We’re offering Summer Enrichment Courses and Test Prep & College App Boot Camps!

Don’t leave your admissions up to chance… Choose us.

We’ve supported thousands of families through the college admissions journey, and now we are offering strategic college consulting and application support to our students, starting as early as freshman year. First Choice Prep can now be your one-stop shop for everything college admissions related – we will work together to guide your child through every step of the college selection and application process, including the test prep.

Schedule a free consultation call with us about your child’s college journey!

What We Offer

First Choice Foundations (9th -11th)

We work together to set an academic and collegiate vision to maximize your child’s potential. We’ll create a road map and follow the path to build a strong resume, including course selection, extra-curriculars, engagement in school and community, volunteerism, summer plans and relationship building. Throughout consulting, we’ll also explore careers, majors, and college options as we develop a personalized college wish list. And of course, we’ll offer guidance (and a discount) in college admission test planning and preparation.

First Choice Admissions (12th Grade)

Starting at the end of Junior year, we build a student profile and develop a personalized college list. With our proven timeline and framework, we’ll work through all the components of all your applications, your personal statement, supplemental essays, extracurricular list, and recommendation letters to ensure accurate and on-time submission. We’ll also conduct interview prep and mock interviews. And given that we’re test prep experts, we’ll also continue to support you through any tutoring you may need throughout your Senior year.

How it Works

Underclassmen Planning

Start early. Stress less.

The strongest college applications aren’t built overnight. Beginning as early as freshman year, we help students make informed decisions about course selection, extracurricular involvement, leadership opportunities, standardized testing, and summer experiences that align with their interests and long-term goals.

College Search and Strategy

Finding the right fit.

Choosing a college is about more than rankings. College will be your child’s new home for four years. We help students develop a balanced college list based on academic interests, career aspirations, campus culture, location, financial considerations, and admissions goals – ensuring every student finds schools where they can thrive.

Application & Essays

Tell your story with confidence.

From the Common Application to supplemental essays, activity lists, and resumes, we guide students through every component of the application process. Our advisors help students communicate their experiences authentically while presenting a compelling application that reflects who they are. We also offer hourly support!

Admissions Support

Guidance until decisions arrive.

We’ll help you stay organized through every deadline, prepare for interviews, evaluate admissions offers, and navigate financial aid and enrollment decisions. From your first college conversation to committing to your future school, we’re by your side every step of the way.

Working with Jay completely transformed the way I approached my college essays. From helping me with grammar to refining the overall structure of the essays, Jay helped me articulate my thoughts in a compelling way. His understanding of what admissions committees look for was extremely helpful in getting me accepted to my dream school.

Hudson C., University of Chicago

Jay was incredibly thorough when helping put together the essay that got me into Swarthmore College. Together, we crafted an essay that made me a strong candidate, while still ensuring that the topic was meaningful and true to who I am, from the very start of the writing process to when I submitted my application. I am so grateful that he was there to guide me every step of the way

Zoe C., Swarthmore College

Jay was a fantastic college counselor, providing extremely personalized feedback, being dedicated to his students, and most importantly, being a mentor to the all-around student. With Jay, I’ve increased my score by over 200 points since starting with him and got into a Top-20 college.

Alonzo C., University of Michigan

I am extremely grateful for Jay’s organized and intentional time management, encouraging yet rigorous teaching style, and breadth of professional knowledge and experience as a college counselor. With his support, I was able to optimize my potential for each component of the application process – from supplemental essays to test scores – helping me get to where I am now at Barnard College!

Carolina J., Barnard College

First Choice Prep is awesome. They have tutored three of my children who have gone on to great schools (Yale, Harvard and Stanford). They still stay in contact with my children and are available to help at the college level too.

Ann B., New Vernon, NJ

The team at First Choice Prep was exceptional from start-to-finish. First Choice Prep was instrumental in making a daunting and stressful process much more manageable.

Denelle W., Summit, NJ

James speaks in a way that makes kids ‘hear’ him. He was easy to talk to, and tailored the verbal reviews to my son’s math brain. He went up 330 SAT points.

Chris L., Randolph, NJ

Let’s Stay In Touch

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