Update December 2013-- Fast-forward 4 years since I wrote…read morethe review below, when Kathy Rosenberg-Wohl helped my first son gain admission to his top choice college: today, my younger son was admitted Early Action to Harvard, and it never, ever would have happened without Kathy's guidance, encouragement and timely prodding. From his freshman year, my younger son met with Kathy to talk about the path ahead. In the earlier years of high school, she helped him pick courses of the right difficulty, nudged him to take AP Calc instead of AP Stat, and helped him take his interests to their fullest expression. Always with a smile, good cheer, and often homebaked cookies for energy and motivation. In his Jr. year, my son met with Kathy more often--especially the summer before applications were due. She helped him select test prep tutors (she even interviewed them free of charge!), focus on his testing schedule, and develop his interests in music, media production, and web design. She urged him to apply for grants and awards. This last summer, they selected colleges and worked through essays as the deadlines approached.. Best of all, Kathy nagged him when he needed it--and he did, often--so that I wouldn't have to! Thanks to Kathy Rosenberg-Wohl, this has been a dream process for us, and totally stress-free for me. She is the cheerleader, coach, second mother, wise teacher, and analytical strategist that every family needs to help them through this process. Today, my son called me to say, "Mom, I got in to Harvard!" The next thing he said was, "I'm going to call Kathy now." Like me, he knows who he needs to thank for the next four years. ------------------------------------------------------- Sept 2010-- Kathy Rosenberg-Wohl was simply put: a lifesaver ! She took what would have been the most stressful period in my life as a parent and made it so easy. Kathy helped my oldest son select colleges, craft and hone his essays, maximize his recommendations, track all his testing and transcripts, prep for interviews--the works! He worked with her throughout the summer before his Sr. Year, and she even baked him cookies to munch on during their sessions! He returned to Senior Year with his applications essentially done. Best of all though, Kathy really believed in my son--she was a cheerleader, a coach, a mentor and a friend to him. In the end, my son got into 5 schools but none of his top choices. Despite the seemingly poor odds, he decided to appeal the decision at his top choice--UC Santa Barabara--and Kathy helped him with that too! She was on the phone with the admissions officers finding out what he could do and what the chances were for success. Thanks to Kathy's belief in him, my son did get in to his top choice school on appeal. But most importantly, she helped to empower him, to make him realize that he turned things around largely through his own initiative. Now I have my younger son working with Kathy, and have since he was a Freshman. It was just a few hours last year--but time well spent talking about extra-curriculars, selecting the right degree of difficulty in his class schedule, and understanding what he needs to do to get into the colleges he is setting his sights on. Kathy sends us emails about programs he might want to apply for, tests he needs to take, award opportunities he should be applying for. She signed up for his high school bulletin to stay on top of things at his school! (Thank goodness, because she often catches opportunities that I've missed.) I know that for every hour for which Kathy charges, she puts in several more in researching, writing, and crafting a strategy that is unique to each child. I like that she charges hourly (rather than a lump sum like some counselors,) so I can determine what feels comfortable for my budget and prioritize what I need most. I can't imagine a better college counselor--one who really loves kids and listens to them--but still keeps them on track in a way a parent never could.

If you have a high schooler who will be applying to college, definitely seek out Kathy, especially…read moreif your child aspires to Ivies, Stanford, UCLA and other top schools. Definitely call early, best to start with her freshman or sophomore year so you're not scrambling come senior year. I had two daughters who were recruited athletes and Kathy helped them tell their stories, and they ended up at their first choice schools (Yale and Stanford). Your journey may be different but Kathy did fabulous work for us.

