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April 2008
I need a recommendation for a smart, sensitive, straight-
talking private college admissions counselor who is
reasonably priced, for my high school junior child. We
know the basics and can research schools. We need someone
to help our child with writing essays, staying on task and
meeting deadlines, so that Mom isn't always the bad guy.
Advice on where to apply (what is a ''safety'', what is
a ''reach'') will be helpful as well. We live in Walnut
Creek/Lafayette area. I have read previous posts to this
list, but would really appreciate up-to-date
recommendations. I have heard from too many friends who
have been unhappy with the counselor they used. THANKS!!
Junior Mom
There is a wonderful private college admissions counselor in Orinda. Her
name
is Kit Prager and you can reach her at (925) 254-1309. Kit worked with my
daughter 4 years ago and she was successful in getting into many schools.
Kit
was especially good at helping my daughter choose schools to apply to,
editing
essays and keeping to timelines. She's not inexpensive, but we found her
guidence invaluable.
sharon
Jan 2008
Can anyone recommend a college coach to help a junior in
high school start to figure out what type/size of schools
they should look at. My daughter is an average student
with lots of extracurricular activities who has no idea
what she wants to study or where to begin the process.
She'll be taking the SAT and ACT next month for the first
time but we don't know what the next steps are beyond
that. She is very busy with sports and her other
activities and has asked if we could find someone to help
us get organized, focused, and begin to navigate this
process. Any recommendations?
Thanks!
We are working with a wonderful college coach named Elisabeth Sandberg
510.295.5115. She has worked as a counselor at several schools, most recently
at Berkeley High, and has been through the process with her own sons. My
daughter has responded really well to her and Elisabeth put a lot of my anxiety
about the process to rest.
Jill
We worked with a woman in Berkeley named Tami Uecker. She
is knowledgeable about many schools around the country, was
patient and calm and answered all our questions. She was
able to get our son on a schedule with her, so we didn't
have to always be nagging. I still edited his essays quite
a bit, but she really helped with selecting schools that
were a good match for him and where he would be likely to
get in (as well as 'safety' and 'reach' schools). I
recommend her; you can reach her at tami[at]gberland.com
mom of a high school senior
Nov 2007
My dyslexic daughter is a junior in high school. Does
anyone have a recommendation for a college counselor who is
good with kids with learning disabilities?
anon
I'm a college counselor with Classroom Matters, the tutoring
and academic support center in Berkeley.
Students with learning differences (LD) should keep four
general ideas in mind when considering colleges.
First, by federal law, every college in the country has
programs and services for LD students. UC's, community
colleges, Harvard. All of them.
Second, you are unique and complex - not just ''LD.'' So
consider colleges based on other factors - majors, location,
extracurriculars, campus life, etc. - but also see if the LD
services fit your specific needs.
Third, unless LD has had no impact on your academic
performance in high school, disclose it in your application
- and, more importantly, say what you have done to overcome
any limitations it created for you.
Finally, don't rely on general advice. Call colleges
directly. Call Admissions. Call the Disability Office. Tell
them your situation and ask about procedures and policies.
Jane McClure, McClure & Associates, in San Francisco,
specializes in finding the right college for kids with
learning disabilities. She often speaks at events in the
east bay.
Leslie
Try Ellen Lerner, MS. She has been doing college advising
for a while now, and has been an educational therapist for
kids with learning disabilities. Her # is 510-652-7222 and
her e-mail address is: Lerner8910@aol.com
Hope that helps! - Deb
Deb
Two things to consider: PHP (Parents Helping Parents) is
a wonderful support service for parents of LD students.
http://php.com/ They have a very informative website and
address the issue of LD and college specifically. It is
easy to call and reach a person.
Secondly, not all college disabilities services are
created equal. This was a major part of our son's college
search. We learned that by law every college/university
must accomodate demonstrated learning disabilities, but
not all colleges have the same quality of services. Be on
the look out for the term, ''Comprehensive'' program. You
can ask if the college has a ''Comprehensive'' program. It
is often a fee based program that includes a seamless
relationship between disabilities (accomodations by law)
and the student and the faculty. It may include weekly
meetings with a personal advisor, accountability,
organizational specialist, reading specialist,
counselling, etc. Check out the program at the University
of Denver: http://www.du.edu/disability/ It is a model
program that has now celebrated its 25th year of the
Learning Experiential Program for LD and ADHD students.
Best to you!
l
Feb 2006
We are looking for a college advisor who has expertise and experience helping
with applications and selecting colleges for ADD kids (whose academic record is
not steller).
