Welcome!

As college costs rise and competition gets tougher, students and families understandably want more help than they can get from high school counselors who juggle multiple tasks and serve hundreds of students. I founded College Quest to be that help — comprehensive, personalized services tailored to each student and based on twenty-five years of experience, including college admissions responsibilities in both university and high school settings.

Throughout my career, I have been extremely active in visiting campuses, tracking program and admission trends, and participating in leading professional conferences and organizations. Just as importantly, I am passionate about helping young people of all types — from Ivy League families to under-represented backgrounds, from conventional students to those with uncommon goals and talents. By taking the time to get to know each student and tailoring my services to specific needs, I have helped students identify “best fit” programs and get accepted at diverse colleges and universities nationwide.

My Background

I have been advising students and families since 1991. After earning a Master’s Degree in Higher Education from the State University of New York at Buffalo, I held positions as Associate Director of Admission and Director of Pre-College Programs at Carnegie Mellon University, and Director of College Guidance at Sewickley Academy. Consulting independently since 2005, I have worked one-on-one with students and families, helped public, private, and charter high schools develop college counseling programs, and presented numerous seminars to corporations and community groups.

I am a longstanding member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) and its Pennsylvania chapter (PACAC) and uphold all standards set forth by NACAC’s Statement of Principles of Good Practice. I have been a PACAC executive board member, vice-chair of the professional development committee, and regularly attend and present at both PACAC and NACAC conferences. Additional activities include being the director and faculty member of the Summer Institute at Bucknell University, a hands-on intensive 3-day workshop for new admission and secondary school professionals, and developing an annual college admissions workshop for under-represented high school students with the Urban League of Pittsburgh.

My Approach

Each student is unique; finding the right fit matters. With careful planning and preparation, I believe any student can get accepted to a college of their choice. My goal is to match each student with schools and programs that are a good fit academically and personally, including looking at extracurricular interests and talents, family resources, and other considerations.

Clarify, simplify and organize. Because of my “inside experience” I can offer valuable insights on college admission requirements and expectations. Just as importantly, I can break what may seem like a complicated, intimidating process into easy-to-understand, manageable tasks. Students and parents alike also benefit from having an outside person to track deadlines and keep everything on schedule.

A to Z support and inspiration. The college planning and admissions process can be stressful if you go it alone. My expertise and resources can ease the burden at every step, give you more confidence about decisions, and provide motivation and direction to help you identify and present your unique strengths, values and interests.

Questimonials

"Thanks again for guiding Jake through the college application maze. With your counsel and knowledge of the process he was able to present his best possible application and was accepted Early Decision at Cornell. We will be forever grateful for your help."
— D.C., Parent