EP #249: Dr. JW Stewart with Rally Advising Demystifies College Admissions Through Personal Experience

What makes Dr. JW Stewart with Rally Advising a good neighbor?

Dr. JW Stewart knows firsthand how challenging the college admissions process can be without proper guidance. His personal journey—struggling through college, dropping out, and taking six years to complete his bachelor's degree—fueled his passion to become the mentor he never had. Now, as the founder of Rally Advising, he helps high school students navigate the increasingly complex world of college admissions with personalized attention and transparent pricing.

The landscape of college admissions continues to evolve, with some institutions now employing AI to filter applications—a development many families aren't even aware of. Dr. Stewart cuts through the noise of social media "quick fixes" and unrealistic promises, offering students and parents a grounded perspective on what truly matters. "The college admission process is not easy," he acknowledges, "but there's lots of opportunity out there. It just requires a good deal of hard work and, unfortunately, a lot of good old-fashioned luck sometimes too."

What makes Rally Advising unique is its accessibility. While some college consultants charge up to $10,000 for a year's services—often without publishing their rates—Dr. Stewart maintains full transparency about his fees while delivering individualized guidance. He also honors his roots by providing pro bono services to economically disadvantaged students, ensuring that quality college consulting isn't just for those who can afford it. Having taught at both high school and college levels in the Frisco and Prosper areas, his connections and experience provide valuable insights for families navigating this critical life transition.

Visit rallyadvising.com today to learn more about how Dr. Stewart and his team can help your student find the right college fit while reducing the stress that often accompanies this significant life decision. Don't let your child miss opportunities because they lack the right guidance—the support they need might be closer than you think!

To learn more about Rally Advising  go to: 

https://www.rallyadvising.com/

Rally Advising 

940-278-9807

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, Sophia Yvette.

Speaker 2 (00:10):
Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast.
Are you in need of a collegeadvisor?
Well, one may be closer thanyou think.
Today I have the pleasure ofintroducing your good neighbor,
Dr JW Stewart, with RallyAdvising.
Dr JW, how are you doing today?

Speaker 3 (00:27):
I am doing wonderful.

Speaker 2 (00:29):
Fantastic to hear, and we're so excited to learn
all about you and your business.
Can you tell us a bit aboutyour company?

Speaker 3 (00:38):
Sure, we're a college consulting business and we are
focused on helping high schoolstudents map out their college
and professional goals and thenguide them through the whole
college admissions process.
You know we have a lot of greatschools in the area that are
producing wonderful students,which produces a level of
competition that results in agreat deal of stress for

(00:59):
students and families, and so mybusiness helps with that.
It's my kind of purpose is toease minds and help students and
families figure out the rightschool that's for their, for
their student.

Speaker 2 (01:11):
Yes, and what an interesting industry you're in.
How did you get into collegeadvising?

Speaker 3 (01:18):
Well, my own high school to college transition was
rather rocky.
I didn't really have anyassistance, not even from a high
school counselor.
You know I was a relativelysmart kid but I was from an
economically disadvantagedfamily and, you know, without
that person helping me, I missedout on a lot of opportunities,

(01:39):
both academic and financial,because I didn't have anybody to
kind of show me the way.
And so this is a story as I gotinto education that I heard a
lot from adults and that I sawwith students, and so you know,
as I became an educator and goton in years, I decided to be as
much as I could, a guide for asmany students as you know I had

(02:00):
in class or who needed myservices to kind of help them
find the way that I didn't have.

Speaker 2 (02:08):
Wow, that's very amazing.
It sounds like you truly foundyour calling.
So, dr JW, what is the mostcommon myth or misconception you
come across in your industry?

Speaker 3 (02:27):
misconception you come across in your industry.
There are probably more mythsthan facts in my industry.
In fact, a big part of my jobis dispelling myths and
misconceptions out-of-dateknowledge that students and
families have about college.
I guess the most recentdevelopment that I'm not even
sure families and students areeven aware of is that admissions
offices are now some of themare feeding their applications

(02:49):
through AI and using that as afilter.
It's something that you wouldnot have even considered a
couple of years ago, you know,and people are inundated
constantly on social media withcollege consultants telling them
there's one easy trick or fiveeasy steps to get into the
college of your dreams.
You know and, and I really wishthat was true, but it just

(03:11):
isn't, and so I spend a lot oftime talking with students and
families to kind of get them tosee that.
You know, the college admissionprocess is not easy, but
there's lots of opportunity outthere.
It just requires a good deal ofhard work and, unfortunately, a
lot of good old-fashioned lucksometimes too.

