When it came time to plan for college I really felt at a loss. I hadn’t a clue where to start, and the high school guidance office was too overwhelmed to be of much help. My son, Adam, had a vague idea of what he wanted, but the process seemed much more stressful than I remembered from my own high school days. I really wanted someone to hold my hand. Fortunately, I found an article about Nancy and Personal College Advising in my local paper, and I called immediately.

            Nancy met with Adam and instantly put him at ease while at the same time asking him questions to elicit precisely what he wanted in a school. She also reviewed his grades and future courses to get a good sense of where he was academically. A few weeks later Adam received a spreadsheet covering nearly twenty schools and addressing not just the typical size, location and acceptance rates, but the specific information Adam wanted: marketing major, club or intramural lacrosse, and Jewish student organizations on campus. Then it was his turn to go to work.

            Adam researched schools online to narrow down his list. Nancy was wonderful keeping him on track with deadlines, and even researching additional schools that he would throw in the mix. Eventually we came up with a list of schools to visit and set about making our plans. Nancy was helpful in prepping Adam for visits, offering him suggestions on what to look for, and how to really get your questions answered. When it was time to write his essays Nancy’s prior experience in admissions really paid off. She reviewed Adam’s essays to help him cut through the clutter and really express himself.

            Nancy was always there for us, too. No question was too small or too silly; no fear or panic on our part was ever left unaddressed. It was a team effort all the way, with Nancy as our captain. In the end, we were all extremely pleased with Adam’s acceptances and he’s thrilled with his choice. My husband really summed up our experience best, “You know, we’ve spent a lot of money on Adam over the years for sports training, gym memberships, time management programs, and even tutoring. But the cost to hire Nancy was the best we ever spent.”

Janet Iacovelli, 2007