Planning before applications
We look at course choices, testing timelines, activities, and summer plans together. The goal is a manageable set of priorities that gives your student room to learn, explore, and follow through.
Personalized college admissions guidance
College is a big step.
Let’s figure it
out together.
There’s a lot of advice out there about getting into college. Figuring out what applies to your student can be the hard part. We’re Carrie and Dawn, and we help families sort through the questions, build a plan, and feel more comfortable with what comes next.
Let’s start a conversationExplore our guidanceAdmissions Playbook
Your story.
Your strategy.
Your future.
A plan that makes sense for you. Room to figure things out along the way.
THE STUDENT PLAYBOOK
You don’t have to figure
everything out today.
everything out today.
Student centered planningThoughtful college choicesClear, manageable next steps
Our approach
First, let’s get to know
the person applying.
A good college list should give your student several places they would be happy to say yes to.
Your student has interests, strengths, opinions, and probably a few things they’re still figuring out. That’s where we start.
We want to know what they enjoy, how they learn, and what they hope college will feel like. We also want to understand your family’s priorities, including cost, distance from home, and how much support you’re looking for.
Then we put those pieces together. We help you think through the choices, understand the tradeoffs, and focus on the things that deserve your attention right now. The plan should be clear enough to follow and flexible enough to change as your student grows.
You can ask the same question twice. You can tell us you’re overwhelmed. And your student can tell us they have no idea what they want to major in. Those are all perfectly good places to begin.
How we help
Let’s make sense
of all the moving pieces.
There are plenty of details to keep track of. We help connect them so your family can see how today’s choices fit into the bigger picture.
A balanced college list
We help you look beyond a familiar name to consider academics, campus culture, location, size, and cost. Together, we build a range of possibilities and talk about the admissions uncertainty that comes with each.
Activities with a purpose
We help students take their interests further through projects, leadership, service, or opportunities to learn from others. We consider what they can realistically start and sustain, along with the time they already have committed.
Essays in their own voice
Sometimes the hardest part is deciding what to write about. We help students reflect, choose a direction, and revise their work so the reader gets to know them. The experiences, ideas, and writing belong to the student.
Applications and deadlines
We help organize the application process, including activity descriptions, recommendations, supplements, and important dates. A clear plan helps students see what is coming and what to work on next.
Thinking through the decision
When offers arrive, we help families revisit their priorities and compare the options in front of them. We make space for questions about academic fit, campus life, and the costs that matter to your family.
We’ll discuss the services, timing, and scope that fit your family before you decide to work with us.
Working together
You’ll know what we’re working on.
And why it matters.
Tell us where you are.
We start with your student’s grade, interests, current plans, and the questions keeping your family busy. It helps us understand what kind of support would actually be useful.
Decide what comes next.
We identify priorities and turn them into specific steps. Your student can see what to focus on, and you can understand how the pieces connect.
Adjust as things change.
Interests evolve. A campus visit changes an opinion. An essay takes a different direction. Within your agreed plan, we help work through those decisions and keep moving.
Where is your family right now?
There’s a different next step
for every stage.
You might be planning ahead, starting a college list, or looking at an application that suddenly feels very real. The conversation starts with where your student is today.
“What should we be doing now?”
We help families think about classes, interests, and activities without making every choice feel like an admissions decision. This is a good time to explore what a student enjoys and build habits they can carry forward.
“How do we put a plan together?”
College research, testing, campus visits, and summer plans start to overlap. We help narrow the priorities, develop a balanced list, and look for experiences that make sense for the student.
“How do we keep track of all of this?”
Essays, supplements, recommendations, and deadlines need a plan. We help students organize the work and communicate their experiences, then think through their choices when decisions arrive.
Meet Carrie & Dawn
A balanced team.
Just like our college lists.
We’re different in some very useful ways. And we both care about helping your student find a place where they can do well and feel at home.
We’re moms, too, so we understand that this process comes with more than a checklist. There’s excitement, uncertainty, and the realization that a pretty big family change is getting closer. We bring our different perspectives to the work and give families space to talk through all of it.
The analytical side
Carrie Sykes
Carrie is our data nerd and boy mom. She likes to understand how the pieces fit together, ask the follow up question, and make sense of the details so families can make informed choices.
She brings structure, a practical perspective, and a little spice. If there’s a spreadsheet involved, she’s probably already opened it.
The creative side
Dawn Moll
Dawn is our creative side, social media content star, and girl mom. She brings warmth and an eye for communication to the team, balancing Carrie’s love of details with a different perspective.
She brings creativity, connection, and a little sweetness. Together, we give families a balance of thoughtful planning and personal support.
More than a list of deadlines
A strategy built
around your student.
“Be more involved” isn’t a very useful instruction on its own. Our student strategy portfolios get specific about what a student could explore, why it fits, and how to get started.
Depending on the student, that could mean building a small project, mentoring younger students, exploring a field through shadowing, or taking a more active role in something they already enjoy. We look for ideas they can realistically carry out and learn from.
