Pam was the person I desperately needed in my life at this time. She gave me the time and space to be intentional with what I wanted in life, and she did it with so much kindness. Pam often reminded me what my strengths were, complimented my growth, and challenged my internal self-criticism. She worked in partnership with me to determine what my values were in order to live a more purposeful life disassociated from any external expectations. We centered my life around what I wanted it to be, and how I could reflect upon my growth through my future years. We determined what positive relationships, boundaries, and conflict would look like for me (especially when I am conflict avoidant). With Pam’s help, I felt I was given the opportunity to challenge and become myself. I can’t thank Pam enough for her time.

–Madison D., Master’s Degree graduate

Pam listens mindfully, ensuring that she fully understands me and the context of my situation. She helps me in reflecting on my strengths and abilities so I can navigate through difficulties. With Pam as my partner, I was able to make a major career decision that allowed me to embark on a new business idea which reconnects me with my joy and creativity. Our sessions are always stimulating and helpful, and I always learn new techniques to apply in my daily life. As someone who is not native to the United States and the English language, I felt that Pam was very open and sensitive to cultural differences.

 –Vi P., Part-time teaching staff and full-time creative entrepreneur 

In my stressful quest for the best college essay, Ms. Ching showed me it lay right before my eyes. The ideas that she searched for, understood, and replicated for me were absolutely astonishing. I felt like she was reading my mind with my responses, but she understood them way better than I did. If you are interested in receiving help from somebody, Ms. Ching’s Common App Essay workshop is the place to be!

-Yoryi S., High school senior

When I had my first Common App Essay session with Pam Ching, my initial thought was how friendly she was. I immediately felt comfortable sharing personal aspects of my life with Pam because she created a safe space for me to do so. This non-judgmental attitude made it possible to work through what topics would and wouldn’t best illustrate who I am. Pam encouraged me to write an essay that would, yes, satisfy the colleges that I’m interested in—but she consistently stressed the importance of expressing to the admissions committee, a part of myself that they wouldn’t necessarily see from my transcript alone. Personally, I am not the best at organizing my thoughts, and I often have trouble getting what I want to convey down on paper. Pam helped me through this unavoidable part of the essay process with the homework assignments, and her insightful comments on my work. She is such an active listener and her history as an attorney certainly comes across in her love for listening to people’s stories. By the end of the workshop, I had made a new friend, and of course, significant progress towards writing a meaningful college essay. Thank you, Pam!  

-Eva N., High school senior

I thoroughly enjoyed the Getting College-Ready workshop. It was something completely different from what I had done before. The workshop challenged my mind and was insightful. The homework kept me engaged and was straightforward. I liked the assignments that included podcasts and asked questions about me. There wasn’t any homework that felt like a burden. And, all my questions were answered in a safe space to express myself. Setting up appointments was easy. The workshop was very well done.

Anabel L., College student

Although I had gotten a glimpse at college life, I was not confident in my skills to navigate it in a completely unfamiliar setting. After talking to Pam, I came to the realization that I am more than capable of handling things and I can always add my own twist to things to make things more approachable. I was able to talk out my worries and see them in a different light while learning my strengths simultaneously. As someone whose college knowledge is not generational, breaking things down really helped me to understand that I was making things look bigger than they might be. I had a wonderful experience with the Getting College-Ready workshop.

-Devi C., College student