Where It All Comes Together
College admissions advising for 11th & 12th Grade students & their families
Whether we've been working together since the earlier grades, or you're reaching out for the first time as junior or senior year approaches, you're in the right place.
These two years bring a lot together: testing, course planning, building a college list, writing essays, completing applications, and ultimately, making decisions. I will support you through these busy years using my signature approach of strategy, process, and coaching.
Together, we’ll make this an experience you and your student can feel good about.
Strategy
Shapes the college list and the plan for applying
Process
Means we plan the work and work the plan so that testing, research, and deadlines stay on track
Coaching
Happens in the work itself — the essays, application materials, and decisions your student makes along the way.
“As someone who did not have strong extracurricular activities, Barbara suggested ways to personalize the few I did participate in and highlight how they each enhanced my personal and academic lives in meaningful ways. My application was able to strongly reflect my passions and successfully got me a spot in my top choice of college, Vassar College, through early decision.”
Eli, student, Vassar College
Advising Areas of Focus for 11th – 12th Graders
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Getting Started
Grade 11, Fall
Family and I map out the timeline and scope of the work ahead together
We discuss the purpose and calendar for campus visits
I help your student get organized and set up with the tools they'll use throughout the process
I guide your student in reflecting on their goals for college and early thoughts about career direction
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The Full Picture
Grade 11, Fall–Winter
I review your student's academic record and course planning
We make testing plans and decisions together
I help map out your student's activities and interests outside the classroom
Your student's resume and activities list begin to take shape
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Finding Your Colleges
Grade 11, Winter–Summer
I coach your student through systematic college research, including virtual engagement
Student and family visit campuses
I guide your student in clarifying what they're looking for
Family and student build a working, balanced college list together, with my guidance
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Telling Your Story
Grade 11, Spring–Grade 12, Fall
I guide your student in preparing brag sheets for recommenders
Your student writes their college essay, with my coaching through the process
Your student writes supplemental essays and other personalized application components, with my coaching through the process
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On Track, On Time
Grade 12, Fall
Family and I track college requirements and deadlines
Family and student finalize decisions about the college list and early/regular application plans
Student meets their high school counselor's requirements and deadlines
Family manages financial aid forms as needed
I review applications before they are submitted
I stay engaged through decisions and any deferrals
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The Next Step
Grade 12, Fall–Spring
Student weighs their offers and makes a confident final decision
I coach student and family through the transition to college
Student prepares to arrive ready to thrive from day one
I recommend 20 – 40 hours of support for these critical years, which roughly equates to an investment of $8,000 – $16,000. Bundles of hours are recommended at each stage of the process, and carry over from year to year. Smaller bundles become available if additional wrap-up support is needed.
FAQ
Questions Families Often Bring Me
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Many families reach out for the first time right around junior or senior year, and that's a great time to begin. Support comes in flexible blocks of time, so we get right to work on whatever matters most for where your student is in the process.
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That depends on where you are in the calendar. During quieter stretches, we'll take a lighter touch; closer to key decision points and deadlines, the work becomes more concentrated. We plan the work and work the plan, and because support is offered in flexible blocks, it can adapt to what your student and you require.
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Your student makes every choice along the way, and will write their essays in their own best and true voice. I scaffold the process and coach them through each step, at a pace that builds momentum instead of stress.
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We build the list together, over time. Junior year starts with broad research; from there, the list narrows based on what your student learns about themselves and about each school. By the time we agree on a final list (usually around a dozen schools) it reflects real research, real compatibility, and family conversations along the way.
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As we build your child’s application plan, we’ll talk through these options together based on their college list, readiness, and preferences. By the time fall of 12th Grade arrives, the plan for each school is something the whole family has agreed on.
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An important one. Throughout these two years, there are regular family conversations — about goals, the college list, financial aid, and eventually the decision itself. My coaching work extends to parents, too: we’ll think through how to best support your student, when to step in, and when to step back.
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For some students, the work continues right through the transition to college — things like managing free time, making social connections, engaging with professors, approaching internships, and generally preparing for that first year. Decision day is a milestone, but the support doesn't have to stop there.
Strategy Starts Here
The college process moves fast, and the families who feel best at the end are the ones who had a clear strategy from the beginning. Let's begin our conversation.