What you can expect from me
As a a Certified Educational Planner, a professional member of IECA (the Independent Educational Consultants Association) and International ACAC, I use the AICEP Principles of Good Practice, the IECA Principles of Good Practice, and the NACAC Guide to Ethical Practice in College Admission as guiding documents, and abide by them in my work.
Meetings will be held via Zoom. We will start and end on time; if I will be late for any reason I will always do my best to notify you via WhatsApp/text/email in advance (and I ask the same of you).
I encourage all potential students to sign up for a consultation call before setting a paid appointment. The link to set up a consultation call can be found at the top of the services page. Hopefully this will be just the beginning of our working relationship. If, however, after our initial consultation call, I feel that your specific needs might be better met by another vetted and trusted consultant, I will do my best to refer you to them.
For students applying to Graduate programs, I support students applying to masters programs in business, education, science, and engineering. I offer hourly support to help students with their writing process and resume development.
For students applying to Undergraduate programs, I support students who are applying to undergraduate programs in the USA, Canada, and some programs in Europe or other parts of the world. I offer package or hourly support to help students navigate the college application process in such a way that will optimize success and minimize anxiety.
I can support you with career counseling assessments to help you consider which professional pathways might be best for you, and what you might like to study in college. (Pricing for this service is separate from my normal hourly rate, or included for students purchasing the High School Package.)
I can help you develop a balanced and realistic list of universities to which you will apply.
My goal is to advise you and help you make good choices so that in the end, you will have options. In most cases, that list will include 6-12 colleges (12 maximum for package students, or additional fees may apply) that will all be a good fit for your needs. The list will be balanced in terms of admission difficulty, including at least three schools where I feel quite confident that your chances for admission are very strong.
Ultimately, the final decision about where to apply belongs to the student. I will counsel, but if you choose not to follow my advice, that’s your decision. As a result, some students may experience the natural consequence of an unbalanced college list, and not receive as many offers of admission as we might have hoped (or even any offers at all).
I can help you navigate the timelines for admission and strategize about which application plans might be best for you.
I can support you with managing your time and organizing your tasks, including meeting internal deadlines set by your school (however, you must notify me of these deadlines with at least two weeks’ notice).
I can support your writing process through coaching using the six traits of writing (ideas, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, and conventions) so that your strongest voice shines through in your application essays.
I can review your completed applications with you to help ensure that they are ready for submission to universities.
Once you’ve received offers of admission (and in some cases, financial aid and scholarships), I can help you weigh out the pros and cons of each offer so that you can make your final decision about where you’d like to attend.
I can support you with questions related to choosing your classes in high school, summer programs, scholarships and financial aid, and a variety of other miscellaneous support topics.
I offer 30 and 60 minute appointments. Appointments can be scheduled using the links on the services page of my website. (I only ask that you have no more than two future meetings booked at any time.)
For students applying to undergraduate programs, there is an option to work together throughout the entire process by purchasing a package of unlimited hours.
As a package student, you can sign up for as many meetings as you need during regular or surge pricing dates; all of these hours are included.
If you have purchased a package, I am also happy to answer quick questions between meetings via WhatsApp/text/email and I’ll do my best to respond as quickly as possible (please note that I do turn off my phone at night).
Package students will have access to a Trello board, which we will use to collaborate and organize your process.
Packages must be paid upfront; there are no installment plans. If you aren’t certain, you can start with hourly and switch to a package later, if space is available and the deadline for purchasing the package has not passed. (For example, a student might pay for Career Counseling and then decide that they would like to do the High School Package; I can send a code that would deduct what they’ve already paid from the cost of the package so that they would simply pay the remaining difference.)
Students/families can purchase the High School Package at any time during their 10th or 11th grade year (or international equivalent), while space is available. The final date to purchase this package would be June 30 of the year preceding the student’s high school graduation year. This package expires on August 31 of the student’s high school graduation year.
Students/families can purchase the “Last Minute” Senior Package between July 1 and August 31 of the year preceding the student’s high school graduation year, while space is available. (Recent high school graduates who are taking a gap semester or year may also be eligible for this package; contact me for details.) If I reach maximum capacity for the graduating class before July 1, I reserve the right to not take Last Minute Seniors that year. This package expires on August 31 of the student’s high school graduation year.
