I prefer to start early with students.
But if you're coming to me as a junior or senior,
that's ok!
I still want you to succeed.
We'll make it work.
Keep scrolling for my packages.
Here's why you should, too.
first, MY promise:
I have an elite work ethic. I will always 'under-promise and over-deliver.' That's just who I am. It sickens me when I hear about college counseling companies who come up short, are dishonest, or -- worst of all -- encourage you to be dishonest. Some big companies try to upsell you on services like building your student a website, podcast, or 501(c)3 -- to boost their 'passion project.' Don't! Colleges have caught on; their admissions officers say they can spot the adult fingerprints on those efforts. I'll never suggest your student do something unethical. Don't risk getting caught in a lie. And don't set your student up for feeling like a phony for four years.
FROSH & SOPHS
This is the ideal time to get started. Read below to see why. It's the time to be exploring new interests or expanding existing ones — at school, at home, outside of school, and during the summers. My services include:
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Meeting with students and/or parents once every six weeks (in-person or Zoom)
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Creating a “values worksheet” with student and parents (once per year)
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Starting a “college essay idea worksheet”
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Advisement on curricular choices
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Advisement on extracurricular choices, athletics, etc.
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Advisement on standardized tests (PSAT, and AP) and on test prep services
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Keeping student resume updated
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Providing tools and exercises for finding meaningful ways to use your summer
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Building a “long list” of colleges to be thinking about
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Developing a rapport with student
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Advisement on visiting colleges
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Advisement for parents on college financing and financial aid.
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Read here for the full picture.
JUNIORS
This is the time to be going deeper into your primary interests.
Services include:
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Meeting with student once a month
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Finalizing “values worksheet” with student and parents
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Updating “college essay idea worksheet”
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Continued advisement on curricular choices
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Providing tools and exercises for finding meaningful ways to use your summer
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Continued advisement on activities, athletics, etc.
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Continued advisement on test prep (SAT, ACT, and AP)
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Updating resume
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Begin creation of portfolio (for art students)
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Continued advisement for parents on college financing and aid
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Advisement on college visits - customizing each visit to student.
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Narrowing “long list” of colleges to shorter list of “best match” schools, with varying degrees of admission difficulty (reach, target, likely).
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Advisement on picking Letters of Recommendation teachers, and procuring the strongest results.
the applications
Starting March 15th of Junior year, we move to hourly billing, which I do with transparency and integrity. Why no flat fee? Well, look at this list of services! Some students will need only a few of these things, and others will need them all. Some students get into their ED school and they're done, while others apply to 20 schools with supplemental essays, video submissions, and interviews to prep for. What's it going to cost in the end? Some only use 5-10 hours of my time. Other families will find my services to be invaluable and use 30 hours. But remember: with hourly billing, you're only paying for what you need.
Services can include:
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Weekly 1-on-1 meetings
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Brainstorming essay topics
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An organized, customized timeline with all deadlines for each step
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Strategizing Early Decision, Early Action, Regular Decision, etc.
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Finalizing college list of “best match” schools
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Unlimited asynchronous editing of every essay
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Procuring strong Letters of Recommendation (crafting letters to teachers)
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Portfolio submissions (usually through Slideroom)
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Working with your school counselor, if amenable
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Helping you understand your high school's official profile document to identify what info colleges already know about your school
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Crafting the Activity/Award lists
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Continued resume updating
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Continued Financial Aid support for parents
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Reviewing application pdf's — all application fields — before hitting submit (by appointment only, pending availability)
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Setting up school application portals with student
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Scholarship applications - private and school-specific
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Developing student’s interview skills through mock interview practice
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Developing/Crafting videos, if required by school or with Glimpse (which can be a game-changer for some students)
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All follow-up communications with colleges (after an ED deferral or wait-lists)
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Customized analysis of all financial aid offers -- "apples to apples"
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Any additional writing support, such as classwork, as a general English tutor
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Advise with final decision-making after acceptances.
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Note: My goal is to have all applications turned in at least 2 weeks prior to any school deadline. This is to your benefit! There is evidence that schools give more time to those early applications, and it also indicates an organized, diligent student. As further motivation, if students procrastinate or otherwise require last minute support, I do have "surge pricing" as will be indicated in our contract.
Why start early with a college counselor?
Some students wait until junior or even senior year to start seriously thinking about college. That might be fine if you are only considering colleges close to where you live.
But if you are more adventurous/ambitious, it's not enough to "just take a lot of hard courses, get straight-A’s, and do a ton of activities." That probably won't get you into your dream college. Because you've just described 80% of the students applying to the most well-known selective schools. And those colleges reject 90-95% of applicants! If your goal is to be the 1-in-10 (or 20!) that gets admitted , it takes more.
And it also can take less.
You don’t have to fill every waking hour with another resume-stuffer. If you “work smarter, not harder” and make better decisions, you’ll be happier and won't burn out.
When we start working together at an early point, you will experience support in the following ways:
1. Strategic course selection
The more selective the school, the more particular their curricular expectations are for their applicants. Even less selective schools can have strict requirements for certain majors. Curricular choices made in 9th and 10th grade shape what’s possible by senior year. I help students take the right classes to stay competitive and meet their college goals, while balancing rigor with personal strengths, ensuring that students stay sane.
