About Us
Families now have an opportunity to work with experts to help them with college admissions, essays, test prep, career counseling, cost analysis, and college financial planning. We offer a true A to Z approach that is customized to meet the unique needs of each individual family. We’re not just helping families survive the process, we’re ensuring they thrive and achieve extraordinary results.
The 3 key people who are involved in your child's success will be:
The 3 key people who are involved in your child's success will be:
1) Your child
The most important person on your child's path to success will be them. In the end, your child has to be true to themselves. We will guide your child through the process and provide them (as well as you parents) the necessary tools. But your child still has to put in the time and do the work.
2) Not-So-Secret Weapon
Laela Zadeh Schmidt is way too humble to brag, much less discuss her storied success... but as her husband, I'm more than happy to do so :)
If you ever watched ABC's 20/20, The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, online videos for The Hollywood Reporter / Billboard Magazine / Variety Magazine, or red carpet events for any number of Hollywood awards show, chances are you have seen the work Laela does behind the scenes.
Laela is a multi-award winning Hollywood senior producer and professional storyteller. And she is amazing at critiquing and editing college application essays. She has a special way of helping you bring out your best self in those short essays.
In addition, Laela is the embodiment of knowing your purpose and having the drive to pursue it. She didn't attend an Ivy school or even a well-known school. But she picked the school that was a right fit for her and she made the most out of her opportunities.
3) The Inside Difference
JP Schmidt grew up wanting to be a youth pastor. Coming from a small town in Iowa, it was his only experience where someone had a chance to make a meaningful difference in the lives of the youth.
After graduating college, JP moved out to Los Angeles to attend Talbot seminary. During that time he interned at a couple of churches and realized he wasn't cut out for working in a church. He figured he could potentially reach many more people outside the church.
Shortly thereafter, JP began working at the University of Southern California. Soon thereafter he became the director of client services in the financial aid office, which often entailed working alongside the admissions office. JP was the face and voice of the financial aid office as he traveled all over the country for admission's recruiting events to help explain how families can afford college.
Later in his tenure, he also worked in the Dean's Office overseeing faculty affairs and coordinated with academic planning. He ended his time with USC as an adjunct faculty member. Between helping families with financial aid, working with faculty, deans, and university provosts and presidents, there is arguably no other college planner with more direct inside experience. Ever since 2001, he has helped thousands of families with his insight. No one is more proficient than JP when it comes to helping families find the best fit colleges for the best possible price.
All parents want the best for their children. We want to see them succeed in high school, in college, in their career... in life. But most parents need help when it comes to navigating the ocean of possibilities.
That is where we step in.
That is where we step in.
