DETAILS ABOUT THE SPARK PHILOSOPHY

Ownership of the college list and application process is essential for students. It is a critical time of life where they practice and gain confidence in the nuanced skills required to excel in their first year in college. 

Students who begin with the end in mind and engage throughout their senior year develop the core mindset for future success. While in college, beyond graduation, and into adulthood, Spark students leverage the skills developed during this pivotal time. In order to expand their competence and build a scaffold they can rely upon, the Spark Philosophy encourage students to focus on three foundational principles:

Student Agency & Ownership of the Process

STUDENT AGENCY & OWNERSHIP OF PROCESS

When a student takes ownership of their college planning process, they:

    • Feel a sense of control over their own destiny 
    • Learn how to manage their own calendar 
    • Find satisfaction in meeting deadlines and completing work
    • Manage their expectations around application decisions 
    • Are prepared to handle the details of college enrollment and matriculation

STUDENT BENEFITS

NOW: A first step into young adulthood, allowing the student to take pride in their management of the process

LATER: Confident, accomplished students who can handle the day-to-day demands of college life

Smooth Path & Reduced Stress

SMOOTH PATH & REDUCED STRESS

While the college application process is inherently stressful, Spark students enjoy a smoother, less stressful process because they:

    • They develop lists which have at least four schools where they have at least a 50% chance of acceptance
    • They always know what to expect; there are no surprise essays or tasks 
    • The internal deadlines guarantee that they submit their first application well before the deadline
    • They finish the process early, and set up their portals in plenty of time to make sure their applications are complete before the deadline
    • They begin to receive admissions decisions before the winter break, providing reassurance and comfort

STUDENT BENEFITS

NOW: Preserve, develop, foster a NEW relationship between parents and students in a way that creates harmonious interactions.

LATER: Practical, hands-on experience navigating complex, personally significant events within a structure they can apply throughout their lives.

Curated Choices Focus on College Fit

CURATED CHOICES FOCUS ON COLLEGE FIT

Through their focus on finding the colleges that best fit their goals and set them up for success as adults, Spark students:

    • Understand the current college admissions landscape, and adjust their expectations accordingly
    • Develop their own interests and goals, and work to find colleges that will help them explore those interests and achieve their goals
    • Realize that the best programs are not necessarily found in the the most exclusive colleges
    • Learn some of the skills necessary to be successful in college and beyond
    • Arm themselves with the understanding that more than anything else, the quality of their college experience depends on them

STUDENT BENEFITS

NOW: Students who approach college with an interest in personal growth.

LATER: Engaged, committed, and curious learners who take advantage of all the opportunities available to them and fully experience all their colleges have to offer.

HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR PHILOSOPHY?

We are happy to answer whatever questions you have! Simply reach out with your inquiries about student ownership of the process, our path of reduced stress, or how students learn to determine what is truly a “right fit” college for them. It’s often NOT what one would expect. Rather start with our FAQs? We have a page with answers the Top 20 Questions we get from parents and students.

“Elizabeth makes this process so much easier.”

“Elizabeth makes this process so much easier.”

We value Elizabeth’s deep (and constantly renewed) knowledge of the college landscape, her advice and guidance about choices, and her strategic (co)direction/collaboration around the process as a whole… so much easier and more successful for us and our children. – Mom of 3 daughters at Ruth Asawa School of the Arts (SOTA) in San Francisco