Thanks for any suggestions.
worried mom
I recently saw an excellent presentation by Jane McClure,
of Jackson, McClure and Mallory on College Admissions for
LD and ADD Students. Her office is in San Francisco, (415)
421-4177. She has particular expertise with LD/ADD
students who make up 40% of her clients. She provided a
lot of information about the various levels of LD support
available at different schools. She also recommended a
book called ''Colleges that Change Lives'' which highlights
some lesser known schools that can provide a great
experience for the not-straight A kids. There is also
another college catalog with LD focus but I don't recall
the name of it.
Jocelyn
Dec 2005
My daughter is a junior at BHS. We are thinking it would be
a good idea to consult an independent college counselor for
assistance. I have searched the archives, but found only
one or two listings. Does anyone have current advice for me
along these lines?
Regarding seeking college counselor: Try Wendy Morrison,
384-5962. Excellent reputation and vivacious, teen loving
personality.
We used Sharon Rudnick, at 848-9350, in N. Berkeley, as a
college counselor for our son. She was a pleasure to work
with, and our son got into every college he applied to.
(And got several very good merit scholarships.) She was
very good at helping him with his essays. And, most
importantly, he enjoyed working with her.
She seems to know her stuff, and she gives the kids lots of
information, but also makes them research certain things
independently (like she'll come up with a long list of
colleges that might meet your child's needs, but then
expects your child to send for the initial materials to
narrow the list.)
Her hourly fee was reasonable, and ultimately, it didn't
cost us that much-. And the hassle we saved in not having
to be the ones to edit his work (it's amazing how much
easier it is for teens to accept feedback from adults who
are not their parents....)made it all worthwhile.
Anyway, good luck!
barbara
This list was sent to me by Ilene Abrams, College Advisor,
Berkeley High School:
Augus, Kate
Oakland
(510) 847-0451
Colbert, Nancy
Oakland
(510) 531-8789
Kim, Sue
Pleasant Hill
(925) 280-2420
Lerner, Ellen
Berkeley
(510) 652-7222.
Manierre, Barbara
Berkeley
(510) 464-1056
Morrison, Wendy
Kensington
(510) 384-5962
Walker, Jim and Dorothy
Kensington
(510) 527-1930
2 others not on her list that were recommended to me by parents:
Edith Zinn 510-528-0503
Tammy Uecker 510-540-6671
Junior Mom, too
Recommendations
Sept 2006
My daughter left for college recently and I'm reminded how
enormously helpful her private college counselor, Annissa
Hambouz, was in helping her to find a good fit. Annissa
has been a private school teacher here and in NYC, relates
well to teens, is well organized, creative in her advice
and selection of schools and really sees each student as an
individual. She has students around the Bay Area, including
Marin and the East Bay. annissa[at]learninsausalito.net
(website www.learninsausalito.net 415-516-8998
ppacf
Mar 13 2006
I would recommend Juli Bryant for Advising, Tutoring and
Test Preparation. I have recommended her to several people
who have used her services. She was a high school teacher
for years. Her father was a principal in Fremont, so
teaching runs in their family. She tutors most ages. She
homeschools her 5 year old and can give advise about
homeschooling also. She is a fun, creative teacher. She can
take subjects like math and science and use art and music to
help children grasp these concepts. It's amazing what
happens! Most valuable to me has been her parent counseling
sessions. I would highly recommend parents setting up a 1:1
appointment with her to talk about parenting and education.
She charges $60 an hour for parent sessions. Her tutoring
rates vary from $30-$65/hour depending on the nature of the
work. Juli can be reached directly at (510) 395-2284. She
lives in Berkeley and works in Richmond.
Felicia
Oct 2005
I would recommend Mrs. Judi Flannery who use to work at Holy
Names High School. You can reach her at Jpflann99 AT aol.com.
Former Parent from HNHS
Oct 2005
My daughter is having a very positive college counseling
experience with Annissa Hambouz. Ms. Hambouz was a social
studies teacher and college counselor at a private school
in Marin until this year and is now full time in her own
practice. She relates well to teenagers, is well
organized, creative in her advice and really sees each
student as an individual. She works in Marin and the East
Bay. website www.learninsausalito.net 415-516-8998
ppacf
My son and our family have had a very good experience with
an excellent college counselor, Wendy Morrison. She was
warm, friendly, thorough, very knowledgeable, and very
concerned. She can be contacted at
wendymorrison AT ix.netcom.com or 510-384-5962.
