The Financial Samurai Podcast

College Admission Consulting For High Schoolers With Alice Chen

Oct 10, 2024

Alice Chen, founder of BrightStory Admission Consulting, shares her journey as a daughter of immigrants who attended Stanford and transitioned from journalism to education consulting. She explores the rising trend of college admission consulting, emphasizing the balance between academic success and mental health. Alice dives into the challenges of educational choices, the roots of inequality in admissions, and the importance of personal values. She advocates for supporting children's emotional development while navigating their aspirations for prestigious colleges.

39:47

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Episode guests

Alice Chen

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Quick takeaways

Engaging with college consulting services early, ideally from middle school, can help students create a well-rounded profile showcasing their unique contributions.

Balancing academic achievement with mental health is crucial, as parents should foster environments that encourage open communication and support children’s passions.

Deep dives

The Evolving Value of College

The episode discusses the shifting perceptions surrounding the value of a college education, particularly in light of rising tuition costs and economic uncertainties. The speaker emphasizes the importance of making college admissions a two-way relationship, where students present unique contributions or products like apps or inventions that showcase their initiative. A successful example shared involves a student who reached out for guidance and was able to pivot from expressing ambition in creating a company to showcasing a developed prototype aimed at addressing global warming. This reframing of personal narratives demonstrates how students can better align their strengths with what colleges are seeking.

Intro

4min

Navigating College Admissions

3min

Navigating Education Choices

17min

Understanding the Role of College Admissions Counselors in Education Inequality

2min

Navigating Education and Fulfillment

6min

Navigating the Complexities of Giftedness in Children

2min

The Role of College Admission Consulting

5min

If you have children, you likely want to provide them with the best education possible, which may include helping them get into a top college. Along the way, you may come across college consulting services and wonder how beneficial they really are.

In today's episode, I speak with Alice Chen, Founder of BrightStory Admission Consulting, to find out more about the service.

Alice is a daughter of immigrants and grew up in the Boston area. Alice’s father was a research scientist and her mother an auditor, so Alice grew up thinking that those who studied and worked the hardest would succeed.

But after attending Stanford and working in TV journalism, Alice quickly learned that IQ was not the most important factor for workplace (and life) success.

Alice created BrightStory to offer the mentoring she wishes she had as a teen. Alice also created Happy Asian Woman, a newsletter focused on wellness and living a meaningful life, and she incorporates these values into her coaching work.

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