2025 recommendations
Dana Ponsky is excellent
Dana Ponsky - Your Guide to College
Owner & Director of College Counseling
Dana Ponsky Consulting Services LLC
www.consultwithdana.com
(917) 727-6484
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We've used Lauren Stricof and will be using her again for our son (junior this year). We liked Lauren b/c she didn't have a min set of hours, was really flexible on how and when we utilized her services, and able to focus on what was needed most - whether it was college list building based on what my kid wanted (speific peograms/majors, geography, size of school, Jewish life on campus, etc), essay review (SOOO MANY supplementals) or just keeping our now college freshman on task with deadlines. She also knew the deadline that our school counselors (who were excellent) might not have had on their radar - for example, schools where we were applying Regular Decision, but if you didn't apply by a certain date, you missed out on scholarships and honors programs. She's not a financial expert, and she's less knowledgeable about IEPs, programs for special learners, etc. But if it's helpful, here's her info and she works mostly over Zoom.
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Check to see if Deborah Heller has any room in her roster. We used her and she was excellent.
impact.deborah@gmail.com
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I highly recommend Greg Millar. He was really helpful, supportive and knowledgeable. He really tapped into
what my son wanted, needed and would be a good fit. He has worked with a number of local families through
my recommendation. He has a whole package of services. We did not contract for the full one so discuss what
you need so you can work with him on it.
Greg Millar
216-374-6522
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Alison Pitt made applying to college so easy for my daughter. She was able to help with the essay as well.
Alison Pitt <alipittnyc@gmail.com>
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I would try Mary Murray @ marymurraystudio@gmail.com. She's a terrific college advisor who knows about both the American & European college systems. She really knows how to guide a young person through the process.
We also worked with Dana Ponsky. She’s wonderful, and we highly recommend her. I don’t know about her experience with colleges abroad, but she offers a free initial consultation where you could ask her.
Www.consultwithdana.com
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For International Colleges and Universities I recommend Jo Clark, The Overseas College Counselor https://www.goukuni.com/
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I second Jo Clark! She's great.
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Dana Ponsky @ www.consultwithdana.com is wonderful. My son really clicked with her. She is experienced and super generous with her time. Plus, she's local!
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Second Dana. She is fantastic!
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We also used Dana from everyone’s recommendations. She is very easy to talk and work with. My son needed a lil push and she was the right fit for us.
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We also worked with Dana Ponsky. She’s wonderful, and we highly recommend her. I don’t know about her experience with colleges abroad, but she offers a free initial consultation where you could ask her.
Www.consultwithdana.com
All the best to you and your daughter with the process!
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Yvette is such a great resource and reasonably priced!!
Yvette Lubinsky Mallory
YCollegeConcierge
310 386-9909 cell
310 827-2626 office
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Miller Liberatore https://www.millercac.com/my-story
Miller offers the full package of wonderfulness. They took the overwhelming and stressful college search/application/decision-making process and made it clear, organized, and non-stressful in a way I did not imagine was possible. Our teen was helped to be in the driver's seat, and to feel unusually confident and supported all the way through, even though she had had some very tough health issues (that had led to significant time off) to contend with in shaping her search and approach to applications.
My testimonial and others on their site capture her work approach and gifts very well. https://www.millercac.com/testimonials
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We Love Kate Voorsanger Ryan!(917) 805-9082 - She actually made it fun, and she had great ideas for colleges we never would have thought of
We Love Kate Voorsanger Ryan!(917) 805-9082 - She actually made it fun, and she had great ideas for colleges we never would have thought of
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I also heartily recommend Kate V.R. I've known her for nearly 20 years. She has so much experience and knowledge--and is always seeking more. In addition, she will see your child and you as clear and distinct individuals...and guide you accordingly.
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Bethany Goldszer is amazing. My daughter got into all her top school choices! info@standoutcollegeprep.com
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Re: College Admissions Coaches for both HBCU & PWI list options
Belinda Wilkerson is amazing!
Belinda is a treasure! We were impressed with so many consultants and their firms- it's nice to know there are good options if you go this route.
