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The college admission process is constantly changing. This can cause confusion and uncertainty among students and parents as to what is the appropriate path. With so many experts, options, myths and promises, it is important to find a counselor who can guide a student with respect, honesty, and a little fun!
As an experienced and certificated independent educational consultant (IEC), Jodi spends considerable time learning about each student she works with, helping them to identify their educational needs and objectives. She believes it is vital to educate families so they can better understand the college landscape and make decisions that fit their student academically, socially and financially. Over the years, Jodi has helped students to earn admission offers and merit scholarships to a vast number of colleges by developing a balanced college list, unique to each student.
Jodi was the gift that keeps on giving! She understands the process, was very upfront and honest and set my daughter up for success the minute she walked in her front door. I am happy to say my daughter has received acceptances to each and every college she applied to. Jodi is no longer the college advisor, she is part of our family!
Jodi was AMAZING. From the setting us on the path with SAT/ACT testing to all aspects involving the application process to even making sure thank you notes were written by our daughter to reference letter writers, Jodi made sure everything was covered. We could not have found a better college counselor.
Jodi worked with both our son and daughter, each with very different paths. With our older son, we had no idea where to start, but from our first meeting with Jodi we both felt such relief. She was quickly able to alleviate our anxiety about the process by breaking it down into manageable steps. She not only helped to identify a wide range of colleges for our children, but she did so while instilling self-confidence and pride in the choices. We all understand that there are reaches and there are safety schools, but it’s not easy explaining that to your own child. Through natural conversations with our children, she was able to pull out topics for essays that we would never have considered. During the essay writing process, Jodi responded almost immediately with edits and suggestions. She sent reminder emails about application deadlines and scholarships – always copying us so that we were in the loop. Our children were just as excited to tell Jodi when they received acceptances as they were to tell us. I have recommended Jodi to several parents. Your children could not be in better hands.
When trying to navigate the daunting process of college admission, there are many books and online resources, but there’s only one Jodi Sears. Jodi did what other resources couldn’t do – she translated our needs, priorities and interests into a focused strategy that exceeded our expectations and garnered results. She formulated a tailor-made approach for us that was practical, manageable and uniquely personal. And, her instincts about where our son was likely to get offers (and/or money) were spot on.
Importantly, Jodi was able to manage our son’s activities and guide the entire process. Because we decided to apply to a number of schools, our son was faced with a seemingly overwhelming number of submissions and deadlines to track. Jodi created a master calendar which was instrumental for all of us, and she held our son accountable at each milestone (so we, as parents, didn’t need to). She provided creative guidance on essay topics and constructive feedback on written drafts, all of which ultimately helped our son write better essays.
Jodi always made herself available to answer questions when they arose, and her knowledge and insights were invaluable. In the end, our son received more acceptances than we could have ever imagined, and we all truly believe that wouldn’t have been possible without Jodi’s help!
The college admission process was not scary or stressful once we started working with Jodi Sears. She provides great communication and support to the parents, but most importantly she figures out who your student is and the best way to bring out their strengths. She is very knowledgeable and has the right balance of being kind but also persistent to keep the student moving along the application process. She really understands teenagers and takes great joy in finding the right college fit. I recommend her highly.
Some of our pre-conceived ideas about the process were misguided, having listened to other parents who really only knew their own experience. Jodi was able to paint a very clear picture of our daughter’s prospects and she was able to apply to colleges feeling confident in her choices.
We had the added challenge of trying to obtain a spot on a NCAA team. Jodi helped us secure amazing scholarship funds for our daughter, and we had a few schools that ended up offering almost 100% tuition and housing coverage through grants and scholarships.
From getting the essay out of her head and on to the application, to scaling down 4,000 college choices to a handful of well-chosen options, Jodi guided our daughter easily through the process. Working with Jodi helped lower all our anxieties and stress and I can’t imagine going through this process without her. She is constantly reviewing new information and educating herself on the latest college intel. Senior year is hard on students and parents, but having Jodi as our college counselor kept us sane and moving forward, and not only did my daughter endup with amazing choices, but she ended up getting into her dream school!
At Thanksgiving, my son lead off with, “I’m thankful to my family for all of their support and for getting me Jodi because she made me feel like college would be possible.” He has decided on Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), his first choice! Thanks so much for all of your help, Jodi! We wouldn’t have even known to suggest RPI without you.
It is hard to explain in words how grateful we are for Jodi. I was hesitant to hire a college counselor because I thought I was capable of helping my son with applications and essays, but after going through this process I know that not only would my son not have received the admits that he did, but we would have been extremely stressed. Jodi changed our lives and my sons life. If it were not for Jodi, my son would not have been admitted to UCLA, USC, University of Michigan and so many others. Jodi has become a friend to me for life and we owe her so much for that.
