Arts & Humanities
The arts are about creative expression – through visual art, music, theater, dance, and design – while the humanities focus more on ideas: history,…
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Our Core Services
College Counseling & Essay Coaching
- Traditional Students
- Students with Learning Differences
- Students in Therapeutic Programs
From traditional college-bound students to students with learning differences or specific circumstances, we specialize in finding each student’s best-fit college, school, or program. We love getting to know each student as a unique individual, listening to their excitement, apprehension, needs, and desires. From a place of empathy and trust, we partner with them to submit the strongest application possible that showcases their character, strengths, and potential. Learn more about our services.
Applying to college is a multi-step process that involves many decisions, both emotional and logistical.
With backgrounds in journalism, publishing, teaching, and more, Plan the Path experts help your application to tell your story as strongly as possible.
College Admissions Insights
As educational consultants, we have a unique perspective on the college admissions landscape and how the field continues to evolve. Read on for important news, insights, and opinions on topics central to the application process.
What Should I Study In College?
Our Finding Your Fit essay series explores popular and perennial fields of study, as well as emerging areas of research. Read on for our…
Read moreSTEM Majors
These days, STEM is all around us. From new, high-profile projects within universities to cutting-edge breakthroughs in medicine and technology, we increasingly see the…
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At Plan the Path, our educational consultants provide strategic advice for your college admissions and postsecondary search. When considering schools, we are concerned with “best fit” rather than the notion of “the best.”
Through our work, we teach students self-advocacy, autonomy, and responsibility. In turn, they rely on our depth of knowledge and experience to guide them through this difficult but exciting process.
“From start to finish, Marcia was not only a pleasure to work with but she exceeded all our expectations in a college consultant. She did not take a ‘cookie-cutter’ approach by any means, but took the time to get to know and understand my son, and his learning differences, in order to guide and help him through the college process—ultimately finding the best fit for him. Her kindness, intelligence, responsiveness, and patience make her a pleasure to work with.”
– B.B.
“Marcia has that special something that enables her to really get to know your child. She maximized our son’s admission chances with her advice on which schools to visit given the limited time we had, and about how to present his “mixed” record in his application. Marcia went far above and beyond what we expected. She is one of a kind. Truly exceptional!!”
– C.F.
“Marcia connects with the hopes and fears of parent and child alike. She keeps things relaxed so that the long process leads to opportunities and new ideas.”
– P.R.
“Leading up to making my college decision, Marcia and her team helped me put together a vision board to weigh which schools were the best fit for my passions, my field of study, and the type of experience I wanted. She helped me think through what was most important to me, what my goals were, and how (and which) college fits into my future career path. I love Boston University and am so grateful for the support Plan the Path gave me.”
– E.P.
“Marcia provided truly excellent counsel of our son and us through the college application process. From the start, Marcia’s understanding of the situation and clarity of thought were paramount. Her guidance through discovering potential colleges that would be a good fit and her writing team’s patient and constructive writing advice were stellar. Marcia and her team turned what could have been a challenging process into a journey of self discovery and definition for our son!”
– L.S.
“We’re so grateful we found you and for the support you provided our son. He took ownership of his transfer applications, and we’re sure your guidance played a big role. It’s unbelievable to think about where he was two years ago, and to see that he’s heading to USC in the Fall. As you know, he had several great options, but the East Coast schools couldn’t really compete with Southern California.”
– K.R.
“A true advocate for her clients, Marcia brings her smarts, vast knowledge of educational programs, intuitive sense about students, down-to-earth approach, generous nature, and strong work ethic to her work with families. She’s a strong communicator with a quick wit and disarming way that makes her accessible to both students and adults. If I needed to hire an educational consultant for my own child, Marcia would be the first person I would call. I recommend her without reservation.”
– Jane Hoffman, College Advice 101
“Marcia’s calm and focused manner allowed our son to take ownership of his applications. He worked with Marcia and her team on them for many months. I was confident that he was on task and getting things accomplished, which made our house a calmer place. No nagging from Mom! In the end, he was accepted to his #1 school!”
– N.V.
“Our son is graduating from college this year. He turned a corner after a fraught, touch-and-go first year at his school, opened himself up to the experience, made good friends and built cherished relationships with teachers and staff. We wanted to thank you for guiding us and helping him get there.”
– G.B.
“Thank you for helping me get into Ithaca. It’s been a long journey and you’ve stuck with me and supported me the whole time. I’ve been so nervous, but with your help I got into my dream school with a scholarship! I can never thank you enough.”
– A.N.