We recently connected with Anthony Russomanno and have shared our conversation below.
Anthony, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you tell us about a time where you or your team really helped a customer get an amazing result?
In the summer of 2023, a 28-year-old US Marine Sergeant reached out to me with a clear goal: to attend a top–ten college for an undergraduate business major.
His “reach” schools (a college or university that is considered extremely difficult to get into because of your academic profile or the school’s acceptance rate) included: Cornell, Harvard, UPenn, Boston University, Yale, USC, and Stanford. With acceptance rates under 10%, it was a challenging endeavor.
He found me online and initially sent me an email. Typically, I meet with high school seniors, but I was up for a new challenge. During our first virtual discussion to see if it would be a good fit, he said he was looking for a service to assist him with his application essays and refine his narrative (a big part of the application process). We connected immediately, and the following week, he signed up for a 10-hour essay package (of course, I gave him a special rate thanking him for his military service).
His situation was difficult for many reasons:
1. His schedule fluctuated since he was in the Marines and transitioning into a commissioned officer. He was stationed in different places, and at times called out for trainings that were discrete. At the time, he was in Camp Pendleton in southern CA.
2. He was out of high school for years and had trouble translating his experience into the necessary language for applications.
3. If he didn’t get in, he wouldn’t be going to college at this time. If he got in, he would be joining 18-year-olds in college, which would be a tough transition.
On the other hand, he had gained some unique leadership experience over the past decade, which is different from most of my typical high school students, so this was an opportunity to truly separate himself from other applicants.
Fast forward to our 10 hours of essay development, brainstorming and drafting. Our sessions were incredibly valuable and thought-provoking. His experiences and perspectives were refreshing. He knew what he wanted and knew who he was. Many times high school students are still trying to figure a lot of that out.
The purpose of the college essays is to let admissions officers know the who of you and how this person will contribute value to our campus. I help my students demonstrate how they will make awesome college students during essay development.
We chose the main essay topic: Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.
During Will’s self-reflection (he did a great job) and hit all the traits that make an outstanding essay:
1. Show (and tell) your core values through personal experiences. Find what is most meaningful to them and align with colleges. Will came up with these:
a. Resilience
b. Curiosity
c. Culture
d. Self-Mastery
2. Share insight about your growth and ability to think critically about your experiences in a compelling way.
3. Vulnerability. Make it personal and authentic, connecting with the reader. He was honest and exposed himself.
4. Craft. A clear and well-thought-out essay showed he could write and he took the time to revise his essay over several drafts.
I was impressed by Will’s determination to finish the work. We ended up meeting over 10 times. He had the qualities I would expect such as discipline but this man had so much depth, it blew me away and pulled me in deeper to our discussions. And we continued to explore ideas, philosophy, his dreams and put it all together. I use my Essay Workbook to work on the stages of brainstorming, outlining, drafting and editing.
He was great at self-reflection. His main essay was one of my favorites in all my years of helping students write college essays.
His main topic: Books. 649 words sharing his fascination. The abridged version goes something like this: Growing up in Oxnard, CA turning to the library when his needs weren’t met in his elementary classroom. Reading changed his life, making him more confident and prepared to interact with the world. Comparing Lawrence of Arabia as a soldier abroad who appreciated culture, languages, and history. Working across Asia taking Japanese and traveling through Kumamoto to learn about the famed warrior Musashi and learning Shinto history. With responsibility of leading a Special Operations Capable team, sharing insight about how reading helped him simplify his leadership ethos to make it easier to unify team efforts. Then his value of resiliency, using trial and error led to self-improvement inspired by the Stoics: Seneca, Epictetus, Plato, and Aristotle. And finishing his essay with this…”One of the most consequential lessons I’ve learned in life is that training may be for the known, but education exists for the unknown. Whenever I find myself in a foreign country, a leadership role or challenge, I can always rely on a good read for guidance – books keep me going. As a future Officer and a lifelong learner, I can’t wait to receive my class syllabus and dive into my next textbook.”
We totaled over 15 essays when our work finished. His Supplemental essays were something like this:
“Tell us what you’d like to major in”
• It started like this…”On a junk boat in Hong Kong, I furiously wrote the word “ECONOMICS!” in my journal. There, I watched Adam Smith’s Theory of Moral Sentiments come to life. I was struck by people from all walks of life trading currencies, cultures, and ideas in mutually beneficial exchanges…”
“How will you explore community at…”
• It started like this…”Shrouded between terraces that characterize Edo-era Japan, the Reigando Cave is the genesis of Miyamoto Musashi’s samurai strategy…”
“Briefly describe an intellectual experience that was important to you.”
