Class of 2023 Students Say It Best
Testimonial from Peyton McWhorter
Testimonial from Wyatt Bradly
As a single mother, I felt that the overwhelming process of college application would be too much for me to handle alone. There is no magic wand nor an instant single-button command for absolutely smooth sailing on this journey, which I understood from early on. However, I really wanted to secure a positive and supportive community-based path in this adventure. The learning curve in the college application process is high and somewhat mysterious… but through the College Planning Center and its staff, I felt that the blueprint and a game plan were solidly in place. Mr. Parsons is absolutely wonderful with my son. He is patient and is ready to assist with all aspects of the application process. The rapport he has with my son is always down to earth and he honors the need for a healthy balance in midst of chaos. Additionally, his knowledge of the admission aspects of various colleges is exceptional. If I were to suggest anything to a rising high school parent(s), I would suggest an early commitment in the first year of high school with the College Planning Center in drawing a plan of action for college prep. The staff there are all amazingly supportive and caring. You can’t go wrong. There are so many baby steps to take during those four years that I am very happy for my son’s involvement in and outside of school which has helped him to build and mold his personal character within his community and beyond. Mr. Parsons and his staff will be that guiding compass in navigating those crucial years which will ignite a spark within your high schooler in areas within and outside of school.
– Lilly Tranfield –
I am a huge advocate of the College Planning Center’s methods because it allowed a person like me to walk into the world of applications without any stress. All of the mentors I worked with helped ease the pain of the admissions process by clearing a path that was perfectly suited for me and providing me with resources that improved my areas of weakness. With brilliant writers such as Chris helping me, the huge and scary task of essays seemed all so small. And I’m very glad I chose to work with the College Planning Center, and anybody could benefit from it.
– Christopher – Clemson University, Class of 2027
“Mr. Parsons was extremely helpful in my essay for colleges. He sat down with me numerous times and would email, text, and zoom with me if I had any questions or needed any help with my work. He helped me understand how to make my writing sound better and convey my message to the reader easier. With his help at the College Planning Center I was accepted into my first choice college. I advise anyone going to college to reach out to the College Planning Center.”
– Simon Dickinson – Haverford College, Class of 2025
Applying to college can be intimidating, but finding and applying to the right college can be even more intimidating. Mr. Parsons is definitely the right person to contact when you are in need of a mentor and help in applying to college. He was my high school English teacher and I can personally say that he is a great mentor and that I highly enjoyed working with him. He truly cares about not only helping you get into college, but also helping you succeed while in college. The biggest area that I needed Mr. Parson’s help in was with my essays. He worked with me to create essay topics, draft the topics, write the essay, correct the essay, and lastly put the finishing touches on the essay to create the perfect essay that accurately reflected my tone of voice and my views. Without his assistance, I do not think I would have been as successful as I was in getting into college or acquiring scholarships. I applied to about 32 different scholarships and Mr. Parsons helped me write essays for each scholarship. In the end, I ended up with enough scholarship money to get me a full ride to the University of South Carolina. It is worth it to hire Mr. Parsons as your mentor and I would recommend him to anyone looking for assistance in applying to college or scholarships for college.
– McKenzie – University of South Carolina, Class of 2019
The college admissions process can be scary and intimidating. Impending deadlines for scholarships and applications kept me in a constant state of stress, and writing countless essays about myself quickly became tiresome. College-Bound Consulting helped to keep me organized and ahead of the game. Mr. Parsons was always available to give me a new perspective and encourage me toward success. He helped me to organize my time and prepare for interviews. His guidance helped to keep me sane in a time of major anxiety and craziness. To the very end, Mr. Parsons was concerned with my personal happiness and success. He helped me to see where I would fit best as a student, and supported me in every decision. Having been at Furman University for almost a month, I know I am exactly where I belong. I could not be happier to be a Paladin!!
– Caroline – Furman, Class of 2019.