In our search for a college admissions coach who is well-versed in serving students interested in both HBCUs and PWIs, I now have a short list
of coaches who may be of help/interest to other families building lists inclusive of both options. Attaching link to google spreadsheet page for others to view in case it's useful! College Admissions Coaches: https://tinyurl.com/ms9nthz9
of coaches who may be of help/interest to other families building lists inclusive of both options. Attaching link to google spreadsheet page for others to view in case it's useful! College Admissions Coaches: https://tinyurl.com/ms9nthz9
RE: College recs with strong accessibility services
There is a great person Annie Tulkin, who specializes in helping students with physical disabilities and the college admissions process, transition, etc. Her website is below and she is fantastic.
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Rochester Institute of Technology and RIT has a very large deaf/hard of hearing population. ASL interpreters are common in all classes. Anyway, here is a link
https://www.rit.edu/ntid/about-ntid
https://www.rit.edu/ntid/about-ntid
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Here is a spreadsheet of colleges with disability services (scroll down to bottom) that go above and beyond the legal minimums. It's geared more to students with ADHD/ASD but may be of help nonetheless.
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We've been working with Gabrielle Glancy who came highly recommended (on either this list or Park Slope Parents.) One of the reasons we chose her was her very specific expertise in going abroad for college (although our kids decided that's not what they wanted.)
We really love her. One of the main things we love about her is how honest and no-BS she is about applying to college, which I have actually found to be incredibly helpful. She also has a very "what's right for your specific child" focus. Both of our twins have really enjoyed working with her - she's made the essay writing process actually fun and I was surprised at how happily our kids jumped on the zoom for every session with her. My son just had a session with her from sleep-away camp and texted me "I rlly like gabby. she is so cool." High praise for a teenager!
She's a pro in every sense of the word, having seen this process as a college counselor, a college admissions officer, and as a parent. She's an essay writing master and has gotten incredible work out of both kids so far. She's also helped them assemble extremely thoughtful lists of schools to apply to and strategize how best to approach the applications.
Gabrielle is most definitely worth having a discussion with! Her email is gabglance4@gmail.com
2024 recommendations
We worked with Deb Heller at impact.deborah@gmail.com in late 2022 (my son's a college freshman now) and she was really helpful.
We used the team of Betsy and Stephanie at Coach Your Kids to College, with great success.
About Us | Coach Your Kids
coachyourkidstocollege.com
Mary Murray is amazing- patient, thorough, warm and extremely knowledgeable.
mmcollegecoaching.com
We are working with Lauren Stricof, who is amazing and reasonably priced.
I highly recommend Dana Ponsky consultwithdanap@gmail.com for the very supportive and affirming (but also realistic and firm) approach.
Gabrielle Glancy, who we learned about on PONYTYA, was steady, realistic, encouraging and persistent. She is a fantastic editor, and with her help my daughter got into her first choice school. Good luck.
A second recommendation for Gabrielle Glancy. She is expensive but as Emma stated, "steady, realistic, encouraging and persistent." My daughter got into her first-choice school as well. Her books on writing college essays are also good.
we hired a great
adviser who really connected with my son and had a great method of addressing all those
important components.
Our college counselor was wonderful and an important factor in building my
son's confidence, keeping him organized and helping him focus and think
through what he wanted out of college. It is good to have a neutral person
with experience and skills as families embark on this important step.
Greg will come to you or meet your teen at a convenient place.
Greg Millar
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Rachel Coates is another counselor. We didn’t hire her for one-on-one counseling, but I’ve attended several talks she’s given about various aspects of college admissions, and she definitely knows her stuff.
Name of Tutor Deb Heller
Tutor's contact info (if okay with the tutor) debbieH214@aol.com 917-620-8022
Subject College Consultant/ essay/ Admissions process
Cost per hour 90.00- 120.00
Meeting place? Student's home, tutor's home or school, third party location like coffee shop, library at your home; coffee shop; library
How long has your child been working with this tutor?
3 months to a year
Please write a review of your experience
Deb is excellent, knowledgeable and experienced. She knows her material and has been able to guide my daughter in the right direction when it comes to reviewing and selecting colleges to apply to. I highly recommend her. She has worked and understands the NYC HS system and has the perfect personality to work with High School students. She is patient and knows the right questions to ask when assessing the situation. She has help my daughter stay focused and be on target for her deadlines. I can't thank her enough during this stressful time.
