From intake form → recommended Student Success Package
Grade level drives the pathway. Within each pathway, the engine selects the right sub-tier (Silver / Gold / Platinum / Diamond / Dream College) using school count, dream-school signal, and commitment. Every recommendation maps to a real, signed-agreement SKU.
Foundation · $3,200/yr
Build · Silver · $3,200
Build · Gold · $5,200
Summit · Platinum · $7,200
Summit · Diamond · $10,200
Summit RED · Dream College · $12,000+
Legacy · $20,000+
Transfer Track · $2,500+
Intake inputs
Grade level
8th → Transfer → Multi-year
GPA range
Below 3.0 → 4.0+
Dream + radar schools
Ivy/T20 signal, school count
Concerns / success picture
NEPQ pattern matched
EC profile / sport
Athlete? NIL?
Timeline + commitment 1–10
Urgency & readiness
Primary decision: Grade → Pathway
What grade is the student?
Drives default pathway. Sub-tier selected by school count + Ivy signal + commitment.
→ 8th / 9th
Foundation pathway. No app monitoring yet.
→ 10th
Build pathway. Silver default; Gold if 5+ schools.
→ 11th (fit-focused)
Build pathway. Gold default.
→ 11th (Ivy/T20)
Summit pathway. Platinum default; Diamond if 8+ schools.
→ 12th (urgent)
Summit RED. Dream College if Ivy/T20; Diamond + Finish Line otherwise.
→ Transfer
Transfer Track (Flexible + targeted).
→ Multi-year
Legacy pathway. Concierge + Dream College built in.
Secondary checks (sub-tier + overlays)
Ivy / T20 / 4.0+ signal?
Triggered by dream-school name or "Competitive admissions" + high GPA.
School count?
3 → Silver · 5 → Gold · 7 → Platinum · 10 → Diamond
Athletic recruitment?
Adds Recruitment Track overlay.
Scholarship signal?
Adds Scholarship & Financial Aid Track.
Essay-heavy ask?
Adds Essay Development Package ($410+).
Interview / Mock ask?
Adds Interview Prep Package ($520+).
Low GPA or tutoring ask?
Adds SSAATT Tutoring bolt-on.
Recommended pathway · SKU
Foundation SKU
The Foundation Plan
$3,200 / year
Silver · 3 colleges
The Build Plan
$3,200 (Silver)
Gold · 5 colleges
The Build Plan
$5,200 (Gold)
Platinum · 7 colleges
The Summit Plan
$7,200 (Platinum)
Diamond · 10 colleges
The Summit Plan
$10,200 (Diamond)
Dream College · Start-to-Finish
The Summit RED Plan
Starting at $12,000
Legacy · Concierge
The Legacy Plan
$20,000–$40,000+ (custom)
Transfer · Flexible-based
The Transfer Track
Starting at $2,500
Parallel add-on packages (signed-agreement prices · overlay on any pathway)
If EC = Athletics OR concern = Recruitment
Athletic Recruitment Track
Custom quote
NCAA D-I/II eligibility, coach outreach scripts, recruiting video portfolio. 12–18-mo head-start overlay.
If NIL interest = Yes / Curious
NIL Strategy Guidance
Custom quote
School-by-school NIL landscape, pricing structures, personal-brand groundwork.
If concerns include Scholarship / Affording
Scholarship & Financial Aid Track
Bundled in Build/Summit; à la carte via Flexible
Merit-aid ID, FAFSA/CSS coaching, scholarship-essay support — often $20K–$50K/yr saved.
If service ask = Essay coaching + grade ≥ 11 + non-Summit tier
Essay Development Package
Starting at $410
Kickoff, differentiator strategy, brainstorming, drafting, multiple editing rounds. Stack on top of Silver/Gold.
If grade = 12 OR timeline = Immediately + non-Dream College tier
Finish Line Application Package
Starting at $1,000
Comprehensive final review of full application — essays, supplements, activities, narrative alignment.
If service ask = Interview prep + non-Summit tier
Interview Preparation Package
Starting at $520
Personalized strategy, mock interviews, line-level feedback, school-specific behavioral prep.
