Course selection and extracurricular choices start to matter as early as 9th grade, so it's worth having at least a general awareness of the process from the start of high school. That said, most students begin the active work of college admissions in 11th grade. If your student is a sophomore, you're in a great position to be thoughtful and intentional without any pressure.

Academic performance and course rigor matter, but so does everything else: extracurricular involvement, the personal essay, letters of recommendation, and in some cases demonstrated interest. Colleges are trying to build a class, not just admit a collection of high GPA students. What they're really asking is: who is this person, what do they care about, and what will they add to our campus? The strongest applications answer that question clearly.

Very, but not in the way most families think. Colleges care far less about how many activities a student has and far more about what they've done with them. Depth, consistency, and genuine engagement matter more than a long list of clubs joined in 11th grade. A student who has spent four years seriously committed to one or two things is in a much stronger position than a student who joined everything junior year to pad a resume.

Specificity and voice. The essays that stay with admissions officers are the ones that sound unmistakably like the person who wrote them and reveal something true about who that person is. Not a list of accomplishments, not a recap of the resume, not a story chosen because it sounds impressive. Something real. In my experience the best essays are often about small, specific moments rather than big dramatic events.

Most of the students I work with apply to between 8 and 12 schools, with a thoughtful mix of reach, match, and likely options. I'm not a fan of the "apply to 20 schools and see what happens" approach. A well-constructed list of 8 to 12 schools puts a student in a stronger position than a scattered list of 20. More applications means more essays, more stress, and often less care put into each one. We build lists with intention.

Early Decision is binding. If you're admitted, you go. It's the right choice only if a school is genuinely the first choice and the financial aid picture is clear enough to commit before seeing other offers. Early Action is non-binding. You apply early, hear back early, and keep your options open. Regular Decision is the standard timeline with the most flexibility. Some schools also offer Restrictive Early Action, which limits where else you can apply early. The right strategy depends on your student's list and priorities, and it's something we work through together.

It depends on the school. Most colleges are currently test-optional, meaning strong scores can help but the absence of scores won't automatically hurt. Whether to submit scores is a decision we make strategically based on your student's numbers and the policies of each school on the list. There's no universal answer, but there's always a right answer for a given student and a given school.

School counselors are valuable, but most are managing hundreds of students at once and simply don't have the time for the kind of individualized, sustained support the college process requires. I work with 10 students per graduating class. I know every student's story, every school on their list, and every essay they've written. That level of attention makes a real difference in how students experience the process and in the quality of the applications that go out.

I've spent 15 years on both sides of the admissions desk, as a high school counselor and as a reader in a selective college admissions office. That dual perspective is rare. I know what admissions officers are looking for because I've read thousands of applications from their side of the table. I also cap my practice at 10 students per graduating class, which means every family gets direct access to me throughout the entire process.

Most families come to me in 10th or 11th grade, though I work with students as early as 9th grade through my Foundation package. If your student is a rising senior, don't panic. I regularly work with seniors on a condensed timeline and we can accomplish a great deal in a focused period. If you're asking the question, it's probably time.

I offer three packages depending on where your student is in the process. The Foundation package is for families starting in 9th or 10th grade and includes 8 sessions during those early years plus unlimited support through junior and senior year. The Unlimited package is for juniors and seniors who want comprehensive, concierge-level support with no cap on hours, covering up to 12 schools. The Essentials package is for juniors and seniors who need focused, structured support through the core phases of the process, covering up to 8 schools with 30 hours of counseling. Pricing is shared during the consultation, where we can talk through which package makes the most sense for your family.

It depends on where your student is in the process. During 9th and 10th grade, we typically meet once a month. Juniors move to biweekly sessions as the college list and essays take shape. Seniors meet more frequently during peak application season. Between sessions I'm available by email for questions, essay feedback, and anything time-sensitive. You won't be waiting days to hear back.

Sessions are typically one hour for juniors and seniors. For students in 9th and 10th grade, sessions are 30 minutes, with up to 8 sessions spread across those two years depending on when we start working together. By junior and senior year the cadence picks up considerably. We're meeting more frequently, I'm reviewing drafts between sessions, and the rhythm adjusts to whatever the timeline requires.

Unlimited means unlimited. There's no cap on sessions, no meter running on email exchanges, no limit on how many rounds of feedback we go through on an essay. In practice it means I'm a consistent presence throughout the entire process. I review drafts, answer questions between sessions, weigh in on decisions as they come up, and make sure nothing falls through the cracks.

Yes, for both the personal statement and the supplemental essays. Essay writing is an iterative process and I don't put a number on how many rounds we go through. We work on each essay until it's right. For the personal statement that typically means several drafts over a number of weeks. For supplementals we work school by school, and I review every version your student submits before it goes anywhere.

I work directly with the student. That's intentional. The essays need to be theirs, the decisions need to feel like theirs, and the process goes better when the student feels ownership over it. Parents stay informed through regular updates from me after sessions. You'll always know where we are and what's coming next. What I try to avoid is a dynamic where the parent is in the middle of every exchange, because in my experience that's when students start to disengage. Most parents find this arrangement is actually a relief.