We have succeeded when our students feel…
successful, autonomous, and happy.
Our process focuses on student growth
As a former educator, I want not only to help students find colleges that fit but also to hone the skills they will need to be successful—in college and in life.
Our process fosters 5 fundamental skills that students will need to take ownership of their college journey and succeed at the same time. At the end of it, they will be proud of their achievements and feel equipped to take that next step toward independence. Your child will take ownership over their college process gradually, with us as guardrails, so that by the time they graduate, your child is better prepared to deal with the complexities of life on a college campus.
The 5 skills they will refine are…
RESEARCH
This process will involve discovering a lot about colleges: courses, clubs, mission, and culture—in addition to admit rates, retention rates, cost of attendance, and other hard facts. Students will reinforce their ability to research as we go through this process.
LONG-TERM PLANNING
College deadlines feel oh-so-far away! But there are steps your student needs to take before they get there. Students will develop medium and long-term goals and take meaningful steps to achieve those goals over time.
TIME MANAGEMENT
This process can take ~100 hours of effort. But students often prioritize school, clubs, and sports, leaving little-to-no time for college planning. This is a recipe for stress. Students will learn to break the process down into bite-sized pieces and complete tasks each week so that it never feels like a chore.
SELF-ADVOCACY
Your student will own the legwork for applying to college. They will meet with their school counselor, talk to teachers, call or email colleges, speak with reps, professors, and sometimes alumni. They will get comfortable with all of this, and practice asking us, you, and others for help when they need it.
REFLECTION
“Who am I?”, “What do I want?”, “How do I learn best?” Students don’t often have time to think about these things. But let’s face it: these uncomfortable questions are imperative to this process. Your student will get to know themselves better as they embark on their journey to college.
This process is informed by the belief that…
The value of a college education comes from what your child does in college rather than the name on their degree.
The college exploration and application process should build readiness for the college experience.
College choice is personal. What is a good choice for me might not be a good choice for you. The goal is to find good-fit colleges, and students must take ownership of the college application process because they—not me, not Mom, not Dad—will live with the outcome.
Services
We leverage ten-plus years in education as college lecturers, published writers, classroom teachers, and admissions advisors to help your child perform well in school and make informed academic choices.
Academic counseling & Narrative building
Targeted toward grades 9-11, this is a full-service program that seeks to help your student plan a path through high school with one eye on college: I will help curate core experiences that will develop and showcase your student’s unique talents. This includes applying to summer programs and developing and executing a larger extracurricular project based around your student’s interests and values. The earlier you begin, the better your student’s chances of success.
college application support
This program is for current and rising high-school seniors looking to get help with the whole application process. We will review your student’s academic profile, recommend a college list based on the student’s academics and interests, and help the student through the entire process, including the admissions essays. Sessions can begin as early as January the student’s Junior year.
application essay guidance & editing
This program is for high-school seniors looking to apply to colleges but only need help with the essays. I will review your academic profile and college list, help compile the essay topics, brainstorm with the student to come up with compelling essays, and then edit and polish those essays so they are submission ready, all by the due date. Sessions can begin as early as May of a student’s Junior year.
academic mentorship (tutoring)
This service is targeted toward students of any grade, but preferably grades 7+ (when students begin to have discrete subject-specific classes). Get help with fundamental skills, like reading, annotating, writing, and study habits while improving your student’s understanding of the humanities and social sciences (I cannot currently tutor in Math). This includes help with AP courses and AP-test preparation. Sessions can begin at any time, but for AP test prep, I recommend beginning no later than mid-February.
Summer Enrichment Programs
These programs are available to students from rising eighth graders through rising high-school seniors. For those finishing seventh grade and thinking about applying to private high schools, I offer an HSPT Crash Course, and an equivalent SAT/ACT Crash Course for high-school sophomores and juniors. I also offer two Literature Seminars, Creative Writing Workshop, and an Analytical Writing Workshop for students to hone their reading and writing skills.
Ready to find out how we can help you and your student? Book a free consultation to get your child on the path to their best future.