Testimonials

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, to appreciate who he is. These are such wonderful gifts that will stay with him well beyond the next four years. Thank you for your patience, guidance, and expertise. We feel like we received far more than we asked for when we started working with you. Thank you a million times over.

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!

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’ expertise in each part of the process was unparalleled. Ildi led with kindness, calmness and much needed grace. She listened to our concerns and gave us brilliant counsel and invaluable guidance on everything from helping to select the right schools for Max to helping him craft compelling essays to comparing financial aid packages. As teachers, we knew this process was going to be time intensive and there would be many questions. Ildi made herself available by every means of communication. Each essay comment helped Max showcase his personality and beliefs. We are grateful that Max is going to his top choice college. We cannot recommend Educational Advocates highly enough for anyone seeking top-notch support for navigating college admission. You are the best!

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.

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 that provide
support for college admissions and Educational Advocates frequently popped up with
positive reviews. We called Educational Advocates and was amazed at how fast they
paired us with Katie Bacon to assist our daughter with crafting her essay. Our daughter
had an informal zoom meeting with Katie, and after the call felt so relieved to have
someone guide her and stay on top of early admission deadlines and requirements. A
schedule was set and followed with a few behind the scene conversations with ourselves
and Katie. Katie was great at keeping our daughter focused and calm. She offered
encouragement and helped our daughter create an essay unique to her. We are thankful
that a little stress was removed from the daunting process of applying to college.

After interviewing multiple college consultants, our family chose Joan Casey to help us navigate the admissions process. We are so grateful that we did! Joan is experienced, calm, trustworthy, and has enormous integrity. We loved that from the beginning Joan understood who our daughter was as a person and encouraged her to be her authentic self throughout the entire process. It was obvious that Joan’s top priority was always what was best for our daughter. Before we started working with Educational Advocates, our daughter had given very little thought to what she was looking for in a college. Joan helped her to identify what was important to her and then to formulate a list of best fit schools. When it came to essay writing, Joan showed our daughter how to approach the questions – her feedback empowered our daughter to best represent herself without ever compromising ownership of her work. Joan set deadlines and kept the entire application process on track. From big picture strategies down to tiny details like proofreading, Joan’s input was invaluable. She can always be relied upon to give her direct and honest opinion, even when it means having a difficult conversation. Working with Joan took so much stress out of the process for our family – we truly cannot imagine going through it without the benefit of her wisdom, patience, guidance, and support!

When our son began his junior year we had no idea how to start helping him with the college selection process. Joan suggested that Rachel Schneider might be a good fit to work with our son. Rachel and our son clicked immediately. Her calm nature and genuine interest in learning about our son helped them connect from the start. Rachel not only helped select his senior year curriculum but also suggested numerous summer activities that would better define these interests. She was confident this plan would set him apart from other college applicants. Through assessments and numerous discussions with our son, Rachel identified a preliminary list of schools with strong engineering programs. By June, our son had identified his top three schools. When he was recruited by one of these schools to play lacrosse Rachel put us in contact with Dave, the athletic specialist on the Educational Advocates team, who was experienced in the athletic recruiting process which was extremely helpful. Rachel was with us throughout the entire process. The whole process was amazing and our son always looked forward to his meetings with Rachel. Educational Advocates took what can be an overwhelming process and broke it down into manageable steps with achievable deadlines which allowed our son to feel in control and empowered in the process. We have already recommended Educational Advocates to several friends and are looking forward to working with them again for both our daughters. 

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

Joan was a great source of support for me during my college application process. She helped to
keep me organized and collect my ideas for what I wanted in a university, and helped me to
hone my ideas into my essays. She also worked to provide valuable guidance on my college list
and often checked in with me to make sure I was on track. In the end, I was able to truly fall in
love with a university that fit me and get in early decision. I would strongly recommend Joan to
anyone looking for a mentor and guide through college applications.

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.

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.

Educational Advocates provided invaluable support and guidance throughout the college admissions process. Joan provides a wealth of information about a range of appropriate college choices for each student and what’s necessary to get into them. Her calm and positive approach helped our daughter gain clarity about what was important to her. Her guidance with self assessment, essay writing, testing, college visits, interviews, and evaluating choices helped our daughter find a school that is a perfect fit for her.

