Miracle Students Reveal the True Bar of Admission

"Miracle students" have lower grades, test scores, no outwardly special hooks and still get into their dream colleges over peers with better academic qualifications. While their classmates describe them as "only average," one top-20 college admissions director described them as "too good of a fit to turn away." Everyone roots for the underdog, including admissions officers.

Their tactics help top students break the tie

Expert Opinions Provided For:

Many Just Focus on Essays. "Miracle" Admits Align Every Part of the Application to the Rubrics That Grade It.

Why Top Students Get Rejected

Many consultants push students to do more. We asked, "Where's each point of diminishing return?" We analyzed data from "miracle" admits, high schools, and top universities, identifying each benchmark past which an underdog can unseat students with higher grades but weaker fit.

Data Breakthrough to Admissions Science

After we reproduced miracle acceptances in 1-on-1 practice, the University of Southern California funded College Zoom to advance admissions equity in 2012. We developed programming for public school counselors that distilled our methods into a science.

We continued honing our methodology for private, 1-on-1 practice, achieving a 96.5% Success Rate with our Entire College Application Strategy™.

 

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Our Team

A’Lira Underwood
9 years of service

Chief Ops. Officer USC, B.A., Psychology, M.S.L., Masters of Studies in Law, Grad. certs: Business Law & Compliance, Human Resource Law & Compliance

David Reynaldo
17 years of service

Founder, USC, B.S., Business Admin: Entrepreneurship, Member of NACAC and WACAC, Beverly Hills H.S., CA    College Zoom is Los Angeles's #1 ranked college counseling service (Yelp). We're experts in elite college admissions throughout the U.S. and our success rate is the best nationwide. Smarter decisions, smarter outcomes.™  More.
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Aisa Castro
9 years of service

Application Specialist, USC, B.A., Psychology; M.Ed., Student Services, Westridge School, CA

Adam Kronenberger
6 years of service

College Planner, Essay Counselor, USC, B.S, Business of Cinematic Arts, Bishop Lynch H.S., TX

Adya Mohanty
5 years of service

College Planner, Essay Counselor, USC, B.A., Theater, Minor in Screenwriting

Riley Darrough
3 years of service

Application Counselor, USC, B.S., Biological Sciences, Presidential Scholarship, National Merit Finalist

Wendy Liu
6 years of service

Application Counselor, USC, B.A. Communication, M.S.L., Master of Studies in Law

Griffin Damron
9 years of service

Essay Counselor, USC, B.A., Non-Governmental Organizations & Social Change, Minor in Animation & Digital Arts

Julia Haffie
3 years of service

Application Counselor, USC, B.S., Human Biology, Minor in Sports Business, Biology Honors Thesis Program

Preston Walker
3 years of service

Essay Counselor, USC, B.A., Philosophy, Politics, and Law, Minor in Screenwriting
The Perfect Bridge Between Generations

Magnetism ⬩ Honesty ⬩ Role-modeling ⬩ Skill

70 Years of Combined College Admissions Expertise

In 2009, I, like you, envisioned a team of former, elite college admissions officers driving your child's success. However, I quickly learned that admissions office experience doesn't mean mentoring talent, persuasive writing ability, or a magnetic personality—the qualities needed to achieve the success rate we've become known for. While we interview former admissions officers every hiring cycle, one has yet to pass our talent-based, first-round interview in seventeen years. How do we succeed? By fostering close relations with admissions officers, directors, and deans, through NACAC and WACAC for macro insights where it counts, and hiring proven talent for your child's day-to-day journey where it matters most.

Success is 10% inspiration, 90% execution. We nail both.

— David Reynaldo, Founder

Exceptionally Pointed: Not the Admissions Consulting Experience You Were Expecting