Joan
2001
To the parent(s) looking for a college counselor: If you can't find a
local counselor who is available, as a back-up you might check out the
college(s) that you attended. My alma mater has a free college-counseling
service for alumni who are parents of college applicants. The service is
available regardless of where the student wants to apply for college, and
it can be given by e-mail, phone, or in person. I have gotten some useful
information and advice from the counselor who administers that service.
Juliann
If you want to discuss college, I suggest the soc.college.admissions
newgroup. The posts tend to be about the more selective colleges.
Achieva offered us a free introductory meeting during which they tried to
make us as nervous as possible about getting into college.
From Tim
Two well-regarded private counselors in Berkeley are Trish Hawthorne and
Dan Dean. I don't have direct experience with either of them myself,
but both are friends and very good people. Dan is a retired BHS
counselor. I believe they are both in the phone book (white pages).
Pam Brandeau
We had had Pam Brandau as our educational consultant in 1999 (for a very
difficult child). We found out this year she was no longer doing the same
kind of educational consultating. However, she recommended Susan Skelton, in
San Jose (phone 408-296-5757). The two know each other well and work very
similarly. We used Susan's services recently and were very pleased. While
San Jose is a long way to go, we only needed to meet with her once and
everything else was done by phone, mail or email.
Debbie (May 2001)
Pam Brandeau, 547-1334, is an educational consultant used successfully by
our extended family to help a bright child who did well until BHS and then
promptly went down all the wrong roads. Pam helped find an appropriate
school and the "child" has now graduated, won early admission to the college
of her choice, and is a freshman there.
I want to second the recommendation for Pam Brandau as a college
counselor/educational consultant. My son and I have only seen her once, but
I felt she was the right person for him, has a lot of experience with kids
who don't fit in the usual "box" and are taking a different route. She
seemed to bring out the best in him and he liked her, too. The only problem
is that she is very busy and it is hard to reach her. Miriam
I have worked with Pam Brandau, Educational Consultant, and was very
pleased with her services. Her fees seem reasonable by comparison to other
consultants and I had heard good things about her from other parents. I
was consulting her for advice on boarding schools for teens.
Linnea
Pam Brandau Educational Resources (510) 834-4924
Can't say enough good things about Pam Brandau. She treats kids very
respectfully, seems genuinely interested in them as people,
determines their strong points, and keeps herself current on what's
available. What a relief it was to find someone who thinks
creatively and advocates for the best possible solution for your
child's educational and emotional needs.
Celia
Nancy Colbert
From ML
With my daughter, we went to Nancy Colbert in Oakland and liked her.
Her phone number is 531-8789.
Re: Troubled daughter has stopped going to school (Jan. 2002)
to the person asking for information on wilderness programs etc. let me
suggest you go to this web site and then get in touch with michael connor,
he helped our family. http://www.education-options.com
good luck
joann
Carol Goodell
From Cassandra
Wonderful, thoughtful, knowledgeble, many years experience, specializes
in educational advice including finding & choosing a college - Ms. Carol
Goodell, Ph. D. (650) 345-7814 fax 650-570-5904
Wendy Morrison
RE: SAT Preparation
I am the mother of a student at Bishop O'Dowd. I am responding to your inquiry
about SAT and college preparation. In addition to the school counselor, we are
working with a private counselor, Wendy Morrison. She is enthusiastic and has
really helped my daughter figure out what she wants out of her college
experience. She has guided us through the SAT testing process: when and where
to take the various tests. She has given us invaluable information about
financial aid and merit-based scholariships. She has helped my daughter figure
out what kind of college best matches her personality. Lastly, she has worked
with my daughter in developing her essay topic. She promptly returns calls
which relieves the anxiety that inevitably comes from being the mother of a
college-bound student. We are extremely glad that we have been able to work
Wendy for she has been a great help in this overwhelming process. Wendy works
out of her home in Kensington. She charges $85 per session and each session
lasts approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours. She can be reached at (510) 384-5962. I
highly reccomend giving her a call. (July 2001)
Susan Skelton
We had had Pam Brandau as our educational consultant in 1999 (for a very
difficult child). We found out this year she was no longer doing the same
kind of educational consultating. However, she recommended Susan Skelton, in
San Jose (phone 408-296-5757). The two know each other well and work very
similarly. We used Susan's services recently and were very pleased. While
San Jose is a long way to go, we only needed to meet with her once and
everything else was done by phone, mail or email.
