Passion Project Development

We help students between 8th grade and 12th grade build a service-oriented passion project in an area of their interest. This will significantly boost their college applications!

5.3x Higher Odds of Ivy League Acceptance

167+

Student Service Initiatives Started

150,000+

People Impacted by Our Student Initiatives

money growth flower icon

$200,000+

Funds Raised Through Various Activities

80+

Notabel Partnerships With Non-Profits

What Is The Passion Project Program?

  • Passion Project Program

    Age 13-18

    32-50 Hours

    Students work with their Ascend Now coaches to find a problem in an area of interest to them, brainstorm a viable and sustainable solution and execute their plan.

    This is a highly execution-oriented program.

    Project-Based Learning

    The whole program is tailored towards one end goal – creating an impactful project in one of the 17 UN SDGs.

    Focus on Tangible Outcomes

    Success is the outcomes from their project. Students will focus on creation and expansion of their initiatives!

    Improvement of Soft Skills

    Students will draft proposals, network and reach out for partnerships, speak to stakeholders and learn fundamental soft skills. 

    Variation In Program Length: The program has a range instead of fixed hours because it is dependent on the scale and scope of their community service. This will be defined by the program coach and college counsellor (if applicable).
  • Application components for the top 250 universities

    15%

    Standardized Test Scores

    20%

    Grades  & 
    Coursework

    30%

    Extracurricular
    Activities

    20%

    Application
    Essays

    15%

    Interviews & Recomm.

    Fields of Community Service

    Here are the most popular ones
    Education
    Providing equitable education opportunities
    Community
    Using their skills to help people that need it.
    Volunteering
    Create an opportunity for others to volunteer.
    Food Insecurity
    Reducing food waste and feeding the needy.
    E-commerce
    Sustainable methods to build and sell products.
    Awareness
    Addressing challenging topics through media.
    Tech Support
    Using technology to solve pressing issues.
    Perosnal Portfolio
    Showcase pivotal personal experiences.
    Start Your Passion Project Today!
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    Organizations Ascend Now Students have partnered with...

    Why Is Passion Project Important?

    The passion project is often the most unique identifier in a student’s application. It is also the one of the only activities with a very high ceiling in terms of achievements.
    • Universities Love Community Service!

      The Yale admissions officer put it best. They’re trying to see “would you be a good roommate, a good dinner partner, and focused on helping others.” The college is taking a bet on your ability to add value to the people around you.

    • Your Passion is Unique to You!

      The passion project is a great way to stand out and let the admissions officer understand what matters to YOU as a student. Your solution also highlights your creativity, problem-solving skills and leadership abilities.

    Setup a free profile review call today to understand how we can support your research and publication journey today!

    Amazing Passion Projects by Ascend Now Students

    Moone's Cuisine

    Food Industry

    Moone Nang founded Moone's Cuisine after her heart condition inspired a passion for healthy eating. A two-time Ascend Now Bullpen winner, she launched her first product, Holiday High Tea Trees, which quickly sold out. Moone aims to expand her brand with more event-based campaigns focused on health-conscious customers.

    Commence Circle

    E-Commerce

    Commence Cirlce aims to enhance the performance and growth of small businesses and organizations by providing them with affordable e-services that would help create, retain, or leverage their intellectual capital and lend earnings as micro-loans to support even more businesses.

    Intern-Ed

    Entrepreneurship

    Intern-Ed offers virtual internships for Indonesian high school students (ages 15-18). These project-based programs provide real-world experience beyond the classroom.

    Crepanfles

    Food Industry

    Crepanfles is a Jakarta based home bakery where Ryu bakes delicious and customizable crepes, waffles, pancakes and his signature dish, crepanfles, for all to enjoy.

    Ascend Now Students Get Into The Best Universities

    Download Ascend Now 2023-2024 College Report

    Student Success Stories

    Wililam L

    Helped William start an education non-profit and intern at an Investment Bank.

