YouTube Deep Summary

[00:00] about at the other channels as well too. Looks like we are good. Um, looks like we as well too in here. So, if you guys have a question, um, if you're here live by the way, feel free to drop it in the chat wherever you guys are joining us from. But if you guys are here, uh, from, um, the past few, your question might have been here from this link here as well, too. So, here's one of the [00:21] questions that came in. Coach Jasmine, if you can um, share some some your thoughts on this one. The first question is basically saying um the student uh would like to start looking at internships and volunteering opportunities locally and also getting help with SAT prep. So I think there's two questions here. Can you let's start with the first one first. So in terms of [00:39] internship and volunteering uh any [00:41] advice you have over here? Yes, you can talk to your teachers. You can talk to your high school counselors. oftentimes they have connections that you may be unaware of either from previous students or with any local community connections that they have. You can also look online for any nonprofits, any organizations that you could potentially volunteer or intern with. Um, and if you can't find any, as [01:12] sometimes this does happen, you can [01:15] actually create your own. So, one of our coaches, Coach Victor, had a great training on it. he actually reached out and had his own internship created. If that's something that you're interested in, just text us. Uh you can text in Jasmine to our number and our team will be sure to send that over. Um now, in [01:34] terms of the SAT prep resources, [01:38] uh first thing to look at is do you even [01:42] need to take the test? So if you're aiming for the UC's, they are test blind, which means you do not have to take them whatsoever. Now the majority of the other colleges in the states are test optional, meaning if you have a great score, you can go ahead and submit it and it can only help you. In terms of the top 25 colleges, including the Ivy League schools, they will be required. So, um, in terms of that, taking a look at your college list, if it's UC only, you can actually go ahead and not take the exam. But if you want to keep your [02:17] options open to colleges beyond the [02:20] UC's, then it may be advisable to take. Uh, Coach Tony, do you have anything that you'd like to add here? No, I think that that's that's definitely a super soft thing as well to go. I'm just trying to type as fast as you're talking as well, too. So, again, really we could recap as well too with the internship stuff. Everything I think [02:36] is spot on there. I think I completely agree. Coach Victor has a really good training. Go ahead and text again. Jasmine's a keyword. She'll grab you the [02:41] training after is number one SAT. Again, the big thing is again for the big thing from today's world, if you asked me, I think us this 10 years ago, we'd be all right, here's how you prep is that, but even for this question right away is like first off, should you even take the test? One of the things we noticed with a lot of our uh seniors uh this past year, graduating seniors, a lot of them even have top scores. A lot of them even submit their scores as well too. So, the big question is should you, should you not? kind of our big kind of filter and [03:07] a lot of it coach Jasine kind of said it [03:08] perfectly right what type what schools [03:10] are you aiming for are you applying for [03:12] because that will give us the indicative [03:13] of should you should you not right so if [03:15] you're applying to test blind schools so [03:17] a lot of our families I know in [03:18] California so you see in cow states all [03:20] those schools are test blind you don't [03:21] even care about them you don't need that [03:23] uh but you'll see like majority of [03:25] schools though in today's world is [03:26] optional right and people think oh [03:28] optional it can hurt me no it's going to [03:30] help you if you have a good score if you [03:32] don't have a good score it's not going [03:33] to hurt you either right so wanted to [03:35] kind to to kind of double double down a [03:37] little bit in how do you know like you [03:38] have a decent score here. So for optional schools, right, or for optional or required, what we want to say is you aim for a competitive uh score meaning can you get to within the 50th percentile, right, of the school's average. All right? And if you can, right, that that's kind of what you want to get. So just Google schools average score and then it'll give you a range of scores to kind of look into. your goal [04:02] is to get within that range is going to [04:05] be the key and if you're within that [04:06] range you are pretty much solid uh to go [04:09] right however if you're not going to be [04:10] within that range for example let's say [04:12] here's an example case right example is [04:14] let's say you took the practice exam and [04:16] you got a 1110 right not a bad score not [04:19] not the most competitive score but let's [04:20] say 1110 right and then you're aiming [04:22] for a school you looked them up [04:24] hypothetically let's say their average [04:25] score is 1 1500 right minimum is usually [04:29] what they have as their lowest 50th [04:31] percentile Then to get to this farther [04:35] number, it's a 400 point increase. Can you do it? Yes. Right? So the question is, can you? Yes. The question is, [04:42] should you? Probably not. It's kind of our our typical recommendation now because again, think of it this way, right? Everything you're doing is about resources. So if you're going to study to get this 400 points, you're going to spend a lot of hours, right? To get so [04:56] can you? You can. You study a lot more. You'll be able to get there. The the the issue though is if you're going to spend the 40 80 100 200 hours to prep for exam that means you're not going to be spending the 40 80 100 200 hours on something else. Keep in mind that the [05:13] academics is probably the least [05:14] important factor behind the activities [05:16] and the application itself. So you always kind of weigh