If service = Tutoring OR GPA < 3.3
SSAATT Tutoring Bolt-On
Custom quote
Subject-matter tutoring + exec-function coaching through Stepping Stones Academic Advising & Tutoring Team.
If family wants flexibility / no commitment
Flexible Hours
10 hours for $2,000
À la carte hours for any need — financial aid, scholarship research, on-call services. No package commitment.
If commitment ≥ 9 + grade ≤ 10
Legacy upgrade flag (internal)
Surface on call
Highly committed family with runway — surface Legacy conversationally, not pushed.
Enter intake data → instant package recommendation
Drop in the key fields from the Student Intake Form. The engine returns the recommended pathway, sub-tier (Silver / Gold / Platinum / Diamond / Dream College), add-ons, urgency, and rationale. Jump to View 3 to render the parent-facing report.
Family + Student inputs
Required: parent + student names, grade. The rest sharpens the recommendation.
🎓
Fill the form to see the recommendation.
Grade level is the minimum needed. Add school count to lock in the right sub-tier.
Stepping Stones · Personalized Strategy Brief
Your Family's College Path
Prepared for — · Student: —
—
Every Step Leads to Accepted
Section 1 · Where you are today
The snapshot we're working from
This is what you told us in the intake form. Your advisor will walk through each on the call — flagging strengths, identifying leverage, pressure-testing assumptions.
Section 2 · What we noticed
The pattern under the words
—
In your own words — success picture
—In your own words — cost of inaction
—
Section 3 · Your Student Success Package
The plan we'd build with you
—
—
—
—
What this delivers (signed-agreement scope)
Section 4 · Recommended add-on packages
What we'd layer on for your family
These are the targeted bolt-on packages from our Client Services Agreement — added only if they sharpen your specific outcome.
Section 5 · The next 12 months
Your roadmap, in calendar form
This is the working timeline we'd execute together. Real dates land on your secure CounselMore portal during onboarding.
Section 6 · Why this matters now
The landscape your student is applying into
Independent context from the broader college-admissions market.
~4%
Class of 2030 acceptance rates at Columbia & Yale (4.23% / 4.24%) — historic lows.
Source: Oriel Admissions, Ivy Coach (2026 cycle)
2–4×
Early Decision admission rates run 2–4× higher than Regular Decision at most Ivy League schools.
Source: Shemmassian Academic Consulting
$20–$50K
Annual merit-aid that strong counselors regularly help families capture per year of college.
Source: IECA + Top Tier Admissions
15–25%
Lift in acceptance rates at competitive institutions for students working with leading consultants.
Source: industry analyses, 2025 Private Prep report
$224/hr
2024 IECA national average hourly rate for college counseling — the market rate for expert guidance.
Source: IECA 2024 Pricing Survey
$3.4B
2025 size of the U.S. education-consulting industry — growing as families face record-low acceptance rates and rising tuition.
Source: IBISWorld, 2025
Section 7 · Investment
What it looks like to partner with us
We never push a tier; we recommend the smallest Student Success Package that delivers the outcome you described. Pricing below is from our Client Services Agreement.
Recommended for your family
—
—
Every package includes: Profile Portfolio + SMART Goals · 45-min weekly student meetings · 15-min weekly parent check-in · Secure CounselMore portal · Common App / UC / Coalition guidance · milestone tracking · 48-hour communication response window.
Section 8 · Next step
The 3-step plan from here
1 Schedule
→
2 Strategy
→
3 Success
You're not behind. You just haven't been guided yet.
Your free Strategy Session is the moment we map this plan into your calendar.
Book your Strategy Session →Roman Bernard Fernando
Founder & CEO · Stepping Stones College Educational Advisors
rfernando@steppingstonesadvisors.com · (714) 400-2497 · steppingstonesadvisors.com
Every Step Leads to Accepted
One marketing name → one signed-agreement SKU
Each Strategy Engine pathway maps cleanly to a real, contractable Student Success Package in the Client Services Agreement. Marketing-friendly names on top, operationally clear SKUs underneath.
