Where It All Begins
College admissions advising for 8th – 10th Grade students & their families
Grades 8 through 10 are a wonderful time to begin our work together.
This is when your student has the most room to explore who they are and what excites them, which is exactly the focus of our work together: helping your student to lean into their curiosity, experiment, and be open to future opportunities.
These years also bring plenty of questions about courses, activities, test planning, and more. I'm glad to be your family’s resource for those conversations, too. I work closely with parents throughout this stage, offering perspective and support as your student grows and changes. The goal is for your student to come through their early high school years feeling energized and curious, so that as high school progresses, they're ready to take on the more demanding years with confidence.
“Barbara has been a trustworthy partner, and reliable source of support, and more importantly, she was able to bond well with Thomas. In addition to providing her unique insights from her college consulting experience, Barbara did a fabulous job helping to identify Thomas' strength and weakness, finding the school that genuinely fits, and keeping us organized and with peace of mind.”
Karen, parent, Carnegie Mellon University
Advising Areas of Focus for 8th – 10th Graders
High School Transition
We’ll prepare academically and socially for freshman year, including course expectations, study habits, what’s ahead, and more so your student is ready to make the most of 9th grade.
Academic Planning
We'll set year-by-year goals, select courses with an eye on the four-year arc, plan for standardized tests, and weigh AP/IB decisions.
Activities & Interests
We’ll explore clubs, arts, athletics, community involvement, summer planning, specialty programs, and independent projects, plus family responsibilities and expectations.
Self-Discovery
Expect ongoing conversations about what matters to your student, how they spend their time, and how they’d tell their own story.
For Parents
I’ll coach you on what to expect each year of high school, how the admissions process works, when to plan for early campus visits, what milestones to anticipate, and how to support your student if they have learning differences.
I recommend 5 – 10 hours of support per year for these early years, which roughly equates to an investment of $2,000 – $4,000. Hourly bundles are recommended at each stage of the process, and carry over from year to year.
FAQ
Questions Families Often Bring Me
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This is actually one of the best times to begin. There's no application deadline driving things yet, which gives us room for discovery — determining what your student is curious about, how they learn best, and what doors present-day choices may open for them later.
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It varies, and that's by design. Some months might include a conversation about course selection or summer plans; others might be quieter. Support comes in flexible blocks of time, used for whatever's relevant at that moment, rather than a fixed set of meetings.
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My goal in these years is the opposite: to help your student stay engaged and energized, with enough room to explore and recharge, so that by the time the more demanding high school years arrive, they have momentum.
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We talk through the choices in front of your student each year — what's required, what's optional, and what might open up interesting paths later — always with the four-year picture in mind, not just the year directly ahead.
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We think through how your student wants to spend their summers — programs, jobs, projects, volunteering, travel, or simply downtime — based on what they're curious about and what would genuinely be valuable for them.
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Test planning conversations typically begin in the spring of 10th grade, once we have a clearer picture of your student's course load and schedule. Before then, the focus stays on building the foundation — course choices, study habits, and a sense of how your student learns — that makes test planning straightforward when the time comes.
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That's completely normal at this age, and it's a big part of why these years matter. Much of our work together is about helping a student notice what draws their attention and try things out, so interests have room to emerge.
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Everything from these earlier years — the self-knowledge, the habits, the choices — becomes the foundation for what comes later. Students who've had this kind of grounding tend to move into Grades 11 and 12 junior and senior year with more focus and less scrambling.
Let’s Begin
The earlier your student begins, the more flexibility it will afford your family. Let's begin with a complimentary conversation about your student and what smart next steps look like.