and see like hey is this going to be uh beneficial for you? Is it going to help you? Yes or no? If it's not going to help you right let's skip it. Let's find something else that [05:28] would be able to help you out uh in this [05:31] situation over here. Okay, cool. Awesome. Fantastic. It's a great first question over here um as well. Um here's [05:38] another fun question for you uh coach [05:39] Jasmine. This is more of a senior kind of question as well too. So uh for families really quick in the chat, right? Is anyone here a rising senior? So if you are applying uh this upcoming fall your 2026, you can drop a quick little yes in the chat so we can kind of gauge the different the different rooms and kind of see uh who is here as well. [06:00] Like is anyone here um again one of our [06:05] um one of our 2026 There we go. We have a lot we have a lot of 2026 folks uh as well too here. Fantastic. Um let me go ahead and uh so basically for 2026 families as well too, right? So this is a pretty good one for you coach Jasmine. [06:22] Um the question here is should every [06:24] UCPIQ by for context PIQ is basically [06:28] the personal insight question. These are the the UC essays that they're going to ask you. Should every UCPIQ have a story of transformation? Okay. So to lay out some context for the PIQ's, the UC's give students eight options of which they choose four and of those four students should choose four distinct aspects of themselves to write about. So going back to this question, [07:01] should every UCPIQ have a story of [07:04] transformation? The answer is not every single one. Now, it's certainly great if you use one of them for a story of transformation. In terms of the other ones, going back to that idea of distinct aspects of the student. So, how we actually recommend now it's certainly great if you use one of them for a story of transformation in terms of the other ones going back why colleges are trying to understand why did you choose to do the things that you did? How is how did [07:35] it shape you into who you are now? Lastly, the who. Who did you become as a result of that experience, whatever it may be. Um, lastly, this is where we finally go into the prompt is you pick the prompt that allows you to talk the most about that story and dig in deeper. So, this is a little bit of reverse engineering, but at least this way you're able to take a look at everything that you've done without the bias of the prompt at the very beginning. Um, coach [08:06] Tony, anything to add there? I love as well too. I think I think we we we have we have taught this many a few times as well too. Is it okay if I do a live example? You guys be interested in like a live example of this where coach I'll put you on the spot as well too. I'm going to go ahead [08:21] and do this exact step with her. Would you guys be interested in seeing that? Drop a quick little yes in the chat if that was something you guys are interested in seeing. If not, we can skip. We can go next question. But if [08:30] you guys want to see us how we actually [08:32] do this step by step uh with our actual [08:35] person or in in this example, uh Jasmine [08:38] be our example as well too. How would that actually look like? Um I'm seeing yeses from different channels here. Twitch says yes. YouTube saying yes. Uh [08:46] Facebook crashed. So that they're they're not doing say anything. Zoom folks over here is saying yes. Let's let's do a quick like again live um kind of case study real fast as well too just for sake of time we're not going to do the whole thing right by the way fun fact we actually do this with our students we spend a whole day with them six hours to get them to get from nothing all the way to final draft that's what we call our kickstart event we are sold out completely though this year so next year 2027 students if you guys are interested uh we'll be open up registration very soon for that but going back right um again we'll do exact this exact form again the reason why coach uh Jasmine said it perfectly we're reverse engineing whole process. The reason why before I actually go in, the reason why we do it this way is for most students, they always get stuck. They [09:28] always have writer's block. They don't know what to say. They always like, I don't know what else to share as well, too, right? It's usually because they start with the prom and try to kind of come up with things as well, too. Another thing that, by the way, calling parents out a little bit, right? The [09:39] reason why the student is stuck, you [09:41] probably told them what to write. You tell them, "Hey, that thing you did was really good. Talk about that." And again, your kid would never tell you no, right? They they love you guys. So [09:49] they're going to try to do that also, [09:50] but then that's not again that might not [09:53] be what they want to truly share. So you So right now J I'm going to prep you again. We're going to go through all this real fast. I'm going to have you kind of think back uh to high school year. You kind of make this a little fun as well too. We're going to go through a [10:04] live example. And again, if you're helping your student, this is kind of the exact same steps you would want to do if you haven't started your prompts yet. And if you have started, right, using this kind of give you a guideline like, hey, am I on the right track or do I need to do a quick little reset? This past weekend, we did a two-day weekend workshop. We for some students, by the way, we did do a little reset with them. [10:22] Uh just because, hey, we're not going [10:24] down the right direction. I'd rather reset you now than wait to reset you. It really sucks to reset in September when you're abs right away, right? So, it's a good like reset moment now if that's you. So, good. We kind of play back and [10:36] forth as well too. We'll go through each of this probably not the full extent, but like from that high level as well, too. So, first thing, don't look at prompts. We don't have the prompts up. So, we're go to that steps. But in terms [10:46] of activities, so this we'll do a coach [10:48] Jasmine example uh really quick right [10:50] here. So first step, step one for us, can you share with us as well um what activities or what uh what activities did you do in high school? What experiences that like life events that kind of stuck out to you? Highlights, low lightss, and any identities that you felt you kind of embraced a lot in high school. Just a few of each would be awesome. [11:12] Sure. For sports, I did badminton and track and field. Um, when it comes to outside of school, I was part of a, uh, student leadership council at my Vietnamese school. Um, I was also volunteering a fair bit with my church on the youth ministry. Um, and in terms of clubs at school, I was part of Interact and Key Club. [11:43] Fantastic. Awesome. So again, really quick in the chat. Does this sound like I believe that's everything. Yeah. No, I think good little preview as [11:50] well too for a lot of fan here and I [11:52] know I talked to a lot of your kids, [11:53] right? You guys have something similar to this, right? Some of your kids are doing sports, some that are involved in groups at school, outside of school, part of clubs as well too. So very good kind of st example here. So, usually at this step, right, we'll have Jasmine kind of pick it down to the top four. [12:09] But just for today's example, uh [12:10] Jasmine, reading kind of all this out [12:13] loud as well, too. What's like the one thing probably not I mean either the the biggest or what are the things that kind of made you who you were that you felt like without So, think of it this way. If you never did badminton, right, how different will life be for you? If you never did the volunteer in church, how different will life be? And each of these kind of shaped you a little bit in its own way. So you'd be a little [12:34] different, but there was probably one or [12:36] two that was very significant and making [12:38] you who you were today. What would you say that one thing would be? It would definitely have to be student leadership council at Vietnamese school. Cool. Awesome. So now again for for all [12:55] of us right now that that'll be one and [12:56] you do two, three, four, and we'd go, [12:58] "Okay, cool. What's the next big one? What's the third and what's the fourth?" Right? for the actual example but for us for sake of time we stick with that one right so student leads council so now with this we're going to move on to step number two right step oh okay we did that was step two we move on step number three right so this was step two uh picking the uh the the top right moving on step number three step number three is going to be story time right so step number three is going to be story time right now so uh cuz Jasmine um when when you said student leadership council I had you pick and you probably like memories raced through your head right now, right? Memories and thoughts as [13:32] well. That's how humans, right? Humans, we always think of stories. Think about it. If I told you guys, think of the happiest day in your life. It's a it's a [13:39] movie, right? You think of a movie or like a visual. Think of um uh like something that happened when you were 10. Again, same thing. It's a picture, a video that kind of played out in your head. We don't think in words, right? We [13:51] think in v in like graphics. So, going back to you, Nico Jasmine, uh when you told me student leadership council again, you probably did a lot of stuff. you were involved in a lot of activities, a lot of stories as well, too. But that was probably one story that stuck out to you the most. That probably that's kind of why you kind of said that this was one of the big things for you. So, I'm going to ask you tell [14:09] me the story. However, the caveat here, you want to tell me the story in 10 seconds. Meaning, I don't need the details. I just want to know this happened, then this happened, then this happened, this happened, the end. So quick to the point because again that by the way if I gave you an hour or 30 seconds you can quite tell the same story right you you have more details but I'm forcing you basically to tell me the story really quick. So um once you [14:35] have that let me know what's the story [14:36] time for the student leadership council [14:39] for you. Okay. Okay. Are we timing this? Oh we we can't if you want go ahead. is [14:51] or can I just go ahead? Not super strict 10 seconds, by the way. So, it's like uh the analogy of 10 seconds really quick is is is what I'm talking which barriers and the PTA was very big on making sure that we still had our um Lunar New Year, our usual songs, that sort of thing. So what shaped me was being able to come up with a cultural festival that balanced both the needs of the students but the PTA so that everyone felt comfortable with the end result. Nice. Awesome. So that's that's a quick [15:25] little story time, right, of of what [15:26] happened as well too. So now is the fun part, one of my favorite parts of all time. So next part is the dig deep, right? So this is the quick little story. Uh I think everyone here, right, you heard it. you all kind of [15:38] understood. Oh, cool. So, that that's what happened. Uh, as well, too. Dig deep. So, I'm going to poke at this, [15:43] right? So, pretty much what I'm going to poke, I'm gonna I call it the annoying 5-year-old. I'm going to poke a lot of why questions. Huh? Why'd you do that? [15:50] Why? Because at the end of the day, right, this thing that Coach Jasmine did, I would I'm willing to bet because I know I've read this before, other students have done the same similar things, right? So, the story is replicable, right? No matter how special we think we are, I tell students, your story is someone else's story. We all do same things. It's very hard nowadays to [16:11] have a story that's super super unique, [16:13] right? However, what makes us unique is ourselves. We are what makes ourselves unique. So, let's let's let's kind of figure it out for coach Jasmine right now. So, coach Jasmine, question for you. First question. She did this. So, [16:27] uh the issue was people uh language [16:30] barriers. You talked about the language barriers. too. Did that did that affect you directly