Maximizing Your Potential in Limited Space

More Than Essays: A Full Application Strategy

College applications have word limits, allowing only a finite number of ways to showcase creativity and human potential that admissions officers recognize, value, and reward. Over time, we found there is a proven framework for how to write every piece of the application more compellingly—while preserving the student's natural creativity and voice. The same student can look drastically different depending on which angles in each story are revealed—and where in the application each story is positioned. From strategies that help students with lower academics stand out to advanced methods that increase certainty for high achievers, every section of the college application matters in creating a tapestry of compelling, defining narratives.

Doing the full application right used to require so many 1-on-1 hours that it exhausted some families financially and emotionally. That changed in 2012 when the University of Southern California recognized our approach and funded us to build a program, making elite guidance accessible to public school students. This experience transformed our private practice. Today, we maintain one of the highest top 3-choice success rates in college admissions consulting—while delivering outcomes in a fraction of the time it used to take. We can finish winning applications in the time it takes many college consultants to finish a few essays.

USC also gave us a platform. We became the first and only independent college consultants invited to present at Summer@USC in tandem with USC’s admissions office, and we presented to school counselors at USC’s annual Counselor Conference. A methodology that's not just smarter—faster.

Clarity That Accelerates Your College Admissions Success

Everybody Roots For the Underdog, Including College Admissions Officers.

"Miracle students" have lower grades, test scores, no outwardly special stand out qualities, and still get into their dream colleges over peers with better academic qualifications. While their classmates describe them as "only average," one college admissions officer described them as "too good of a fit to turn away."

How Miracle Students Win in College Admissions

Expert Opinions Provided For:

Our Team

In 2009, my business plan for College Zoom - Admissions Consulting envisioned a team of former, elite college admissions officers driving our success. However, I quickly learned that admissions office experience doesn't equate to mentoring talent, persuasive writing ability, or a magnetic personality—the most essential qualities for maximizing student performance. Sixteen years later, a former admissions officer has yet to pass our first-round interview, yet College Zoom maintains one of the industry's best success rates.

I differentiated College Zoom by studying students who didn't satisfy admissions officers' expressed standards yet still got accepted by them. By mapping my research findings onto the candidate evaluation rubrics used internally by college admissions offices, I created a predictive model that accurately forecasted miracle acceptances, top student rejections, and all outcomes in between.

By decoding the colleges' grading keys, College Zoom transformed the process of closing students' competitive gaps into one that is straightforward, transparent, and exacting. Having the end in mind, we perfected a full college application methodology—beyond just college essays—for holistically maximizing candidates' evaluation scores. Our students surpassed those guided by more expensive competitors, often elite former admissions officers; we even achieved breakthroughs with students others had deemed hopeless.

Our 16-year history of guiding teenagers to success is your success. 

— David Reynaldo, Founder

A’Lira Underwood

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

David Reynaldo

Founder, USC, B.S., Business Admin: Entrepreneurship, Member of NACAC and WACAC, Beverly Hills H.S., CA         College Zoom is Los Angele'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.
Aisa-2

Aisa Castro

Dir. of College Applications, USC, B.A., Psychology; M.Ed., Student Services, Westridge School, CA
Jackson

Jackson Burgess

Dir. of College Planning, USC, B.A., Creative Writing; M.F.A., Iowa Writer's Wksp; Capital High School, WA

Adam Kronenberger

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

Wendy Liu

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

Ezra Li

Application Counselor, USC, B.A., Communication & Media Studies  

Riley Darrough

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

Julia Haffie

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

Luryn John-Miller

Essay Counselor, UT-Austin, B.S.A., Human Ecology, Univ. of Houston, M.S.W., Social Work

Preston Walker

Essay Counselor, USC, B.A., Philosophy, Politics, and Law, Minor in Screenwriting

Griffin Damron

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

Adya Mohanty

College Planner, Essay Counselor, USC, B.A., Theater, Minor in Screenwriting
The Perfect Bridge Between Generations

Magnetism ⬩ Rapport ⬩ Role-modeling ⬩ Skill

87 Years of Combined College Admissions Expertise

   

To uphold our highest standards, we're all in-house employees of College Zoom - Admissions Consulting. We never outsource any part of your counseling to contractors.

______

Navigate: Home | Success Rate | Services |Contact

.