Uncommon College Counseling

Holistic college application support to help you share your story and shape your future

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The Uncommon Approach

Helping students find the colleges that fit who they are and want to be

We believe that students have learned how to perform really well to get into college, but who lack the passion and purpose they need to thrive in their lives. We also know the college application process is daunting: It’s often hard to know exactly what, how, and when things needs to be done.

Our College Counseling focuses on supporting students holistically, bringing organization and authentic guidance to the entire application process. We help students identify their interests, reflect on their goals, find meaningful opportunities, understand the college admissions landscape, build a well-rounded college list, and create essays that represent who they are while still standing out in the pile.

  • Students and families who want more than just a checklist for college. For 9th–10th graders, this means exploring interests, reflecting on goals, and beginning to understand the college landscape. For 11th–12th graders, the focus is more structured and action-oriented, helping students stay on top of deadlines, applications, and essays while still maintaining a personalized, holistic approach. Across all grades, our guidance balances organization with reflection.

  • We provide holistic, high-touch support for every part of the college application journey. Depending on the package, this includes:

    • Reflection & Goal-Setting: Identify your interests, values, and long-term goals.

    • College Research & List Building: Build a strategic, well-rounded list that aligns with who you are, what you care about, and your dreams for the future.

    • Application Support: Track deadlines, manage timelines, navigate application systems, and stay organized throughout the process.

    • Essay Writing & Editing: Develop a compelling personal statement, supplemental essays, activities list, and additional information section that authentically reflect who you are.

  • A student who’s prepared, empowered, and able to share their story effectively:

    • A college list tailored to your academic, social, and career goals.

    • Essays and applications that authentically capture your voice and stand out in a competitive process.

    • The organization and skills to manage deadlines and next steps with confidence.

  • The college application process is a rare moment to reflect on who you are and what you want next. Students who approach it thoughtfully gain more than acceptance letters: they gain insight into their strengths, passions, and future possibilities. Our holistic guidance helps ensure that you go through the application process not just to “get in,” but to push your own boundaries as a writer, think more deeply about yourself and your impact on the world, and trailblaze your way to a future that feels right to you.

Our Packages

  • “The 1:1 sessions were extremely well planned and Maggie guided both of us through every step—from crafting a balanced college list and navigating the Common Application to tracking deadlines and effectively communicating with Admissions offices. Her ability to keep him on track while easing the stress of the process was truly invaluable. I also appreciated that Maggie pushed my son to look at school’s that might not have been on his radar. She helped him draft a list that was very well balanced between reach schools and schools that he was likely to get into. In the end, I couldn't have asked for a better outcome: so far, my son has been accepted into 10 of the 13 schools he applied for, including his dream school. The college process is overwhelming and I wholeheartedly recommend Maggie and Uncommon Futures. Their guidance makes all the difference!”

    Summer D. | Parent

  • "Without Wayan’s guidance during my junior year, I never would have overcome my fear of narrative writing—a skill that became crucial when crafting my personal statement senior year. Her invaluable support and expertise helped me break through writer’s block, and our discussions and brainstorming sessions allowed me to pinpoint what my writing lacked and how to refine it. Her suggestions and encouragement created a stress-free environment where I could excel. Wayan is proactive, empathetic, and an absolute delight to work with. Thanks to her, I’ll be attending my dream school this fall. I recommend her counseling services to any high schooler seeking a dedicated and thoughtful mentor through the college application process.”

    Bella M. | Student

  • “We started working with Maggie when my daughter was a junior in high school. Maggie did a fantastic job laying out a process to help Sophie begin to think about what kind of schools she might be interested in. Most important, Maggie got to know Sophie and her interests and passions and offered ideas on how to leverage her interests to strengthen her application. Working with Maggie really helped Sophie understand what she needed to do to be a very strong candidate for her desired colleges.”

    Tracy B. | Parent

  • "I couldn't imagine having anybody else to work with. You constantly pushed me to write more vividly and pulled at my passions to help them to shine through my writing... I am so thankful for all of your help, not just with improving my writing skills (that I'll carry with me through future writing in college!), but also for constantly supporting me throughout the entire process and helping me to dive deeper into my feelings so that I could write about the harder topics."

    Mary Long | Brown University

  • "My kiddo and I loved working with Maggie on a college essay. Maggie totally “got” my kid’s quirky sensibility and passion for art and theatre, helping them to overcome a lot of resistance to talking about themselves (much less promoting themselves) and natural aversion to essay writing. Maggie has a rare ability for balancing warm support with a much-needed firm push."

    Sarah | Parent

Uncommon supports students on their path to Ivies, state schools, liberal arts schools, international schools, art schools, big universities, small colleges—and everything in-between.

Our Students’ Acceptances

Columbia University

Bucknell

School of the Art Institute Chicago

University of Vermont

Oberlin

University of Puget Sound

Reed

Lewis and Clark

Trinity College

UW Madison

Dartmouth

University of Colorado Boulder

Colorado College

Lafayette

Carnegie Mellon

Union

MIT