as well too or did that affect someone close to you or like kind of why why did you feel that way with with these folks? Um why did I feel as if the language barriers were important to overcome? [16:51] Yes. Um, it was important because I wanted to make sure that there was inclusivity in this event. Um, obviously the parents were very comfortable speaking in Vietnamese and comfortable singing the songs, but when it came to the students having to put on their annual performances, a lot of them didn't have that familiarity with the language in order to do so. Um, so it was very important to me to be able to put together the festival in a way where everyone felt like they could contribute and have a good time while still paying homage to our culture. Cool. Awesome. So now then we go another [17:34] layer down, right? So you mentioned that you wanted people to feel inclusive. Why do you care about that? So again, of course we as humans, we want to make people feel good as well too, but like I'm curious like was there a time you didn't feel included in certain things? Is that maybe what sparked something or like why why why this? [17:59] So Vietnamese was my first language. Um, however, when I went into the American schooling system, I lost a lot of the language. Hence why my parents enrolled me in Vietnamese school. Um it was actually a little bit late in fourth grade. So at that point I was fairly behind. I wasn't confident about my [18:19] Vietnamese. Um and I was placed in my classes with students who were a lot lot younger. So after that experience of having to sort of claw my way back and put in extra time to get better at the language, um it became important to me that other students would be able to not be able to feel like they were comfortable with where they were at and not feel pressured to be better. um and that they knew that there were people who are willing to help them no matter where they were at with um the familiarity with the language. Cool. Awesome. Okay. And same thing, [18:59] we're going to dig one layer deeper now [19:01] as well too, right? So, you mentioned first language. So, you mentioned that you were placed in a class with people a lot younger than you. How did you feel? Um, I was in elementary at the time, so feeling quite embarrassed. Um, I was [19:21] with other kindergarten students, first [19:24] graders. Uh, so I I was feeling a little embarrassed and it would come out when I would have to speak to my grandma or to my aunts and uncles and I just didn't know the language. Well, cool. Awesome. Poking down a little bit as well too now. Right. So you mentioned [19:41] that you were feeling embarrassed as [19:42] well too. How different was that than how life was for you? Would you were you someone who usually always get embarrassed that this was like okay it's another thing I'm embarrassed with? Or were you always like a pretty confident person but this kind of knocked you down a little bit? Um as well too. [20:02] I would say I was confident up to that [20:05] point and it was just one of those [20:06] things that knocked me down a little. Uh now dig one more deeper. Right. So talk about confidence. How how has confidence played a role in your life like growing up from beginning to now as well to uh talk to me about the the confidence factor. [20:26] I find that the best things happened [20:28] whenever I put myself into a situation I [20:32] was uncomfortable in. But through the act of that discomfort and putting myself intentionally in those situations, I felt that I grew a lot and I came out the other side feeling very grateful for the experience. I'm gonna poke one more level as well too. But really quick, you guys are starting to see, right? It's going from we're not even talking about the language anymore, everyone. Right? You [20:57] see that we're not even talking about [20:58] the culture anymore. And that's how you know you're going down the right direction. One last level, which by the way is not the final level, but this is kind I'll stop for this for this sake of this trading as well too is you mentioned um the best things happen when you put yourself when you're uncomfortable. I don't think people naturally want to put yourself in weird situations. Uncomfortable, right? That's [21:17] not a normal thing. I would say to do so what motivated you to like do this like if you can think back like what motivated you like hey I know it's going to get better on the other side or something because again it's it's like touching something hot right you know it's going to be hot but you still do it anyways so for you like unc no one wants to purposely be uncomfortable no one wants to purposely be called out or feel embarrassed but it sounds like you kind of embrace these situations a little bit of like hey let me go through this and make it through the other side so why do you feel like if you trace even that back a little more. Why do you think that's like how why you kind of approach life or do things that way? Yeah. So, I had an experience when I was younger. Um, [22:09] I I started off very very very shy and I [22:14] had a best friend who was an extrovert. It was almost like she adopted me um because she made me feel so much more confident to take things on. And we actually did the second grade um what was it? Talent show. We did the second grade talent show together and we sang last Christmas in February. [22:35] But um at the time her mic didn't work [22:39] and so we were both sharing mine and I [22:41] remember not feeling embarrassed [22:44] whatsoever, not feeling shy. I was just so happy to have my best friend near me um doing it together. And so afterwards I had a lot of a lot of the teachers knew the song and and they like uh shared with me that they enjoyed the performance and everything and students would walk up to me and they were like good job and all these great things and to a shy student I meant everything. So after that I was like I guess that was my aha moment where I realized as scary as it was initially um to even sign up to even think about doing this on the other side it was just so amazing and I just took that as a lesson going forward that