Debbie (May 2001)
Jim and Dot Walker
Our experience with Jim and Dot Walker was unbelievable. Jim was head
counsellor
and principal at Albany High for many years, and organizes the college fair at
St.
Mary's every year - with hundreds of colleges from across the nation. They offer
group
classes for parents as well as individual counseling and even college tours. They
know
all the admissions officers and campuses and they understand the individuality
of each
kid - where they're coming from, where they want to go. They are incredibly
supportive
all along the way, and were a huge help with the tensions, insecurities, and
overwhelming anxiety of the whole process. In the end, they were able to gently
steer us
toward some schools we might not otherwise have considered - and my daughter
got in
everywhere she applied. Call Walker, Walker & Assoc. :510-527-1930.
Sally (9/00)
April 2003
I'm looking for recommendations for a college counselor who
has specific experience working with homeschoolers and kids
who have nontraditional high school experience. I've seen
some of the posts on college counselors here, but I'm
hoping someone knows of one that works with our particular
situation - I have a 16 year old daughter who completed two
years of public high school before taking the CHSPE exam
and thereby ''testing out'' of high school. This year she is
not enrolled in school, but is continuing to pursue
academic work through other programs. She is a very high
achieving student with great grades and test scores, but we
need more information about what she'll need to do to apply
to college without a traditional high school background.
homeschool parent
I am a community college counselor. In my discussion with
my colleagues we all agree that your daughter would have to
follow the Freshman Admission Requirements for UC
Applicants if she desires to apply to any UC Campus. Please
go to www.ucop.edu/pathways. Go to the QUICK SEARCH DROP
DOWN MENU and select Freshman Requirements. At this link
you can gather all the information as it applies to
admission to a UC Campus. Of interest is the Subject
Requirements. this information has to do with the (a-f)
subject requirements for high school students if they
desire to apply to a UC campus ( the yellow box) Also
please check out the Eligibility by Examination Only. this
may also give her another opportunity for admission to the
campus of choice. As you scroll down to the bottom of the
Freshman Requirements page, click on the Selection
Criteria link and you will be able to gather information
regarding the UC applicant profile. As you do have a non
traditional situation, please contact the campus of choice
throught the office of admission or the Outreach Programs
and see if there is a contact person who may have more
experience in dealing with non traditional high school
graduates. Hope this has given you a start and good luck
Have you checked the hsc.org website (California Homeschool
Assn)? There's a teen section, and in it you should find a
link and info re Wes Beach. He's worked with many, many
kids who've done alternative things for high school and
gone on to college. As the mom of a homeschooler who did
go to high school, and is now in the final days of college
selection(!), I would suggest visiting as many college
campuses as you can, esp. when school is in session. Don't
just take the tours, even skip it if you're short on time,
but have your daughter sit in on classes and talk to as
many kids as possible while she's there. I've embarrassed
my kid, but I stop everyone we see and ask all kinds of
questions. It's been invaluable. (and she really doesn't
mind.) The other thing to do is to meet the dean of
admissions - face time is also invaluable. you/she can
then describe your situation and ask for advice and
recommendations. my daughter was accepted at 11 schools
(some very competitive), most of which we were advised she
could not get into. I think homeschooling set her somewhat
apart (in a positive way), as did the fact that they had a
face to go along with the application. try ''small colleges
that change lives'' by loren pope. good luck and feel free
to email me. and if your daughter is not quite ready to do
tthe touring thing, call admissions yourself and ask for
help. most (except uc's) will be happy to help you.
peggy
Questions
I need to confer with an educational consultant about my 13-year old
daughter, 8th grade daughter, and her readiness for high school and
what our alternatives might be. She is doing miserably in school and
has no motivation for improving her grades. A small school setting
would be good for her. My daughter has an IEP and will need resource
or tutoring support. I hear Pam Brandau is not doing this kind of
work. Are there any other consultants out there? Any suggestions
from anyone about consultants or schools? (Apr 2001)
hi
i am trying to find a college counselor for my daughter. she will be a
senior @ BHS in the fall.
she needs help in finding the right school and also with the admission
process.
we are looking for recommendations. apparently we are rather late in this
process, but we just found out there was such a thing as a private college
counselor.
i have already called: jim walker,
barbara manierre,
nan colbert
none are taking new clients and none knew anyone who was not already full.
others have not even returned my calls.
i have seen the archived pages. there are 6 names-one is in santa
clara, one is a regular high school counselor now, one has not replied to
me, and the other 3 are not taking new clients.
we are getting desperate. we would be very grateful for any help.
thank you
harvest (Aug 2001)
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