Authentic College Coaching

The fabled (Joycean) grafitti bathroom of Johnson Chapel ///  Lauri & me at Amherst this Spring.

Since I’ve never written about my business, I thought it's time!

​“What a wonderful thought it is that some of the best days of our lives haven’t even happened yet.”
 
One of my seniors is using this quote in her personal statement for the Common App. It captures almost all of my high school seniors’ sense of hope and idealism. It captures why I love coaching them on their college essays.
If you’re wondering who would have this unabashedly optimistic view of life, why yes, it was a teenager. Anne Frank shared this in her diary despite the brutality she watched out of her window, despite the hate she heard liberally spewing around her.

​Which begs the question: what is our excuse for not thinking wonderful thoughts in our dismal political climate?  All of us, regardless of age, can adopt Ann's quote. I mean, how exciting to think that some of the best days of our lives haven’t even happened yet.

The view of Lincoln Center from Fordham

​

“What a wonderful thought it is that some of the best days of our lives haven’t even happened yet.”
 
How often do we even create wonderful thoughts for ourselves?

​A reality check: the kids I coach are stressed and overwhelmed with an insane amount of  schoolwork, activities and commitments. They are also scared beyond belief.  According to author and journalist Jeff Selingo, in his new book Dream School, it is incomparably harder to gain admission to many selective schools post-pandemic. Kids who waltzed into institutions in 2019 have younger siblings with higher GPAs and test scores who cannot now even get waitlisted into the same school.  (And Spoiler Alert: There is NO one dream school for anyone). 
 
I love working with these kids because at this stressful time in their lives, when they often feel they are not enough, I get to first learn, then illuminate what they can’t see in themselves.
 
In a world that tells them they need to be the “best”, I encourage them to be themselves. That’s why I’ve named my company Authentic College Coaching. It’s all about being real. In place of hype, I honor their truths.  I maintain that if they are true to their passions, their quirks, their dreams, they will find their “dream” school, because it will mesh with who they actually are.  I see them. I believe in them.  And I genuinely like them.  I look forward to our time together.
 
From my belief that they are enough, I coach them to make choices from a place of curiosity, not fear. I believe this college admissions process is a turning point, not a test.  I become their coach, mentor, counselor and mirror.  I help them stop chasing prestige for the sake of ego and start chasing possibility for the sake of joy.

 As part of my job, I tour colleges everywhere.  Lexi loved Pepperdine (but wouldn't pose).

My students and I have fun. I teach them to write about things that matter to them: secret family recipes, how they love pickles, how they sing and play the piano for their grandmother and her peers in an Alzheimer’s unit.
 
With their essays rooted in authenticity, they resonate with colleges. This spring, (off the top of my head) my kids were accepted at Vassar, Northeastern, Fordham, Stanford, LMU, USC, Franklin & Marshall, Holy Cross, UC Berkley, University of Chicago, UCLA, UCSD, NYU, Chapman, UC Boulder, Cal Poly SLO, UVM, UT Austin, U Washington, Texas A&M, Penn State and the Berkelee College of Music.
 
I love what I do: both grounding and uplifting these kids. They give me hope for our future, hope that generates wonderful thoughts of the incredible ways they will continue to shape our world.
 
My website is https://authenticcollegecoaching.com/. formerly www.syrcollegecounseling.com
(It needs to be updated from last year!  I've been too busy coaching!) I still have slots for Juniors, Sophomores and Freshman. Feel free to share with families of high schoolers who are seeking college admission coaching.