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Financing Your Education


Financing one’s education is an investment, whether it’s for a private high school, public university, or international graduate school. For most families, logically weighing the pros and cons of going into debt or accepting one offer over another is a crucial step. Nuanced differences in financial aid offers can vary by tens of thousands of dollars, yet not appear so at first glance. At Chalkboard, we guide families through the complex financial aid process from the FAFSA to the CSS Profile; from scholarship applications to loan documents; from merit to need-based grants; from cash flow analysis to financial aid appeals.

Resumes


It all starts here. Building your resume is how we begin to know who you are. Your resume should read at a glance. It should reflect your personality with immediacy, yet be full of rich details. Resumes should highlight your honest attributes in a polished format. At Chalkboard, we know how to do this.

Internships & Other Opportunities


At Chalkboard we believe in expanding your world experience – not to bolster your resume but to enrich your life. Exploring new opportunities allows you to find what you like and equally importantly, what you don’t. At Chalkboard we research and customize opportunities specifically for you. Think film festival submissions, science internships, poetry publications…

Essays


Each essay, no matter how short, coalesces the clear narrative of who you are. Hitting a chord in the reader is key, whether a funny bone or a soft spot. Your essays form the heart and soul of your application. Chalkboard consultants – from writers to scientists – have the skills to help you make your story unforgettable.

Portfolios


Want your portfolio to enrapture? At Chalkboard we match our team to your project. Whether you are submitting a video, art slides, poems, or designs, our artists, comedians, writers, architects, etc., will guide your portfolio selections, suggest new work, and offer platforms to showcase your portfolio in its very best light.

Letters of Recommendation


Who writes your letters of recommendation is a critical choice. These letters form a cornerstone of your application. To solidify your narrative, we help you identify the most important people to ask. And we offer our superb editing skills!

Services

High School Applicants


  • Customized resumes
  • High school selection
  • Essay editing
  • Applications
  • Interview preparedness
  • Targeted letters of recommendation
  • Cover letter writing
  • Scholarship applications

College Applicants


  • Internship placement
  • Program recommendations
  • Publishing recommendations
  • College selection
  • Customized resumes
  • Essay editing
  • Portfolio guidance
  • Interview preparedness
  • Gap year recommendations
  • Financial aid strategies
  • Financial aid appeals
  • Targeted letters of recommendation
  • Cover letter writing
  • The Common Application
  • Supplemental essays
  • Other college applications
  • FAFSA guidance
  • CSS Profile guidance
  • Scholarship recommendations

Graduate Applicants


  • Customized fellowship placement
  • Program recommendations
  • Publishing recommendations
  • Customized resumes
  • Graduate program selection
  • Statement of purpose
  • Other essay editing
  • Interview preparedness
  • Targeted letters of recommendation
  • Cover letter writing
  • Scholarship applications
  • Gap year recommendations

Applicant Families


  • Financial aid strategies
  • Financial aid appeals
  • De-stress the process
  • Guidance
  • Sounding board
  • CSS Profile guidance
  • FAFSA guidance

High Schools and Nonprofits Organizations


  • Resume Workshop: Writing for clarity and strength
  • Essay Workshop: Finding your strongest personal narrative
  • Financing College Workshop: Optimize the opportunities and avoid the pitfalls

You helped my daughter at every turn: reassuring, clarifying, supporting, and most of all encouraging.

Colorado, Mother of High School Senior

We worked on my resume, and then built an incredible essay that got me accepted into the Colorado School of Mines SUMMET program, which was our goal.

Colorado, High School Junior

You really have this process down pat and you made it much easier and a lot less painful than I was expecting to be.

Colorado, Father of High School Applicant

Nana’s exceptional editorial eye, organizational mastery, and genuine encouragement were integral to my successful college application process and getting accepted at my top choice of USC film school.

Colorado, College Applicant; University of Southern California graduate