难时期。在孩子过于乐观的时候，不动声色地给一些数据，婉转地告诉她还有差距。在孩子陷入自我怀疑的时候及时疏导情绪，告诉她她有哪些独一无二的特质。当我亲眼看到女儿的闺蜜因为压力过大而患上抑郁症，不得不退学时，我无比感谢Alice一路以来给予女儿的鼓励和陪伴。我常常感叹，作为家长，我们只用面对家里的一两个青春期的孩子，尚且筋疲力尽，Alice是以什么样的勇气，年复一年地面对这些极度焦虑的高中毕业生以及他们的父母们。如果没有对教育真正的热爱，我想大约坚持不下去。感谢Alice的全心付出，也衷心祝愿有更多的孩子能在Alice的帮助下走向美好的未来。

我们的记忆很长一段时间都停留在1月6日晚上的激动和兴奋，在老师和我还有孩子组成的转学群，孩子突然发来消息，Barnard College 录取她了，总觉得offer离我们还好远，没想到幸福突然之间就来了。

高中毕业时我们面对的是美本申请的失利，没有一个申请到的大学是想去的，在带上行李乘上飞机的那一刻孩子就下定决心要转学。在朋友的介绍下，我们认识了Alice。第一次视频会议，看到老师温和可亲，是那种很容易让人打开心扉和她交流的人。在我们讨论学校的选择时，老师又显得非常的专业，我发现老师有特别强的数据处理分析能力，不知道她从哪里抓取了一整套的录取的数据（在之前的机构从没有看到过），为我们申报学校时提供了非常棒的参考依据。从选课，GPA的努力方向，到活动的选择，文书的撰写，每一个环节老师都给我们提出了很多有益的建议。虽然我们从来也没有和老师面对面见过，但是视频讨论一直通过微信在连线，老师也让女儿制作了一份简历，把高中到大学的所有简历汇总在一起，以便于我们选择和大学契合的经历来撰写文书。

印象中非常深刻的是文书题目出来后老师和女儿多次的头脑风暴, Barnard College 是女儿的美本申请时的梦校，在GPA等硬件成绩达标的前提下，如何提高文书的质量，使申请者的材料看上去更加生动、真实而有特色，显得尤为重要，可能因为从大一开始一直持续不断地保持交流，到申请时老师显然对女儿已经非常熟悉，在文书的方向确定上老师一眼看出了女儿身上和Barnard学校精神契合的地方，她给女儿的建议是所有的文书可以围绕着她在非洲拍摄的关于女性割礼的录像展开，那段时间女儿确实对女性的权益非常感兴趣，从而做了大量的研究，而老师也帮助孩子找到了和学校最契合的那个点，等我看到女儿文书最后的成稿，自己被这些内容有点感动到的时候，我想也许这一次她终于可以实现自己的梦想。

Alice对女儿的帮助还体现在她的耐心，她天生有一种对孩子的爱心，总是想尽力帮助孩子。女儿在大二开始时着手准备申请，或许是在现在的学校适应的很好，也或许周围同学们的安逸潜移默化中影响到了她，我明显感觉到她缺少了大一刚刚进来时努力向上的热情，甚至文书也是拖拖拉拉，这种情况让我非常着急，好在老师的安排还是有条不紊地在进行，她拖拉，老师会耐心催她，一遍遍提醒她，等到女儿把像样一点的文书赶出来时，其实离deadline已经非常近，Alice熬夜给她提出修改意见，出现的问题一个个在旁边标注出来，女儿总算赶在截止时间前写出满意的文书递交。

今天，是女儿在新学校的Orientation Day,  她终于实现了自己的梦想，开始新的生活。 非常感恩于Alice陪伴孩子一路前行，如果没有老师的专业，认真、耐心和负责，也许孩子还会再走一些弯路，也许孩子也没法如她所愿进入一直以来想要进的梦校。Alice就像一个专业的引路人，带领着孩子一步步走向她期望中的目标，把孩子托举到一个更高的平台。

在和第一个升学顾问合作失败、并交了一笔不菲的学费之后，峰回路转，我们幸运地遇到Alice。

第一次见面，Alice就给我和女儿留下了很深刻的印象。她气质温婉、耐心细致，更重要的是，她擅长和teenager交流，仿佛是一位知心姐姐。在Alice的精心指导和帮助下，从最初的头脑风暴、挖掘写作素材，到最后的essay多次的调整结构、深挖细节、润色成型，在为期6个月的时间里，女儿高效率的完成了13所院校的申请工作，并斩获其中11所院校的offer，从中选择了自己最满意的学校。

