Testimonials
Counseling
There are so many bizarre ins and outs of applying to college that stump, and subsequently freak out, 98 percent of high school seniors, but my counselor knew how to deal with them: whether it was a Common App glitch, questions that don’t make any sense, or scheduling (and preparing for) interviews, I was well-prepared. I received an acceptance from Stanford University, my top choice, and I am 100 percent positive that without GE, I would not have submitted a strong enough application to get in.
The last time I looked at a college application, it was 1974. Apparently things have changed a little. In the beginning I tried to help my son with the application process. He told me in no uncertain terms that I was "not qualified." Really made me angry and we had it out. I hired Great Expectations just to get him going, but my "expectation" was that we wouldn't really need them. Very long story short, I couldn't have been more wrong and my son was right.
The value add for the money spent is far beyond expectations. I’m sure you have clients that spend a lot more money than we did, so we are so grateful for your valuable time and attention. You can count on me to be an enthusiastic advocate for Great Expectations to everyone I know getting ready for the college preparation process. Great Expectations’ guidance equipped Tim with the tools to highlight the best he had to offer in a genuine way. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I simply cannot praise Great Expectations College Prep enough! My daughter is a great student but falls a little short in the standardized test taking department. We turned to GE College Prep to help her prepare for the ACT. Not only did she reach her target score, she exceeded it and was accepted into her first choice University with a faculty scholarship. Everyone at GE has been exceptional in their service from the tutors to the administrative staff.
We are very pleased with my daughter's results. Whitney helped my daughter with her USC application and she had great tips on how to improve it. Chelese was my daughter's main counselor and she was a tremendous help to my daughter during the college application process. Among other things she helped her choose which schools to apply to. Chelese was always available to my daughter and we can't thank her enough. As it came down to the wire, she was even reachable while she was out of town.
...I couldn't be happier with Great Expectations...My son feels very fortunate to be attending the perfect school for him, a school that was actually recommended by Nicole in one of their first online meetings. Everyone at Great Expectations was knowledgeable, and on top of their game, and I feel very fortunate that my son was matched with Nicole throughout this process.
Jen and her team of accomplished and highly trained counselors and tutors were experts in knowing exactly how to help my son navigate through the acutely stressful college application experience. He worked one-on-one with Jen, who helped guide him through the actual application process. This can be a daunting task for any parent/student who tries to undertake it alone. Jen’s comprehensive knowledge of the colleges and universities across the country is unparalleled, so her professional advice and guidance was invaluable.
It was truly amazing that my daughter got through all the applications, wrote all the essays, ended up feeling confident about the testing process, and even enjoyed the time spent with her counselor...and more or less stress free. GE College Prep, YOU ROCK!! You are a parents fantasy come true. I really can't thank you enough!
I'm so thankful I had Jen Kaifesh and Great Expectations to depend on to provide my two sons with good subject test, ACT and SAT tutors and college application essay writing counselors over the past three years. It was very convenient to only have to call one place for all our college prep assistance. When I had a specific question about something in the application process, Jen always offered me quick and useful advice.
I was referred to Great Expectations College Prep from a friend who initially said, ‘This company will preserve your relationship with your teen during a very stressful time and will make sure every "i" is dotted and every "t" is crossed when it comes to college applications.’ Her referral went beyond my highest expectations!
There are no words to say how much I appreciate your counseling with Tim during his college application process. Tim has been accepted to EVERY school to which he applied; including his top choice! Tim is a proud member of the Class of 2023 Wolverines! Your approach with Tim was tailor made. Lessons were structured and incredibly efficient. I’m amazed at how much you accomplished in a limited amount of time.
We are extremely satisfied and grateful Great Expectations customers. We have used its services for several years, including to advise and assist our son with applications to high school and college. Great Expectations provided invaluable assistance with test preparation, essays, the common application, UC applications and other application hurdles. Throughout the otherwise daunting process, founder Jen Kaifesh and other tutors at Great Expectations have been consistently well-informed, thoughtful, patient and tactful.