Speaker 2 (03:28):
So, dr JW, who are your target customers and, in
terms of marketing, how do youattract them?

Speaker 3 (03:35):
Most of my clients come by word of mouth referrals
thankfully Parents who knowother parents who kids will go
through, and so that's generallywhere most of my clients come
from in the Frisco, Prosper andsurrounding areas where I've had
the great privilege to teachboth at the high school and
college level.

(03:56):
And so the clients I'm typicallylooking for are those that have
that limited experience withcollege admissions and are just
looking for a little bit of helpgetting them through that
process and giving theirstudents a little bit of a leg
up, you know, with otherstudents in their schools and in
the area and in the country.
You know, and also in honor ofkind of what got me into this

(04:21):
college advising, I also do agreat deal of pro bono college
consulting for students who areeconomically disadvantaged or
who may be struggling with otherissues students who are
economically disadvantaged orwho may be struggling with other
issues.
So I get a lot of referralsfrom sometimes church or
something that a kid that reallyneeds it, who doesn't have the
resources to kind of pay for aprivate consultant.

Speaker 2 (04:45):
That's amazing.
Do you go to church yourself?

Speaker 3 (04:48):
I do.
I go to a church in Frisco andyou know pretty much any kid in
that church will that needs myservices, has it if they need it
.
But yeah, I don't generallyadvertise my business at the
church though.

Speaker 2 (05:05):
So switching gears.
Can you describe a hardship orlife challenge you overcame and
how it made you a better andstronger person today?
What comes to mind for you?

Speaker 3 (05:16):
Probably the biggest struggle in my life was once I
did get into college.
I actually struggled a greatdeal with college and part of
that was just not being in theright mindset when I got there
or even understanding really whyI was there.
I dropped out of college afterabout a year and a half, went
out into the workforce, wentback to college, kind of
puttered along, you know, reallynot understanding what I was

(05:39):
doing or why I was doing it, andthen eventually, thankfully
with some help from some mentors, figured out kind of what I
wanted to do and, mostimportantly, why.
Out kind of what I wanted to doand, most importantly, why.
But that experience of kind ofstruggling for six years to
finish a bachelor's degree leftan indelible mark on me as far
as understanding education andgiving me a unique perspective

(06:05):
on higher learning or highereducation excuse me that
understanding the benefits andvalue but also being a little
wary of its promise sometimes.
But yeah, but two degrees later.
Now I sometimes miss being astudent now.
I never would have thought Iwould have felt that way back in
my early 20s.

(06:28):
And Dr JW, please tell ourlisteners one thing they should
remember about rally advising Ithink the most important thing I
kind of begin talking withfamilies about is that you know,
if you're going with me, thatyou're getting personalized

(06:49):
service at reasonable rates.
You know, very few collegeconsultants publish their rates,
so no one really knows whatreasonable even is.
I've heard people charging asmuch as $10,000 for a year's
worth of services, which shocksmost people, but unfortunately
it didn't shock me that much,and so they're going to get
someone who is going to spendtime with their student, get to

(07:13):
understand what they want out oftheir college experience and
then give them the advice andthe guidance to get them where
they need to be.

Speaker 2 (07:23):
And how can our listeners learn more about Rally
Advising?

Speaker 3 (07:27):
You can find more about me and information on our
services at my website,rallyadvisingcom, and everything
that I do is published on there, as well as the rates.

Speaker 2 (07:41):
Well, Dr JW, I really appreciate you being on the
show.
We wish you and your businessthe best moving forward.

Speaker 3 (07:49):
Thank you so much, Sophia.

Speaker 1 (07:51):
Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor
Podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on
the show, go to gnpfriscocom.
That's gnpfriscocom, or call469-221-9345.
9, 3, 4, 5.