The services and my college counselor Miracle Husband were extremely helpful throughout the entire college application process. They held webinars with a ton of information, proofread my essays, and gave me a detailed to-do list to keep myself in check.
What Elite Colleges Want And How to Stand Out
- Wed, June 24th, 2026
- 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM CST
- Speaker: Dan Farnesi
Every student has something that makes them uniquely themselves — the passions, experiences, and activities that light them up. In this workshop, HelloCollege helps students discover and develop their Standout Factor: figuring out who you are, what you love to do, and using that to build an application that’s memorable, compelling, and truly yours.
At HelloCollege’s 60-minute workshops, our experts empower your family with the knowledge to take control of college planning, from class and activity choices to tutoring to essays and college applications.
What you will learn:
- What “Standout Factor” is and why it matters more than you think
- How colleges evaluate activities and extracurriculars (and what they’re really looking for)
- The difference between activities that blend in vs. ones that make an impact
- How to choose quality over quantity and build a cohesive story around your interests
- Where your Standout Factor shows up: essays, rec letters, resume, and interviews
- How to craft a cohesive story that connects everything you’ve done
Description:
When you’re applying to a competitive college, chances are you’re up against thousands of other students with similar grades, test scores, and club memberships. On paper, you can look identical. So what makes one student memorable — and another forgettable?
At HelloCollege, we call it your Standout Factor: figuring out who you are, what you love to do, and applying that to your extracurricular activities — sports, clubs, hobbies, work, volunteering, passion projects, and the ways you spend your time at home, school, and in your community. It’s not about doing more. It’s about doing what’s meaningful to you — and learning how to tell that story in a way that shows colleges exactly why you’ll thrive on their campus.
This workshop helps students uncover what makes them unique, identify and strengthen their activities, and build a cohesive story that shows up powerfully across every part of their application — essays, recommendation letters, resume, and interviews. Whether you’re just starting high school or deep into junior year, you’ll leave with clarity and direction.
Speaker:
With over a decade of leadership at HelloCollege, Dan Farnesi is a Senior Admissions Advisor and CFO Advisor whose background sets him apart. As a former CPA, he brings a uniquely analytical lens to college admissions — helping families develop smart financial strategies while guiding students through every step of the process. Dan's holistic approach emphasizes academic achievement, community involvement, and personal growth, ensuring students are positioned for lasting, meaningful success.
Dan Farnesi
CFO Advisor and Senior Admissions Advisor
Dan Farnesi
CFO Advisor and Senior Admissions Advisor
With over a decade of leadership at HelloCollege, Dan Farnesi is a Senior Admissions Advisor and CFO Advisor whose background sets him apart. As a former CPA, he brings a uniquely analytical lens to college admissions — helping families develop smart financial strategies while guiding students through every step of the process. Dan's holistic approach emphasizes academic achievement, community involvement, and personal growth, ensuring students are positioned for lasting, meaningful success.
56690934446
Register below:
What Students & Parents Are Saying About Us
Milo Sáenz Palencia
Student
Wheaton North High School
University of Michigan
I have had Gina T. and Amanda Y. as my counselors throughout my college application process and they have been immensely helpful. From the beginning, both Amanda and Gina have been nothing short of understanding and supportive towards me and guiding me through the extensive application process. Specifically, Amanda has been incredibly flexible and responsive when it came to any questions and concerns I had- she was always able to answer questions in a way that worked for me, as well as working with me rather than against me to build the best application that correlates to who I am as a college applicant. She kept me on a schedule that I was able to follow- as well as giving me access to the notes and spreadsheets we had created together so that I was able to reference anything we talked about at anytime. Gina has been incredibly supportive in my essay comprehension journey as writing the essays is one of the most stressful parts of the application process. She worked with me to create outlines and develop ideas that strengthened who I was as an applicant. She was very responsive and dedicated when it came to my essays. All of her feedback and comments felt personal and positive as she really cares about how you build an essay that reflects you and your best abilities. Hello College has been a great experience and I highly recommend this program when looking to enhance your college application.
