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College Planning

Prepare with purpose. Keep options open.

Connect course choices, activities and application preparation with the student’s interests and goals.

CBA ALUMNI · FEATURED ACCEPTANCES

Different ambitions. Individual paths forward.

Explore Alex’s NYU journey and the CBA support plans presented with Jackson’s UChicago and Meggie’s MIT admission cases.

Business · Marketing

Alex

NYU · Stern School of Business

A marketing interest, grounded in real work

Explore the six-step support journey
  1. 1

    Understand the starting point

    CBA reviewed classroom engagement and subject-specific difficulties to build an individual study routine.

  2. 2

    Make feedback actionable

    Writing rubrics and a weekly plan helped Alex turn feedback into concrete revisions and presentation practice.

  3. 3

    Build academic continuity

    Regular review of core subjects supported a consistent routine as Alex moved into more advanced coursework.

  4. 4

    Explore marketing in practice

    With marketing as a focus, CBA connected business internship experience involving market research and content planning.

  5. 5

    Develop a practical project

    Customer research, audience segmentation and campaign analysis gave Alex concrete work to discuss in his application.

  6. 6

    Connect the application story

    CBA helped connect his learning journey and marketing experience in an application that led to admission to NYU Stern.

CBA’s role

CBA connected everyday learning support with a clear business direction, practical opportunities and application preparation. Alex could explain his interest through work he had actually done.

Economics · Business

Jackson

UChicago · University of Chicago

Connect academic depth with economic inquiry

Explore the six-step support journey
  1. 1

    Learning diagnosis

    Review assignments, assessments and teacher feedback to set subject priorities and a weekly study plan.

  2. 2

    Targeted tutoring

    Connect calculus and physics support with reading and argumentation; review errors and writing revisions.

  3. 3

    School & course planning

    Discuss grading and course options with the school, checking prerequisites, graduation requirements and workload.

  4. 4

    Economics & summer study

    Plan business-club inquiry and suitable summer study; document roles, outputs and course-preparation needs.

  5. 5

    Application & follow-through

    Coordinate transcripts, recommendations, student-written materials and deadlines, with family updates and graduation checks.

  6. 6

    College admission

    University of Chicago.

CBA’s role

CBA’s planned role: subject check-ins, review of recurring mistakes, school communication and parent updates that connect progress with next actions.

Computer science · AI

Meggie

MIT

From coding foundations to independent projects

Explore the six-step support journey
  1. 1

    Foundations & robotics

    Build a robotics coding role and prepare introductory AI projects and ACSL experiences.

  2. 2

    Algorithms & competitions

    Connect programming and design practice with introductory USACO preparation and club planning.

  3. 3

    Advanced coursework

    Plan AP Computer Science A and advanced algorithms, connecting tutoring to each stage.

  4. 4

    Projects & mentoring

    Develop plans for AI projects, a capstone and peer mentoring, with clear individual contributions.

  5. 5

    Portfolio & review

    Organize code, tests and design revisions into a portfolio; review progress and share next-semester priorities with parents.

  6. 6

    College admission

    MIT.

CBA’s role

CBA’s planned role: connect tutors and mentoring to each stage, track project progress and help families understand learning, technical contributions and next-semester priorities.

THE CBA APPROACH · PURPOSE TO EVIDENCE

A personal reason. A story with substance.

CBA listens to what matters to the student, connects it with courses and activities, and helps turn real experiences into a college application story in the student’s own voice.

  1. 01
    Find the reason

    Personal experience + vision

  2. 02
    Build the path

    Connect courses + activities

  3. 03
    Tell the story

    Select experiences + reflect

MORE ALUMNI JOURNEYS

More student journeys

Engineering · Motorsports

Danyy

University of Minnesota · College of Science and Engineering

From engineering curiosity to a research portfolio

Explore the six-step support journey
  1. 1

    Define an engineering direction

    CBA helped focus his interests through robotics and materials-related activities, with motorsports as a career interest.

  2. 2

    Strengthen the foundations

    Advanced mathematics and science tutoring supported the classroom foundation needed for engineering work.

  3. 3

    Work on a prototype

    CBA connected an engineering internship at Northwestern University, including prototype design experience.