PathwayNEW · Foundation SKU
The Foundation Plan
Grades 8–9 · Long runway · GREEN
$3,200 / year
- Profile Portfolio + SMART Goals
- High school curriculum + course-selection strategy
- Extracurricular optimization & talent mapping
- Standardized test roadmap (early)
- Summer enrichment program identification
- Community service opportunity matching
- Early college list exploration
- 45-min student meetings · 15-min parent check-ins
- Secure CounselMore portal
PathwaySilver · 3 colleges
The Build Plan — Silver
Grades 10–11 · Fit-focused · short list · YELLOW
$3,200 after initial consultation
- Curated data for 3 preferred colleges
- Full counseling & monitoring
- Essay / personal statement review
- Resume assistance
- Interview prep
- SMART Goals + academic planning
- 45-min weekly meetings
- 15-min weekly parent check-in
- Common App / UC / Coalition guidance
PathwayGold · 5 colleges
The Build Plan — Gold
Grades 10–11 · Fit++ · broader list · YELLOW
$5,200 after initial consultation
- All Silver Package services
- Expanded to 5-college application monitoring
- Two additional supplemental essay workflows
- Extended interview prep for additional schools
- Same 45-min weekly + parent check-in cadence
PathwayPlatinum · 7 colleges
The Summit Plan — Platinum
Grade 11 · Ivy/T20 focused · YELLOW
$7,200 after initial consultation
- All Gold Package services
- Expanded to 7-college application monitoring
- Deeper supplemental essay coaching per school
- Recommendation letter strategy + prep materials
- Scholarship identification + applications
PathwayDiamond · 10 colleges
The Summit Plan — Diamond
Grade 11 · Broad Ivy/T20 list · YELLOW
$10,200 after initial consultation
- All Platinum Package services
- Maximum 10-college application monitoring
- Comprehensive scholarship + financial aid plan
- Full waitlist support after decisions
- Priority response window on portal
PathwayDream College · Start-to-Finish
The Summit RED Plan
Grade 12 · Urgent senior · Ivy/T20 · 🚨 RED
Starting at $12,000
- Personalized coach matching
- Curated 10–15 school list
- Holistic narrative & differentiation strategy
- Personal statement: brainstorm → multi-round editing
- Supplemental essays (up to 4 revisions per essay)
- One mock interview per school
- Activities & awards articulation
- Recommender strategy + prep documents
- Final comprehensive review · waitlist strategy
PathwayLegacy · Concierge
The Legacy Plan
Multi-year · Sibling-aware · GREEN
$20,000–$40,000+ (custom)
- Multi-year strategic arc (4–6 years)
- Dream College Package built in for senior year
- Quarterly executive reviews with founder
- Concierge advisor access (priority response)
- Sibling-aware sequencing
- Family scholarship + financial aid optimization
- Direct line to founder for high-stakes moments
PathwayTransfer · Flexible-based
The Transfer Track
Transfer applicants · YELLOW
Starting at $2,500
- Flexible 10-hour engagement ($2,000 base)
- Transfer-specific application strategy
- Transcript narrative alignment
- Transfer essays + targeted school list
- Finish Line review (add-on, $1,000+)
- Recommender strategy
Standalone packages (add-ons + à la carte from agreement)
Add-onEssay Development
Essay Development Package
Stack on Silver / Gold / Foundation
Starting at $410
- Kickoff session on story, strengths, goals
- Differentiator strategy
- Deep-dive brainstorming
- Multiple editing rounds (clarity / depth / structure / polish)
Add-onInterview Preparation
Interview Preparation Package
Stack on Silver / Gold / Transfer
Starting at $520
- Personalized interview strategy
- Realistic mock interview sessions
- Detailed feedback + action steps
- Behavioral + school-specific prep
Add-onFinish Line
Finish Line Application Package
Urgent seniors · non-Dream-College tiers
Starting at $1,000
- Comprehensive review of full application
- In-depth feedback on essays, supplements, activities
- Final edits — clean, error-free, polished
- Narrative alignment across all materials
Add-onFlexible
Flexible Hours
Any grade · no commitment
10 hours for $2,000
- À la carte hours
- Financial aid · in-depth scholarship research
- On-call services
- No package commitment