— Motivation

The Weight of a Name

My name is Benson Lu, and my company is called Lu College Consulting.

The name is simple. It’s easy to remember, and it tells people exactly who’s behind the work and the kind of service they can expect.

But to me, the name means something much deeper.

When you name a business after your family name, every piece of work becomes a reflection of it. Every essay I review, every college list I build, and every recommendation I make carries the Lu name. I’m not just representing my business; I’m representing my family and my ancestors.

That means I can’t cut corners. I can’t half-ass work. I can’t let down those who came before and are watching now. I have to put my best foot forward for every one of my clients. Lu College Consulting must represent the highest standard of excellence.

My grandfather was a high-ranking judge in China during a time when accepting bribes was common and, in many cases, expected. He refused. He continued living in the same modest, publicly subsidized apartment as the people who worked beneath him.

He passed away two weeks ago.

My father has carried that same quiet integrity throughout his life. He has always believed that doing the right thing isn’t about recognition; it’s about character.

I think about that often in my own work.

No one knows whether I read an essay once or three times. No one knows whether I spent another hour researching a college’s admissions trends instead of relying on generic advice.

But I know.

And the name of my business is the same name my grandfather and my father spent their lives honoring.

Now it’s my turn to honor it.

When families choose Lu College Consulting, they’re not just hiring someone to help with college applications. They’re trusting someone whose own name is attached to every recommendation, every edit, and every decision.

That’s a responsibility I take seriously.

Because a family name isn’t inherited once, it’s honored every day.

July 8, 2026 · 4 min read

— Inspiration

Be Thankful You're the Underdog

After the New York Knicks won the NBA Finals, I couldn't stop thinking about Jalen Brunson.

In a game that rewards height above almost everything else, he was the best player on the court. By far. And he did it standing shorter than nearly every other player he faced.

I opened my Notes app and started writing. Fifteen minutes later, I had this:

Would you rather be the best player on the court as a 7'4" alien prodigy or as a 6'2" undersized guard?

It's exponentially more fulfilling in life to succeed when the odds are stacked against you, when people don't believe in you, and when you have a chip on your shoulder that's weighing you down.

Yeah, it takes more work to be the best when you're not supposed to be. But it's just work. And it's worth it.

Being at a disadvantage is something you should embrace, something you should crave. You don't want to be given handouts in life. You should want to have to earn it.

Be thankful that you're the underdog.

I wrote that for myself. But the more I sat with it, the more I realized it applies to college admissions, too.

Most students I work with feel like the underdog. They don't have a 4.0. They weren't class president. They're applying to schools where plenty of other candidates look better on paper. And they wonder if any of it matters.

It does. Because a transcript is only part of the picture. Your essays, your demonstrated interest, the way you present who you are and where you're headed, those are the parts of an application you can actually shape. They're the parts that tell a story.

That's what we do at Lu College Consulting. We find that story and make sure it's being told clearly. You don't need everything to be perfect. You need the right person in your corner helping you put it together.

June 16, 2026 · 5 min read