  4. 4

    Share learning through service

    Teaching STEM and Korean to elementary students added communication and leadership experience.

  5. 5

    Organize research evidence

    Danyy completed and submitted a first-author engineering paper and presented his work at a local science fair.

  6. 6

    Bring the experiences together

    CBA helped connect research, internship and service experiences in his engineering application. He gained admission to Minnesota’s College of Science and Engineering.

CBA’s role

CBA helped turn a broad engineering interest into coursework, practical design, research and service. These experiences gave Danyy specific work and contributions to explain in his application.

Science · Premedicine

Claire

Penn State University

Explore a medical future through science and service

Explore the six-step support journey
  1. 1

    Clarify a direction

    Career exploration helped Claire connect an interest in medicine with a concrete preparation plan.

  2. 2

    Plan science coursework

    CBA supported a progression through Honors biology and chemistry toward more advanced science and mathematics.

  3. 3

    Experience a research setting

    An oncology research laboratory internship at a Northwestern hospital provided experience in a medical research setting.

  4. 4

    Develop research writing

    Claire contributed as first author to a jointly written cancer-treatment research paper, deepening her academic interests.

  5. 5

    Connect service and preparation

    Korean-language volunteering added a community dimension. CBA helped organize activities and the college application process.

  6. 6

    Prepare for the next stage

    Claire gained admission to Penn State for undergraduate study on a premedicine pathway.

CBA’s role

CBA brought course planning, research opportunities, service and application preparation into one student-centered plan. Claire’s interest in medicine became a set of connected learning experiences.

Academic exploration

James

University of Oxford

A foundation for a life in academia

Explore the six-step support journey
  1. 1

    Starting point

    Began studying abroad in grade 8, with academic support from CBA.

  2. 2

    Academic foundation

    CBA supported school learning during the early years of study abroad.

  3. 3

    Activity connections

    CBA connected tennis opportunities alongside academic learning.

  4. 4

    Broader experiences

    Horseback riding added another setting to explore interests beyond the classroom.

  5. 5

    Career exploration

    A local hospital internship opportunity connected career exploration with a practical setting.

  6. 6

    College & career

    Oxford admission was followed by a later career as a university professor.

CBA’s role

CBA supported academic learning from the early years of study abroad and connected it with tennis and horseback riding. A local hospital internship opportunity added a practical setting for career exploration. Together, these forms of support gave James room to explore interests alongside academic preparation.

Computer science & technology

Marco

Carnegie Mellon University

From technical interests to professional practice

Explore the six-step support journey
  1. 1

    Starting point

    Began studying abroad in grade 9.

  2. 2

    Academic guidance

    CBA provided personalized academic guidance for college preparation.

  3. 3

    Test preparation

    SAT support complemented school learning and college preparation.

  4. 4

    Technical practice

    CBA connected an internship in a university cybersecurity department.

  5. 5

    Competition experience

    Coding competitions offered another way to apply computing interests.

  6. 6

    College & career

    Carnegie Mellon admission was followed by work as a machine learning software engineer at Uber.

CBA’s role

CBA paired personalized academic guidance with SAT preparation, while connecting Marco with a university cybersecurity internship and coding competitions. This brought classroom preparation together with opportunities to apply technical interests in practice. The support covered both college preparation and exploration of a future in computing.

Aerospace engineering

William

Purdue University

A personal purpose. A wider horizon.

Explore the six-step support journey
  1. 1

    A reason to fly

    On medical volunteer trips in Africa with his physician parents, William encountered communities with poorly maintained roads, limited transportation and hospitals concentrated in major cities. Some patients walked for days to reach care. He began dreaming of flying medical teams to the people who needed them.

  2. 2

    An interest becomes a body of work

    CBA connected William’s lifelong interest in aircraft photography with a local gallery exhibition, expanding a personal hobby into a tangible extracurricular experience he could present in college applications.

  3. 3

    English with a practical purpose

    CBA supported aviation radio listening and English communication practice.

  4. 4

    From watching to flying

    CBA connected flight training and supported the process leading to a U.S. private pilot certificate in 2021.

  5. 5

    A wider view of the future

    Counseling with William and his parents expanded the discussion from an airline career to aerospace engineering.

