Most middle school students are still discerning their interests and lack exposure to outside extracurricular activities or ways to deepen their interests. Because of this, many applicants to private school appear fairly homogenous. We work with students to help them authentically differentiate themselves in the admissions process and learn how to continue to pursue their interests in high school.

Any entry point. We can even help you decide when to apply to independent school. Many schools have strategic entry points in 5^th, 6^th, 7^th, or 9^th grade, so it is important to know when a particular school may be adding more students to their class.

Yes! Our expert tutors work with students preparing for the SSAT and ISEE.

Any or all of the following, depending on your needs: Assistance and guidance with the student and/or parent section of an application (including comprehensive essay guidance and interview preparation), work on developing an academic niche and building a unique extracurricular profile to make a student more competitive in the admissions process, assistance in exploring civic engagement and advocacy, and assessment of other services that may be needed (tutoring, Executive Functioning Coaching, etc.) We are able to fully customize our counseling program for your family’s unique needs.

Yes! The choice of public vs. private school is very personal. Many families think a private school education is the key to more competitive college admissions. However, this is not always the case. Families should be thinking about where their child will learn best and understand the nuances of each prospective school’s curriculum. See our blog post Feeder Schools: The Hidden Truth.

No! Our mentorship through private counseling is age appropriate to help students reach their full potential. Middle school is a pivotal time to start this relationship, as we can harness your child’s curiosity and growing intellect. You can read more about why this age is the perfect time to start counseling in our blog post about the Middle School Years.

Yes, you can and we’ve helped many students do this.

Yes, we do!  The independent school interview is very important to the application and this service is automatically included in our Top Tier Futures Private Counseling Program. If you are not a private counseling family, you can still access interview prep via our 2-hour Mock Interview and Analysis program, which includes: 

• Two hours of guidance, including a mock interview and a comprehensive follow-up evaluation with strategic next steps
• Webinar recording on interview tips and techniques
• Interview Evaluation Form
• Interview Preparation Checklist & Question Bank

We’ll walk you through the entire process!

Of course! Many of our students have a few targeted schools on their radar (though some have zero!), but they’d like additional ideas. We work to get to know you and what you’re seeking in a school community as we help you find a great fit. Whether you are looking at day schools, boarding schools, or a combination of both, we’ll propose reach, in range and backup programs, factoring in your preferences.

Absolutely! We will assist families with every section of the application.

Yes! Our Executive Functioning Tutors work one-on-one with students to tackle organization and time management and create a personal road map to help your child succeed. It is critical to master these skills in middle school so your child can start high school on the right foot!

Yes, of course! We are happy to offer a phone or Zoom call to relay more information on our approach as you consider independent school options. We also urge you to take a look at our Guiding Questions, which are oriented towards grade level.