Mr. Parsons did more than any counselor ever could have, all within the short time period of my senior year at the Academy. I knew what colleges I was aiming for, and which study I was looking into. However, without Mr. Parsons, it wouldn’t have been possible. Without his intuitive insight into modern standardized testing and college applications, my process would have been quite a struggle. However, keeping me on track with my essays and applications, I raised my ACT 6 points and was accepted into multiple colleges of my top choice list!
– Jamie – Oglethorpe University, Class of 2018
“The first day of my senior year, I remember walking into Mr. Parsons’ English class not expecting much. He showed us a video that day of Robin Williams in the Dead Poets Society, and asked us to look at him as our “Captain” as we began preparing for all that there was to do with getting into college. As the year progressed he challenged us not to be satisfied with mediocrity, and to truly do our best. Through his teachings, I found myself thinking and creating my own thoughts and opinions about not just English, but the world around me. He made me really think on my own, which proved helpful in my declarative essays for college. Because of Mr. Parsons’ guidance and individual attention, I feel that I am more prepared for college classes and the attitude and discipline that accompany them. I can’t think of another teacher who treated me both as an adult and nurtured me as a student as well.”
– Jakob – Long Island University C.W Post, Class of 2016
“Working with Mr. Parsons afforded me a greater insight into college application preparation and the application process. Prior to working one-on-one with him, I did not feel my essays sufficiently conveyed who I was or what my goals were; with his help and guidance, I learned how to express those characteristics to others through my writing. I would definitely encourage other students to seek his assistance as it benefited me greatly. Having received a full scholarship to the Honors College of the University of South Carolina, I can personally attest to the advantages and rewards of hard work and preparation throughout the college application process.”
– Sarah – University of South Carolina, Class of 2016
“Senior year is exciting with the thrill of college only a year away, but with all the college applications and AP courses, it can also be super stressful. Over-ambitious as I was, I applied to 9 different schools, which meant a ton of college essays. Luckily, Mr. Parsons was more than happy to help look over any essay that I brought to him, helping correct it for grammar and evaluating the content. We talked about all the schools that I applied to, and he would share his knowledge about them, talking about their strengths and weaknesses. As someone who had absolutely no idea as to where I wanted to go, it was great to be able to talk about all the different schools. When I started hearing back from schools, I was delighted to find out that I had been invited back to three different scholarship competitions! All of the schools offered me full tuition scholarships, including my current school, Washington & Lee University. Now my school only accepts 5’s on AP exams, so I really took it to heart to get a 5 on my AP Literature exam. Good thing Mr. Parsons was there to help me prepare for it, offering great practice through essays and multiple choice. Thanks to him I got a 5 on my exam and was able to skip my first year writing seminar, letting me focus on taking classes for my double major instead. His help was invaluable in getting me into Washington & Lee and preparing me for the vigorous workload there; and I know that it’s thanks to Mr. Parsons that I’m so happy with where I am and where I’m going to go.”
– Sommer – Washington and Lee, Class of 2015
“Most academics live in their own heads, so to speak, and are therefore not ideal sources of advice or counseling, as the world outside does not operate by the rules of their minds’ elegantly constructed systems. To me, Mr. Parsons always seemed to be a “real” person operating in an academic environment, and I always sought him out for advice on “real” life issues. I am about to begin my third year at Clemson and as I reflect back on the choices I have made in the last few years I come to appreciate Mr. Parsons and his advice more and more. He is well-traveled, the father of three children, and has years of experience working with high school students. While he holds advanced degrees, it is his wide range of life experiences that lend his counsel authority. Mr. Parsons’ academic guidance always extended beyond the rote “go to the best school you can get in to.” He was very helpful in discussing the long-term financial consequences of student debt and the marketplace competitiveness of various degrees. His advice helped me strike a balance between my academic career and the rest of my life. Having earned more than $90,000 in scholarships, maintained a 4.0 GPA, and spent one year studying abroad in Russia and Ukraine (with another fully-funded year coming up), I can say that my successes have come in large part due to the good advice and direction of people like Mr. Parsons.”
