My practice is focused primarily on boarding school admissions, particularly for families seeking highly personalized guidance and thoughtful placement. While I may offer perspective or feedback in limited situations on day schools, my Admissions Advisory services are designed specifically for boarding school applicants.

Attending boarding school was a life-changing experience for me. It shaped not only how I learned, but who I became—teaching independence, resilience, and the value of being part of a close-knit community where students are truly known. That experience left a lasting impression and continues to inform how I think about fit, growth, and opportunity.

Over the past 16 years, I’ve witnessed that same transformation unfold for countless students I’ve worked with. When the right student finds the right boarding school, the impact can be profound—academically, socially, and emotionally. By specializing exclusively in boarding school admissions, I’m able to stay deeply connected to campuses, cultures, and admissions leaders, and to guide families with the level of insight, care, and advocacy this process deserves. My focus reflects both personal conviction and professional experience: when boarding school is the right fit, it can truly change a student’s trajectory.

The Parent Strategy Session ensures we start with clarity and alignment. It allows me to understand your child’s profile, your family’s goals, and where you are in the process—so any next steps are intentional, strategic, and tailored to your needs.

Ideally, parents would engage my services in late summer or early fall prior to the admissions cycle. Although Hall Educational Resources stops taking students in November that are pursuing a traditional deadline, we will continue to take clients who are looking into schools with rolling admissions. 

There is also a great window of opportunity to hire an educational consultant in the spring once initial decisions have been made and wait lists have been allocated during what is generally referred to as “second round” admissions.

No. School recommendations and formal school lists are provided exclusively as part of my Admissions Advisory. The Strategy Session is designed to offer clarity, direction, and expert perspective—not rushed or generic recommendations.

When you work with me, you work directly with me—there are no handoffs or teams. I intentionally accept a limited number of clients each year so I can offer deeply personalized guidance, thoughtful advocacy, and the level of attention this process deserves.

No consultant can—or should—guarantee admission. What I do offer is experienced judgment, honest guidance, and trusted relationships with admissions teams, all in service of helping families make strong, well-informed choices and find the best possible fit.

I intentionally limit the number of families I work with each admissions season to ensure every client receives highly personalized, high-touch support. I also never want to feel as though I have a “conflict of interest” representing too many of the same types of students applying for the same grades at potentially some of the same schools. This approach allows me to be deeply involved, responsive, and thoughtful throughout the process—and to advocate meaningfully on behalf of each student.

I’ve spent many years building trusted, professional relationships with admissions leaders and heads of schools through consistent, ethical work and thoughtful advocacy. When I reach out on behalf of a student, those conversations are welcomed and taken seriously—allowing for open, honest dialogue that helps schools truly understand a student’s strengths, context, and potential fit.

I work with bright, college-bound students whose learning profiles, interests, or needs don’t always fit neatly into a one-size-fits-all school environment. This includes students with learning differences, uneven academic profiles, or executive functioning challenges, as well as student-athletes, artists, and students seeking greater academic rigor or a healthier school culture.

Many families come to me when a current school no longer feels like the right fit—perhaps the academic pace is off, support systems aren’t being met, the culture isn’t aligned, or a student needs a more balanced environment where they can be both challenged and supported. I help families identify boarding school communities, primarily throughout New England, where students can grow academically, socially, and emotionally.

While every student’s story is different, families come to me with a shared goal: finding a school where their child will be understood, supported, and able to thrive.

I invest significant time and financial resources each year visiting boarding schools and select independent schools, meeting directly with admissions leaders, counselors, faculty, and coaches to understand each campus’s culture, programs, and student experience. These visits allow me to go far beyond websites and marketing materials and truly understand what makes each school distinctive.

I’m also an active member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) and the Enrollment Management Association (EMA), and I regularly attend professional conferences and school-based programs focused on admissions practices and independent school education. Staying deeply engaged in the field ensures my guidance is current, thoughtful, and well informed.

Testing requirements vary by school and by student, and there is no single approach that fits every applicant. While all schools require some form of assessment as part of the admissions process, many have shifted to test-optional policies, which are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

More traditional schools may require standardized entrance exams such as the ISEE or SSAT for younger applicants, and the PSAT, SAT, or ACT for older high school or postgraduate candidates. In some cases, schools may also review a neuropsychological evaluation or academic testing completed by a licensed psychologist. For younger students, standardized testing may not be required at all, with schools choosing instead to administer their own in-house assessments.

Part of my role is helping families understand which testing—if any—is appropriate for their child and how those results are best presented within the broader context of the application.