     

    Improved grades in Math and computer science by over 20% in 6 months.

    Read Full Case Study

    Ameya founded EarthFirst.Co to sell eco-friendly bags stitched by visually impaired individuals.

    Through his project Ameya has been able to create 100+ jobs for the visually impaired.

    Read Full Case Study

    Some Of Our Star Teachers

    Arsani

    Passion Project Coach

    MA Arts in TV & Digital Journalism, photographer and cinematographer

    Paola

    Passion Project Coach

    20+ years as a Project Manager | Social development | Environmental efforts

    Gwen

    Passion Project Coach

    BA in Law from LSE; Commercial Analyst and Founder of LSE Amicus Society

    Meera

    Passion Project Coach

    7+ years as a life and career coach; Project Manager with a BA in Business Administration

    Meet Our Team

    What do parents and students have to say?

    “Tangible outcomes”

    “Regular communication”

    “A Company that cares”

      Hands-on support in creating my non-profit project

      Ascend has tremendously helped me navigate this stressful college process. From providing hands-on support in creating my non-profit project to assisting with publishing my research paper, and, most importantly, crafting my college essays.

      Help with college application process

      Faaiza has helped me tremendously throughout my application process and thanks to her patience and amazing reliability, she helped me achieve my dream, getting accepted into Boston College. This could not have been possible without her.

      Strong, confident children

      Ascend Now is teaching our children to be strong, confident, thoughtful, resilient and, importantly, to embrace challenges. We are incredibly grateful and thankful for their ongoing support and commitment to our children’s success.

      Exciting news, accepted to St Andrews!

      Dear Ruchi and Amazing Ascend Team, we have some incredible exciting news!! Roger has been accepted to the most prestigious and 1st ranked UK University St Andrews for their most competitive Psychology study!!

      Amazing and very helpful

      Thank you Faaiza and Mohseena. Nadine has tried her best to do the essay with the help of amazing Faaiza (according to Nadine) and specially Mohseena who has been a very helpful conductor to make sure everybody is doing their job right at due time.

      Incredible kindness and assistance

      Hi Ms Arianna! I cannot imagine my highschool experience without your incredible kindness and assistance with all my endeavours, and Ascend’s program as a whole. I truly could not have gone this far without Ascend and all your help. I’ve decided to go to UIUC and have already comitted to the school! Thank you once again for these last 2 years and your efforts through it all!

      Would not have been possible without you

      Thank you Mr. Nitin for all your help with finding the right college and programs! Thank you Ms. Arianna for all your support, from check ins, scheduling, lessons, uni apps and more. I truly appreciate your kindness and generosity. And thank you Ms. Marijan for your endless help with all my essays. I could not have completed the whole process without you!

      Incredible knowledge and a well-structure approach

      Ascend Now has incredible knowledge and a well-structured approach which was a key factor during my son’s application. We were unsure between the UK and Japan but after deep consideration, we decided to try both and my son got accepted into UCL, Durham and Tokyo University.

      Key contributor to my college process

      I really enjoyed my time working with Ascend Now. I wanted to apply to transfer universities after my first year at BU – my dream being Georgetown. We worked on my GPA, recommendations, and all the essential elements. I got accepted and for sure Ascend Now has been a very important contributor to the entire process.

      Thank you for believing in me

      I still can’t believe I’ve been accepted into SCAD and Parsons! Thank you to the Ascend Now team in believing in me and giving me that extra push over the summer to perfect my portfolio!

    Speak To An Advisor Today!

    After you fill out this form, one of our learning advisors will reach out to you within 20 minutes. (Max wait time: 24 hours)

    In this call we’ll discuss...

    What exact support you’re looking for and your specific learning goals and timeframe.

    Understand your child’s interests, learning preferences and schedule.

    We will explain our programs, terms of service, and how we work with our families to monitor and track progress.

    Choose the ideal program, confirm pricing and explain the next steps.

    We look forward to speaking with you!

    Speak To An Advisor Today!

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