ADMISSIONS CONSULTING

College Admissions

Getting in isn’t about being perfect.
It’s about being clear.

A Story before the Strategy

I grew up in Salt Lake City and got into every in-state school I applied to, but I wanted more, so I applied to Stanford on my own, with no admissions counselor and no insider guidance. I didn’t get in.

I went to Notre Dame instead, then transferred to Stanford a year later and finished my B.A. there. That decision, not accepting a no as final, shaped everything that came after: medical school, 14 years in admissions leadership, and a decade as a Stanford alumni interviewer.

Rejection is information, not a verdict, and I know exactly what it takes to turn a no into a yes, from both sides of the letter.

FOR STUDENTS

You are not your GPA, and you are not your test scores, though both matter more than you’d like. What actually moves an admissions committee is whether your application sounds like an actual person made real decisions for real reasons.

Here’s why students work with us:

  • We’ve read the file from the other side.

    Fourteen years and 3,500+ applications a year means we know what actually gets an application remembered, and what quietly gets it set aside.

  • We got rejected too.

    We didn’t get into Stanford the first time. We know what that letter feels like, and we promise you, the world did not end, even though it felt like it at the time

  • We harmonize your words with your actions.

    An application is only convincing if what you say about yourself matches what you’ve actually done. We coach you to become the strongest, most honest version of yourself, not just to write about one.

  • We’ll tell you the truth, kindly.

    If something in your application isn’t working, you’ll hear it from us before an admissions reader ever sees it.

  • You’re not alone in this.

    Rejections, waitlists, and second-guessing are part of the process. We’re in your corner through all of it, not just the acceptance letter.

FOR PARENTS

You want your student to end up somewhere they’ll thrive, and you want to get there without adding more stress to an already stressful season. Both are reasonable.

Here’s what working with us actually looks like:

  • Insider expertise, not internet guesswork.

    We spent 14 years inside a real admissions committee.

  • We take the pressure off you.

    You don’t have to be the one nagging about deadlines or editing draft after draft of an essay, that’s our job now.

  • Your student’s voice, not mine.

    We sharpen the story that’s already there. We don’t write a version of your child that sounds like someone else entirely, however tempting that shortcut might be.

  • Words that match actions.

    We push your student to make sure what they claim about themselves is actually backed up by what they’ve done, that’s what makes an application believable, and it’s a habit worth having beyond admissions.

  • Realistic expectations, honestly delivered.

    We’ll tell you what’s a reach, what’s a good fit, and what’s a safety, clearly, and without the sales pitch.

  • A calmer household.

    Our goal is that senior year feels like a process you’re navigating together, not a crisis you’re all just trying to survive

How the Dr. Chan Illuminate Program Applies to College Admissions

  • 01 — DISCOVER

    A real conversation about where your student stands, what actually matters to your family, and what’s realistic.

  • 02 — DIAGNOSE

    We read your student’s materials the way an actual admissions reader will, and tell you exactly where they stand.

  • 03 — BUILD THE NARRATIVE

    We find the thread already running through your student’s experience. Authentic beats impressive, every time.

  • 04 — REFINE THE CRAFT

    Essays get sharp. Interviews get prepared for. The small errors that sink strong applications get caught before an admissions reader ever sees them.

  • 05 — STAND BEHIND YOU

    Through decisions, waitlists, and disappointments, not just acceptances, because how your student handles a no matters as much as how they handle a yes.

  • Applications are up again

    More than 1.4 million distinct students applied through the Common App this cycle, with total application volume topping 9.4 million — a 5% increase year-over-year.

    Source: Common App, March 2026 Deadline Update

  • Students are casting a wider net

    The average applicant applied to 6.59 schools, up from 6.41 last year and roughly 5 just a few years ago.

    Source: Common App, March 2026 Deadline Update

  • The most selective schools are more selective than ever

    Every Ivy League school admitted fewer than 9% of applicants for the Class of 2030, with several reportedly around 3–4%.

    Source: Ivy Day 2026 results, multiple institutional reports

  • Early Decision is a real lever

    At many private universities, binding Early Decision fills 40–60% of the incoming class, with ED acceptance rates typically two to four times higher than Regular Decision at the same school.

    Source: 2026 admissions cycle reporting, multiple sources

  • Test scores are back

    For the first time since before the pandemic, more applicants are submitting standardized test scores than not, despite most colleges remaining test-optional.

    Source: Common App, March 2026 Deadline Update

  • First-generation and lower-income applicants are growing fastest

    Applicants eligible for Common App fee waivers and first-generation applicants both grew faster than the overall applicant pool this cycle.

    Source: Common App, December 2025 & March 2026 Deadline Update

The takeaway isn’t that the odds are impossible, it’s that a generic, unremarkable application has less room for error than it did even five years ago. That’s exactly the gap the Dr. Chan Illuminate Program is built to close.

PRICING

Packages are structured by how early your student starts, not just by scope, earlier engagement means more time to build a genuinely strong application, not just polish one at the last minute.

THE ASSESSMENT

Best for: A focused, single-session read on where your student stands
Meetings: 1 session
Price: $800
Payment: Pay in full

SENIOR-START

Best for: Students beginning the summer before senior year
Meetings: 10
Price: $6,000
Deposit: $600
Payment plan: $1,500/month × 4

JUNIOR/SENIOR-START

Best for: Students beginning junior year
Meetings: 20
Price: $12,000
Deposit: $1,200
Payment plan: $3,000/month × 4

Get Started

SOPHOMORE-START

Best for: Students beginning in 10th grade — our most comprehensive option
Meetings: 23
Price: $13,800
Deposit: $1,380
Payment plan: $3,450/month × 4

A 6-month payment plan is available on any package at the same total, divided differently, if a lower monthly payment is preferred.