Lizzie Donovan
Student
Shorecrest High School
San Diego State University
We could not have been more happy and thankful for the services provided through HelloCollege! Their free seminars are amazingly informative introduction for families – especially for those of us who have not applied to college in over 20 years – a lot has changed! While the fee was initially jarring, the services provided are invaluable – personality tests to assist in determining right major, personalized organization of college choices based on a number of factors (your budget, school sizes, your child’s grades/interests/etc), essay writing workshops/edits, scholarship workshops/advising, time management of all college planning, consistent live communications, etc. Our advisor, Dan Farnesi, was not only an obvious expert in this field, but he was also so kind, gentle and encouraging with my daughter and us throughout the whole process (he was pretty much family therapist at times). When she became discouraged, he knew just how to boost her spirits and motivate her to proactively achieve her goals. Especially during these pandemic years, Dan was more than an academic counselor, but an encouraging friend and cheerleader. Through HelloCollege’s guidance, my daughter was accepted into 11 of the 12 colleges she applied to and received multiple >$15k per year scholarship offers (more than paying off the HC fee just in the first year). Our only regret was not starting with HelloCollege earlier – like freshman/sophomore year. Thanks, Dan and HelloCollege!!
Abigail Cahill
Parent of Alina
York Community High School
University of Iowa
My parents didn’t go through the classic senior college application process so we were very overwhelmed and unknowledgeable on what the steps and process is like when applying to college. When we signed up I was assigned Amanda and my family and I couldn’t have wished for a better counselor. We had a lot of things in common and it felt like Amanda took the extra steps to get to know me as a person, not just a student. Because of all her help I have been able to negotiate an awesome financial aid package ($17k a year) at a school I love very much. Throughout our meetings she would ask me questions like how my life has been and what’s new outside of the college process allowing us to get to know each other very well, as well as asking how the college process is going and telling me what my next steps will be. Everything about HelloCollege, from the workshops on scholarships and the common app, to the essay corrections and career finder, made the process to much more manageable. I asked her hundreds of questions day and night and could always rely on a quick response. I am extremely grateful for Amanda and all that she has done for me and my family. Being able to meet with someone helped me stay on track with tasks I needed to do, and throughout the year, kept my goal in sight. I am forever thankful that my parents signed me up for HelloCollege.
Samantha Johnson
Student
George Mason University
The entire staff is uber-friendly and undeniably committed to the success of the prospective college student. The services, which I have limited to very few of the many, such as
-SAT/ACT prep/tips
-workshops for resume formulating
-instilling the importance, while assisting in acquiring and maintaining a professional digital footprint
-their user friendly college comparison tools (which prioritizes cost, location, population, etc.)
along with the support I received from HelloCollege is unmatched! I 100% recommend!
Amariah Reeves
Student
Plainfield East High School
The Hello College program is fantastic. Through the workshops, essay editing (via Editate), and counselor meetings, I was able to very smoothly make my way through the college admission process. My counselor, Ms. Yoder, was especially helpful. She was detailed, considerate, kind, and fun to talk to. She genuinely cared about me as a person and my navigation of the process. I feel that Hello College has been a large part in my success with college admissions and has allowed me to claim a sense of satisfaction and pride in where I got in. I recommend the service to anyone who is able to utilize it.
Peter LoSavio
Student
Lyons Township High School
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
More Upcoming Workshops
Thu, June 11th, 2026
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM CST
A great college essay can change everything. Save your seat for this workshop, in partnership with the National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS), and learn how to find your story, craft it powerfully, and stand out in a competitive applicant pool.
Tue, June 16th, 2026
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM CST
Join HelloCollege for a step-by-step guide to navigating the college admissions process. Learn how to map milestones, build a balanced college list, and craft standout essays, all while keeping your family aligned and on track. Discover proven strategies to stay organized, meet key deadlines, and position your family for college admission success.
Wed, June 24th, 2026
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM CST
Every student has something that makes them uniquely themselves — the passions, experiences, and activities that light them up. In this workshop, HelloCollege helps students discover and develop their Standout Factor: figuring out who you are, what you love to do, and using that to build an application that's memorable, compelling, and truly yours.
Thu, June 25th, 2026
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM CST
Get a clear plan for the transition from junior to senior year, including key milestones, application steps, and what to prioritize first.
Tue, July 7th, 2026
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM CST
Know what to do before applications open. This session with HelloCollege and NSHSS breaks down the Common App and the key steps you should take now to stay ahead.
Tue, July 14th, 2026
7:00 PM - 8:00 PM CDT
Figuring out how to choose the right college can feel overwhelming. That’s why we created S.A.F.E. to help you identify and research the four most important factors and develop a strategy to make the process easier.
Thu, July 16th, 2026
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM CDT
The personal statement is a student’s chance to make their application stand out. Learn strategies to write essays that impress.
Wed, July 22nd, 2026
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM CDT
Understand key dates and next steps for high school students and their families as they prepare for applications. This step-by-step walkthrough will help you stay on track and make sure your student’s high school career sets them up for college admission.
© HelloCollege 2024. All Rights Reserved.