My Approach

A Personalized and Transformative Coaching Experience

My work goes beyond college counseling—I serve as a growth coach who helps students gain clarity, confidence, and direction. I tailor my approach to each student’s unique personality, strengths, and aspirations, ensuring they submit a strong application and build a foundation for long-term success. Students stand out in the competitive college process as authentic, mature, and purpose-driven candidates destined to make an impact.

What Sets Me Apart

Deep Understanding & Personalized Guidance

I have a strong intuition when it comes to reading people. With an analytical and perceptive mind, I quickly grasp what makes each student special. This allows me to provide tailored guidance that aligns with their true potential.

Gentle, Candid, & Non-Hierarchical Communication

I respect my students as I would any adult. This mutual respect builds trust and openness and provides students with the encouragement they need to challenge themselves and to thrive.

Engaging & Persuasive Coaching

I know how to connect with students, challenge their perspectives, and help them embrace new ways of thinking. By adjusting my coaching to match their thought processes, I make it easier for them to accept new ideas and grow.

Authentic & Impactful Essay Coaching

I have a deep love for personal narratives. Over the years, I’ve developed frameworks and methods to help students craft essays that are authentic, compelling, and meaningful—ones that make admissions officers root for them.

Unparalleled Knowledge of Universities & Admissions

Beyond understanding top universities, I also appreciate hidden gems that offer unique and enriching experiences. My knowledge comes not only from extensive research and visits but also from firsthand experience—I’m very fortunate that my extended family includes alumni from nearly every elite institution.

Real-World Career Insights & Extensive Student Case Studies

My experience in consulting and finance before founding 7Cs allows me to provide valuable insights to students exploring career paths. Having worked with a large number of students, and their parents, over the years, I bring a wealth of real-world resources—including case studies, role models, and practical strategies—that significantly enhance coaching outcomes.

A Well-Rounded & Global Perspective

Having lived in different cultures, I understand how backgrounds shape people’s assumptions and goals. This cultural awareness helps me support students, and parents, from diverse backgrounds with understanding and insight.

Passion & Purpose

Above all, I genuinely love this work. I bring positive energy, curiosity, and a deep sense of purpose to every student I mentor. My goal is not just to help students get into great schools—but to help them discover who they are, what excites them, and how they can build a future that truly fits them.

A Deep and Thoughtful Approach to Self-Discovery

Is it even possible to achieve this level of self-discovery, and if so, how?

The answer is yes—and this is one of the core focus areas of my private practice. My experience has shown that students begin to demonstrate their distinctive strengths as early as middle school. However, because they continue to grow tremendously during high school, the ideal time for self-discovery is during the 10th and 11th grades. When it comes to clarifying future directions, most students are ready by 11th grade, which aligns well with the college application process that typically begins in the summer before senior year. This timeline is especially effective for students who have actively engaged in extracurricular activities—such as sports, music, or interest groups—as these experiences help reveal their natural strengths and passions.

The Self-Discovery Process

The process of self-discovery takes work. It requires deep reflection, thoughtful input, and the patience to explore one's identity. Many students struggle to find the time—or the willingness—to engage in this level of introspection. That’s where my role as a college advisor becomes invaluable.

I spend hours in deep conversations with my students, asking them about the choices they’ve made and the reasoning behind them. I invite them to reflect on memorable experiences, challenges they’ve faced, and moments they’re most proud of. Beyond their words, I observe how they communicate, analyze their thought processes, uncover their core values, and discern what truly motivates them.

Engaging with Parents

Conversations with parents are another essential part of my work. Many of the parents I work with are accomplished professionals, scientists, entrepreneurs, and educators who share strong bonds with their children. Yet, teenagers often struggle to have deep, open discussions with their parents— and at times parents may have difficulty adjusting their expectations and approach. This is where a trusted third-party advisor can be very helpful. I provide a neutral space where teens can explore their aspirations without pressure or judgment, and in conversing with both parents and students, I offer the insights thatI facilitate greater understanding among family members and more constructive family conversations.