Students/families may purchase the Transfer Student Package at any time during student’s first five semesters of university; however, transfers must have at least one semester of university grades on a transcript before their first application deadline (i.e. if you just entered university in August, you can’t apply for January entry transfer). Transfer package students may apply for entry in up to two consecutive semesters/admission cycles over one year (e.g. spring and fall semesters of the same calendar year, or fall and spring of the same academic year). If the student is applying for spring entry only, the package expires on December 31 of the year immediately preceding entry. If the student is applying for fall entry only, the package expires on August 31 of the year of entry. If the student is applying for entry in two different semesters, the original package expiration date will be based on the later of the two semesters, but if the student ultimately transfers and starts in the earlier semester then the package expiration date will be moved up accordingly to expire immediately prior to entry.
Packages are not refundable or transferable; they cover the cost of my work with one student through their application process.
Undergraduate or Graduate students can also choose to work with me on an hourly basis.
I have regular hourly rates that apply for most of the year. Additional surge pricing charges of approximately 30-35% apply during peak seasons for hourly students.
I am happy to answer your questions and offer you support during our scheduled meetings. As an hourly student, if you have a question between meetings, I ask that you keep a running list of those questions and ask them in their next meeting, where I’m happy to help.
Hourly students may be given access (as needed) to the Google docs and tools I’ve developed to support students. However, they will not have a Trello board to organize their complete process.
I do my best to vary my hours so that I can support students all over the world. Students book their appointments at the time that works best for them. If a student urgently needs to meet with me at a time they do not see available, they can reach out and ask and I will try to accommodate their needs if possible, within reasonable limits.
My pricing is open and transparent; simply click on the service you are interested in and you will see the pricing there.
I cannot guarantee your admission to any university or program, and I strongly advise you to avoid any counselor who says they can.
I may be firm if I believe it is necessary, but I will always treat you with respect.
I will be honest and realistic with you, as I share my advice. I am a counselor; I give you my best counsel. However, the ultimate decisions are yours to make.
The details of your college application process will be confidential - between the student, the parents, and me. Even if I seek advice from other professionals about your case/situation, I will respect your privacy and not share your personal/identifying information.
I am unable to work with students based in Illinois at this time, due to incompatibility between my contract, billing, and workflow systems with Illinois law. If you are based in Illinois, I will be happy to refer you to another consultant.
What I expect from students
You are expected to "stay in the driver's seat" throughout this process, including “keeping your foot on the gas.” If we extend the driving metaphor a bit, I’ll be the GPS, guiding you (and doing my best to recalculate if you choose not to follow my advice here once in awhile). Your parents will be in the back seat supporting you, letting you know if there are roads you aren’t allowed to travel, and paying for gas.
You are expected to behave ethically throughout the admission process. I cannot and will not support students or families who break rules or act unethically during their application process.
Please respect my intellectual property, time, and effort. Do not share my work (e.g. tools I’ve shared with you, online lessons, etc.) with others without my permission.
You are expected to speak English fluently enough for us to make the progress we need to make; we will speak English in our sessions together (my Spanish is “mas o menos”).
It is your responsibility to set up meetings as needed.
Make your appointments using the services page.
Each student may have one initial consultation call, free of charge. Payments for subsequent appointments and packages can be made using credit card or PayPal; no cash payments are accepted. If you purchase a package, you’ll get a code that you can use to bypass the payment system when scheduling your appointments. Payments for hourly appointments must be made at the time the appointment is scheduled.
You will receive a confirmation email for each scheduled appointment, including an “add to calendar” button.
Please do not book more than two appointments in advance. You will often have work to do between appointments, and booking more than two appointments in advance often leads to cancellations because students are not prepared. Reducing cancellations helps me ensure that I have enough appointment slots available for all my students.
Please be on time to meetings. If you must be late, please try to WhatsApp/text/email me in advance. If we start late we will still finish on time (unless I have time available to extend the meeting accordingly).