2. meaningful extracurricular development
Colleges don’t just want to see a long list of activities—they want in-depth and consistent engagement. When students start exploring interests early, they have the time to discover passions, take on leadership roles, and make an impact in their communities.
My method involves looking inward and outward. Generally, with a 9th grader, we start with fun inward activities to identify the student's interests and values. I will coach them to explore activities and opportunities that align with their personality, aptitudes, and goals. Later, usually during 10th grade, that student should start to go deeper into the areas that are of greatest interest, and we shape them to align with the positive character traits that almost all colleges are looking for. In order to be fully engaged in those activities, it might be time to shed others, which is something students and families are sometimes afraid to do. Colleges don’t expect that all activities will be continued until senior year. Quitting an activity can often make for a far more interesting essay than one about a consistent interest.
And that’s what it means to look outward. I spend good part of every day reading and listening to current admissions officers talk about what is important to them and what trends they’re seeing. It is changing every year, and you benefit from having a counselor who is paying attention.
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Following the authentic interests of your student will naturally create the compelling narrative that is the key to any strong college application. It also results in happier students, who can go through high school with greater ease, more reserves for weathering the rough times, and enough head space to incorporate the surprising discoveries that accompany someone following a true passion.
3. stress-free test preparation and readiness
While about half of all colleges are now test-optional, and some selective schools went that way during the pandemic, standardized testing is still an important part of many selective school applications.
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Here’s what I think of “test-optional:” If the boss told you, “It’s fine to dress casually in this office, but I do notice if you look extra nice,” you probably should try to look your best. So, for most students, it’s important to do as well as possible on standardized tests.
Even the UC’s, which recently became “test blind” to the SAT or ACT, are still eager to see AP or IB test scores. You might have noticed that this is an area where colleges are still changing their policies. As with all things, I’m paying attention to those changes, including the latest trend: “no-harm-test-optional.” This is a meaningful distinction, but I think it’s safe to say that standardized testing isn’t going away, and it’s still vital for most students to think about.
I impress upon my students that standardized tests are not just a measure of knowledge. They are also a measure of skills, which you can build up only with practice. By starting early, we create a low-stress, long-term approach to test preparation, suited to the personality, schedule, and resources available to each student. For some students, this means free DIY, self-study resources. For others, they will prefer classes or a private tutor. I will coach each family on the pros and cons of each method for their student, whom I’m getting to know more each month. I will also coach your student to think of test days as a “performance,” and like any athlete and musician, they should practice for the big game/recital!
Whether your student ultimately decides to take the SAT, ACT, many AP’s, or opt out completely, I help them create a roadmap for the best possible outcome, avoiding bottlenecks, choke points, and wasted efforts.
4. Early Awareness of College Fit and Financial Aid
“First, do no harm.” Causing a student to worry about college too early can create unnecessary stress and anxiety. However, if they only begin college research in 11th grade, that can also cause stress. Junior year is when many students are at their busiest with AP classes, big activity projects, and/or varsity sports practices. Saving it all for the end will often mean it becomes lowest priority. Then some students don’t find the time to research and identify the best college matches for building their short list. (This is a seldom-discussed reason that students apply to way more colleges than they used to.)
When working with a younger student, I will slowly introduce the idea of college into our time together. I will have them do low-pressure activities to identify what they might value or prefer in a college. I will discuss with the parents when it’s time for the family to take that first “zero-stress" (local) college tour. For most of my students, the second half of sophomore year is a great time to begin actively exploring/researching different college options.
Sophomore year is also the best time for families to start to understand the financial aid landscape, scholarship options, and affordability issues they will face. Two of my over-arching values are efficiency and being heart-centered. Therefore, this is one area I seek to save students time and heartbreak if there are financial realities that will limit their options. [Click HERE for my page with more info on financial aid.]
Oh, by the way, since we’re on the subject of working together early, don’t forget to keep funding your college savings accounts — especially for any younger siblings, whose funds have even more time to grow tax-free in a 529 Plan.
5. A Guided, Personalized Approach
I approach every student as two puzzles to figure out. One puzzle is deciphering what will be their compelling narrative in their college applications. In my head, I’ll be imagining draft versions of this after every session with my students. The second puzzle actually comes first, and it’s figuring out the best ways of reaching the student and getting the most out of them.
Some students need help staying organized, while others need encouragement to step outside their comfort zone. Some are so adventurous, they might even need someone to channel their energy or rein them in. Working with your student from an early age gives me time to build a rapport, and solve the puzzle.
The time we spend together will also make the eventual college application process go so much more smoothly. By the time we get to the phase where I am their project manager — for all the essay writing and countless task completing — I will know them so much better if we have already been working together for a couple of years. Plus over that time, I will have built up their confidence, resilience, and self-awareness — skills that will serve them not only during the challenging college applications, but also afterward during college and everything beyond.
Your Child Deserves It—Let’s Get Started
College admissions are more competitive and complicated than ever. But with the right guide, your child will thrive. By enrolling with me early, you set them up for success at the end. You make it certain that high school is intentional, purposeful, and has the least stress necessary.
I invite you to connect with me for a consultation and see how we can work together to set your child up for success — not just for college, but for life.