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Apply through the form at the bottom of this page. We're looking for impact-driven students who want to showcase their authentic work, rather than limit themselves to what they think colleges want to hear.
What we need:
- Basic info (name, school, grade, GPA, etc)
- Brief descriptions of your most meaningful activities (not just a resume - we want to understand what drives you, not just what you've done)
- Short reflection questions about your goals and experiences
What makes a strong scholarship candidate:
- Genuine passion for your current work (research, activism, community projects, family responsibilities - it all counts)
- Curiosity about telling your admissions story in a more interesting, compelling way
- Interest in learning alongside other ambitious students
This isn't about having the "perfect" application - it's about showing us what authentic impact means to you.
Application window: August 1-15th
Once your application is submitted, all applicants will receive personalized written feedback highlighting their unique strengths from an admissions perspective by August 22nd.
Scholarship finalists will be contacted the week of August 19th with an invitation to schedule an optional coffee chat with Fei to discuss their authentic impact and how our program can best support their college goals.
Up to 10 scholarship recipients will be announced on August 29th, and selected students will join our collaborative multi-year cohort program beginning the week of September 2nd.
No! Essay drafts are not required for your application. We're more interested in your curiosity, willingness to collaborate, and readiness to grow than having polished work ready.
If you're selected as a scholarship finalist, you can bring any essay drafts to your optional consultation - whether for college applications, scholarships, or other opportunities - and we'll review them together on the spot.
The program helps you develop strong storytelling skills throughout your high school journey, regardless of where you're starting from.
No catch - this comes from my personal experience. As a first-generation college student who navigated the process confused and alone in 2012, I know how overwhelming and expensive the admissions process can be. I wrote a pretty generic Asian-American college essay because I didn't have guidance, and it likely cost me admission to my top-choice school.
My goal is to democratize access to quality college admissions support, regardless of family financial circumstances. I want to help students avoid the mistakes I made and showcase their authentic stories instead of trying to sound like everyone else (i.e. college-pleasing).
For me, this scholarship helps identify incredible students I might eventually work with, while allowing me the opportunity to be the mentor I wish I had in my corner back when I was applying.
Absolutely! As long as you can attend our weekly Zoom sessions, you're welcome to apply. We'll work with different time zones to make it accessible.
Why this program works for international students:
- We help you explain your unique opportunities and challenges so US admissions officers understand your background
- The universal "anti-college-pleasing" approach works regardless of where you're from - authenticity translates across cultures
- Our program has supported students from various countries while highlighting unique cultural perspectives without falling into stereotypes
The authentic storytelling skills you develop will serve you whether you're applying to US schools, universities in your home country, or international programs. Your global perspective is an asset - we'll help you showcase it effectively.
A collaborative community of 10 students (3 sophomores, 3 juniors, 3-4 seniors) who work together to reveal the extraordinary stories within their everyday experiences. Instead of traditional one-on-one tutoring that creates competition and anxiety, our cohort model builds peer support while you receive expert guidance from a former UC Berkeley admissions officer. Through collaborative exploration, students discover their unique perspective on their experiences and learn to articulate their authentic voice and impact to admissions officers.
"I felt like this was a 3 in one package. I originally thought it would be just a few looks here and there on essays as mentor to student, but honestly this program included aspects I didn't even know it would include: like activities description and vibes... It wasn't a stiff zoom call with awkward conversations, but more like a friend to friend interaction." - Julia L., University of Michigan Class of 2029
Most college counseling isolates students in expensive individual sessions, while we create a supportive peer community with unlimited brainstorming and revision cycles. Our "anti-college-pleasing" approach helps you showcase authentic experiences rather than what you think admissions officers want to hear.
What makes us unique is our innovative approach to collaborative cross-grade learning: Sophomores learn college research from juniors, juniors observe seniors' essay process, and seniors mentor younger students by sharing lessons learned. Everyone both teaches and learns.
