The cohort journey

Welcome to a personalized and collaborative college counseling journey designed to support both students and families every step of the way. We begin with a family meeting to align on goals, clarify expectations, and lay the groundwork for a successful process. From there, I work one-on-one with students—typically via Zoom—offering focused, screen-shared sessions where we brainstorm, write, and strategize together. While the schedule and number of meetings shift throughout the year, students typically receive around 35 hours of direct guidance, not including the behind-the-scenes editing, research, and ongoing communication I provide. Parents stay in the loop through regular monthly updates and have unlimited access to me for any questions or concerns.

This is more than just college counseling—it's a guided, responsive, and deeply invested partnership.

Junior Year (January - June) ACTIVITIES

• Identify core values (Brené Brown) and key character traits (Johari Window) 

• Visit schools, meet w/ campus reps and attend college fair events (ongoing) 

• Set up individualized project management tools to track progress and stay organized 

• Sort and prioritize personal college criteria (Corsava) 

• Engage in a series of appreciative inquiry conversations (values, interests, talents) 

• Review transcript, grades and begin listing / describing activities 

• Select courses for senior year and extracurricular opportunities; set goals 

• Discuss SAT/ACT exams (whether and when to take; how to prepare) 

• Create an initial list of schools to research, explore and rate

• Identify ED, EA, Honors Colleges, and specialized programs (4+1, co-ops, Gap Year, etc.) 

• Solicit commitments and prepare ‘brag sheets’ for letters of recommendation 

Appreciative Inquiry

In order to learn more about your student’s unique talents, goals, and interests, I start with a conversation using appreciative inquiry techniques. During this session, I ask students a series of strategic questions about their past, present, and future self - lifting up the ‘positives’ so we can think about how to build on them. My questions are designed to help me understand the student and to help the student understand themself better. We will also engage in discussion about core values based on Dr. Brené Brown’s work and a modified Johari Window exercise where family and friends weigh in on the student’s key personality traits. All of this data guide my suggestions for ‘best fit’ universities to investigate, spark ideas for letters of recommendation, and will offer up potential themes for personal and supplemental essay writing.

Developing and Weighing Criteria

Using the Corsava process, students will sort through their college preferences and priorities online. We will then talk about the “hidden gem” schools and how to avoid the trap of choosing schools solely based on ratings, recognizable name brands and selectivity rates. From here, we will create a list of schools to explore through virtual or campus tours and use online resources like Niche and college websites to make comparisons, manage pluses & deltas and track the application process.

Summer before Senior Year activities

• Finalize a Stretch, Match, Likely college list (continue school visits) 

• Draft and edit the Personal Essay (and/or UC Personal Insight Questions) 

• Consider and prepare resumes, art or music portfolios, and/or sports reels (optional) 

• Identify schools that track demonstrated interest and understand how applications are reviewed (using Common Data Sets) 

Essay Writing

The personal essay, Personal Insight Questions (UC schools) and supplemental essays offer admissions teams with holistic reviews a sense of the student beyond their transcript, GPAs and test scores. These pieces of writing offer students the opportunity to reveal more of their personality and writing ability. They also prepare students for the rigor (and pace) of college-level writing. I will draw upon several methods to help make this as interesting and enjoyable as possible, including writing exercises from The College Essay Guy (Ethan Sawyer), Lynda Barry (University of Wisconsin-Madison), Wild Writing (Laurie Wagner), Success Story (Lyn Fairchild Hawks) and Proprioceptive Writing (Linda Trichter Metcalf).

Building Relationships

Networking and interviewing skills are rarely taught in school, though they are arguably one of the most essential skills in almost every field of study. I’ll first guide students to identify opportunities to practice these skills through on-campus events, admissions tours, college fairs and alumni interviews. We will then engage in conversational role plays so students can anticipate questions, practice responses and prepare questions of their own. I will also support students as they develop a “brag sheet” to reflect their multidimensionality (grades, accolades, jobs, interests) for letters of recommendation. Finally, I will coach students to develop the art of writing the perfect thank you card or email.

September-November Senior Year activities 

• Strategize, draft and edit supplemental essays 

• Support students and families with using the Net Price Calculator to discuss financial aid plans 

• Finalize and submit applications through the Common App, UC Apply, UCAS or other application portal 

• Sign up for and prepare for student and alumni interviews (continue demonstrating interest) 

• Complete the FAFSA / CSS profile in early October for financial aid considerations 

Project Management / Executive Functioning

Throughout the process, I will share specific techniques and resources students can use and adapt to improve time management (effective calendaring), project management (we will utilize Excel spreadsheets and Google docs to track progress) and stress reduction skills (breathing, meditation and journaling). Students will come away from our sessions together feeling motivated, capable and confident.

December-April Senior Year activities 

• Track responses from schools through admissions portals and follow up on requests 

• Upload final transcripts and submit mid-year grades to admissions reps 

• Anticipate responses and understand how to respond to offers (including financial award letters)

• Draft Letters of Continued Interest (LOCI) for deferrals and wait lists 

• Discuss and start scholarship applications