Great Expectations right away gave me a sense of solace in the process, and through several meetings online I was able to get the support I needed in terms of my personal statement, supplementals to my top schools, and advice to aid me in the rest. I was able to complete my college applications very thoroughly and timely as well. This all concluded with me getting into my dream school, which I applied early decision to. Thank you so much Jen and Great Expectations!
Test Prep
The tutors at GE prep don’t let you slack off — many of my friends took prep courses with a group of people or in a classroom setting where they were able to get away with not completing their assigned practice tests, and were also not shown techniques that might have worked best for them individually. Working one-on-one with a tutor who knows you very well is a crucial component in getting the best score a student can on a standardized test!
I had Jen Kaifesh as my college counselor, and it truly was the best decision I have ever made! Jen helped me from beginning to end. She helped me form my list of colleges, edit the applications, and connected me with great tutors for the ACT and subject tests. Jen's spirit and passion for helping students is unparalleled. She provided support and motivation and she really truly cares about the students that she works with. Thanks to her, I got the ACT score that I wanted and am going to be attending my dream school next year.
I used the services of Great Expectations for over two years and am so grateful for every session. My tutor helped me with everything from testing to the application process. My test scores improved dramatically in each section because GE helped me understand the nuances of the tests and how to attack each section in the way that best fit to my skills. In addition, the college application process felt so smooth with the help of my GE tutor. I was confident in my essays and knew that I was turning in the best applications I could.
Our tutor really understood how to help my daughter prepare for the SAT. He was able to identify early on the specific areas where she needed to improve, and most importantly, what type of preparation she needed to do in order to make those gains. Thanks to a 510-point improvement, my daughter will be attending Stanford University in the fall. Thank you!
We used multiple people from this company for SAT prep, college planning and essay writing. Each person was so professional, knowledgeable, punctual, friendly, etc... My son related to every person and best of all, they got results -- his SAT score went up 250 points and he got into a dream college. It is so nice to be able to have someone that you and your child both trust help you navigate through the very stressful college application process.
Best investment ever for my son! He wanted to go to a 4 year college and at risk of not getting in! Jennifer tutored him to achieve a great score on ACT and that helped him get into the college of his choice. She did all the work with him on the application process and helped us pick the most appropriate schools to apply. Today we are on a college tour of his first pick and thrilled he was accepted! We owe it all to Jennifer at Great Expectations. Thank you Jennifer. We are truly grateful and owe this accomplishment to you!
I'm so thankful I had Jen Kaifesh and Great Expectations to depend on to provide my two sons with good subject test, ACT and SAT tutors and college application essay writing counselors over the past three years. It was very convenient to only have to call one place for all our college prep assistance. When I had a specific question about something in the application process, Jen always offered me quick and useful advice.
A huge thank you to Ryan S, my son's ACT test prep tutor. He was kind, patient, extremely helpful, and very attentive to helping my son prepare for the ACT. He challenged him and was always available to answer any questions or concerns that either of us had. I have used GE test prep in the past for my daughter and highly recommended them. Jen and her team are outstanding and I couldn’t be more happy.
Great Expectations is a tremendous asset in preparing for all the different standardized tests and also helping with the application process. The time spent with our tutor not only resulted in scores higher than we’d ever hoped for, but it was also an enjoyable experience. She knew how to manage a very stressful time and keep the pressure to a minimum. We highly recommend Great Expectations to any family.
HAPPY CUSTOMER: Our son's final ACT score jumped 8 points! I wanted to express our gratitude for the tremendous job performance and support that Great Expectations' tutor extended to my son while helping to prepare him for taking the ACT exam. The result of this one-on-one work is self-explanatory if you look at the scores. My son's first proctored ACT test concluded with a composite score of 21. While working with the tutor, the scores continued to improve.
I wasn’t treated just like any high school student; I was able to focus on my weaknesses and enhance my skills. My tutor was very knowledgeable about the intricacies of both the ACT and the SAT. Because of this, I was able to study more efficiently for each of them. With the help of my GE tutor, I scored a 34 on my ACT and was admitted to Amherst College (my top choice) Early Decision.