My daughter was fortunate to work with Educational Advocates during her junior and senior year of high school. This was our second time through the admissions frenzy with them and although we were seasoned parents we knew we would benefit from their expertise. Our younger child had a difficult high school experience secondary to multiple medical issues for which she was on an IEP. Joan was able to relate well to my daughter, which was very important to her success in navigating the college admissions process. She was a tremendous resource, cheerleader, advocate and when necessary “enforcer” – all with a great sense of compassion. During a very stressful time for our family she worked hard to help us maintain an even keel and push the process forward. Despite the ups and downs including a planned early admission that had to be deferred, my daughter was thrilled to be accepted at her top school. It is with much gratitude and appreciation that I recommend Educational Advocates College Consulting to future students.

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.

Educational Advocates helped me smoothly navigate my way through the college process. I approached Joan and Liz with no idea of what I wanted to write my personal essay or supplements about, and I left our first meeting feeling confident and stress-free. They took all the time needed to help me organize my thoughts and devise a plan for my writing, and I created very strong essays that highlighted my strengths. Joan is a wealth of information and great advice. I would never have been accepted to my top schools without them!

I’m the type of person who comes up with every possibility, whether it’s testing theories in science or putting together a mile-long college list. With your help, I was able to prioritize which colleges fit me best, thus rendering an overwhelming list to one that was far more reasonable and comprehensive. You also challenged me to write an essay that explored my true character, background, and beliefs, which would have been a very difficult task without your help. The fact that I can say that the college process “wasn’t too stressful” is a testament to the value of your guidance.

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.

Educational Advocates definitely helped me organize my thoughts and figure out what it was that I was looking for in a college. I had no idea what type of school I wanted and Joan assisted me with figuring out all the specifics. Without all of her help, the college application process would have been never-ending and extremely difficult.

You really helped me through an incredibly stressful time in my life and you made it a million times easier.

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.

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!

Joan was an excellent partner to us and our daughter in the college admission process. From the beginning, we felt that Joan would add the structure and resources to the process that we could not; we are good project managers but we don’t understand this industry the way she does. The tools she provided to our daughter to prepare for visits and interviews helped improve her confidence, and we are sure this helped in the admission process. Joan was willing to have the difficult conversations with our daughter (and sometimes with us) to make sure it was a college search that would most benefit the student.

My daughter has a learning challenge and Joan added a breadth of knowledge and first hand exposure to colleges on the curriculum demands and academic support. This added-value made a huge difference in our final application list and my daughter’s comfort in the list. When the time came to write essays and finish applications, Joan was excellent at letting my daughter’s voice come through and made sure she was ready for applying early decision. My daughter was accepted to her first choice, a highly selective college. Joan was our first call after we got the acceptance envelope.

My daughter absolutely loves her college; she can’t stop telling me how happy she is there and how she feels it is her “tribe.” She feels challenged and excited by classes and has made friends. The academic support office has been proactive in working with my daughter. Joan helped us get to that big sigh of relief you feel as a parent when you know your child will be okay. We would recommend her to folks looking for someone who will care about your child’s future almost as much as you do.

Joan helped our son through a transfer admissions process. Our son immediately connected with her and trusted her advice and opinions. He thought she was thoughtful, respectful and smart. We found her wise, kind and very knowledgeable. She knew what was important and what wasn’t. We believe her expertise was pivotal in his success in transferring to the college of his choice. We only wish we had used her earlier when our other sons went through the admissions process.

When I have a lot of things on my plate, I get major anxiety and can’t do any of it. Being able to come into Educational Advocates and spill out all my worries was a miracle. Joan had everything organized for me–all my due dates and requirements for various schools. I had no idea what type of school I wanted to go to, but after weeks of talking and figuring it out, I made the perfect choice. Joan also prepared me for interviews I was SO nervous for. I couldn’t be happier with my choice!

I was terrified of the entire college application process until I found Educational Advocates. Joan Casey was extremely organized and helpful which made completing my applications so much easier. She helped me craft the perfect essay, and realize what I needed to get into the school of my dreams. Soon after I started working with her, I was put on a schedule which allowed me to get my applications done at a very comfortable speed. One of my favorite memories working with Educational Advocates was calling Ms. Casey on the phone, extremely excited, after I had visited my dream school, Connecticut College, for the first time. They will never deny you the help that you need, and they will be there to help you with the process every step of the way!

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.