Client Testimonials
Success stories: kind words from happy students and parents.
Our mission is to provide exceptional college admissions guidance and support that empowers students to reach their full potential. We are thrilled to share these heartfelt testimonials that showcase the transformative impact our personalized approach has had on students’ lives.
From gaining invaluable insights to securing admission to their dream colleges, our clients’ experiences speak volumes about the dedication and expertise of our team. Discover the impact we can make in shaping your college journey through the inspiring words of those who have embarked on this path before you.
Educational Advocates has been such a wonderful guide throughout my college application process. I worked with Kerra, who was exceptionally helpful and insightful. At every session, we discussed brainstorming for essay ideas, edits we can make, and how to interpret the prompts. After working with the team at Educational Advocates, I have noticed that my confidence in writing has skyrocketed. I am happy to say that I will be attending the University of Michigan in the fall, and I can’t thank them enough for all they have done! – ROWENA KANNAIYAN
I was very happy to be accepted early to Boston College, and I want to thank Katie so much for helping me along the way. My essay would not have been transformed the way that it was without her feedback. – MEGAN, BOSTON COLLEGE STUDENT
You really helped me through an incredibly stressful time in my life and you made it a million times easier. – CHRIS, COLLEGE OF WOOSTER STUDENT
I think I would have gone insane dealing with the college process on my own this year. You held me to such high standards, and it truly paid off. I could not be more excited for Skidmore. – TED, SKIDMORE COLLEGE STUDENT
I had a hard time coming up with topics to write about, so Katie helped me so much as I was coming up with my essay topic. She also helped me to learn better writing skills in general. – KATHRYN SCHAEFER
Working with Ildi Szekely has been an incredibly positive experience for our family. Her expertise, dedication, and genuine care transformed the overwhelming college application process into a series of clear, manageable steps. With her deep understanding of our daughter’s unique learning style…
Betsey, Class of 2024 Parent
Our family had a great experience with Joan Casey and team. In addition to their college information expertise, they brought a deep empathy and understanding of our child…. She got into every one of the colleges she applied, and is now thriving at her first choice. Highly recommend Educational Advocates!
Michelle, Class of 2024 Parent
Katie and the team at Educational Advocates are amazing! We worked with them for college admissions for our son. Katie was equally adept with our teenager and with us, the parents. She really made the process simple, and as low-stress as possible. We cannot recommend Educational Advocates more highly!
– Fran, Class of 2025 Parent
Ildi from Education Advocates College Consulting was incredibly helpful in guiding our son to find the right college for him. Her support was invaluable throughout the process, starting from the early planning phase.
She clearly understood our son’s capabilities and goals and was able to help us identify colleges that were the right match. With a systematic approach and careful planning, she made the admission process much easier for our son.– Sanil, Parent of Worcester Polytechnic Institute Student
We had an excellent experience working with Ildi. My son wasn’t sure what he wanted to major in or where he wanted to go. Ildi helped him come up with a list of colleges that fit his needs and interests. The guidance Ildi provided with the application process and essays was invaluable. Instead of me nagging him to work on milestones, Ildi set a manageable schedule that worked for him. Ildi provided feedback on his essays to help him create a succinct message speaking to what colleges are looking for. My son was able to apply early action to many schools, and he received significant merit scholarships to all of nine of the college to which he was accepted. I don’t think we could’ve done have done this without Ildi!
– Emily, Parent of Roger Williams University Student
I am so thankful for the guidance and advice that Joan provided to my daughter over the past two years. From putting together her initial college list to the submission of my daughter’s very last application, Joan was there every step of the way. Her calm demeanor and extreme patience were such a comfort in navigating the ever-changing landscape of the college admissions process. There is so much that impresses me about Joan, but I am most appreciative of the time and effort she put forth to really get to know my daughter, as this allowed her to assist my daughter in successfully completing her applications. I highly recommend Joan and her team at Educational Advocates.
