STRIVE4U College Advising 2026

STRIVE4U College Advising

STRIVE4U is a college advising service in the southern Maryland area that will inform, recommend and guide students in their college search process. Students in Grades 8-11 with definitive plans to attend college are appropriate candidates for STRIVE4U services. Advisement would be conducted by David J. Hamilton, a Certified Education Planner.

Students who followed up with Mr. Hamilton’s recommendations on colleges and universities and applied were admitted at an 87% rate over the past five years. The nationwide admit rate to colleges is only 70%.

We offer three tiers of service: Basic, Advanced, and Comprehensive.

BASIC: the initial consultation with the student and parents will be for one hour. The purpose of this session is to assess the student’s course selection while in high school, review co-curricular activities, discuss college visitations, and go over the college search calendar. After additional written input from the student and parents, a second and final meeting will be held to discuss a list of colleges and universities to consider.

ADVANCED: Beyond the services provided at the Basic Advisement level, college advising assistance may be sought by the student and parents. Identifying criteria to construct an effective college search, answering questions about the actual application process, and determining where to attend are the main components of this service. Three face-to-face appointments will be held at designated intervals.

COMPREHENSIVE: From planning academic courses to writing essays to make an informed decision about which college to attend, virtually every aspect of the college search process will be addressed. Up to five face-to-face appointments will be held at designated intervals.

Freshmen and sophomores are preferred in order to see the benefits of STRIVE4U advisement over time. This service may be suitable for some juniors and seniors.