**Scott is the BRILLIANT STUDENT WHISPERER!!** We first sought his services years ago, when my son…read moreneeded to improve his scores for admissions applications to independent high schools. Fortunately, my son is quite bright--but he suffers from ADHD and lack of self confidence. Scott immediately bonded with him--he's pretty amazing in his talent for putting kids at ease and finding their strengths--and he set up a super effective study and skills-building test prep schedule for my son. Scott also gave him super smart inside knowledge on how to pace himself, with strategies for both answering multiple choice questions as well as managing testing time constraints. My son improved his scores by 50%!! And my son thinks of Scott as a true friend and mentor, as well--trusting his judgment and sage advice completely. Fast forward, my son is now applying for colleges and that lack of self-confidence has returned. On top of that, he's super stressed out and depressed about the whole process and his ability to get into the colleges he'd aspired to get into, even though his grades and test scores should admit him into some pretty good schools. Again, Scott to the rescue. He helped my son really think deeply and analyze what he wanted out of a college and his future. And Scott knows SOOOOO much about *all* the different colleges and their academic environments, teaching atmospheres, stress levels, and the kinds of students who might succeed there--he is able to give great advice about what might be the best fit for someone, based on their personality and abilities. Scott was able to get my son to step outside of himself and his insecurities, and come up with a plan for his future that he feels confident about pursuing--most of all, a college plan with options that my son truly believes will make him happy. We can't say enough wonderful things about Scott except that we feel blessed and lucky to have him in our lives. THANK YOU, SCOTT!!

Without question, engaging Scott was the most valuable educational investment I made to support my…read morechild. It's not cheap, but the outcome is extraordinary. The impact Scott had on my son went well beyond college essay preparation/production. Pre-Scott, my son could barely write a coherent sentence and through the magic of Scott's teaching methodology and in a relatively short timeframe, the improvement was dramatic. The counsel, candid discussions, and direction Scott provided paid huge dividends in the classroom and in daily written communication (emails, texts). My son became a more confident writer and student which of course, carried over to everyday life. As he heads-off to college in the fall (UCLA), I'm forever grateful to Scott for the life-changing role he played in preparing my son for the next chapter and beyond.

Gordy guided me with my application process for grad school back in 2015. He provided me with many…read moreresources and tools to get what I needed to write my personal statement. Good techniques pointers is what really allowed me to manage my time during this process and get everything to go smoothly. I was given useful tips with incorporating generations of family history into my essay that I personally think that's what got me in! Needless to say, I'm two years into Acupuncture & Chinese medicine school and I enjoy it so much.

Gordy is an exceptional college counselor! He kept my son on tack and met all the deadlines even…read morewhen we had limited time. He was encouraging and used virtual services effectively. I also liked how he created google folders and made the whole process of essays and tasks easy and even fun! I would highly recommend Gordy!

If you have a teenager preparing for college, I strongly encourage you to look into the services of…read moreJessica Brenner, and her partner, Lisa Josefik. What could have been an incredibly stressful senior year, has been instead a beautiful memory made. What Jessica, and Lisa did to help my grandson, and me from start to finish of the college application process is amazing. I never realized the complexity that went into this process, as I never had to do this for my children. The guidance, structure, and encouragement from them was invaluable. As a parent/grandparent this process can be extremely frustrating when it comes to making sure the SA's are completed, or that they are studying for the SAT test, etc. To our teenager we are just nagging them. Being able to hand that over to Jessica, and/or Lisa, who are so knowledgeable and understanding of what it takes to successfully complete this process made this entire experience much more exciting and enjoyable for my grandson and myself. They gave him structure, and progress goals that he followed. When he started his senior year he was all ready to submit all of his applications while his classmates were just starting to do what he had been doing during the summer. He actually received his first acceptance letter before many classmates had even submitted an application. Jessica and Lisa would tell him, "Tristan, all this hard work is going to be so worth it once you start receiving your acceptance letters." When his first letter came, he was so excited he could hardly stand it. Tristan has been accepted to eight colleges, including his number one choice. Thank you, thank you Jessica and Lisa for all you did for us and all the other families and kids you work with. You truly make a difference!

Jessica Brenner walked our daughter through the application process with absolute precision…read more From preparation for SAT/ACT, essay guidance and appropriate school choices, Jessica created a timeline that was manageable and stress free. We believe that Jessica's help enabled our daughter to gain admission to better schools than her peers, who had similar qualifications. We highly recommend Jessica to any family in this super competitive environment.

We can strongly recommend Alexander as a college counselor…read more We hired Alexander to be a college counselor to our 17 year old, redneck, jock son, who was unsure of what he wanted to do and where he wanted to go. Over the course of a year, Alexander worked closely with Carson to research school programs, select a set of schools, identify requirements and write the essays. Carson, not only greatly improved his overall writing ability, but applied and was accepted to several schools. We are thrilled that Alexander could relate so positively to Carson as a young man selecting a career path, and motivate him to want to attend college.