having confidence to do things that I'm uncomfortable with could definitely lead to something really amazing um at the very end. Fantastic. Awesome. Yeah, this is [23:40] definitely way off the cultural uh [23:42] thing. But again, we're getting even closer, right? And again, by the way, if I was working with a a student, I'd even poke even more by the way because again, there's something we may or may not It's all about based on the student, right? The students giving me all the I'm just kind of poking and prying and figuring out because then I going back to here, right? uh with the friend I week one direction we can keep digging in more is like your friend h talk to me about friendship talking about like how how does that kind of shape you who you are going back down talk to me how people telling you good job as well too that's a level of like self-worth as well too validation uh as well too that's another angle we can go but you can see how our original story was about this putting together putting on this cultural festival so when uh Jasmine's going to write her prompts right that's going to be the main top. That's that's a story. [24:30] That's the quick story. But when you trace it back down to who she is, why she did she wanted people to feel inclusive. Why did she care to make people inclusive? Because she wanted them not to feel the pain that she went through, why and how has it made her who she is? You tra you keep tracing it down and down and down and down. And at the [24:50] end, pretty pretty much if we talk about [24:51] the idea of having someone there for [24:53] you, right? Which go back to maybe that's the that's the full circle. he's there now for her school, right, of other students as well too. Maybe the idea of selfwork helping these other students feel like they're valid at their at the the cultural thing as well too. We're able to tie in this deep identity of the student there because again I'm again really quick did you end up doing a cultural festival in college too as well too? [25:21] I did. Yes. Right. So for for example, right, the stuff that she did in high school, she did continue. But again, going back to some of your other activities, did you continue everything you did? Did you do [25:30] badminton, track and field, [25:32] volunteering, interact key club in [25:33] college also? I did not do track and field. Um, and badminton I only did a little bit of. Yeah. So, so she's like the perfect example, right, of the sense that like most things you do in high school, you probably keep a few. So, she kept like [25:48] she kept the the Vietnamese thing, [25:50] right? Moving forward. But a lot of the other ones she dropped, right? Not saying it's good or bad. That's how life is. They you'll drop the stuff. But keep [25:57] in mind, this is me knowing K Jasmine, [25:59] she's still the same inclusive person. She's the person that you know, she will like sit by you and say, "Hey, who are you? Let me talk to you." And because again, this is who she is, right? And that's the key of all these prompts is that you want to show who you are as a person to the reader. That's what [26:15] they're trained to look for as well, [26:17] right? So you see in this example, that's what we got to the from the story down to the dig deep factor. You kind of understand who she is as a person. Again, today she's still the same person, right? She might she may I don't think today you're doing this right now, right? Maybe you are. Who knows, right? [26:33] But the the person that you are is still [26:35] the same. And that's the whole takeaway of the PIQs. Again, was this uh a story transformation? Kind of not really. Uh as well too, right? because this the [26:44] transformation happened to her when she [26:46] was younger. Her now in high school was putting on this thing for others as well. So she didn't transform but maybe she played a role in others transforming as well too. Does that make sense for everyone? Drop a quick yes in the chat uh wherever you guys are joining. If [26:58] that little analogy, that little kind of [27:00] case study worked for you guys and that [27:01] made sense as well. We started off with a quick little story. We went down to the dig the dig deep insights of who she is. And that's the key, right? That's the thing. That's the magic of all these [27:12] things. Then people think like wow that's amazing. Yeah that's what you need to do as well too on your prompts uh at the end is that why the how and the who aspect. Fantastic. Thanks co Jasine for that uh as well too. So I [27:25] think we're good with this question [27:26] again. People got a really good good example there. Um so moving on right moving on as well to uh here um I think we have a question over here in Zoom. So let me see if I can uh jump and do a uh an answer over here. Um, and then coach Jasmin, I I'll probably ask you for the next one. There's a question here to ask [27:46] for less of Rex and Passion Project if [27:48] you want to tackle that. But a question uh on Zoom, by the way, if you guys are here joining us live, feel free to drop your questions down below in the chat uh as well. We can definitely uh uh talk to you guys in there as well too. So, one of the questions here was since state schools don't do holistic, how do you compensate that for your app? My daughter has 3.5 but has so many great [28:07] major light accomplishments and [28:08] extracurriculars. we don't know how to display in your Cal Cal State apps effectively. Right? So, one of those fortunately unfortunate kind of things as well too. So, uh for those who don't know the Cal State schools, there's 23 Cal States, right? Their application, [28:23] right? Their application is pretty much only your personal information, your academics, your classes and your classes and the grades. That's it. That's pretty much all they ask for as well too. So, again, they'll ask did you do activities? you say yes and that's [28:39] pretty much it. There is a school that will ask a few more questions that's slow. Kpali is slow just because it's a very competitive uh Cal State as well. They'll have some some questions there that you can share but pretty