PrepNow Tutor - Jose I.
An admissions consultant with over twenty years of school counseling experience, Jose holds a BA in speech communication from California State University, East Bay, an MS in counseling and science from California Lutheran University, and an MA in educational administration from California Lutheran University. Jose’s first job out of college was as a Youth Outreach Worker for underprivileged students, during which he noticed that many of his students possessed academic potential but had limited resources and support. As a result, Jose started an after-school tutoring program and partnered with universities to expose younger students to the possibility of attending a four-year university. “The flame was contagious and set me on a path to pursue a career as a school counselor to help all students pursue their academic and career goals,” Jose reflects.
In 2017, Jose became a private admissions consultant. This work, juxtaposed with his time at a comprehensive high school, renewed his passion for individually mentoring students to help them realize their goals, define their strengths and weaknesses, and help them craft their college applications. Jose particularly loves working with students with 504 Plans and IEPs to help them find the best-fit school. He's worked with a diverse student body throughout his career and he aims to guide all students in achieving their goals regardless of their backgrounds and academic abilities. Jose adheres to Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Successful People when counseling: he encourages students to start with the big picture and their end goal, and then chart a path on how to get there in the distant future.
Jose loves mentoring students on essay writing, choosing a major, creating a realistic college list, course selection, and researching meaningful extracurricular activities. “In particular, I absolutely thrive on working with students on their responses to essay prompts,” Jose says. “From brainstorming topics and editing, I find fulfillment in helping students bring out the best of themselves in the writing portion of college applications.” In addition to his work as an admissions consultant and counselor, Jose has taught Spanish and ESL and has coached students in Speech and Debate. When asked to share a success story, Jose recalls, “I can think of four underprivileged students who received the Bill Gates Millennial Scholarship and not only attended top universities in California but also went on to earn graduate degrees. One student attended UCLA on a full-ride scholarship and then earned her master's degree in counseling from USC.”
In college, Jose competed on the Forensic Team (speech and debate), competing at the state level and winning several awards. As a counselor, he enjoyed traveling and meeting students from different colleges and universities. Jose is quite active and loves water sports. “I live on a lake, so kayaking, jet skiing, and paddleboarding are all part of a daily routine when the weather permits,” he shares. He is also an accomplished piano player and accompanies talented vocalists. Jose is fluent in Spanish.
