BETSY’S PHILOSOPHY
Crafting a competitive college application is a journey of self-discovery
To stand out in today’s competitive college admissions landscape, students must develop an authentic understanding of themselves and their goals. I help students to not only develop this self knowledge, but also clearly articulate their story to admissions readers. College admissions is about so much more than rankings, scores, and credentials.
The college search and application process can be a transformative experience in a student’s life, one of self-discovery and growth. This approach results in authentic, competitive college applications and informed decision-making leading to better outcomes.
Betsy’s Approach
My process is comprehensive and highly personalized to each student and their family, because I intentionally maintain a limited caseload every year. I employ a realistic, knowledgeable framework grounded in professional expertise and network insights.
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I begin working with sophomores and juniors, providing them with a head start on planning for the key components of a successful college search and application process, including standardized testing, high school course selection, summer enrichment activities, college research and campus visits. An early start also allows students time to develop a better sense of themselves and their goals.
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Typically, my process is as follows: 2-4 sessions during sophomore year, monthly sessions during junior year, and weekly sessions in both the summer before and the fall of senior year. My support does not end after applications are submitted. I guide students through the final college selection, including wait list management, if necessary.
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I work with each student to facilitate a thoughtful, bespoke college search and application process.
Administer assessments to determine college profile/type/fit preferences.
Evaluate high school transcript and support course selection.
Advise on test prep strategy, including timing, test type and test optional consideration.
Review activities and assist with development of resume where applicable.
Teach research sources and techniques, prepare student for visits and interviews.
Analyze admissibility to colleges to develop a balanced list.
Create a comprehensive application strategy for early decision, early action and regular decision.
Provide personalized coaching during the process for each essay, from brainstorming to polish.
Guide student through individualized application development and submission.
Support decision-making during acceptance option review, including wait list management strategy.
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The right counselor for your child depends on many factors. My approach is warm and guiding, helping a range of students find their path — one that excites them and empowers them to take this important step to college. I am also committed to engaged collaboration with my parents. I also take seriously my responsibility to adhere to the highest ethical and professional standards. Parents should seek a counselor who is a member of a credentialing association, such as the Independent Educational Consultants Association, which has strict membership requirements.
“Betsy is very knowledgeable and thoughtful, and is an extraordinarily effective communicator. The initial conversations with my wife and I could not have been more clear and transparent, and made it very easy to pull the trigger once our daughter had selected the college prep professional she wanted to work with after interviewing several.
Betsy quickly established a wonderful rapport with our daughter. Betsy seemed very adept at helping our daughter think through the various considerations relevant in selecting the right college for her, and then working very closely with our daughter at each step along the way as she went through the process. Betsy proved to be a rich and readily available resource and guide - a critically important and trusted counselor who helped our daughter make a choice she’s very excited about.”
— CM
Student Acceptances
Adrian College
American University
Arizona State University
Assumption University
Babson College
Barnard College
Bates College
Bentley University
Boston College
Boston University
Bowdoin College
Brown University
Bryant University
Bucknell University
California Polytechnic Institute (Pomona)
California Polytechnic Institute (San Luis Obispo)
Carnegie Mellon University
Case Western Reserve University
Chapman University
Claremont McKenna College
Clemson University
Coastal Carolina University
Colby College
Colgate University
College of Charleston
College of the Holy Cross
College of Wooster
Colorado College
Connecticut College
Dartmouth College
Davidson College
Denison University
Drexel University
East Carolina University
Eckerd College
Elon University
Emmanuel College
Emory University
Evergreen State University
Fairfield University
Fordham University
Franklin Pierce College
Furman University
Gettysburg College
George Mason University
Georgetown University
George Washington University
Gonzaga University
Hamilton College
Harvey Mudd College
Haverford College
High Point University
Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Indiana University-Bloomington
Iowa State University
Ithaca College
James Madison University
Kenyon College
Lake Forest College
Lehigh University
Lewis and Clark College
Louisiana State University
Loyola Marymount University
Marist College
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
McGill University
Merrimack College
Miami University (OH)
Middlebury College
Michigan State University
New York University
North Carolina State University
Northeastern University
Northeastern University-London
Northwestern University
Oberlin College
Occidental College
Ohio State University
Oregon State University
Pennsylvania State University
Pitzer College
Pomona College
Providence College
Quinnipiac University
Reed College
Regis College
Rochester Institute of Technology
Roger Williams University
Rollins College
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Rutgers University
Sacred Heart University
Saint Anselm University
St. Lawrence University
St. Michael’s College
Salve Regina University
San Diego State University
Santa Clara University
Sarah Lawrence College
Scripps College
Simmons University
Skidmore College
Stetson University
Stonehill College
Suffolk University
Syracuse University
Texas A&M University
Texas Christian University
Trinity College (CT)
Trinity University (TX)
Tulane University
Union College
University College Dublin
University of Alabama
University of Arizona
University of Arkansas
University of British Columba
University of California-Davis
University of California-Irvine
University of California-Riverside
University of California-San Diego
University of California-Santa Barbara
University of California-Santa Cruz
University of Connecticut
University of Colorado-Boulder
University of Colorado-Denver
University of Delaware
University of Denver
University of Kansas
University of Kentucky
University of Maine
University of Maryland
University of Massachusetts-Amherst
University of Miami (FL)
University of Michigan
University of Minnesota
University of Missouri
University of New England
University of New Hampshire
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
UNC-Wilmington
University of Oregon
University of Pittsburgh
University of Rhode Island
University of Richmond
University of Rochester
University of St Andrews (Scotland)
University of St. Thomas
University of San Diego
University of Southern California
University of South Carolina
University of South Florida
University of Tampa
University of Tennessee
University of Texas-Austin
University of Toronto
University of Vermont
University of Virginia
University of Washington
University of Wisconsin
Villanova University
Virginia Tech
Wake Forest University
Wentworth Institute of Technology
Wesleyan University
West Chester University
Whitman College
Worcester Polytechnic Institute