Testimonials
Clients find Smart College Selection in a variety of ways. But we are proud to say that over 90% of clients are referred to Smart College Selection by current or previous client families.
From Our Parents
Hear from Peter and Megan about their family’s “amazing and enjoyable” experience for all four kids
“My daughter actually enjoyed writing all the college essays! Amy has been an incredible support throughout this process and I would recommend Smart College Selection to anyone who wants an advisor who is genuinely interested in their child’s success as they navigate their journey to college.” — MK
“You treated our child with respect, encouragement, and made a stressful time manageable. Overall, we were impressed with your ability to highlight our child's voice and uniqueness when he was writing his essays and applying to schools. Thanks to Smart College Selection thoughtful timeline and guidance, my child was able to articulate his unique voice and showcase his best self.” — TD
“The resources that Smart College Selection has are amazing. It helps to navigate an extremely difficult and confusing time and optimizes all students abilities to produce the best applications possible. This was the best experience possible!” — JT
“The process is structured, methodical, and effective. It also was highly personal. Susan got to know my son quickly and helped him develop his apply to list as if she had known him for years. Susan was amazing and we would recommend her to anyone!” — KB
“Bonnie and Smart College have been a gift in the college process for our family. Bonnie is more than just excellent at her craft of advising, she is also a beautiful human. Her guidance and care of our son through the college application process have been nothing short of exceptional, especially considering that he was struggling emotionally in his first semester of senior year. She approached him gently, kindly, and wisely which we believe kept him more engaged in the process and carried him (and us!) through with grace.” — MB
“I would recommend Smart College Selection because there is so much to learn about the process we needed your guidance. The process takes a lot of stress off the parents and keeps a better relationship with your junior/senior. It keeps our kids organized, while having an application strategy.” — MW
“Ellen helped our daughter grow as a writer and person. When essay submission time came, Ellen helped our daughter clarify her writing voice and become a more focused writer. My wife and I agreed that choosing Ellen was the best investment of time and resources we could have made for our daughter.” — WS
“It was like having a neutral, very knowledgable third party who was clearly there for the sole purpose of taking our child through this process, both logistically and emotionally. Our catch-phrase during the process was, 'when in doubt, ask Amy.' Amy enabled our family to be on cheerleader duty, instead of nagging duty! Their wealth of knowledge of the college process, their incredible communication, their ability to guide my child in a thoughtful, calm way through an otherwise overwhelming and emotion-filled life moment.” — NB
“I would recommend Smart College Selection due to the pure knowledge, organization, and level of input of the consultants. Kate's knowledge was amazing and she got him to do thing I never could have. I am eternally grateful. Worth every penny!” — TM
“Our son is a very independent thinker and decision maker, so my husband and I were apprehensive about the whole college selection and application process. We were not looking forward to the inevitable arguing and stress. The Smart College Selection approach allowed our family to discuss all of our ideas and goals and we were able to set reasonable guidelines to begin his search. We all felt heard and respected. Amy was there every step of the way. I can’t thank Amy enough for her guidance and have already recommended her to several friends.” — BB
“Bonnie helped my student every step of the way with clear instructions, action steps, and helped with keeping timelines to meet early deadlines. She was always available to answer all questions with a quick response. She helped my son to represent himself well by identifying his hobbies and interests to align with his career choices with all the college application essays.” — DA
“Where to begin? You took the guesswork out of the process. You are incredibly knowledgeable about college applications and encourage parents to get out of an expected box for the students. By directly working with the students, they have an honest voice about where and what they want to do after high school which is sometimes a surprise. It's also incredibly helpful if the post-high school path is very different than either parent experienced. The team is kind, thoughtful, and relatable. I could go on and on and on...” — JJ
From Our Students
“When I first met Kate, I immediately felt comfortable. She was genuinely excited about working with me and had my desires in mind. I honestly believe that without her help, I would not be at my dream school. Kate’s previous experience working on the college side of the admissions process was immensely helpful in guiding me to make my application the best it could be.” — Student, Notre Dame University
“I greatly appreciated all of the time and energy Bonnie put in to make sure my college selection and application process went as smoothly as possible. Bonnie was patient, understanding, encouraging, and always made time for me. I had a ton of stories I could write about and Bonnie did everything she could to understand my perspective, help me focus, and make sure the message was how I felt. She helped me understand my strengths and articulate what is important to me in the various essays. I highly recommend Bonnie.” — Student, Indiana University
“The main college essay was really intimidating until Susan broke down the process into smaller steps and encouraged me to explore ideas in unique and interesting ways. Now I’m really proud of what I wrote and what it tells about me. I couldn’t have done it without Susan!” — Student, Fairfield University
“Christy was so helpful and amazing to me while I was experiencing the stress of applying for college. Her positive attitude and willingness to work with me is something that I truly admire. She was just so welcoming and I always found myself looking forward to our weekly meetings where we would share a chocolate chip cookie while we worked. I was even slightly disappointed when I submitted my final application because it meant I would not be seeing her every week. I cannot recommend Christy enough!” — Student, University of San Diego
“My consultant had an immense impact on my application and introspective processes throughout the admissions process. She helped me rework many essays and spent a lot of time in discussion to help guide me towards the best writing and sentiments I could produce on paper. She is a wonderfully kind human being, and I highly recommend her to anyone looking to enhance their admissions chances.” — Student, Texas A&M
