College-bound high school juniors and seniors are beginning to think about schools to visit, what they want to study, and how they will pay for college. Not everyone knows where to start. Planning could begin as early as freshman year of high school to plan classes, after school activities, summer work, and test preparation. The bulk of the planning happens during junior and/or senior years of high school.

Some high schools have 1-2 (if any)  counselors to help the entire graduating class. They are  paid to serve the school and students, not parents. They have not spent two decades behind the scenes at a college understanding how funding and admissions decisions are made. They are doing much more than college planning and have to answer to the principal and other teachers. Private counselors are ONLY doing college planning and do not have the number of students that guidance counselors manage. Guidance counselors do not have the time or experience to help with financial aid appeals or helping students understand the full out of pocket cost of each financial aid award that comes from each school. Due to overburdened and understaffed departments, many schools will push a local community college  as a quick solution. Many don't realize that the financial aid available at some colleges can open up more opportunities for students and make it a very affordable option.

Click on "Make An Appointment" above to schedule a FREE 30-minute conversation to learn a little more about each other, assess your needs, and create a plan. During that meeting we can decide which package is ideal for your needs. We can do it by phone or video, whatever suits you. There's no obligation or commitment - it's just a chat.  Evening appointments are available on Tuesdays and Thursdays on the calendar.

The student, applicable parent(s) or guardians, and/or anyone involved in decision making can be involved in the process.  Understandably, students are busy with sports, homework, friends, and being a teenager, but it is important for them to be involved in some of the conversations.  

College planners can charge anywhere from $5,000 to $20,000 and some charge even more. That's not our style. None of our packages cost $5,000. We are VERY reasonable, community and family-oriented and offer packages to fit your situation so you aren't paying for services you don't need. To be fair, the money you will likely save from mistakes, potentially changing schools, switching majors,  dropping out, or not getting  enough financial/merit aid from the beginning will be significantly more than you spend (potentially many times that), without all of the mess and emotional toll of those issues.  It is money well spent/saved. 

No.  The initial meeting is a chance for you to learn about my counseling process and for me to learn about your student and their college-planning needs.  There is no charge for this 'get acquainted' meeting.

We offer three packages to better accommodate your needs.   See the SERVICES page for the specifics of each package.

Package 1. Is  admissions-focused  guidance  for students who want help narrowing down a college major, and creating an appropriate college list that fits the student's needs, abilities, and finances. We provide family support and guidance to navigate the admissions process, presenting the strongest application to support merit aid. We help you find schools that are generous with financial aid and have the very important component of reviewing a school's financial viability and sustainability. 

Package 2.  Is a  financial aid-driven approach which is focused on understanding the nuances of maximizing financial aid, the strategy behind getting the most merit and need-based aid. We offer years of experience to support you through the FAFSA and CSS Profile. We can coach you through appealing for additional financial aid, if applicable. Presenting yourself to admissions in a way that will encourage the college to offer you the most financial assistance is key, so we recommend using both packages together.

Package 3. Is the best of both worlds, this package offers  full family support from beginning to end by combining the admissions and financial aid packages. Most students will contract my services for full family support to get the most guidance from beginning to end and to receive a discount when the admissions and financial aid packages are bundled together. 

We can assess your needs and recommend a package during the initial complimentary conversation.