因为有了Alice在申请中的专业指导和负责的跟进，不但使女儿的大学申请更加顺利，而且有效地减少了她的申请压力，同时降低了父母的焦虑情绪。在申请中，Alice不仅仅是孩子的导师，更是我们的朋友和伙伴。出于对Alice的感谢，我曾在申请结束后，多次向朋友推荐过Alice，并都得到了良好的回馈。总而言之，选择Alice做孩子的申请顾问，可以让孩子开心，父母安心，是我们在大学申请中所做的最明智的选择。

女儿收到了她申请的ED大学的录取通知，惊喜和激动的同时，也很感叹这几年的美国求学和升学经历。2015年9月我女儿开始了她的八年级课程，虽然她语言不过关还需要上语言课，但是美国八年级的课程相对中国初中二年级的课程还是简单一些，她还是可以应付的。但是对于对美国教育制度一窍不通英语又不好的我无法同老师沟通，也不知道如何从学校网上获取女儿的学习信息。女儿的所有学习上的问题只能让女儿自己想办法解决，我一点忙都帮不上，遇到必须要家长做的事我只能找英语好的朋友帮忙。但是孩子才14岁很多事她需要家长的正确指引，所以我迫切需要有人能帮我指导女儿解决学习上的所有问题，也希望能有人帮我了解美国的教育制度让我能参与女儿的教育规划及对女儿的成长监管。

在朋友的帮忙下我找到了一家当地知名专业教育规划机构，此机构首先通过我女儿在机构系统里的个人信息填写及问卷调查了解我女儿的情况，然后指定一位导师作为我女儿的负责导师，与导师的沟通主要通过邮件沟通。找好了规划机构我以为我可以好好参与规划我女儿的四年高中学习，但事实是残酷的，九年级快结束了我依然对高中教育制度一窍不通依然无法参与我女儿的任何学习规划。首先我英文不好无法同导师沟通，而且机构提供给我的任何信息都是英文的，我在听不懂看不懂的情况下无法了解高中教育制度；其次导师的指导主要是你有什么问题可以问他他会给你解答，就比如我女儿九年级选课，导师只是发邮件告知需要在什么时间里完成选课，至于如何选课你自己去选有问题可以问他，我对选课一无所知想问问题都找不到问题，即使有了问题也不知道如何用英文去咨询，只能全靠我女儿去同导师沟通去选课，但是孩子她自己也不了解美国的高中教育制度及升学制度，以孩子自己的能力及经验很难独立去同导师沟通完成选课，总之最后的选课我女儿同导师没有多少沟通主要靠她的高年级朋友们帮忙才选好课；最后对于我女儿的课外活动的安排，机构给了很多相关的链接让我们自己去看去选择自己感兴趣的活动然后自己去报名，我看着满目的英文头痛不已，让我女儿自己去看自己去选去报名。对于独立能立很强的孩子也许没问题，但对于我女儿独立自主能力不强的孩子全靠孩子是不可行的。

又快到十年级选课了，我迫切希望找一个适合我和我女儿的能提供全中文服务的教育规划机构。于是我开始参加各种有关教育方面的讲座，虽然通过听讲座对美国的高中教育及大学升学制度有了一些了解，但是仍然没有找到一个满意的教育规划机构，直到听到北极星升学咨询工作室的曾敏昊博士主讲的《不得不知的美国大学录取”综合评估法”》, 让我在迷茫的求学生涯中找到了方向，帮我打开了美国教育制度之门，照亮了美国求学升学漫漫长路。这就是我心心念念想要的教育规划机构，讲座后就同曾博士预约了一对一的升学咨询。首先曾博士通过同孩子及家长的认真细致的面谈全方位的评估孩子的升学背景，针对孩子的个人特点专业建议她的学习及兴趣规划。不仅参与孩子的学校选课，对孩子平时兴趣活动及社会公益活动都有专业的建议及提供丰富的信息和平台给孩子选择参与。其次每月都同孩子及家长一起面谈，针对孩子的变化及时更改给孩子制定的计划，平时还可以通过微信平台给家长提供各种信息让家长更了解美国教育及升学制度。不论是家长还是孩子有问题时可以随时通过微信、电话联系到曾博士咨询及请求帮忙解决问题。最后也是对家长很头痛的同叛逆期孩子的沟通，曾博士可以很好的同孩子沟通，有时家长苦口婆心的同孩子说了半天，孩子不仅不接受还会同家长产生很多矛盾，可以通过曾博士同孩子的沟通很好的解决这个矛盾，还可以通过曾博士了解孩子不愿意同家长说的一些想法，让家长更了解自己的孩子，反之可以通过曾博士传达家长的一些想法,也让孩子更能理解家长。总结这几年的求学感想。非常幸运找到了北极星大学升学咨询机构认识了曾博士，感谢你们个性专业的服务，帮助我的女儿开启了她充满期望的人生。有同我一样情况的家长们别犹豫, 选择北极星大学升学咨询机构就是选择了孩子充满希望的似锦前程。