Tools for Self-Discovery

Over the years, I’ve refined my approach by incorporating a variety of tools to help students gain clarity and confidence in their path forward:

🔹 Writing as a Tool for Reflection
Personal narratives force students to think more deeply, turning abstract thoughts into tangible insights. This is why colleges ask students to write about themselves—the process itself is revealing. Through guided writing exercises, students not only craft compelling essays but also develop a clearer understanding of their own strengths, characters, values, and as importantly, areas for improvement.

🔹 Personal Assessments
While popular tools like Myers-Briggs and CliftonStrengths can offer useful insights, they are most valuable when interpreted within the context of a student’s lived experiences. I integrate these assessments into my process only after I have gotten to know a student well, helping them digest the results and translate insights into actionable growth strategies.  

🔹 Ba Zi – An Additional Lens for Insight
Rooted in ancient Chinese wisdom, Ba Zi is a complex analytical system that uses birth data to uncover personality traits and natural talents. While I treat it as an additional input rather than a deterministic tool, it has often provided unexpected insights or clarified confusing patterns in a student’s self-perception. For the analysis to be meaningful, it must both align with my understanding of the student and resonate with them personally.

The Power of Clarity

By blending logic, intuition, and multiple perspectives, I help students construct a multidimensional profile that connects their strengths, motivations, and future possibilities. When all the puzzle pieces come together, the result is enlightening and empowering.

With a clearer understanding of their distinctive strengths and direction, students enter a virtuous cycle of growth—where confidence fuels success, and success reinforces confidence. Armed with this clarity, they navigate the ups and downs of life with greater resilience, purpose, and the ability to make the most of the opportunities ahead.

Every Student Is Unique—So Is My Approach

I’ve worked with a wide range of students, each with their own talents, challenges, and personalities. I continually refine and adapt my approach to meet the unique needs of each student. Over the years, I have discovered some key nuances—from different areas of emphasis to distinct methods—that work best for different types of students.

Here are some examples:

Working with Motivated, High-Achieving Students

🔹 Help students define their focus areas and develop a long-term vision for themselves
🔹 Provide a credible, trustworthy sounding board for their ambitions and concerns
🔹 Help them manage stress, build resilience, and maintain a positive outlook

Working with Hesitant Communicators

🔹 Create a patient, encouraging environment, celebrating small wins along the way
🔹 Use writing as a tool to help students express their thoughts and emotions
🔹 Utilize micro-prompts to help students see how to structure their ideas and build clear, compelling narratives

Working with Highly Intelligent or Sensitive Students

🔹 Respect their thoughts and emotions, recognizing the depth of their perceptions
🔹 Observe patterns in their behavior and analyze emotional responses to uncover deeper motivations
🔹 Follow their unique thought process and introduce alternative perspectives that expand their understanding
🔹 Help students develop self-awareness and build a toolkit to manage stress, anxiety, and emotional sensitivity

Working with “Special Purpose Talents”

🔹 Develop a deep understanding of their unique talents and limitations, as well as the interplay between the two
🔹 Encourage pursuits that tap into their strengths while fostering growth and improvement
🔹 Cultivate self-advocacy and collaboration skills—essential for long-term success

Working with Emotionally High-Strung Students

🔹 Stay calm, open, and encouraging, providing a grounding presence
🔹 Identify root causes and primary triggers behind their frustrations
🔹 Guide students in shifting emotional energy toward constructive growth and developing a more positive, centered mindset
🔹 Collaborate with parents to adjust their mindset and communication style to better support their child

Helping Your Child Reach Their Full Potential

Every student has a distinctive set of strengths, challenges, and aspirations. My role is to meet them where they are, guide them through self-discovery, and empower them to grow into their fullest potential, and ensure that their applications stand out among the competitions

📩 If you're looking for a trusted partner in your child's growth, let's connect. Reach out to explore how I can support your student on their path to success.