I knew I had the stories and writing ability, but something was constantly holding me back when I tried to put it on paper for my application. Through Your Epic Consulting's unique approach of anti-college-pleasing, I finally believe my application was able to reach its untapped potential." - Jeffrey K., Columbia University Early Decision Admit
"I remember one time I brought up the story of scaling my high school roof for answering an interview question. While some might consider this a crime, Fei laughed and gave me 100% support on that answer as long as I didn’t say anything too insane with that. I guess that’s just the kind of person Fei is. He’s not scared of the most insane responses, but only gets upset when students try to 'college-please'. His mentorship isn’t limited to essays but also just life advice in general: a 2 in one deal. There’s something about reaching the end of high school and having a person there to listen to all your stories and experiences from the past 4 years." - Julia
Absolutely! We love working with students who have compelling experiences but aren't sure how to articulate them yet. The goal is discovering your authentic voice, not starting with perfect prose.
Many of our strongest cohort members started with great ideas but needed help turning them into compelling narratives. Your passion for your work matters more than your current writing ability.
"Initially, I was a little bit nervous of navigating the whole college application process because I didn't know if my writing was good enough to receive the support needed to make my applications as competitive as possible, but being part of this group quickly calmed those nerves." - Emily B., UCLA Class of 2029
"At the start of the cohort I was struggling a lot with my essays because it sounded cringy but building trust with Fei established a safe place for me to write even the cringiest sounding pieces without feeling embarrassed. The essays were humane and represented me for who I am and not who I wanted people to think I was, and that made a whole world of difference."- Julia
We're looking for students who have extraordinary stories within their everyday experiences but need help discovering and articulating their unique perspective. You don't need perfect applications or rare achievements - you need genuine engagement in meaningful work and openness to collaborative discovery.
What we look for in individuals:
Authentic Engagement - real work you care about, regardless of scale or recognition
Self-Reflection Readiness - willingness to explore your experiences and see your story through fresh perspectives
Collaborative Spirit - excitement about learning from peers and helping others discover their stories, not competing with them
What we look for in a cohort:
Complementary Perspectives - students who can help each other see their experiences differently through diverse backgrounds and approaches
Story Diversity - a mix of academic achievers, creative thinkers, family leaders, activists, and community builders whose different narratives will spark insights for everyone
Mutual Learning Potential - students who are both curious about others' experiences and willing to share their own authentically
Bottom line: We're not just selecting students with the most impressive resumes (although we anticipate many students will have achieved great things). We're selecting students with the most potential to discover and articulate their authentic impact through collaborative exploration - AND help their peers do the same.
Most students get feedback from parents, teachers, or friends who are too close to them to identify potential blind spots - they know your full story and context, which can actually work against you. Admissions officers won't have that background knowledge or personal bias. They'll read your application with fresh eyes, just like our cohort members will.
Our scholarship program is intentionally designed to account for this challenge. When peers from different backgrounds and experiences review your essays and application materials, they can spot unclear explanations, missing context, or assumptions you're making that don't translate to an outside reader.
"My favorite part about going through the college application process in a cohort rather than on my own was the constant support. Knowing that I always had people to rely on, helped me feel a lot more confident when submitting my college applications/essays since I had received feedback from multiple people."
- Emily
When you're a sophomore or junior, you have the luxury of exploration and discovery. You can try new activities, dive deeper into existing interests, take on leadership roles, and genuinely form who you are as a person. This authentic development creates much stronger application stories than last-minute resume padding.
The closer you get to application season, the more it becomes about storytelling and improvement at the margins - polishing what you already have rather than building new experiences. But with time on your side, you can actually shape your high school journey with intention, making choices that align with your genuine interests while also strengthening your future applications.
"What surprised me the most about learning from other students in the cohort was how our different personal experiences shaped the way we answered the same prompt. Going into this cohort program, I knew I would receive great feedback, but I didn't expect how much feedback from someone else my age, going through the same process, would change my own perspectives and open up my own ways of thinking."- Emily
Our admissions track record speaks for itself. Recent scholarship recipients have gained acceptance to Columbia University, Johns Hopkins, UC Berkeley, UCLA, University of Michigan, USC, and more incredible schools - with one receiving a $120,000 merit scholarship. But our impact extends far beyond individual admissions outcomes.
