UCA’s Five Expectations
UCA Will Work With, Not Replace, High School Counselors
A student who does not interact with the high school counselor, or with teachers, should not expect the high school to be an effective advocate when a university calls the high school for recommendations. UCA works with high school counselors (if they wish) and will interact with them to create a team approach to guiding students towards admission to the best universities.
Expectation 2: UCA Will Not Do an Applicant's Work
Although expert editors can help make student essays better, the work must always remain that of the applicant. UCA mentors at every step, yet the essay must remain personally written by the applicant. Admissions committees will reject any applicant whose work is not his or her own.
Expectation 3: UCA Will Challenge You
Proper admissions assistance involves teaching and interaction. UCA challenges clients to think and speak maturely. With knowledge comes confidence and inspiration. During the Guided Self-Analysis phase, our sessions last about one hour. For essays and applications, we recommend that students spend no more than 30 minutes per effort; there’s a lot to do, and we want good work, not burnout. Scheduling is flexible.
Expectation 4: UCA Will Give Honest Feedback
Our method is to serve as a coach, not as a cheerleader. Most students and parents are exhilarated by UCA’s approach. Constructive criticism is always supportive, but not sugar-coated. We never guarantee that a student will be admitted to any particular universities, but we promise that the materials presented to admissions offices will be top-quality.
Expectation 5: We Must Work as a Team
An applicant’s chances of admission to a highly selective university are optimized only when students, parents, counselors, test preparers, and other professionals operate as a team. UCA strives for open interaction that is in the best interest of the applicant. Therefore, UCA reserves the right NOT to continue working with students or families who are disinterested, disrespectful, recalcitrant, or combative. An applicant’s singular success results from cohesive joint efforts.
College admissions is a subjective process, and there are never any guarantees in college admissions, so in an effort to get the best possible results, UCA asks that students and families (1) keep an open mind about prospective schools, strategies, and work processes, (2) follow directions and stay on time, and (3) engage with UCA with your questions, ideas and comments.