The portfolio brings the recommendations into one place, with priorities, timing, and next steps. It gives your family something concrete to come back to when the question is, “What should we be working on?”
Inside the student playbook
From interests
to meaningful action.
A clear starting pointStrengths, interests, priorities, and opportunities for growth.
Purposeful experiencesProject ideas, leadership development, community impact, and summer exploration.
A practical roadmapAction steps, timing, outreach tools, and a family checklist.
A story grounded in experienceReflection and evidence that help students communicate their growth in applications.
Portfolio content is tailored to the student and the agreed scope of guidance.
See how an interest can become a practical plan
Start with something they care about.
A student who enjoys business competitions might be interested in helping younger participants prepare. We could explore a small peer workshop as a starting point.
From there, the plan could include choosing a topic, finding a place to meet, creating materials, asking for feedback, and reflecting on what they learned.
Make the next steps specific.
Who would benefit? What can the student offer? How much time do they have? What would they need to learn first?
Those questions turn a broad interest into something the student can try, improve, and eventually describe in their own words.
Illustrative example only. Recommendations depend on the individual student. A project does not guarantee an admissions outcome.
College acceptances
There are a lot of places
to build a great future.
We’re proud to share this college acceptance list. It includes large public universities, smaller liberal arts colleges, and plenty of different campus experiences. As you look through it, keep your own student in mind. The most exciting choice is the one that makes sense for them.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Brown University
Vanderbilt University
University of Michigan
Clemson University
University of California, Berkeley
Explore the full college acceptance list
- Amherst College
- Arizona State University
- Auburn University
- Boston College
- Brown University
- Bucknell University
- Carleton College
- Clemson University
- Colgate University
- Columbia University
- Cornell University
- Dartmouth College
- Emory University
- Furman University
- Georgetown University
- Grinnell College
- Indiana University
- Johns Hopkins University
- Lafayette College
- Lehigh University
- Loyola Marymount University
- Miami University (Ohio)
- North Carolina State University
- Northeastern University
- Pennsylvania State University
- Tulane University
- University of Arizona
- University of California, Berkeley
- University of Colorado Boulder
- University of Georgia
- University of Iowa
- University of Miami
- University of Michigan
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- University of Notre Dame
- University of South Carolina
- University of Southern California
- University of Virginia
- Vanderbilt University
- Villanova University
- Wake Forest University
- Wellesley College
- William & Mary
Past acceptances do not guarantee future results. Admissions decisions are made independently by each institution. Listing a college does not imply affiliation or endorsement.
Questions we can talk through
You’re probably
wondering a few things.
If your question isn’t here, send it to us. You don’t need to know the terminology or have a list of colleges ready before reaching out.
When should we reach out?
When you’re ready for some direction. Earlier planning gives us room to explore, but families also reach out as the application process gets closer. Tell us your student’s grade and what you need help with so we can discuss timing and whether we’re a fit.
What if my student has no idea what they want to study?
That’s okay. We can start with what they enjoy, the classes that interest them, and the experiences they would like to try. A student can make thoughtful college choices while still leaving room to discover new interests.
Do you only help students applying to highly selective colleges?
Our focus is a thoughtful match for the student. A balanced list considers academic interests, personal preferences, family priorities, and admissions uncertainty. We want students to have options they would actually be happy to choose.
What do you mean by a balanced college list?
A list with a range of admissions possibilities and colleges the student would be glad to attend. We consider the student’s academic profile, interests, and family priorities together. Even a strong applicant needs to account for uncertainty, especially at highly selective institutions.
How involved should parents be?
We want to understand your priorities and concerns. At the same time, students need room to share their own opinions and take responsibility for the work. We’ll talk about how to keep everyone involved in a way that supports your student.
Will you write the essays for my student?
The writing needs to be theirs. We help with reflection, brainstorming, organization, and revision so students can express their experiences clearly. We want an admissions reader to hear your student’s voice.
Can we talk about the cost of college?
Absolutely. Cost belongs in the conversation as the list takes shape. We can help families include affordability in their comparisons and identify questions to ask colleges. Each institution determines its own aid and scholarship offers.
Does this replace our school counselor?
School counselors are an important part of the process. Our work adds personalized planning and support alongside the resources available at school. Students should continue to follow their school’s requirements for transcripts, recommendations, and other materials.
How do we find out about services and pricing?
Email us with your student’s grade, a little about where you are in the process, and what you’re looking for help with. We’ll talk through the support, timing, and pricing before you make a decision.
Can you guarantee admission to a particular college?
We can help students make thoughtful choices and put care into their applications. Colleges make their own admissions decisions, so we don’t promise admission or scholarship results. That uncertainty is one reason we put so much thought into a balanced list.
Let’s begin
Tell us a little
about your student.
Their grade, what they’re thinking about, and where you could use some help is plenty to get started. You don’t need to have a polished plan. That’s something we can work on together.
Email Carrie & DawnWe look forward to getting to know your family.