If you must reschedule or cancel an appointment, you may do this online using the links from the confirmation email, up to 24 hours prior to the appointment. Hourly appointments cancelled with less than 24 hours notice will receive no refund (rescheduling with less than 24 hours notice is considered a cancellation).
If you miss a scheduled appointment without notifying me at least 24 hours in advance, that doesn’t just impede our progress. It’s also time that I’m not available to other students, and my opportunity to earn a living is impeded. I understand that emergencies come up, and I can be flexible. However, if you have purchased a package, your “unlimited appointment” status may become limited if you repeatedly cancel or skip appointments. If it becomes a problem, you will receive one warning, after which I will limit the number of future appointments you may schedule.
You will receive a Zoom link for online appointments.
Find an appropriate space where you can work in peace and quiet, without distractions or excessive background noise. (Bathrooms are not an appropriate meeting space.)
You must be fully dressed.
It is best if you use a computer to connect with me, if possible, so that you can share your screen with me if needed, and see my screen if I share it with you. Your device should be on a stable surface like a desk or table; it will be harder for us to be productive if you or your device are “on the move.” Headphones will help a lot with sound quality.
You are expected to come to meetings prepared; bring the materials I've asked you to bring and/or complete the tasks I've given you in advance.
I can help you determine what needs to be done and when, but it is your responsibility to meet application deadlines and follow up with universities to ensure that all of your application materials have been received. It is also your responsibility to notify me well in advance of any internal deadlines that your school may set.
You are expected to keep an open mind. I may recommend colleges you've never heard of before, but I wouldn't recommend them if I didn't think you'd be happy and successful there. No matter where you’re applying, you’re likely to meet many people who are different from yourself; I expect you to keep an open mind about this as well.
You are expected to keep a realistic perspective. Remember that my guidance and expertise will help you through this process, but I cannot guarantee that you will be admitted to any particular university. Recognize that some schools may be out of your reach, depending upon your admission profile. Understand that the universities will make the admission decisions, and that these decisions are ultimately out of our control.You are expected to complete all tasks to the very best of your ability. Your work should always be your own (though it is appropriate for parents to help with some parts of the college research and financial aspects of the process). Please notify me if you've received help or support from someone else on any other part of the process.
When it comes to essays, I expect that your voice shines through.
Plagiarism or any form of passing off another entity’s work (including work originated from AI/bots) as your own will be grounds for termination of our working relationship.
I strongly encourage students not to allow “too many cooks in the kitchen” when it comes to essay revisions, as it tends to be counterproductive and sow feelings of doubt rather than reassurance. Many people are excellent writers but perhaps not excellent writing coaches; their well-intentioned “help” may actually leave you with an essay that no longer sounds like your voice, or is written in a style that is more appropriate for another context other than college essay writing. If you do choose to have someone else review your writing, please understand that I will only be reviewing and providing feedback for your work (not theirs). I will not be placed in the terrible position of having to say that I disagree with your parent/friend/teacher/other’s feedback about your essay.
While there is no strict limit to the number of drafts of an essay I will review, once I have marked it as final (the “green checkmark”), it is considered final. If you make changes after that point, I reserve the right to refuse to review the new draft(s) or charge additional fees for revisions.
You are expected to apply to a realistic and balanced list of colleges. If you are only interested in applying to “top ranked” or “big name” colleges, rather than developing a list of schools that actually fit your needs and where you have a range of admissibility chances, then I am absolutely not the right counselor for you.
You are expected to treat me with respect. It is okay to respectfully disagree with me or object to my ideas/suggestions, but I will not tolerate abuse, verbal or otherwise.
If you have a school counselor, it may be helpful if you can give your permission for me to communicate with them (and vice versa, if they are comfortable doing so).
If your school has a policy that prevents students from working with independent counselors, please abide by that policy by not hiring me.
If your school provides internal deadlines for certain tasks (e.g. submitting your final college list, requesting letters of recommendation, etc.) it is your responsibility to share those deadlines with me as soon as possible.
I reserve the right to discontinue the working relationship and/or cancel the package agreement of any student or family in flagrant or repeated violation of any of these expectations, without refund.