She has worked as a college consultant for many years. Her goal is to work with students on choosing colleges, writing essays, organizing their applications, preparing for visits and interviews, and analyzing financial aid packages. She can walk students through the entire process from beginning to end.
How did you find this tutor?
Personal Recommendation
Other (please specify):
Wyzant on-line tutoring service
Would you recommend this tutor to other parents for their children?
Highly recommend
What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right tutor to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
Have the first session as a trial. Once they leave ask your child if they felt it was a "good fit". Don't invite them back until you get feedback from you child.
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I found our consultant - Rachel Coates (www.EduCoates) - whom I HIGHLY recommend - brought out the best in my daughter, but the application was absolutely my daughter's own. The process is not anywhere near what it was when I applied to college; it is far more intense and crazier these days, and was all new to me.
Rachel helped my daughter through decisions, but again the decisions were hers. An admissions consultant shouldn't tell you what to do, since you have to live with all the decisions, not the consultant.
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I recommend Aaron Kind.
Aaron is an experienced focused and kind person. He is currently the College Advisor at Bronx Science. He does private college consulting as well, and is allowed to work privately with students who are not attending Bronx Science. Aaron's rates are extremely reasonable and he will work to create a program that works for your specific family and situation, creating the categories where help is needed, and pricing to reflect that. He is not one of the one-price-covers-all type of advisors. Aaron has worked with various families through The Tutoring Collective. He is an independent person and I was impressed with him so I recommend him to families. All of whom have been extremely happy.
Here is his contact information:
561-339-9953
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I can't locate the original post, but a parent with an 8th grader attending a special needs school was looking for recommendations for a college counselor.
The college counselor who worked with my daughter suggests contacting Mary Miele at Evolved Education https://evolveded.com.
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We loved Deena Maerowitz: deena@thebertramgroup.com.
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I wanted to give a very strong recommendation for another amazing college advisor. I have known her for years, and she is smart and insightful and very knowledgeable.
Jennifer Plassman
She also have a Facebook page at Jennifer Plassman Admissions Consulting where she post articles relevant to the college admissions process.
If you want to check her out!
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I can highly recommend Gabrielle Glancy. My daughter has been working with her since mid August, primarily on her college essay, but also on making a college list, and supplementals. While she had a good essay from the start, what she now has after working with Gabby is phenomenal! Gabby gave her guided freedom to brainstorm and free write and provided structure at the end to put it all together into a polished piece. My daughter definitely feels supported by her and Gabby always keeps me in the loop and is always responsive to my questions (and my anxiety)! :) Feel free to contact me for more info. Gabby's contact info is:
Gabrielle Glancy
New Vision Learning
(415)637-1955
gabglance4@gmail.com
www.newvisionlearning.org
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Gabrielle Glancy
What subject(s) does he/she tutor? *
College Advisor
How can readers contact the tutor:
www.newvisionlearning.org
How long has your child worked with this tutor *
Between a month and a year
Where did you find this tutor? *
found them on a local list-serve or blog like Parents of NY Teens
Has your child worked virtually or in person with this tutor?
Virtually
What is the hourly cost for this tutor? *
$100 or more
Please write a review of your experience :
Hi!
I highly recommend Gabrielle Glancy, of New Vision Learning. She has helped my daughter navigate her journey through this perilous process in many ways. She is an amazing writer, editor, and most importantly, inspirer who has sparked my daughter’s imagination and helped her feel like she’s in control of her essays. She’s also sweet, yet stern, and has developed a nice rapport with her. Gabrielle is very knowledgeable about universities and has helped cull her list as well. Two thumbs up!
Would you recommend this tutor to other parents for their children? *
Highly Recommend
What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right tutor to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
Look for a personality fit and someone who will inspire
_______________________________________
Name of Tutor Deb Heller
Tutor's contact info (if okay with the tutor) debbieH214@aol.com 917-620-8022
Subject College Consultant/ essay/ Admissions process
Cost per hour 90.00- 120.00
Meeting place? Student's home, tutor's home or school, third party location like coffee shop, library at your home; coffee shop; library
How long has your child been working with this tutor?
