I am often asked how my position as the director of college counseling at the Vermont Commons School differs from my work as an independent educational consultant. In reality, there is no difference. In both instances, my complete commitment is to assist each student I work with in finding the best possible match between a student’s personal goals as based on their educational needs and desires and their academic profile. My job at Vermont Commons where 100 of our students each year go on to attend college, is similar to my educational consulting practice. The students with whom I work are all seeking to find institutions where they will find challenging academics, engaging professors, appealing surroundings, and interesting fellow students.

I began working in the field of college admissions 28 years ago, and have found that in order for a student to find success at the collegiate level, they must enroll in a college that suits them well. Over the course of my career I have read and reviewed countless guidebooks, definitive "how to" lists, and multiple Web sites that attempt to advise students and parents on the college admission process. There is abundant data to be considered in these differing sources, but the most informed decisions come from visiting campuses whenever possible, and making one’s own determination as to the best match and fit for a given student.

I spend considerable time each year visiting campuses and meeting with college admissions representatives from across the country in order to best learn about myriad institutions. I’ve sat in on admissions committees while representatives have reviewed actual application files, toured countless campuses, and learned the ins and outs of each institution.

The knowledge gained from a personal visit to an institution, combined with a working knowledge of the statistics and data about admissions enrollment information, and an understanding of a student’s specific talents, academic profile, and desires, will lead to finding the most appropriate match in creating a college listing as a student begins to contemplate where they will apply for admission.