WELCOME TO CORTEX
College Admissions and Lifelong Success Through Personal Development
What is holding me back?
Overcome common obstacles to college admissions success
Last-Minute Stress
Hours on YouTube
Stagnant Officer Positions
Borderline Grades
Uninspiring Activities
Texting at 1AM
Excelling at school is not enough. More than ever, colleges are looking for students who exhibit curiosity, compassion, leadership, and other essential traits.
How will Cortex help me?
Become the kind of student admissions officers can’t resist
Love of Learning
Unforgettable Essays
Founder of Club
Reading Books for Fun
Studying Ahead
Unique Activities
For example, Yale admits “students who exhibit genuine intellectual curiosity in [daily life], as opposed to earning grades for the sake of ostensible success.”
Who will mentor me?
Work directly with the founders of Cortex
Amy Do
B.A. in Economics and Brain Sciences
Worked at Google for 10 years, specializing in education and knowledge management
Spent 17 years using the Cortex approach to help students gain admission to top universities
Daniel Do
B.A. in Cognitive Science
Spent 6 years applying neuroscience and psychology to personal growth and achievement
Created the Cortex curriculum, used by dozens of consultants to help hundreds of students
James Do
B.A. in Human Biology; J.D. (Juris Doctor) focusing on corporate law
Specialized in Mergers & Aquisitions contracts in prominent national & Silicon Valley law firms
Co-founded Perfect 1600, the Bay Area’s leading SAT prep company
As three siblings who attended Mission San Jose, one of California’s toughest high schools, we know what it takes it succeed in a high-pressure academic environment.
What services does Cortex offer?
College Consulting - Grades 7 - 12
We prepare students for success in high school and college admissions through personal growth. With guidance from your consultant, your student will:
Define personal, college, and career goals
Discover core strengths and interests
Cultivate strong academic habits and work ethic
Pursue enriching activities, projects, and summer programs
Develop their high school narrative and craft memorable essays
Foster curiosity, compassion, leadership, and other traits for lifelong success
Tuition: $13,500-$19,500/yr
What are families saying about Cortex?
Join other students on the path to lifelong success
“After just a few months, [my daughter] is more confident and organized, and feels that she has a close mentor… Cortex is the best investment I’ve ever made for my daughter…”
- Parent of 8th grader, Hopkins Jr. High
“Cortex has helped our son achieve more than he thought was possible, while also learning to enjoy what he is accomplishing.”
- Parent of 11th grader, BASIS Independent
“Working with you to reflect on my accomplishments and shape them into memorable… application essays has been one of the most impactful experiences of my life.”
- 12th grader, Mission San Jose High School
Each year, Cortex students gain admission to excellent colleges, including Stanford, Princeton, Yale, Duke, Cornell, Carnegie Mellon, Johns Hopkins, UC Berkeley, UCLA, and more.
Join Our Interest List
Each year, we get about significantly more inquiries than we have space in our program, so a spot is not guaranteed.
However, if you complete the form below, we would be happy to meet with you for an initial consultant.
Updated 4/17/25