I am unable to work with students based in Illinois at this time, due to incompatibility between my contract, billing, and workflow systems with Illinois law. If you are based in Illinois, I will be happy to refer you to another consultant.
What I expect from the parents, guardians, or grown-ups of my students
You are absolutely welcome to reach out to me if you have questions, or set up a meeting with me if you need.
You are expected to set a positive, ethical example for your son/daughter/young person throughout the admission process. Do not ask them or me to break the rules of the application process, nor should you break them yourself.
You are expected to maintain open lines of communication and support, with mindfulness of the fact that this process belongs to your son/daughter/young person. Please support your son/daughter/young person as they make the first "real adult decision" of their lives - where to attend college. You've given them roots; now is the time to give them wings.
Keep this analogy in mind: The student should be in the driver's seat. I’ll be the GPS, and parents/guardians/grown-ups are in the back seat for encouragement and support (personal and financial).
You are welcome to help with some aspects of the college research process, if invited to do so by your son/daughter/young person.
You are expected to be upfront with your son/daughter/young person and with me about how much money you can afford to spend on their college expenses each year. This is absolutely critical to the development of an appropriate list of schools. If we know the budget, we can look specifically for schools that will match that budget (with either a cost of attendance that matches the budget, or the reasonable expectation of some form of need and/or merit based aid to bring the cost within that budget). Be prepared to support your son/daughter/young person with applications for financial aid and/or providing evidence of financial support as requested by the colleges where they are applying.
If you wish to place limitations on where your son/daughter/young person can or cannot apply (e.g. he can't go where his girlfriend is going, she must stay on this side of the planet, etc.), please be upfront with me and with them about those limitations. Please note that if the limitations you envision are based in prejudice, intolerance, hate, or discrimination, those limitations may be disregarded as inappropriate.
You are expected to keep an open mind. I may recommend universities you've never heard of before, when I think the student would be happy, successful, and well served there. Please note that if you insist on limiting your son/daughter/young person’s choices based on rankings, I would be happy to speak with you about why that is the wrong approach to this process, but if you refuse to budge on that idea then I am not the right counselor for your family.
Please understand that if you email me with a question but do not cc: your son/daughter/young person, I may cc: them in my reply because there is almost never a good reason to leave the student out of the conversation. Do not ask me to go behind your son/daughter/young person’s back, keep secrets from them, or push them in a direction you want them to go but they do not.
Please have a conversation with your son/daughter/young person about privacy as they approach this process. The “news” about their application process (as exciting as it may be) will not be your news to share. They may not want you to tell the whole extended family about where they’re applying, or have you posting on social media about their acceptances. It will save you a lot of heartache if you have a conversation with your son/daughter/young person at the beginning about what level of sharing makes them comfortable, and then respect their boundaries.
When you are speaking with me or others about your son/daughter/young person’s application process, please try to avoid “pronoun abuse” and remember whose process this is. For example,
Pronoun abuse: “We are applying to universities in Canada and the USA.”
Instead, say: “My son is applying to universities in Canada and the USA.”
Parents must not fill out any part of a college application, nor write any part of any essay. The student must be the sole author of their applications and essays. If the student wishes for you to read their applications and/or essays, they may choose to offer you that opportunity; however, please do not take this as an invitation to make revisions.
Payments must be made in advance of meetings, without exception. See above for information about cancellations/changes/refunds.
You are expected to treat me with respect. It is absolutely okay to respectfully disagree with me or object to my ideas/suggestions, but I will not tolerate abuse, verbal or otherwise.
If your son/daughter/young person has a school counselor, it may be helpful if you can give your permission for me to communicate with them (and vice versa, if they are comfortable doing so).
If your son/daughter/young person’s school has a policy that prevents students from working with independent counselors, please abide by that policy by not hiring me.
I reserve the right to discontinue the working relationship and/or cancel the package agreement of any student or family in flagrant or repeated violation of any of these expectations, without refund if I deem necessary.
I am unable to work with students based in Illinois at this time, due to incompatibility between my contract, billing, and workflow systems with Illinois law. If you are based in Illinois, I will be happy to refer you to another consultant.