We’re always happy to talk with parents and students about their questions regarding college admissions. Below I’ve summarized topics that come up frequently and that refer to important information parents and students should know about the college search.
After you’ve looked through, I encourage you to contact me to schedule a free half-hour meet and greet when we can discuss your questions and our educational consulting services.
College admissions involves a great deal of complexity with ever-changing requirements. Navigating this world is not easy without institutional knowledge and an understanding of the landscape and available resources. We provide expert guidance on the most effective college admission strategies, helping students and families through every step of the application process. We work with our students so that they achieve the best outcome. My team and I have extensive knowledge of schools, programs, and admissions logistics; we are strategic in responding to new and unforeseen dynamics.
We offer various plans tailored to your individual needs. In our Comprehensive Plan, we handle everything from creating a list of schools to guiding the student through essay writing and entering the details into various application platforms. We also have plans solely for developing and refining custom college lists, as well as expert essay coaching for the Common Application and supplemental essays. In addition to our college planning services, I have expertise in advising students with a history of behavioral difficulties, mental health challenges, diagnosis of learning disabilities, and a record of poor academic performance. See our Educational Consulting Services page for specific details about these offerings.
In my 15 years of counseling, I’ve visited almost 300 colleges. I keep closely updated on school statistics, programs, and news about schools throughout the country. As a member of numerous professional organizations, I attend annual conferences and meet with college representatives where I investigate what different schools offer. I routinely tour campuses, meeting with administrators, speaking with students, and acquainting myself with the academic and student-life facilities in order to gain hands-on information for my clients.
In my meetings with students and their families, I come to understand my students, their personalities, academic interests, and extracurricular pursuits. I combine this insight with my comprehensive knowledge of colleges, taking into consideration factors including school location, programs, cost, size, facilities and selectivity. Throughout this process, the students and I continually evaluate their priorities as I seek to match them to the program and environment that will allow them to thrive.
Yes. I’m particularly attuned to the challenges of students who have learning differences. I offer authoritative insight on educational supports, and I match them with the colleges that offer the resources tailored to their needs. I have an unparalleled overview of the various support programs, from dedicated learning centers to add-on programs and ancillary services. I can tell you which schools will support your child’s needs.
Yes. As a former therapeutic consultant, I have unmatched expertise in shepherding students from therapeutic programs to success in college admissions. I specialize in helping students who have had non-traditional high school experiences including therapeutic treatment. Understanding how colleges view time spent away from school, change of schools, and multiple transcripts is integral to my knowledge base. I have visited over 50 therapeutic programs including wilderness therapy programs, residential treatment centers and therapeutic boarding schools, and I use that understanding to guide students to the best-suited college. Visit our Post-Therapeutic Consulting Services page for details.
There is no one best college. Each student has many excellent choices. College is like any personal relationship—there are characteristics we like and others that we find less charming. This is why I insist my students have options—so that when the time comes to choose a school, students are able to evaluate the pros and cons and choose wisely, understanding where the best match is possible.
If a student wants to go to college and is committed to doing the work required to get in and stay in, then they certainly can go to college. Sometimes the path to a college degree is not obvious and involves multiple steps. I know which schools are willing to look beyond a transcript to the student’s future potential, and I help the student understand what criteria the schools consider in making these judgments. I often emphasize to families that where a student begins their journey is not always where they end up.
College is incredibly expensive. There are a number of ways to help pay for it, including grants, scholarships, federally backed loans, work-study, and tuition discounting. I help families navigate the decision-making process, which involves understanding the difference between the published cost of attendance and the actual net price for a family. My admissions strategy ensures that families have financial safety schools on their list in order to protect them.
I recommend a gap year for students who would benefit by taking a respite from the stresses of school. I’ve seen how a year off between high school and college can broaden a young adult’s experiences while allowing them to earn money or immersing themselves in a meaningful activity, such as volunteering. I have found that gap years allow for greater success and focus in undergraduate studies, and most colleges fully support this endeavor. When a gap year is appropriate, I help students to identify programs and recommend those that will allow them to spend a valuable year learning outside of the classroom.