much when it comes to the academics right that's pretty much what you have to showcase for these state schools uh is the thing to keep in mind as well too. So again, if you're watching this live and try to do it now, it might be a little late, but that's why we tell students again for for a lot of our incoming seniors, right? Incoming seniors, right? Use the [29:07] summer between 11th and 12th, 11th and [29:10] 12th and 12th to uh kind of show the [29:15] rigor uh of your schedule, right? Because again, a lot of people doing summer, they're not doing extra classes. So if you're taking extra classes uh during this time, that's going to help you guys a lot um as well too. Okay? But yeah, keep in mind that they again the the Cal States do not ask for the other ones. So again, perhaps you guys want to [29:31] also apply to some other schools. Again, don't just apply to just one set of schools, right? Apply to a bunch of different ones uh just to kind of see what schools again because from students, right? There probably some context uh behind the 3.5 as well too, right? It's probably some context uh [29:44] behind that that we can learn uh from [29:46] you guys. Um if you had more to talk about for the UCS than anything else as well too. Okay. Uh really quick, this is really cool. I want to do a quick little screenshot. [29:56] Oh, did not screenshot correctly. Oh, it froze. All right, really quick. Um, no, I froze on Tik Tok again. But one of the comments on Tik Tok says, "Coach Tony, you helped me get into undergrad. I'm [30:11] starring my PhD next month." How cool is that? Thank you, Tik Tok. Uh, it's from uh Elsie Thanks. Thanks, Elsie Uh, as well, too. Awesome. Cool. So, [30:22] going back, uh, Coach Jasmine, I'll have [30:25] you take tackle this one as well, too. One of the questions that came in today was, "I need help figuring out what to ask for, uh, on letters of recommendations and also figuring out, uh, passion project." If you want to tackle the letter, I can tackle the passion project part as well, too. Sure. Yeah. So for the letters of [30:45] recommendation, uh what they're used for [30:49] is actually to show new information. So a mistake that I see often is that students think the letter of recommendation is to vouch for existing information that you're already showing through your application. But a good letter of recommendation should add new value to the student. So, what I mean by this is let's say that the student in their essay has already talked about their extracurriculars, what they've done, um, and their grades are great. They talk about how they push themselves, they have good, strong academic rigor, and if the letter of recommendation is just from one of your teachers saying that you are a great student, you're it's kind of redundant. [31:33] The best strategic use of a letter of [31:35] recommendation is to add new information [31:38] and actually something that you could do [31:40] is actually ask your recommener um tell [31:45] them exactly what you want them to write [31:47] about. So you give them your application and you tell them two to three things that you'd like them to highlight within that letter of recommendation. And that's completely okay. oftent times the person writing your letter letter of recommendation would like to know what you would want them to write about. So, uh we don't want to leave anything up to chance. This is the best way to make [32:10] sure you know exactly what's going to be [32:12] included as part of your portfolio [32:14] you're submitting to college. And um if you had anything else to add, coach? No, I think that's perfect as well. too on what to do again because keep in mind again these are additional things that they'll read when I when I was a reader and I read Lesar and I was on the scholarship committee and I read tons of Lesar most of them suck because not cuz it's bad no one actually I lied I have read one student where someone actually did say I don't recommend it which is super funny kind of sad but super funny uh thinking back now right but uh majority of them are great they always say great things about the students right oh the students great pleasure to have super smart but the thing is that I already know that reading your app, I already knew all this stuff. The reason why I'm going into the layers of wreck area is I'm I'm still torn. I don't know [32:59] what to say yet for you. So, think of it that way. Every section of your app is designed to give new information to the reader so they can help understand everything that you're doing. So, nothing needs to double dip. That's why you know us right what we said everything every even when coach Asmin shared the the tips for the essays four of them should be different topics different things no overlaps because again if you're overlapping you're saying the same thing twice and as reader I'm like oh I already I already I already know this right what else do I want to know so so you see everything's done strategically here and I think that here uh yeah so again asking them to what they to share about is perfect I I love that kind of comment because Jasmine as well too because again once you do your app you know what you're missing like hey I want to talk about this or that that's could be the thing over there. So, I love it. Awesome. And [33:43] let me answer the second question as [33:44] well too. Figure out passion project um over here. So, when it comes to the passion project, we like to call it personal project because I always joke that most students don't even know what they're really passionate about anyways in today's world, right? So, passion project, personal project. The key here if you're starting it, right? So, like [33:58] I'm assuming the student hasn't started [34:00] it yet, what to do, right? And just like coach Jasmine said, we like to reverse engineer the entire process. Let's kind of do the same thing because eventually you probably want to talk about this, right? on your essays, your applications. So, make sure you know what you want to talk about and just kind of work backwards to that specific point. So, what I tell students to do [34:16] first is