College Quo's founding was no matter of impulse or whim. As a student at Hillel Academy, College Quo's founder, Amanda Rickman realized her passion for writing. This passion actualized in helping a few friends by editing their essays and sharing her knowledge on the nuances of the college application process.
Upon gaining a scholarship worth USD $50,000 per year to Bowdoin College (ranked #18 private university and #3 liberal arts college in the US, with an acceptance rate of 8%), Amanda realized the significant opportunities and experiences available abroad, and offered to help one student with the application process after he expressed his frustration on social media. After he gained acceptance to all the universities that he applied to, Amanda decided to start a business from it. College Quo was officially launched on April 28, 2017.
At Bowdoin, Amanda pursued a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology with a minor in History. She engaged in numerous school-funded research and internship opportunities, travel experiences (she spent a semester abroad in Barcelona, solo-traveled around Europe, and also spent 2 weeks in Hanoi, Vietnam), and on-campus jobs. For all four years, she worked at the Bowdoin Career Planning Center where she began as a Marketing/ Publicity Intern and later became a Senior Peer Advisor who edited résumés, cover letters and helped students apply for various jobs and internships.
She also worked in the Bowdoin Admissions department as a Senior Interviewer, where she interviewed over 100 students seeking admission to the college, and also as a Tour Guide and Public Speaker, giving information sessions to prospective students & parents.
Upon graduating from Bowdoin in May 2020, Amanda began a contract with Hillel Academy, an International School in Kingston, Jamaica. College Quo is now the in-house consulting agency at Hillel, providing all Hillel students with college consulting services to be in the best position to secure their goals and achieve scholarships. Whether at Hillel or from other high schools in Jamaica, students continue to thrive at College Quo.
In the past four years of operation, College Quo has helped students at numerous high schools across Jamaica and the Caribbean to get into their dream universities and secure scholarships. In 2020, one-third of all College Quo students received a full-tuition or full-ride scholarship. Overall, the average scholarship per year for College Quo students was USD $48,000.
Upon gaining a scholarship worth USD $50,000 per year to Bowdoin College (ranked #18 private university and #3 liberal arts college in the US, with an acceptance rate of 8%), Amanda realized the significant opportunities and experiences available abroad, and offered to help one student with the application process after he expressed his frustration on social media. After he gained acceptance to all the universities that he applied to, Amanda decided to start a business from it. College Quo was officially launched on April 28, 2017.
At Bowdoin, Amanda pursued a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology with a minor in History. She engaged in numerous school-funded research and internship opportunities, travel experiences (she spent a semester abroad in Barcelona, solo-traveled around Europe, and also spent 2 weeks in Hanoi, Vietnam), and on-campus jobs. For all four years, she worked at the Bowdoin Career Planning Center where she began as a Marketing/ Publicity Intern and later became a Senior Peer Advisor who edited résumés, cover letters and helped students apply for various jobs and internships.
She also worked in the Bowdoin Admissions department as a Senior Interviewer, where she interviewed over 100 students seeking admission to the college, and also as a Tour Guide and Public Speaker, giving information sessions to prospective students & parents.
Upon graduating from Bowdoin in May 2020, Amanda began a contract with Hillel Academy, an International School in Kingston, Jamaica. College Quo is now the in-house consulting agency at Hillel, providing all Hillel students with college consulting services to be in the best position to secure their goals and achieve scholarships. Whether at Hillel or from other high schools in Jamaica, students continue to thrive at College Quo.
In the past four years of operation, College Quo has helped students at numerous high schools across Jamaica and the Caribbean to get into their dream universities and secure scholarships. In 2020, one-third of all College Quo students received a full-tuition or full-ride scholarship. Overall, the average scholarship per year for College Quo students was USD $48,000.
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"It really began when my friends started asking me for help with essays and the college application process at large. I truly enjoyed sharing my advice, experiences and helping them in any way I could. Then one day, someone expressed their frustration with the college application process on social media and I offered to help. He paid me a small fee and got into every school he applied to, with scholarships. I felt really proud that I was a part of that"
-Amanda |
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