• It started like this…”It’s zero-dark-thirty when the red light buzzes from red to green and the ramp opens. The jaws of the plane open to a pitch-black stratosphere…”
His problem-solving, collaboration, “love of new experiences, and the other amazing qualities Will has were on full display in his essays.
I was honored to work with him and fortunate he had these things to say about our work together:
“I wanted to reach out in gratitude for your services. I submitted the last application this evening. ALL DONE. Thank you for your guidance along the way. I will never forget it. Your insight into the mind of admissions and your ability to sense and build a personal narrative is uncanny! In 10 years, I’ll retire from the Marines, and you’ll get an email asking for help with law school essays! Haha. I look forward to the outcome of these applications. I’ll reach out in April when I find out where I’m headed.”
“Anthony is an exceptional admissions mentor. Having been out of school for over a decade, he provided structure to my experiences and helped me explore my past, creating a cohesive meta-narrative and a very strong application. He has the uncanny ability and experience to observe your application through an admission council’s lens. I can confidently say that his services and perspective are directly tied to any success I have as an applicant. Anthony also offers near 24/7 feedback and assistance, he offered to help through the winter holidays, incredible! In summation, if you possess the desire and will to build an excellent application, he will critique and mentor you to the top. He’s a coach, a mentor, and your greatest advocate.”
All our appointments were virtual but when we finished, he invited me out to an in-person dinner in San Clemente with my wife and his girlfriend.
We celebrated his acceptance to Harvard University. Mission Accomplished.
I am thankful to him as well. It was a wonderful experience.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
About You/Brand
Anthony is a dynamic expert with a thirty-year track record of superior performance counseling, teaching, and coaching students and families. He has done nearly everything in the education, test preparation, and admissions space – coordinator, teacher, tutor, consultant, counselor, presenter, sales/marketing tactician, partnership manager, customer service rep and content developer. He is a proven motivator specializing in relationship and team building, delivering presentations, and identifying unique opportunities to facilitate change and growth. As an expert in the field of admissions, career, and test preparation, he has personally delivered over 1500 presentations at high schools, colleges, conferences, companies, and community events plus organized over 1500 more workshops and information sessions for schools, partners, and educators. Most recently, he was the Capistrano Unified School District (in southern CA, US) College and Career Coordinator building (from scratch) a college and career ready program for 15,000 high school students leading annually 1000+ one on one college and career counseling appointments, 150+ events and workshops including the College Fair, Roadmap to College Night, Mock Testing, Application Support Workshops, SAT-ACT Prep Rally, Parent Education, and Athletic Recruiting Bootcamps.
Prior to that he was the National Director for a leading prep company in which he served as an executive in student and customer service, educational partnerships (working with organizations like the NFL, Golden Key Honor Society), content and product management, and marketing as well as a premier tutor.
As a former high school math teacher, licensed soccer coach, and family counselor, Anthony’s excellent interpersonal, problem-solving, and counseling skills make him a highly skilled and sought-after mentor. His unique insights and abilities allow him to anticipate needs and provide customized solutions that work for his clients. In addition, he has been teaching test prep for over 20 years (SAT, ACT, GRE, GMAT).
He believes in the business maxim of “doing well by doing good.” He strives to reach a diverse range of students to share his advice and inspire them to give them an edge. He is married and enjoys spending time outdoors and hanging out with his two boys.
What type of products/services/creative works you provide:
• Private College Counseling: Academic Planning, Career Coaching, School Matching, Application Assistance & Essay Development.
• Education and Business Consulting for companies, small businesses, or institutions.
• College Athletic Recruiting Guidance for high school student-athletes
• Workshops, Bootcamps and Seminars for schools and organizations
For More Details, See Resources:
• AR Advising Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/aradvising
• AR Advising College Counseling Brochure https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CqFoW-FSHphfs_KGFH-S5uRzDfiow12h/view?usp=drive_link
• AR College Acceptances Listings Flyer https://drive.google.com/file/d/10pFrZVZz-GezvWkP0oZalhiM7e1XFKHU/view?usp=sharing
• AR College Acceptances 2023 Flyer: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1odXzMZOZW6AQ4axCDGr6kfzuagtXPQtJ/view?usp=sharing
• AR College Acceptances 2024 Flyer https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nq221I_94DeAtlzKnfTiF2rxvmME26qJ/view?usp=sharing
What problems you solve for your clients and/or what you think sets you apart from others.