"Seeing the differences in my admissions process versus the experiences of my friends' admissions processes, made me realize just how much this cohort program helped me. They often found themselves questioning their writing and lacking confidence in the applications they were submitting, but I felt completely different." - Emily
"Many parents spend thousands on their kids’ college essay programs and I really don't see the need in doing that. This cohort program was free this year, but the quality was probably better than any of the other programs. As I said earlier, the coaches put in extreme effort to polish the essays and get to know you as a person and not just another student. - Julia
Absolutely! The video below shows how our group feedback sessions work in practice. You'll see how we combine admissions expertise with authentic student perspectives to help each participant strengthen their story.
Please note this video shows the end result after individual brainstorming and drafting work. There's no secret sauce but the transformation happens when we combine professional admissions guidance with diverse student perspectives - that's what makes this approach so effective.
"Everyone has a different experience with the medical industry, and in Emily’s case she has experienced something I never have: a rare joint condition. She wrote how that condition tampered with her daily life and mental health, and how she feared she would never become “normal” again. I admire Emily’s ability to not only adapt in hard situations that many struggle with, but also go back without hesitation to make a difference in the medical industry despite her struggles of feeling dismissed and unseen. Her bravery and persistence has helped me decide the kind of doctor I want to be (if I survive medical school) as well as view medicine from a more realistic and balanced perspective."
- Julia
Students choose what to share and when, with our focus on learning feedback techniques together rather than exposing private details. Since authentic stories come from individual experiences, no two students can write the same essay anyway, making collaboration helpful rather than competitive.
"My essays gained a lot more emotion, description, and impact for the readers by sharing those personal stories with other my cohort. I knew that in order receive true feedback and improve my essays, I would need to be somewhat vulnerable, but I always felt comfortable to do so." - Emily
"I think something that's not emphasized enough in these types of programs is trust: how will a student trust a stranger they just met with information and stories that can be really personal for them. At the start of the cohort I was struggling a lot with my essays because it sounded cringy but building trust with Fei established a safe place for me to write even the cringiest sounding pieces without feeling embarrassed. The essays were humane and represented me for who I am and not who I wanted people to think I was, and that made a whole world of difference."- Julia
The small cohort size allows for intensive individual attention, unlimited revisions, and personalized strategy meetings tailored to each student's goals. Our former UC Berkeley admissions team members can provide thorough feedback and guidance that would be impossible with larger groups.
"Feiyang was with me through the whole process: from the essays to the activities list to interviews. He acted as a guide for each step of the way going above and beyond for the student purely because he actually want to help. - Allie, Johns Hopkins Class of 2029
"I remember when I filled out the application for this cohort scholarship, I was really worried that the advice given would be sugar-coated and very broad like how all my other friends would say 'you need to fix this part'. To my surprise, Fei commented on specific parts of each essay with a paragraph of how to fix it and his questions for deeper thinking." - Julia
"Feiyang really took the time to listen to our daughter. Instead of dictating to her what he thought she should do, he carefully and meticulously took time to understand her as not just a student/candidate but as a person and individual which made her feel more comfortable and in control of a very important process. If you’re the type of parent that wants your kid to end up at the perfect school for them with some help to “stand up straighter" and bring out more of what they already have (rather than changing who they are), then go with Feiyang! Through her work with Feiyang, our kid became wiser and more confident and more comfortable (with herself)."- Parents of student accepted to Johns Hopkins, UCLA & UC Berkeley
"We heard about Feiyang's service almost 2-3 days prior to the ED deadline. But his great comments and powerful essay editing really helped us understand what should be the right strategy for essays. My son's essays are much better than the version already approved from our contracted college counselor."- Parent of student attending Emory University
"Though Alliance MIT serves students from historically underserved communities, Feiyang didn’t approach his support of our amazing scholars from a deficits mindset. Instead, he really worked to unlock and highlight the incredible potential, intelligence, and talents of our scholars. By taking an assets-minded approach to supporting our college-bound seniors, he really supported them to share their stories in a truly beautiful and compelling way. Aside from being accepted to some of the most competitive universities in America, it was really powerful for me to see how much pride, confidence, and voice was shown through the application process that will help guide them in their college and career aspirations."- Jonathan Tiongco, Founding Principal & Executive Director at Alliance Marine - Innovation & Technology 6-12 Complex
