My Philosophy

As the mom of two college students and the aunt of 13 teens and young adults, I am very aware of what faces our young people today as they begin the journey of self-discovery and planning for the next phase of their lives.  In my work with my students, I remind the kids that as they come to the end of high school, this is the first time that they really have the chance to have a say in what comes next for them.  As parents, we’ve done a pretty good job of guiding our kids - choosing a preschool, directing activity choice and doing our best to move them towards what we hope will make them successful, productive members of society.  Now it’s time for them to start making some choices -and they are scared!!  The most important part of my role as an educational consultant is to give students the tools and guidance they need to help THEM figure out who they are and what’s next for them.  Why do parents struggle with letting kids take the lead?   Because it’s really hard for us to watch them make mistakes when we think we know what will work for them.  It doesn’t matter if we know who they are and what they’d probably be good at or enjoy…it has to be something they discover for themselves.  That’s where I come in – I don’t have a history with most of the kids I work with.  I see them with fresh eyes and help them see themselves through interviews, discussions, observations, and a few assessments.  As we explore colleges and majors together, we talk about what appeals to them, what they are concerned about and what is going on in the world that really matters to them.  From there, I become a coach who helps with all aspects of the college application process. I advise, encourage and motivate in a way that parents can’t -  simply because I’m not their parent!  We work together to find and apply to schools that will be good fits for them academically, socially and financially. I feel very privileged to be a part of these young people’s lives at such an exciting time and I enjoy having the opportunity to take some of the stress out of the process for their families.