EDIFY

After my first meeting with Peter, I was very hesitant to begin working with him. Why should I need counseling for my life when none of my other friends did? However, my parents were insistent on going back for a second meeting, a decision I am more than grateful for in retrospect. I went to counseling with Peter a second time, and a third, and a fourth, until it became a routine. Immediately, the first thing I noticed about our meetings was his understanding, easygoing, and relatable personality. He made it very clear to me that he saw me as an adult, and that he saw us as equals. I didn’t ever feel as if it was a duty to report back to Peter as if he were a teacher, therapist, or superior; instead, he felt like a big brother who was genuinely concerned with my wellbeing and gave me thoughtful, clear-cut advice. Since conversing with Peter felt natural and comfortable, our sessions were incredibly smooth and productive, like working on a project with a close friend. Through our meetings, I was able to become more informed about my decisions, as well as become a more independent person who cared about my own future.

Without Peter, I would be lost in a world of questions. By nature, I am always concerned with the most minute of details, trying to micromanage every little thing and getting distracted along the way. With Peter’s fresh perspective, I was able to take a step back and look at the big picture. I believe that above all the expected outcomes of counseling-getting better grades, pushing myself to take advantage of opportunities, qualifying for prestigious colleges-my time with Peter helped me relax and focus on the important things in what was otherwise a confusing, mysterious, stressful world. Not only did he give me advice on high school and college, he also indirectly taught me character, and to live life to the fullest.

My first year with Peter involved the summer before junior year into the 2017-2018 school year. Within our monthly meetings, I mostly came equipped with a brief summary of what went on in the past month, along with questions about future plans, such as when it came to SATs, APs, and summer activities. Peter helped me make important decisions, such as which classes to take, as well as created a rough calendar for the upcoming year so that we would always be occupied. Peter would often suggest programs to look into, such as SAT prep courses and the potential research programs. At the same time, he allowed me and my family the liberty to have a say in the matter. When my family decided that our summer would be best spent self-studying machine learning and data structures instead of conducting research, he was incredibly understanding. Peter also would remind me of upcoming events that I needed to worry about that I otherwise would have forgotten completely-taking SAT subject tests, applying for summer programs, etc.
My second year with Peter revolved around college applications. It was during this period of time that I really witnessed Peter’s steadfast support, flexibility, and accessibility. Our meetings increased in frequency from one month to every week! Peter’s planning and scheduling was not only reasonable, but adaptable to changes in circumstance or college choice. We began early, writing the Common App and UC essays in the summer, which saved a considerable amount of time when it came to revising them and submitting applications when it came October. Additionally, Peter was critical and meticulous when it came to revising essays. We went over many different revisions of many different essays, sometimes even scrapping essays altogether in favor of a more potent, powerful one. However, the end result was always something I could be confident and proud of.

During this time, there were always a plethora of questions I had, changes to my schedule, and kinks to work out. Peter was always a text away, responding within three hours to any question or concern I had. Communication was one department we never had any issue with. Again, Peter was always there to remind me of upcoming events and deadlines to pay attention to, and although there was more work involved than I could have possibly imagined, I always felt at least one step ahead of the game, and in control of the entire college process. Peter helped open my eyes to the vast world that would be awaiting me, and expanded my horizons beyond my small safe zone at Branham High School. In the end, I was accepted into my dream college from the start: UC Berkeley! Along the way, I was exposed to the wide array of opportunities, places, and people that could potential enter my life, if only I go looking. I have to thank Peter for all his help in making my high school career and the college application process stress-free, easy to understand, and enjoyable. Thank you so much!