Brooke Dixon and Ryan Coats
Successful college applicants stand out among thousands of students. Do you know what their secret is? Most people don’t. But good news! Mesa-Gilbert Class 101 is here to provide you expert support.
Throughout high school, Class 101’s professional college advisors take an individualized approach to help students navigate the complicated college planning process.
Navigating the college admissions process is daunting. With more than 5,000 colleges in the United States to choose from and the drastic changes to the college admission process in the last 25 years, students and parents can find themselves drowning in information.
According to the National Student Clearinghouse, only 45 percent of students earn a degree within six years at the first university they enroll in. Another 12 percent transfer and complete their coursework at a different campus, losing their merit scholarships and possibly college coursework in the process. One in three students drop out entirely.
“Students must maintain high grades, participate in extracurriculars, take on leadership roles, prepare for the ACT and SAT, write essays, apply for colleges, and then try to choose the perfect college for them,” said Shawn Coats, owner of Mesa-Gilbert Class 101. “Is it the university that offers the highest scholarship award, or the university where the student can continue their sport?” Shawn continued. “It depends and must be evaluated on an individual basis.”
While many choose to stay in state, Mesa-Gilbert Class 101 wants students to have options, regularly helping them attend private schools for the same or less money than an in-state university. Class 101 college advisors help students find the university that will allow them to thrive.
Class 101, a national college planning franchise, is proud of its record over the past 21 years — nearly 95 percent of students who participated earned a four-year degree at the university they enrolled in freshman year.
Mesa-Gilbert Class 101 advisors start working with students as early as their freshman year of high school. When students start working with a college advisor, they will begin to build their resumes and prepare for the college admission process. This includes reviewing grades, encouraging extracurriculars, and preparing for the SAT and ACT examinations. The program includes both SAT and ACT courses in an effort to help students achieve the highest score possible.
Mesa-Gilbert Class 101 advisors also will guide students through their college applications and admissions essays, and help students find scholarships that help make their dream school attainable. The advisors believe it is crucial to get to know their students, and important to build professional lifelong relationships to foster success.
“We are incredibly proud of our students and their accomplishments during the 2018-2019 school year,” boasted Shawn. “This year, we have two Obama Scholars attending Arizona State University on a full-ride, two National Merit Commended Scholars, two students earned Congressional Nominations to Military Academies, and one student was acknowledged by the College Board’s National Hispanic Recognition Program. Additionally, six students scored 34 or better on the ACT and one student achieved a perfect 36 — congratulations Drew Halloran!”
Mesa-Gilbert Class 101 students will be attending schools all over the United States, including the University of California, Berkeley (on an Army ROTC scholarship), Loyola University Chicago, Barrett Honors College at Arizona State University, Saint Louis University, University of Utah, and the Honors College at the University of Arizona, to name a few.
“One of our students is going to serve his country prior to attending college,” Shawn continued, “and when he attends Grand Canyon University (on a scholarship), he’s actually going to be paid to be a student.”
Meanwhile, Shawn, a Northeast Mesa resident, had more impressive statistics about Mesa-Gilbert Class 101. “Throughout the 2018-2019 school year, 97 college admission applications were submitted and our students achieved 93 percent acceptance. Students applied and received many scholarships, including ROTC scholarships. In total, our Class of 2019 earned more than $4,350,000 in scholarship money. We look forward to what the future will bring for our Class of 2019.”
Mesa-Gilbert Class 101 offers complimentary consultations with professional college advisors. “While it’s best to start early, we can help your high school freshman or senior,” said Shawn. “Oftentimes we hear, ‘I wish we would have met with you years ago. You would have saved me thousands of dollars.’”
For more information, or to schedule a free consultation, contact Shawn Coats at (602) 647-8347, via email at
scoats@class101.com, or visit class101.com/mesagilbert/.