We hired Karin to help our son through the college application process last year. I am happy to report that he is now attending his first choice college, Haverford, and finding it an excellent match. As others have mentioned, the application process is a highly stressful time and can cause conflict and tension between parent and child. Using Karin's services allowed us to relax so that we could focus on being supportive and maintaining a positive relationship with our son. We did not have to worry about how and whether our son was doing all that he should and on the right timeline.

 

Karin is highly organized and detail oriented, and lets nothing fall through the cracks. She has the unique gift of knowing how to be demanding in the most charming, kind and caring of ways. We all valued Karin's focus on understanding the unique attributes and interests of the child and finding the right fit, rather than letting name and reputation dictate choices. She spent hours of one on one time getting to know our son, supporting him to know his own mind, and then helping him communicate his unique "story" on his application.

 

Karin is up on all the latest trends, and answered our questions quickly and thoroughly. When she didn't know the answer, she would consult her network of colleagues. She is a particularly strong writer, and guides revision after revision, down to the smallest detail. This is not so fun, but my son did admit that the results were worth it! In fact, the most resounding recommendation for Karin is what my son expressed when he got his acceptance email “I could not have done this without Karin!”

 

—Karen Levine, parent of a former Needham High School student