College Counseling

Our programs are individualized to meet each students unique needs. Families start as early as freshman year of high school.

Freshmen and Sophomores

In order to help students set and reach their goals and maximize their potential, we offer a pre-college planning program for freshmen and sophomores. 
  • Our Program for Freshmen and Sophomores

    This program includes:

    • Proactive design of a plan that addresses academic coursework, extracurricular activities, and summer programs/jobs
    • Individual counseling to encourage personal growth and development
    • Regular check-in meetings to monitor progress and reassess student goals/accomplishments

    We’ll spend time getting to know your student both personally and academically. 


    Topics discussed may include:

    • Academic progress to date
    • Course selections for the following year
    • Interests, extracurricular involvement 
    • Resume building
    • Summer plans 
    • Student’s perceived strengths and weaknesses 
    • Personal goals and aspirations (and how these relate to strengths/weaknesses)
    • Introduction to college visitations and types of colleges that may be in line with their interests, goals, and grades/scores to date
    • Option to complete detailed computer-based personality/career/interest inventory 
    • Introduction to the college process 
    • Standardized testing timeline.
Juniors and Seniors

The formal college planning and selection process ideally begins no later than the spring of the student's junior year. However, you can begin this process as late as the fall of the student's senior year and still be successful. The more ownership the student takes in this process, the more rewarding it will ultimately be. 
  • Our Program for Juniors and Seniors

    The Personal Best College Coaching plan is designed to be flexible to accommodate each family's needs, with each meeting covering specific topics. 


    We will discuss:

    • Transcripts 
    • Report cards 
    • Course selections for the following year 
    • Testing timeline/standardized test scores 
    • Extracurricular activities 
    • Honors and awards
    • Summer plans 
    • Personal Best College Search Student Assessment and schools already under consideration
    • The college application process/terminology
    • College visits
    • Interview tips
    • Standardized Testing Preparation

    We will make recommendations for a testing timeline and discuss different types of test preparation depending on the needs of each student and can even do a free diagnostic test. We have a list of private SAT/ACT tutors and companies we work with and will make appropriate recommendations.


    List Development and Research Facilitation


    After the initial meeting, we will research all college options and generate a customized list of potential schools based on our initial meeting and the survey results. 


    We will set up an online session with each student to walk them through how to effectively research a college online so that they are able to make an informed choice as to how each school “rates” in terms of their priorities. We will work with the student and family to refine the list of schools to consider. 


    Essays, Applications and Interviews


    During the summer and fall of senior year, we will focus on completing the essays and supplements for the applications. 


    Our application process includes:

    • Working together to determine the application timeline for each student
    • Strategizing on whether or not to take advantage of Early Decision and Early Action options 
    • Online tools to help the student keep track of schools, requirements and essays 
    • Reviewing applications for accuracy and thoroughness before they are submitted
    • Where appropriate, we will also conduct mock-interviews and provide interview tips
    • Optional essay-writing workshop with counselor and writing coaches
    • Brainstorming session to help the student develop ideas for the main essay and any supplements
    • Feedback all essay drafts until they are finalized
    • Decision support and financial aid

    After students receive acceptances, we can help facilitate the decision-making process by helping the student and family evaluate the pros and cons of each option. 

We also offer a free financial aid workshop each fall to address how “regular people” can afford to send their kids to college. This workshop includes follow-up sessions on FAFSA and CSS Profile completion.  

Throughout the entire process, we are here to provide support and guidance while answering any questions you have along the way.