CounselMore Member Spotlight: Marc Gray - Odyssey College Prep
In this CounselMore Member Spotlight, we meet Marc Gray of Odyssey College Prep. Marc joined in 2021 but has been involved in college counseling and test prep since 2014. In this post, we’ll discover how Marc began his career in college admissions counseling and learn about his unique approach to guiding students through the college application process. Keep reading to learn more about Marc, his philosophy on college counseling, and the specialized services he and his team offer to help students achieve their higher education goals.
Member: Marc Gray
Business: Odyssey College Prep
Website:odysseycollegeprep.com
Started: Spring 2019
Tell us how your background influenced your approach to college admissions counseling.
I started as a test prep tutor. I prepared kids for the ACT and SAT. My favorite portion of the ACT was the Essay Section. Writing was always hard for me growing up. However, I grew to enjoy it immensely as a college student. Helping high school students develop their voice and an understanding that their own stories have power was advantageous. As my clients grew, I started to get requests from parents to do more essay coaching for their college applications. Things got really busy from there.
I partnered with other tutors and hired tutors to help me manage all our students. Ultimately, I've taken a step back from tutoring now. I do the majority of the admissions coaching now while my staff of educators works with our test prep students.
The pattern of starting with one skill that flows into another became a central theme in my practice. While test prep and college counseling are how I entered the college admissions industry, aptitude testing is how I've distinguished myself from my peers. My team and I use advanced aptitude testing services to supplement and support our test prep and college admissions students. Through aptitude testing, we help our students pick college majors, advise them on their college lists, and guide them to their career paths.
It's been a wild journey but incredibly rewarding.
How do you personalize your counseling approach to accommodate diverse student aspirations and needs?
As I mentioned, we give advanced aptitude tests to all our college counseling students. This allows us to collect complex data on each student. We can tell how fast they read, what foreign languages they'll have an easier time mastering, how quickly they solve problems, etc.
We use this data in myriad ways. However, it tells us as educators how fast to go with students, how best to teach them, and how to follow up and manage their workload.
Can you recount a particularly memorable transformation you've witnessed in a student's academic journey?
I gave one aptitude test to a recent college graduate. She approached a career crossroads. One turn would lead her to med school, while another would take her to business school. I tested her, debriefed her results, and met with her again to advise her further. While she loved economics and business, her most cherished times at work and school occurred during much of her lab work over the years. We looked at many careers together, and we both determined that med school made the most sense for her.
I recount this time because not only did it culminate in success, but due to the intensity of the choice she was making. The sheer amount of trust she had in our services hit me. It's a trust I don't take lightly. I heard from her recently that she loves med school. She's looking forward to becoming a doctor, as "loving med school" might be a bit of a stretch. She looks at PowerPoint charts until her eyes fall out, reads incessantly, and studies feverishly. And yet, it's an effort that will culminate in a meaningful and lucrative career.
Being able to take part in those decisions is exhilarating. It's a fantastic gig.
Tell us something most of your students and parents don't know about you.
My wife and I call each other Boo. Why? We're still determining.
We have two Shih Tzus, Seelie, and Laszlo, respectively. We have an unhealthy obsession with these two dogs, and we enjoy the company of other humans who have untenable obsessions with their pups.
I love Greek and Norse Mythology more than most. Hence, the name of my business is Odyssey College Prep.
Can you recount a time when a student's boldness left you surprised?
I recently worked with a student who was rejected from USC's film program. In his appeal letter, the student wanted it very clearly communicated that he didn't need USC's program to succeed as a film student. I told him he sounded a bit aggressive and reckless. What's odd is that this student usually does whatever I tell them. They have a great attitude and are a pleasure to work with. We worked on his appeal letter to see if he might have another shot. However, he was adamant about not begging or using the word count and his rhetorical energy to beg for a seat at USC's table. He claimed why he was a highly interested candidate and candidly asked that they reconsider his application.
I usually don't advocate for this kind of brazen pride, but he impressed me. He didn't have arrogance but a scrappy confidence he'd earned over the years as a professional filmmaker. Since he's older than most applying first-year students, having already earned an associate's degree, he's had to hustle more than most, which gave him a practiced ethos so rare in people so young. I don't know if he'll get in. However, he has opportunities at other colleges that give him the leverage of being that brazen. And I applaud him for it.
In what ways has your counseling enhanced your community?
Conclusion
That concludes this week's CounselMore Member Spotlight.Marc also updates his Odyssey College Prep blog regularly. To join the next mentorship meeting, click on the link below. Marc welcomes any and all college counselors to attend. Stay tuned for more college counseling events by joining the CounselMore Newsletter as well.
