About Us
Dan Kwon
Founder, Pharos College Consulting
Guiding students toward clarity, purpose, and college admissions success.
I founded Pharos College Consulting in 2025 with a mission to provide families with clear, strategic, and personalized guidance through today’s increasingly competitive admissions landscape. Before launching Pharos, I spent over 15 years at FLEX College Prep, where I served as Senior Vice President of Admissions Consulting and helped build one of the most respected college counseling programs in the country.
Since 2010, I’ve worked with hundreds of students from diverse backgrounds—high-achieving scholars, student-athletes, elite-musicians, aspiring Ivy League applicants, and students seeking to discover their academic identity. My students have earned acceptances to many of the nation’s top universities, including all Top 20 private institutions.
My Background
I graduated from Mission San Jose High School before earning my B.A. in English from UC Berkeley and later my J.D. from Santa Clara University School of Law. During law school, I served as a Judicial Extern for a U.S. District Court Judge, an experience that deepened my ability to analyze narratives, evaluate performance, and support students in articulating their unique stories.
Before transitioning into education consulting, I worked in the technology sector at a specialty scientific instrumentation company, gaining valuable insight into STEM-driven industries and professional environments.
Coaching, Mentoring & Leadership
Outside the academic sphere, my passion for coaching has shaped who I am as an educator and mentor. I played collegiate volleyball at both UC Berkeley and Santa Clara University, earning a League Championship and 2nd Team All-American honors. I later coached high school and club volleyball at Mission San Jose High School and Archbishop Mitty High School, leading teams to league, section, and state titles, and co-founding a successful junior club volleyball program that earned multiple Junior Olympic bids.
These coaching experiences inform my consulting philosophy:
Every student is capable of growth, excellence, and authentic self-discovery when guided with structure, insight, and encouragement.
Why I Started Pharos
Families today face an overwhelming college admissions process—one that often feels confusing, high-stakes, and stressful. I created Pharos to serve as a trusted guide, helping students uncover their strengths, find their voice, and navigate college admissions with confidence and purpose.
At Pharos, my goal is simple: to help every student present the strongest, most authentic version of themselves on their path to college.
Contact us
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