first, right? What's something you care about deeply, right? That's it. Doesn't have to be related to your major. It could, right? Doesn't have to [34:25] be. It's what do you care about deeply? And then why? That's probably the most important part here. Why do you care about that specifically? I think that's [34:32] going to be the big key to answer uh [34:34] here is why do you care about that [34:36] thing? because that's a big takeaway uh for the readers here. And once you get that done, the rest is easy. This is the hardest part. The reason we have a we have a little incubator program. We help [34:45] our students kind of figure this out. We take multiple pages of kind of digging through and figure out what do I care about? What do I like? What do I enjoy to do? As well and why why do I like this? Why do I care about this? [34:55] Spoilers. That's kind of what we start doing, right? Later on the essays kind of we're doing out of order a little bit, right? But that's kind of what we we're teaching our students to start thinking about. Why is it that this is so important to me? Right? Because that [35:07] will tell me kind of who you are as a [35:09] person, how you develop. So once you have that, then next, right? We call it the ripple, meaning how can you create create that impact out, right? So how can you what uh how can you expand this to one more person, right? People try to think about doing let me do this massive thing, right? Me do this global thing as [35:28] well. You can you can get there, but most people never make it. And not because they can't. is because they just don't do the work to get there. So I tell students if you try to do this big thing go with one person then do second person then third person then fourth and then then it will starts to snowball eventually as well too because at the end of the day right what if you you your project fails right what if your project fails what if you do this project that you want hey I want to go we have a student um who um they had this really cool idea one thing they cared about was like safety and they explained why like it was like a personal family thing for right? That [36:06] why safety was really big for them as [36:07] well too. So they want to create like a stop sign or like a like a slow down area in their neighborhood as well too. And then I'm like love it. Your passion's there. I love it. Let's let's [36:17] let's do it. How can we do it? He's like oh I want to see if we can make a change to this thing. I'm like awesome. Let's let's make it happen as well too. They [36:23] they had one idea. I'm like let me go talk to this person. Love it. Do it. Guess what happened? It failed. They [36:29] person told him no. Go away. Right? They're like a man. So like reset. [36:32] What's plan B? Plan B is let's go this angle. go for it. They do it. Guess what happens? It fails again. That group says [36:38] no. They try again. That group says no. Every single thing that they did, they got a no. They got all the way up to the city level, right? City level of like, [36:48] hey, getting the bill passed and it [36:50] failed, too. At the end of the day, this student still shared the entire story because their why was so invested. The the the the success or not success of your project is not is going to be the the answer of what it is. It's the why. why this student pursued this in the first place, right? And what did they [37:08] do? This student, you can tell, didn't give up. They kept going and going and going. And that motivation to want to make it across, they're heading off to the Ivy's this year. Fun fact as well, too. So, again, their project, I would [37:18] say the out of law students I've worked [37:21] with this past year. Everything like they got the most nos of like everything they planned to do didn't happen because and because a lot of it, it wasn't in their control. Things that they could do, they did. But then when it came to getting approval from this agency or this person, this representative, they all kind of shut them down is a thing, right? But at the end, they shared their their their story and then it was good because that that that story was passionate to them. They're they're [37:44] doing city planning as a major. Fun fun little fact as well too. So it's kind circle kind of moment for them over there. Okay. So that's going to be that thing. Thanks K for answering the [37:52] question over here. Okay. Um next one. Um, this this is a good question as well too. Chris, you as I think you can probably tackle one. And by the way, I [38:03] think we might run out of time. So, we might do uh one maybe two more questions. So, if anyone has any questions, feel free to drop it again right now in the chat. If not, we'll just save it. We're not going to have to leave. I think we'll just save as well [38:13] too and uh move it over. Um, but right here, Jasmine, this student looks like a student. Uh, my GPA is uh my UC GPA is 3.4 unweighted and 37 weighted. Uh, I do have context for it. Uh, I was wondering [38:26] if prestigious UC's are unrealistic to [38:30] get admitted to with a low GPA even as a [38:33] highly competitive holistic applicant [38:36] because even though I have a below [38:37] average GPA, I'm a children's book [38:40] author, neodyiversity fundraiser, [38:42] multiplatform creator and club founder, [38:44] camp counselor and neo for neodyiverse [38:46] preschools, etc., etc. So, um, what what are your quick thoughts on this around coach Jasmine? Sure. Yeah, when it comes to academics, it is probably the least most important factor out of all of the three. So, [39:00] academics comes least. Uh activities next and the application is the most important. So, it really depends on what is the context of the lower grades. Um the whole purpose of academics is to show the readers that the student is able to succeed at the college. Now in terms of whether you should go on to further explain this, go ahead and further like share it in the additional comments or in the essays. The thing is [39:28] with the readers is they are taught to [39:31] not assume. They will only go off the information that's available in the