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.

The initial step is always an introductory meeting with Florence, parents and if possible, the student should attend that meeting. In that meeting we where your are in the process, where you feel you need help, and how our expertise and guidance can get you successfully to the magical SUBMIT button.

At this meeting we discuss your creative interests, academic profile, and intentions for college. From that we can assess your needs for art coaching, college advising, or both, and recommend a course of action and pair you with the best coach.

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

We know that every family is different. Your needs, background, and timing is yours. We begin working with families when students are ready to receive help, or when parents realize that they are not receiving the help they anticipated from their high school counselors.

Some students start working with us as early as 8th or 9th grade. Mostly to develop their art skills, but also to start focusing them on their academics and initial college discussions.

Other students come to us in 10th or 11th grade and we meet them where they are and develop a plan to help them achieve their academic and creative goals.

And yes other students come to us in 12th grade. These are students who thought they could “do it on their own” and discovered there was a lot to do and they need guidance and expertise to manage all the tasks and decisions. Other students discover over the summer that they have a strong creative interest and need some quick adjustment of their college list and application plan. Still others come to us after working with other counselors who don’t have the expertise in the creative programs they are seeking.

We have a very successful acceptance record for students coming to us as late as October of 12th grade!

It’s never too early or too late to start working together.

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 as you continue to build your creative resume.

We assess your academics and interests and help you plan for success in high school.

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

10th and 11th grades are the critical years that colleges will focus on so we make sure that you continue to pursue your interests and explore how you can develop them within both your academics and your community.

We discuss course selection, extracurricular activities, and summer opportunities to support your college plan and creative goals.

We propose college programs to research and visit, discuss your findings and build on them so at the end of 11th grade your college list will comprise schools which are an academic, social and financial fit.

By the start of 12th grade we anticipate that your college list is set. We discuss application deadline strategies to maximize your chances for acceptances and financial aid.

Together we strategize responses to your personal statements, supplemental essays, and creative submissions to show admissions all your achievements and capabilities. You write, we discuss, revise and edit together.

Your work, our expertise and guidance.

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.