As parents who had never gone through the college application process, my husband and I were quite overwhelmed. We have a high achieving child and the idea of navigating this process and potentially missing crucial details and insights terrified us. Jodi relieved us of the responsibility of “nagging” him to meet deadlines allowing all of us to more thoroughly enjoy this precious time in our lives.
Jodi is an angel! The college process can be overwhelming, especially when you are the oldest child and it is a new process for everyone in the family. But with the guidance, support, and dedication that Jodi brings, along with her insight, experience, and deep understanding, the seemingly overwhelming college process became a pleasant and exciting one! I could always count on Jodi for her wealth of knowledge on every aspect of applications and colleges, and furthermore for the sense of comfort she provided. Above all, Jodi is always personal and thoughtful, and for that important touch, I will always be so grateful.
I had the best possible college application experience with Jodi. She consistently kept me on track and updated me with admission information, essay ideas, and college feedback. She was always available and responded to my texts, emails, and essays immediately, while treating each of her students as a top priority. She was also very realistic with me, but constantly encouraged me to consider new colleges and open my options for success. I do not know how I could have gotten through the application process without her. I am indescribably appreciative!
Thank you so, so, so much for all of your help and advice! You were so instrumental in getting me into both of my dream schools. You spent so much time getting to know me, and what was truly best for me, and then you advocated your hardest to make it happen! You always had my best interest in mind. You are truly awesome and have changed my life forever!
I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with Jodi this year! I know my college process and end results would not have been the same without her assistance and guidance. Working on my applications with Jodi never felt like a burden. Our collaborations were always fun-filled, and we always had good laughs along the way. She really helped me dive deeper into who I am, which enabled me to craft greater essays about myself.
I am so grateful for all the help that I received from Jodi. Not only did she help me with my applications, but she also helped me stay confident and calm during the stressful application process. I wouldn’t have been able to get into USC, UCLA, LMU, UCI, UCSB, and Pepperdine without the help of Jodi!
Thank you for all your help with the college process throughout high school. I couldn’t have been successful without you.
The college application process was a gnarly beast which I could not have battled without Jodi by my side. She guided me through what seemed like such a daunting, never-ending process and helped me turn it into a series of successful (and totally manageable) endeavors. From narrowing the list to editing my Common App, I am forever thankful for Jodi’s help and I’m thrilled to be attending my dream school in the fall.
From the very beginning, Jodi instilled within me a sense of comfort and confidence as she helped me build my resume, select schools, and refine my essays. Once she took the time to get to know me and my goals, she helped me craft my college list and explained why I might be interested in attending a specific university. Perhaps forming a college list is the most daunting part of the process, and Jodi was there for me every step of the way. During our weekly meetings, Jodi would check in with me to make sure I was on task, and her support helped me stay on track during a rather turbulent part of my high school experience. Even though our meetings were virtual, Jodi always imbued a sense of warmth that made me feel at ease. I would one-hundred percent direct my friends and family members to Jodi Sears, and she will be seeing my sisters in just a few years!
I truly can’t begin to describe how helpful Jodi was throughout the college application process! With her sincere dedication and valuable wisdom, Jodi has made the daunting and seemingly insurmountable task of applying to college an absolute breeze. Jodi’s personal touch and commitment add so much to the overall experience and instill a genuine sense of confidence in what can often be an anxious period of time. On top of this, her utter knowledge and insight were beyond helpful in almost every aspect of the college application journey. Anybody working with Jodi will find that her accessibility and deep understanding are the foundations of her practice and are what make her students so grateful and successful moving forward!
Jodi Sears helped me so much during the college process. The essay she helped me to write brought tears to my mother’s eyes when she read it. She helped me to achieve my goals and receive a full-tuition scholarship to the University of Wisconsin Madison.
The college process, especially for someone like me who didn’t know a lot about it, was very intimidating and seemed like a huge load. However, working with Jodi helped to relieve much of the stress and confusion that often comes with this process. She is an absolute expert on every aspect of the college process and was always there to answer my many questions. Jodi was an important guiding factor for me, whether it be from the initial gathering of ideas for my essays or perfecting the final touches on my application as a whole. I attribute much of my success in my applications to the help and guidance that Jodi gave me.
I honestly can’t thank you enough for everything. That excellent application was because of your guidance, wisdom, and all-around amazing support that never once let me feel any pressure from this whole experience.
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