3 months to a year
Please write a review of your experience
Deb is excellent, knowledgeable and experienced. She knows her material and has been able to guide my daughter in the right direction when it comes to reviewing and selecting colleges to apply to. I highly recommend her. She has worked and understands the NYC HS system and has the perfect personality to work with High School students. She is patient and knows the right questions to ask when assessing the situation. She has help my daughter stay focused and be on target for her deadlines. I can't thank her enough during this stressful time.
She has worked as a college consultant for many years. Her goal is to work with students on choosing colleges, writing essays, organizing their applications, preparing for visits and interviews, and analyzing financial aid packages. She can walk students through the entire process from beginning to end.
How did you find this tutor?
Personal Recommendation
Other (please specify):
Wyzant on-line tutoring service
Would you recommend this tutor to other parents for their children?
Highly recommend
What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right tutor to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
Have the first session as a trial. Once they leave ask your child if they felt it was a "good fit". Don't invite them back until you get feedback from you child.
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I can highly recommend Gabrielle Glancy. My daughter has been working with her since mid August, primarily on her college essay, but also on making a college list, and supplementals. While she had a good essay from the start, what she now has after working with Gabby is phenomenal! Gabby gave her guided freedom to brainstorm and free write and provided structure at the end to put it all together into a polished piece. My daughter definitely feels supported by her and Gabby always keeps me in the loop and is always responsive to my questions (and my anxiety)! :) Feel free to contact me for more info. Gabby's contact info is:
Gabrielle Glancy
New Vision Learning
(415)637-1955
gabglance4@gmail.com
www.newvisionlearning.org
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Last night we met with The Best College Advisor Eric Greenberg. Our kids are in the same school and I have known him for many years. However, I never had a sit down with him until last night.
He knows his stuff and he knows about all colleges and matching them with your needs.
Eric Greenberg 212.787.6800 Greenberg Educational Group – The Personal Approach
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We loved Deena Maerowitz -- she was incredible with our older daughter, the cost was reasonable, and we were thrilled with the results: deena@thebertramgroup.com.
I highly recommend Deena Maerowitz - she helped my son, who is now doing a gap year and will head to Georgetown in the fall. She is also a wonderful person and very easy to work with, great with the kids. She's at deena@thebertramgroup.com or (646) 206-7128.
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I recommend Aaron Kind.
561-339-0053
He is the college advisor at Bronx Science, so as long as your child is not a student there he can work with them privately. He's great also.
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Try Aaron Kind.
He is a fantastic college advisor and very reasonably priced. Unlike many, you can choose services and areas you want and pay accordingly. He is presently the college advisor at Bronx Science (the only students he cannot work with in his business are Bronx Science Students). I know him and have also heard great reports from parents. His phone number is:
Aaron Kind
561-339-9953
He is a fantastic college advisor and very reasonably priced. Unlike many, you can choose services and areas you want and pay accordingly. He is presently the college advisor at Bronx Science (the only students he cannot work with in his business are Bronx Science Students). I know him and have also heard great reports from parents. His phone number is:
Aaron Kind
561-339-9953
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RacheL Coates is great. She worked with both my son and daughter who both got into great schools matching their wants an abilities. One has graduated and the other is finishing up at Columbia.
(718) 350-1265
rachel@educoates.com
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Financial
Maura Griffin!
Maura Griffin!
Matthew Sinclair
We’ve used him the last 10 years and have been very happy
I second Maura Griffin: maura@bluesparkfinancial.com
She was a great help in answering all kinds of questions about financing college, etc.
We too went to see Maura Griffith in the summer between 11th and 12th grade. She was very helpful. I only wish we had met with her earlier.
Our financial advisor isn’t a college financial advisor specifically, but he was great on the college topic. Scott Brewster: 646.249.9880. He’s not cheap, but I’d bet if you wanted a consult related directly to college (rather than your whole financial future), he could be affordable. He also made the point that “you can borrow for college, but not for your retirement.”
http://campusconsultants.com/
Kal Chany
Kal Chany
Lora K. Block, M.A. Certified Educational Planner
College Advisory Services 34 McIntosh Lane /
Bennington, VT 05201 ph:802-447-0776
College Advisory Services 34 McIntosh Lane /
Bennington, VT 05201 ph:802-447-0776
We’ve used Julie Gross at
Julie@collegefinancial-consultants.com for several years now, and have been very pleased.