application. Therefore, if you don't share anything about your circumstances, why your GPA is the way it is, then they're not going to be able to go off of that in order to make their final decision. So, always share if you feel like it would help you out. The readers do want to help you, but they can only help you if you list it out in your application. [39:58] I think that's perfect as well too. I think that that's that's the big thing, right? And keep in mind, is a G low GPA means you're not a good student? No, it just means there's probably some context, right, that that we don't know as well too. Vice versa. Vice versa. [40:10] What if, right? What if you're not the strongest student in academics? was let us actually play the other side because I I don't think enough people talk about the other side as well too. So I think coach Jas was perfect like exactly again I'm sure you have a logic and reason why I share that. So the reason know that but let's flip it around. Let's be a [40:27] little realistic as well for some [40:28] families that they're like oh my kid is [40:30] special. They're super smart as well too. And then the thing that coach Jasmine said, the purpose of the academics is to show are you going to be fine once you come to our school. Cuz at the end of the day, if you're aiming for UCLA, you're aiming for UC Berkeley, you're aiming for Stanford, you're aiming for Harvard, right? There's no accident that students end up at these schools who are not going to make it, right? There's a reason why they make it [40:59] to these schools. And plus, these schools are not only hard to get in, they're hard to make it out. Something you don't look at, and you guys want to, if you're bored, look it up. Look up the the graduation rates. It's not 100%. Not [41:12] every kid that will come in day one will [41:15] graduate year four. That's a fun fact for you guys, right? It's not going to h but because of reality reality is there are kids who will get kicked out of the school between first year and then the graduation year. There are kids who will drop out between the beginning and the end. As a reader, I'm basically trained. [41:32] I want to make sure if I say yes to you, [41:35] you're going to be fine. I don't need you to get straight A school. I just want you to make sure you are going to graduate, right? But if you're struggling at your school and then um I can tell that you tried your best and you're still struggling when you come to a Harvard, which is 10 times hard in high schools, right? And law schools. [41:53] Again, I don't know of any schools [41:54] that's hard in college, right? And at these levels as well too, these college will be three, five, 10 times harder and stuff. How do you feel your child's going to be? And also, is that at the at the end of the day, is that the best fit for them is the key, right? So sometimes, keep in mind when I told them no to a student, it's really, hey, if you come here, you're going to suffer, right? You're not going to have a good [42:16] time because at the end, the whole [42:18] purpose of this is to find a good fit [42:20] for you. Again, the school is great. It's great for an eagle thing. parents, you get to brag to your friends, our coaches, we get to brag to you guys that our kids did really well. Our students, you get to brag, get a good first job after. But at the end of the day, we [42:32] care way more about is that the best fit [42:35] for the student, right? Are you going to enjoy your four years in college? Are you going to love it? Again, it shouldn't be super easy, right? You shouldn't be challenged when you get to college, too. But it shouldn't be so [42:44] overwhelming that you cry every day that [42:47] you call mom and dad say, "Hey, I really [42:49] can't do it." As well, that's what we want to avoid. We don't want that to happen as well. Okay, that being said, thank you. I think we are a little over time. Co Jasmine, [42:59] thank you so much. Coach Jin did a great job. Can everybody give her a little like uh a yee-haw in the chat for me? Yee-haw yee-haw in the chat as well, too. She did awesome as well, too. She's [43:10] actually one of our advisors. say if anyone is interested. Uh for those who are new, by the way, we do a quick uh everyone in our in our in our program, we do give you guys a a free 15-minute coaching call just to get make sure you're on the right track. It's not a sales call. You can't buy anything on that call as well too. But what we do [43:27] because what Coach Jasmine does in our [43:29] team, she basically just gives you kind [43:30] of gets you again like this, right? Gets your profile, give you some recommendations as well, just to make sure you guys are on the right track. And if you guys are interested uh in working, we could talk about next steps afterwards, but if anyone again, if anyone is interested, really quick little plug for Coach Jasmine, she's one of our top advisers as well too. You can just text the word Jasmine uh to our phone number 949-7750865. If you haven't had your 15 minutes yet, we can connect you with her. You can see [43:55] she's a wealth of knowledge uh herself [43:57] uh as well too. She can help you guys out with this. Uh if you guys have any questions, go ahead and text the word jasmine. Or also, by the way, if you need want the resource to the free uh to how to create your own internship, just text her. She'll again message me going straight to her. So, she'll go ahead and [44:10] uh respond to you guys uh today or [44:13] tomorrow. Uh I know it's late for her over on her end, so uh she'll probably reach out today or tomorrow for you guys to help you guys with that. But that's pretty much it for today. Thank you, Coach Jasmine, for hanging out with us over here uh today. And then we'll probably bring you along again back on soon again as well, too. So, we had a [44:28] little tech issue. So hope we'll probably do an official reback next time as well too. But that's pretty much it for me today. Thank you everyone for joining in for all the various platforms. Uh Tik Tok, our Instagram, our Twitch, our YouTube, our Zoom. Uh [44:40] not Facebook. We'll try Facebook again next time. back.