– Christine, Class of 2024 Parent
We are delighted that our son was accepted to Tufts; but, even if he hadn’t been, we would still be deeply grateful to you, Joan. You helped him write about himself and, in the process, come to appreciate everything that he had done during high school and, more importantly…
JODI, WINCHESTER HIGH SCHOOL (MA) PARENT
To say the college process is confusing is an understatement. Choosing colleges, preparing for interviews, writing essays, completing testing, gathering transcripts, requesting rec letters, and figuring out financial aid is overwhelming. Educational Advocates…
HILARY AND MEG, PARENTS OF MAX, A BROWN UNIVERSITY STUDENT
Our family was new to the current college application process and was thrilled when our daughter requested help with her college essay. A good student, but anxious to make her essay competitive and stand out. We did research on local organizations…
SUSAN AND THOMAS, PARENTS OF INDIANA UNIVERSITY, BLOOMINGTON STUDENT
We interviewed several college consultants and we are so glad we chose Educational Advocates. Laurel Weijer listened carefully to our needs and preferences at every step in the process. She identified a set of schools that were good matches for my son’s interests and that also had sufficient supports for his learning differences—something we were struggling to figure out on our own since colleges vary on so many dimensions, not all of which can be inferred from a website. Laurel coaxed my son into writing a terrific essay, one that authentically reflected who he is. She advised us on all the little details along the way—this being our first time through the college admissions process, we depended on her insider’s knowledge about what was important to do and what wasn’t. Remarkably, we never felt stressed, we never had to rush, and our naturally disorganized son met every milestone ahead of schedule. Laurel had us ready to submit early action applications whenever possible and as a result, my son received his first acceptance in mid-November of senior year. Just knowing he was already admitted to a great college, we were able to relax and enjoy the flow of more acceptances and great possibilities. We will absolutely use Laurel again for our younger kids! – NICOLE MAESTAS, MOTHER OF JACOB NELDER
We had the pleasure of working with Kerra and the Educational Advocates team and are really thankful for their guidance and support throughout the process. Under their guidance our daughter evolved as a better writer and gained lot of confidence. Our best wishes to the Educational Advocates team. – REACHING ACROSS THE AISLE
Joan Casey and Educational Advocates are amazing! They took our very anxious daughter through the college application process in a masterly way. Their deep knowledge base and tremendous assessment tools identified schools and programs that are a perfect match for our daughter. They guided our daughter in every aspect of the application process and the results speak for themselves-she was admitted to every school she applied to and received significant Merit Awards. The entire process was handled and we (her parents) never worried about deadlines or the quality of our daughter’s submissions! We are so thankful to EA for turning the most stressful time in our daughter’s life into an enjoyable experience. – Nina and Louis Villalba, Marist College Student Parents
Working with Educational Advocates was a real pleasure for us as parents and for our son. It gave all of us comfort that we had covered all the bases, strategically and tactically. Joan gave my son a lot of confidence and sense of competence during what is typically a very stressful time. His final decision has turned out to be a perfect fit, and an excellent choice. Working with Educational Advocates is worth the investment of time and money. Result: priceless. – MAUREEN, PARENT OF SKIDMORE COLLEGE STUDENT
Working with the Educational Advocates team was a wonderful experience for our family. We cannot thank them enough for their terrific guidance and support. Our daughter was interested in blending athletics and academics in college. This could have been an overwhelming experience; however, Joan made identifying and selecting college options so much easier. Her knowledge of the athletic recruiting process was extremely helpful. She guided us through this process skillfully and successfully. I highly recommend Educational Advocates and look forward to working with them again for our other children. – PARENT OF DIVISION I STUDENT ATHLETE
Educational Advocates was tremendously helpful to my son and me as we navigated the college application process. My son felt very comfortable with Joan. He appreciated her assistance and respected her opinions. She helped my son to evaluate what kind of school he wanted to attend and made herself available whenever we needed her. Educational Advocates helped formulate a realistic list of schools, and then, with patience and wisdom, guided him through the application process. With Joan’s help, my son and I got through the application process with our relationship unscathed. And he was accepted to his first-choice school! – PARENT OF TUFTS UNIVERSITY STUDENT
We were so pleased to have Rachel Schneider work with our daughter on her college applications. She was very thoughtful and professional and took much of the stress out of the process. Our daughter truly benefited from her advice and insight, which made it less overwhelming for all of us. – JEFFREY AND ELIZABETH CATALANO
Educational Advocates’ help in preparing our daughter for the college process was invaluable. I’m not sure that we would have been able to get through it without their help. Prior to working with Joan, we had visited several college campuses, but were having a difficult time narrowing down our daughter’s choices. Each school seemed to offer something unique and appealing. Thankfully, Joan helped us to sort through all of the information and compose a list of schools which suited our daughter’s needs and interests. Throughout the application process, Joan’s ability to simplify each step, ensured that the process be as stress free as possible. I have recommended Educational Advocates to many of our friends and look forward to working with them again with our younger daughter. – CHRISTIE, PARENT
