About
I graduated Harvard College with an Economics degree (A.B.) (and did many pre-med requirements too!), a Masters of Music (M.M.) in Piano Performance from NEC, and the Artist Diploma (A.D.) in Piano Performance from the Juilliard School of Music. I was the first classical pianist in the Harvard/New England Conservatory of Music 5-Year AB/MM Joint Program, and was accepted to many other top-tier academic universities, music conservatories, and 5-Year Joint Programs, including Yale, Stanford, Columbia, Johns Hopki...
Charlie helped students get into:
Charlie helps with…
Fun Facts
Describe yourself in five words
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My process
But, you can do your best to put your best self forward in your college applications. For most, this is the first time in ~18 years where students should "show off" their accomplishments. Students should show their passions. Students should show their stories. ...And I have helped many students do just that. I have helped my clients get accepted to the best academic colleges and music conservatories in the world.
College applications should be a holistic reflection of students' stories. While sometimes we do need to work on "one essay" or "how to show a particular extracurricular in the best light possible," it's important to view the application as a whole. Even when editing essays, I prefer that the students are there while I actively edit them; the back-and-forth dialogue is very beneficial to helping get students' true intentions on the paper.
I generally use one of two approaches depending on what the student and their parents prefer:
1) Long-Term Tutoring and Academic Consulting (>6 months, 1-2 hours per session)
I meet with students frequently, often once-a-week, over long periods of time. How long? Sometimes from early elementary school through high school. We work on everything from homework to getting them ahead of their classes. Getting to know each other over the years, I can get some ideas of how they might best craft their college applications. I can help them choose classes, extracurriculars, and more to emphasize their strengths. ...And when it comes time to apply, I'm there to help them put their best self forward in their essays and applications.
2) Short-term (<6 months) College Application Help (2+ hours per session)
I meet with a student who needs help with their college applications and/or essays. Since I don't know them well, I try to learn as much as I can about who they are as a person and what their strengths are. We work together to try to craft an application that shows their passions in a way that puts their best self forward.
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If you are interested in working together, be sure to check out FirsthandIvy.com. Then, schedule your intro consultation, and I will reach out to confirm. If everything sounds good, we'll have our consultation and can begin working together! If no times are available that work for your schedule, just send me a message on Collegevine or email FirsthandIvy@gmail.com and we can try to find a time that works for us both.
Packages
Live 1-on-1 College Essay Review/Discussion Edit
2 hours
Let's Discuss Music School Applications
2 hours
Ivy League Applications | Let's Talk About It!
2 hours
Academic and Music School 5-Year Joint Programs
2 hours
10 Hours (5 sessions)
10 hours
Advising hours
College admissions advising
Set a focus for each session or get help with any aspect of the admissions process.
Academic and Music School 5-Year Joint Programs
Joint Programs between academic colleges and music conservatories are relatively new, but they allow for students to pursue interests in music while also something completely unrelated (business or pre-med, anyone?). I was the first classical pianist in the Harvard/NEC 5-Year AB/MM Joint Program. Let's talk about your interests, and how joint programs might be a good option.
Ivy League Applications | Let's Talk About It!
Are you interested in applying to Ivy League schools? Let's talk about it! My clients have been accepted to and attend the best colleges, music conservatories, and 5-Year AB/MM Joint Programs in the world, including Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, Columbia, Duke, and more. I have a unique perspective unlike any other advisor in that I have also personally been accepted to and attended the best academic and music schools in the world...along with the 5-year AB/MM Joint Program. I graduated Harvard College with an Economics degree (A.B.) (and did many pre-med requirements too!), a Masters of Music (M.M.) in Piano Performance from NEC, and the Artist Diploma (A.D.) in Piano Performance from the Juilliard School of Music. I was accepted to many other top-tier academic universities, music conservatories, and 5-Year Joint Programs, including Yale, Stanford, Columbia, Johns Hopkins, the Curtis Institute of Music, and more.
Let's Discuss Music School Applications
Are you interested in music schools and conservatories? Do Juilliard, New England Conservatory of Music, and Curtis sound like dream schools to you? Are you interested in 5-Year Joint Programs between academic and music schools? Let's talk about you, your background, and your dreams when it comes to these institutions and a life in music. ...From a real-life concert pianist.
Live 1-on-1 College Essay Review/Discussion
Want to review your college application essays and/or writing prompts? I prefer working live 1-on-1 with students rather than reviewing essays separately, because we are able to have a back-and-forth discussion and really get to the root of what the student is trying to say and show through their writing.
Essay review
Essay/Prompt Review | Please Read Description!
- Standard delivery: up to 48 hours
- Guaranteed fast delivery: get your essay back in as little as: 24 hours +$100.00
Description
*For essay review, please instead book "Live 1-on-1 College Essay Review/Discussion" Themed Session* I strongly recommend essays and writing prompts to be read through and reviewed together, live with the student, in normal sessions (this allows a back-and-forth to really get at what it is the student's intentions are in their writing). I don't believe that simply writing feedback is the best way to arrive at the best possible essay, which is why working together to develop a topic and talk through the writing is preferred. To work together on an essay (whether you're just starting out, polishing a finished essay, or anything in between), please book normal consulting sessions and we can work together to help make it as great as possible. If for some reason, that is not possible, this essay/prompt review option can be booked. I will review your essay or writing prompt, writing notes.