– Jessica – Roanoke College, Class of 2015
“Mr. Parsons made it alright for me to apply where I wanted to, not where I was expected to. He let me know that sometimes it’s necessary to just listen to myself, not anyone else. Without his guidance, however, I never would have had the strength to do what I wanted. Mr. Parsons also greatly aided me in composing compelling college essays, no matter how long it took or how many tiny questions I had. Having just finished my freshman year at Johns Hopkins University, I can honestly say that I am in a great place to fulfill my dream of becoming a doctor one day, and this would not have been possible without the help of my favorite English teacher, Mr. Parsons. Additionally, due to the help Mr. Parsons gave me in preparing for my AP exams, I was able to skip many of the intro classes frequently taken as a freshman in college and get right into the classes required for my Biophysics major. This has freed up a lot of credit hours that I could use to graduate a semester early, but instead I am using them to get a better grasp of my passion, Spanish language and culture, and I am proud to say that I will hopefully be spending a semester studying abroad in Madrid. Mr. Parsons never forgot to remind me that although education is the most important thing, college is also for finding myself, traveling, and maintaining a balanced lifestyle . I can’t thank Mr. Parsons enough for helping me get to where I am now.”
– Karen – Johns Hopkins, Class of 2015
“Mr. Parsons was my favorite English teacher in high school! AP Literature was challenging, but all of the work was worth it in the end. We practiced writing essays almost every week and he talked us through multiple choice questions to get us ready for the exam. Mr. Parsons gave me excellent advice and he was always patient and understanding. With his help, I not only gained admission into the college of my choice, I was also able to exempt the basic English classes there as well. I would definitely recommend him to anyone.”
– Victoria – College of Charleston, Class of 2014
“Senior year is exciting with the thrill of college only a year away, but with all the college applications and AP courses, it can also be super stressful. Over-ambitious as I was, I applied to 9 different schools, which meant a ton of college essays. Luckily, Mr. Parsons was more than happy to help look over any essay that I brought to him, helping correct it for grammar and evaluating the content. We talked about all the schools that I applied to, and he would share his knowledge about them, talking about their strengths and weaknesses. As someone who had absolutely no idea as to where I wanted to go, it was great to be able to talk about all the different schools. When I started hearing back from schools, I was delighted to find out that I had been invited back to three different scholarship competitions! All of the schools offered me full tuition scholarships, including my current school, Washington & Lee University. Now my school only accepts 5’s on AP exams, so I really took it to heart to get a 5 on my AP Literature exam. Good thing Mr. Parsons was there to help me prepare for it, offering great practice through essays and multiple choice. Thanks to him I got a 5 on my exam and was able to skip my first year writing seminar, letting me focus on taking classes for my double major instead. His help was invaluable in getting me into Washington & Lee and preparing me for the vigorous workload there; and I know that it’s thanks to Mr. Parsons that I’m so happy with where I am and where I’m going to go.”
– Miles – Clemson University, Class of 2014
“Mr. Parsons was among my favorite high school professors and a great mentor for me as well. I had him for AP English senior year and I feel that he both helped me get into college and prepared me for the rigors of college courses. He helped me understand what a good college application essay looked like as we frequently worked on them in class. I would recommend his expertise to anyone pursuing college admissions.”
– Jonathan – West Point, Class of 2014
“I can honestly say as a current freshman happily situated at Clemson University in South Carolina, I could not have picked a better school for me. Although my senior year of high school was tedious and overwhelming at times, having a wonderful teacher and mentor such as Mr. Parsons made the process so much easier. Not only did he help me navigate the turbulent waters of the application process, he also helped me realize that college is not only about education, but about my own future happiness that will ultimately lead me to fulfill my dreams and aspirations. I am proud to say I have done extremely well my freshman year—something I would have never imagined—and with the help of Mr. Parsons I now know that anything is possible.”
– Marissa – Clemson University, Class of 2014