  6. 6

    A new chapter at Purdue

    Entered Purdue University in 2023 and confirmed his major in aeronautical and astronautical engineering.

CBA’s role

CBA connected William’s sustained aviation interest with a gallery exhibition, aviation communication practice and flight training. Counseling with William and his parents helped him explore aerospace engineering as a broader academic path.

Art & design

Katherine

Parsons School of Design

Turn a new interest into a portfolio

Explore the six-step support journey
  1. 1

    A new direction

    Decided to change academic direction in grade 11.

  2. 2

    Portfolio preparation

    CBA supported portfolio preparation for the new art and design direction.

  3. 3

    College-level learning

    CBA connected college-level painting classes at SAIC.

  4. 4

    Continued art practice

    Weekend art classes supported continued study and creative practice.

  5. 5

    Presenting work

    Exhibition opportunities added a setting to present creative work.

  6. 6

    College & career

    Accepted by Parsons and SAIC, Katherine chose Parsons School of Design and later gained professional design experience.

CBA’s role

When Katherine changed direction in grade 11, CBA connected portfolio preparation with college-level painting at SAIC, weekend art classes and exhibition opportunities. These experiences supported both creative practice and preparation for art-school applications. CBA helped turn a new major choice into concrete opportunities to study, create and present work.

MORE STUDENT STORIES

Explore how coursework and experiences helped students develop their interests for college. Select a field and open a story.

13 stories

Computer science

Michael

UCLA

Explore the experience

C++ projects and algorithm competitions connected programming interests with college preparation. AP computing, calculus and physics added academic depth.

Economics

Philip

UC Berkeley

Explore the experience

Investment simulations and analysis projects gave Philip ways to explore economics, alongside economics, statistics and calculus coursework.

Biology

Lauren

UC San Diego

Explore the experience

Biology research and a hospital internship connected scientific interests with practical experience, supported by biology, chemistry and environmental science coursework.

Mechanical engineering

Sinjae

Georgia Institute of Technology

Explore the experience

CAD design and robotics projects made engineering interests tangible. Advanced physics, calculus and computer science supported this work.

Computer engineering

Joseph

Georgia Institute of Technology

Explore the experience

Hackathons and Python projects offered opportunities to apply computing skills, alongside computer science, calculus and statistics coursework.

Environmental science

Patrick

UC Davis

Explore the experience

Climate camps and ecological volunteering connected an environmental interest with action. Environmental science, biology and calculus strengthened the academic foundation.

International relations

Cindy

Boston University

Explore the experience

An international NGO internship and Model UN experience brought global issues into focus, alongside geography, government and English coursework.

Statistics

Paul

University of Wisconsin–Madison

Explore the experience

Data-analysis projects and mathematics competitions connected quantitative interests with practical questions, supported by statistics, calculus and computing coursework.

Design

Michelle

Pratt Institute

Explore the experience

CBA connected weekend instruction with an art-college professor. Studio practice and portfolio preparation helped Michelle develop work for design-school applications.

Music

Minseok

Berklee College of Music

Explore the experience

CBA connected composition and music-theory lessons with a music-college professor. Performance training and jazz composition developed into an application portfolio.

Music · Conducting

Tom

St. Norbert College

Explore the experience

Tom recalls turning to CBA staff and tutors as he adjusted to a new language and culture. He went on to St. Norbert College to study music with a focus on conducting.

Pharmacy

Rachel

St. Louis College of Pharmacy

Explore the experience

Weekend chemistry laboratory work on a university campus and research-report practice helped connect classroom science with a pharmacy-focused portfolio.

Aviation

Lucas

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Explore the experience

CBA connected aviation theory, simulator practice and weekend lectures with aviation faculty, helping Lucas develop an aviation-focused portfolio.

CBA ALUMNI · COLLEGE ACCEPTANCES

College acceptances, across many paths.

Explore colleges represented in CBA alumni acceptance records and student stories, from universities to specialized art, music and aviation programs.

Acceptances across multiple graduating classes; not every offer became an enrollment. College names follow the historical records.

Universities & colleges

Art & design

Music

Pharmacy & aviation

Your next step

Start your CBA conversation

Tell us about your school interests and the support you are looking for. We will help you clarify your next steps.

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