Every student’s pathway to college is unique.
Families can choose a comprehensive college counseling package, concierge “mini-packages” for targeted assistance, or à-la-carte hourly services.
- Free half-hour joint consultation for parents & students
- All meetings can be virtual or in-person
- Comprehensive, concierge or à-la-carte support
Process overview
Every student’s pathway to college is unique and requires a certain degree of flexibility in designing a consulting plan. A free half-hour joint consultation with parents and students outlines the services and helps determine what level of support is the best fit.
The Comprehensive College Tour Package
About 10 or more meetings, from fall or winter of junior year through April of senior year.
See the four phases Rising seniorsSuper Senior Package
Approximately 27 hours of work to jumpstart a search that’s starting a little later.
See what you receive Concierge mini-packageBasic List
Four one-hour meetings and a curated list of about 15 colleges.
See how it works HourlyÀ la carte
Essays, testing, list review or a Common App check, tailored to what your student needs.
See the servicesThe Comprehensive College Tour Package
Ideally suited to high school juniors, this package typically includes about 10 or more meetings from fall or winter of junior year through April of senior year.
You also get on-call support by email, text and phone, plus extensive virtual writing and essay feedback. Some students need more time in some phases than others, and meetings often blend tasks from several phases.
Four phases: Creation · Building · Writing · Applying-
Creation
Creating a profile of your student
- Introductory joint meeting with parents and family to discuss expectations, roles and responsibilities, including how the work intersects with the school counselor, tutors and others
- Separate interview or survey with parents and student about college and career goals
- Personality, career-interest and college-fit surveys to help build the profile
- Review of transcripts, curriculum and test scores (or testing plans)
- Summer plans and senior-year course selection that fit the overall goals
- A look at the current college “wish list”, with additional colleges suggested for research
-
Building
Building your college list
- Discuss career goals
- A college wish-list meeting with parents and student to curate the list down to 10–12 schools
- Begin planning campus visits alongside decision deadlines
- Retake the ACT/SAT, with tutoring courses if needed
-
Writing
Writing the essays
- Begin filling out the Activities and Honors sections of the Common App
- Brainstorm, outline and complete multiple rounds of rough drafts
- List the other essays needed throughout the application process
- Finalize a Personalized Application Plan for 8–10 schools, with every deadline and requirement
- Create a resume
-
Applying
Staying the course and crossing the finish line
- Finalize essays, supplements and Activities/Honors descriptions for the Common App
- Prepare to submit all applications, resumes, portfolios and fees
- Revise strategy in case of a deferral or wait-list decision
- Discuss, compare and consider offers, and plan future visits
- Select a college and celebrate!
Super Senior Package
Available after July 1st for students starting a little later in summer or fall who need to jumpstart their college search.
of work
What you receive
- A one-hour initial road-mapping meeting with student and parent(s).
- Four one-hour meetings with your student covering essays, college list building and refinement, and assignment progress check-ins.
- Your student’s strengths, interests and desires, along with family financial considerations, shape a list of potential colleges.
- Ongoing review of transcripts, test results and extracurriculars to further refine the application list.
- A list of colleges tailored to your student that reflects their personal, academic and financial criteria. Ten to twelve colleges allow maximum focus in the right places.
- Review and consultation on the Common App Activities & Honors section, as well as other application platforms.
- Guidance through the entire process of writing a personal statement essay and up to 10 supplemental essays.
- A Personalized Application Strategy Plan with detailed tasks, deadlines and required documents for each school of interest. I keep your student on task and follow up on each deadline.
- If desired, guidance through finding the best fit from your acceptance offers, and a celebration of the final decision.
“Mini-packages” for targeted assistance
Basic List
For students who feel confident navigating the admissions process but need help narrowing down options, or broadening horizons, for applications to colleges.
Students can take a variety of tests to help discover personality, aptitude, and the colleges that will be the best fit for each of them. Over four one-hour meetings, we craft a balanced school list, with guidance on Early Decision and Early Action.
- 4 one-hour meetings
- About 15 curated colleges
- Comprehensive data on each school
- When to apply
À-la-carte services
Tailored to your student’s needs
Support is available at any point in the application process, with a two-hour minimum. Additional hours may be added at any time.
- Essay support. Brainstorming, outlining, review and commentary on Common App and supplemental essays for admission and scholarships. Guidance helps students avoid generic, cliché-filled essays.
- Testing and discovery. Career aptitude tests, college match testing, personality tests, or other resources to narrow a focus for college and programs of study.
- College list evaluation and feedback. A good option for the student who has already assembled a list of schools but wants assurance from an experienced second opinion.
- Common App profile check. Review and final check of your Common App profile.
Good to know: the Common App profile check must be purchased 7 days before applications are due.
Begin with a free half-hour consultation
Parents and students meet with Courtney together to outline the services and decide what level of support is the best fit. Meetings can be virtual or in person.
Request a consultationAbout Courtney
After spending the early portion of her career in high school education, Courtney transitioned into an Essay Specialist and Independent Educational Consultant, drawing on everything she learned teaching AP Language and Composition and English 11.
Many years before becoming a teacher, Courtney received a Bachelor of Arts in English and Theatre and a Master of Arts in English. The process through which she chose a college is nothing compared to the industry today.
She believes in assisting students in finding the best fit for them, so they spend the next four years thriving during their college experience.
Courtney also wants every parent to enjoy their student during their last year of high school and not worry about essay grammar along with the myriad of looming deadlines.
Book your free consultation
A free half-hour joint consultation for parents and students. All meetings can be virtual or in-person.
Book a free consultation