• Solve:
o Matching students with best-fit colleges
o Simplifying the college admissions process from testing to applications to college essays
o Making the process manageable, enjoyable and purposeful
• Sets Me Apart: see AR Advising College Counseling Brochure: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CqFoW-FSHphfs_KGFH-S5uRzDfiow12h/view?usp=drive_link
o Personalized – in-person appointments or virtual + rapport development with my students
o Experience – 25+ years in all areas of education that aligns with this process (tutor, coach, teacher, therapist) – have the skill to work with families and teens
o Family Values
o Availability – work around your schedule, easy to schedule
o Ability to find the narrative and qualities that make students unique (telling their application story)
What are you most proud of and what are the main things you want potential clients/followers/fans to know about you/your brand/your work/ etc.
That my clients are happy and getting into the schools they choose. See Testimonials (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZUHyYZz3wUSMmJbAguckgdgy657QwP8wjQBjkiSznOs/edit?tab=t.0)
• AR College Acceptances Listings Flyer https://drive.google.com/file/d/10pFrZVZz-GezvWkP0oZalhiM7e1XFKHU/view?usp=sharing
• AR College Acceptances 2023 Flyer: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1odXzMZOZW6AQ4axCDGr6kfzuagtXPQtJ/view?usp=sharing
• AR College Acceptances 2024 Flyer https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nq221I_94DeAtlzKnfTiF2rxvmME26qJ/view?usp=sharing
Have you ever had to pivot?
I lost my job at The Princeton Review after 18 years. I was a loyal and top-notch employee but we had a third buyout of our company and in many cases in buyouts, executives bring their own people in and make cuts (and more cuts). I had worked my way up from the local office in marketing to the national office as a VP of National Partnerships. It was a tough pill to swallow knowing how good of a job I did (as with some of my friends who also lost thier job). When I was let go, it was a time of self-reflection. I had a young child and never thought I could do my own thing. I had to reinvent myself being more flexible in how I looked at business and rebuild my confidence in the education industry. I learned how valuable your personal network is as that is what drove my work for the next year. I was able to find short term gigs that eventually combined to create revenue streams that added up to the salary I once had. The good thing was that I left The Princeton Review on good terms and unknowingly created such strong relationships in the industry that I was able to pivot into consulting other companies in the same industry (even working for the employer who let me go – good to have friends on the inside). I was able to remind myself of my value and the qualities that lend to other companies: drive, initiative, time management, sales, expertise, strategic analysis, lead generation and other qualities I didn’t relaize I had picked up over my years. It was hard at the time, but a blessing in disguise to learn this at that point in my career. As it happened 5 years later at a school district so I easily pivoted after doing it once before. Now I am now scared of the unknown because I had it happen multiple times. Another reason I now appreciate working for myself.
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
Take care of my customers. In all the business I have been involved in, this has rang so true. It is the reason I provide personalized service when working with my families in the college admissions process. There is nothing better than great word of mouth.
This process is full of anxiety and stress and families and students need expert advice and someone they can count on. I make sure that I am consistently available for an appointment, phone call, text, email or whatever they may need. I know they appreciate it. This high-touch attention creates direct referrals (and of course making sure I have great results). This can’t be touched by any other method. Whether it’s a family friend or another child in the family, I don’t have to market in other ways. There is no easier way to find customers than a word-of-mouth referral plus other ways cost money. The return on investment is so much greater. I have built a strong referral network not only from my families, but also from other providers such as local test prep tutors and college counselors. And over the last few years I have had clients from NY, FL, CO, MA, AZ, and Northern CA even though I live in Southern California so it has been expanding outside of my living area.
I wouldn’t have a business without these word-of-mouth referrals.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.aradvising.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anthony.russomanno
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyrussomanno/
- Other: AR Advising Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/aradvising
Image Credits
1st pic: Will, Admission to Harvard
2nd pic: WACAC Conference in Los Angeles with other professionals
3rd pic: A student acceptance this year
4th pic: Me and my boys (Anthony Jr and Ben, two high schoolers)