We build a plan based on the student.

Some students need guidance over time. Others need help in specific areas. It depends on where they are and what they need.

Florence meets with students and parents to understand goals, current work, and where support is needed. From there, she recommends a plan that may include college advising, art coaching, or both.

The focus is on building the right level of support so the student can move forward with clarity.

We work with you to maximize exposure to arts, design well balanced course curricula, and find after school activities, summer and pre college programs.

This may include suggestions for summer coursework, colleges to visit, and professors to meet with. We also identify activities that help acquaint you with different programs and build your creative resume.

We start creating a resume that can be used for summer jobs and later submitted to colleges as supplemental materials.

Beginning in 10th grade we encourage you to start developing your college list by visiting schools and narrowing your interests focusing on programs which will best fit your academic and career goals. We know that everyone is unique and has their own academic and artistic expectations for college. We work with you to determine the characteristics which would make the best college fit for you. Often our students start the process headed in one direction, and after visiting and researching schools, modify their wish list and focus on other colleges. That is the benefit of starting to visit colleges in sophomore year as you have the ability to fully consider different programs and schools.

The college application process is replete with details and multiple deadlines. It’s a stressful time as parents want their students to “hurry up” and submit their applications; students are often juggling school work, extracurricular activities, and their social life. Conflicts almost always arise. We smooth the conflicts and act as “honest broker” between parent and student. We keep you organized and focused, creating schedules for students and parents and then work with you to submit your applications on time, reducing the tension of a parent asking “have you submitted your application yet?”

An integral part of your college application is the Common/Coalition Application Essay as it is the personal statement submitted to all schools (except the University of California which uses its own application). This is where you shine and show the admissions committee that you are more than your grades, scores and other materials. A well crafted essay can not only gain you admission, but it can also result in significant merit awards. Together we brainstorm ideas to focus your essays and then help you edit them for final submission. Many schools also require shorter supplemental essays (sometimes as many as three additional essays), specific to the school and often require significant research and thoughtfulness to respond. We’ll brainstorm those as well, letting colleges learn more about you in each part of your application.

Many of our students submit portfolios and audition materials either as a required part of their applications, or as supplemental materials to help admissions committees learn more about you. We work together to select your pieces, craft your artistic statements and descriptions, and submit your materials in a professional manner. We help performing artists submit pre-screen materials and prepare materials for your auditions. Performing arts students must prepare audition materials by August for schools that grant auditions based on pre-screen pieces.