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I received a call recently from a concerned parent who said, “ I know VERSAN’s history of successes with college placement, why don’t I see you aggressively across the Internet, parading your stories?” Her son, a past student of Versan, graduate of Emory and currently a senior of Harvard Law, expressed comic relief by suggesting “ that a small pup needs a leash, a big dog does not.” That young man whom I coached through SAT and LSAT, amazed at his personal emotional and academic growth, has rendered a philosophical twist to the rabid excesses of education and student successes.
Who are we as consultants? We are paid to render a service. Yes, but to whom do the spoils belong? The students. I like being unobtrusive. I appreciate students who do the work, get organized, realize their goals and go off to achieve success on the next level.
I assume once a parent pays me for a service, student leaves and heads out, the service is rendered. I advise students, who allegedly hit the jackpot to go bring fame to their schools, not “moi”. Who shaped them for seven years? Their high schools. They deserve the adulation. We were just a blip in their educational history en route to college, graduate, law or medical school. We just pointed the way
Then, I admire “ remaining in the shadows” because I work more effectively. Whereas I adore and celebrate top achievers, who celebrates those who make it to the regular colleges? If I have done consulting for 26 years, what I do know is that some students go to regular colleges and emerge as “superstars”. I have years of observation to tell. On the other hand, I have some who made the A list and unable to accomplish what the regular schools did.
What matters to me more is a student who says this is what I want to do and they walk gratefully towards their goals. No hype, no brouhaha, just grace and humility. Having just recently emerged from a near- death surgery, these thoughts came to me.
I celebrate all my students.
