Matt F. is a 2017 graduate of South Anchorage High School who completed a College Admissions Consulting program with Frontier Tutoring during the 2016/17 school year. He also improved his ACT score by four points after taking our ACT Prep Class during his junior year. Matt is now a freshman at Penn, where admitted applicants have an average high school GPA of 3.84 and SAT score of 1520/ACT score of 34.
In this second installment of our How I Did It series, we're giving you a first-hand account of what it's like to go through the college admissions process with a professional advisor. Now, let's hear from Matt, along with his mom, Melissa, as they tell us about their experiences working with Frontier Tutoring in a College Admissions Consulting program.
Why did you consider working with Frontier Tutoring for college admissions consulting services? What challenges were you experiencing, or what were you looking to gain?
Matt (Student): I wanted to work with Frontier Tutoring to help me explore all of my college options. I was struggling to find schools that I felt like were a good fit for me and wanted to get some guidance.
Melissa (Mom): My son knew that he wanted to go out of state to college, but didn't have a particular school in mind. We needed help putting together a list of schools that would be a good fit for him and we also wanted realistic feedback on his chances of acceptance.
Before you engaged Frontier Tutoring, what doubts or concerns did you have about working with a college admissions consulting service?
Melissa (Mom): My biggest concern before we started working with Frontier was whether or not the service would be worth the cost. I was also concerned that the services would be boiler-plate and not necessarily tailored to my son's individual needs.
In what ways did we assist you/your student with your college application process?
Matt (Student): Frontier Tutoring assisted me in finding schools that fit me well and in crafting a strong application essay.
Melissa (Mom): [Frontier] helped my son put together a list of colleges, gave him feedback on his essays and applications, and kept him on track in meeting deadlines. His application was much stronger than it would have been without your help.
After you began your college admissions consulting program with Frontier Tutoring, did anything pleasantly surprise you? What has been your favorite part about working with us?
Matt (Student): I was pleasantly surprised by how knowledgeable [our college counselor] was about colleges that were appropriate for me. My favorite part of working with Frontier Tutoring was seeing [our college counselor] put in extra time to find documents and webpages that might be helpful to me.
Melissa (Mom): [Our college counselor] was wonderful to work with. I appreciated that she gave my son honest, constructive feedback.
What results did we help you/your student achieve?
Matt (Student): Frontier Tutoring helped me discover and get into my dream school.
Melissa (Mom): My son was accepted to the University of Pennsylvania, his top choice.
If you were to recommend Frontier Tutoring's college admissions consulting services to a good friend, what would you say?
Matt (Student): I would tell them that the service offered is friendly and thorough.
Melissa (Mom): I am very happy with my decision to use Frontier's services.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Matt (Student): Thanks for all the help, from test prep to applications!
Melissa (Mom): I'll be back in a few years when it's time for my daughter to start the college admissions process.
Get a competitive edge in your own college admissions journey
Matt's story another reason why more Alaskans choose Frontier Tutoring for their SAT/ACT prep and college admissions advisory needs than any other provider.
Whether you're a high school junior just beginning the college admissions process or a senior in the midst of applications, the college admissions experts at Frontier Tutoring are here to help. Get started on with North to My Future, your free, individualized college admissions strategy session for students in Anchorage. We’ll sit down with you and a parent for 45 minutes and discuss how your GPA, SAT/ACT scores, and entire profile compare relative to the norms for the colleges and scholarships you’re considering. We’ll also develop an action plan of specific priorities for you between now and when it’s time to apply. If our college admissions consulting, SAT/ACT prep, or academic tutoring programs are appropriate, we will also provide recommendations on how you can best use these professional resources.
Additional Resources
Free Programs
North to My Future - Free College Admissions Strategy Session
Blog Posts, E-Books, and Tools
The Ultimate Guide to Designing Your SAT & ACT Prep Strategy
When to Prepare for and Take the SAT/ACT
Six Things to Know About SAT Subject Tests
Four Facts About Your High School GPA for College Admissions
A Four-Fold Framework for Developing Your College List
Paid Programs
College Admissions Consulting (One-on-One Programs)