My son worked with Alex on his post-graduate schools and doctoral program applications, and working…read morewith Alex made huge difference. He was extremely knowledgeable about the process and easy to access at any time. My son accepted to a fully funded program.I highly recommend Alex if anyone looking for a coach to help with their writing . Thank you Alex!! I m grateful for your dedication and availability

Hands-down Terry is someone you want on your team! Whatever it is you are trying to accomplish in…read moreyour career, academically, in life - Terry is an amazing coach, mentor and friend. I met Terry when I was in a post-bacc program. When I started the program I had no confidence in my academic abilities and was struggling with severe anxiety when studying for my classes. I came to Terry explaining that I wanted nothing less than to have confidence in my abilities and to get A's in the program. I added that I simply did not think it was possible and that if he couldn't be direct in solving the issue that he should not waste my time or his. All I can say is that Terry delivered. What I admired most about how he worked with me is that he never got offended nor did he take things personally when I would tell him a technique or an approach was not working. He instead had a way of being patient, listening to my concerns, analyzing what went wrong and coming up with creative solutions that were tailored specifically for me. Suffice to say I accomplished all that I wanted in the program. Furthermore, I think the best take away from my time with him is that what I learned has been sustainable. Two years after having finished the program I have accomplished more than I ever thought was possible because of the confidence in myself he fostered through our work together. If you are looking for someone to be your ally and your advocate in accomplishing what you want in your career or your academics, Terry is the man for you! You will not only learn specific techniques on how to accomplish your goals, you will also gain a great mentor. I am grateful to have met such a dedicated and passionate individual that truly cares about the success and well-being of his students. I highly recommend Terry!

This review is from my friend SC-SF:…read more "I met Terry while I was in a post-bacc program and have grown to know him as not only a fantastic learning coach, but also a trusted mentor and friend. He was a leading contributor towards my efforts to strengthen my learning skills, and essentially taught me how to "re-learn" how to learn. His approach was never condescending, but was still firm and gave me the accountability that I needed to thrive. I highly recommend Terry to anyone who would like to strengthen their learning abilities and realize their true potential. As I am applying to health professional schools, I know I will continue to use the skills I learned from Terry to help me become a successful student and professional"

My daughter and I often joke that Elaine came to us from on high just when we needed her most! We…read morehad no idea how to navigate the college application process, but with Elaine's excellent help (she is calms, clear, organized and inspiring) we were able to make it! My daughter ended up getting into her first-choice school and Elaine's amazing help made that possible. But more than what school she got into it was just wonderful having Elaine to guide us and bounce ideas off of throughout the process. It's not easy out there and there is no one right decision - through it all Elaine made us feel like we had a strong guide on our side.

Elaine is a world-class advisor--thoughtful, capable, compassionate, and responsive…read more She worked with our twins for several years as we navigated the stress and uncertainty of the college process--where to apply, how to think about value, and how to strike the right balance between reach, target, and safety schools. The process today is daunting. With Ivies accepting just 3-5% of applicants and UC schools also extremely competitive, it's too risky to go it alone and hope for the best. Elaine dedicated an extraordinary amount of time and care guiding our kids through every step. No matter the situation, her advice was always thoughtful and transparent. She responded quickly to every question, usually the same day or within 24 hours. Of course, no advisor can work miracles if a student isn't already committed and putting in the effort--but for motivated students, even the strongest ones, her guidance is invaluable. She also helps set realistic expectations for both kids and parents, which is just as important as anything else. Now the results are in. Both of our kids are strong IB students who were active in music and leadership programs. While the Ivies ultimately proved too far a stretch (despite their qualifications), they were accepted to several top UC and state schools, as well as USC, LMU, and others. Our daughter has chosen UC Berkeley, where she also received a significant merit scholarship--something we were especially grateful for given the cost of college today. Our son was also offered spots at UC Berkeley and UCSD, but has USC Thornton in his sights. If you have a child entering or already in high school, I highly recommend starting with Elaine for an initial consultation. Our whole family--especially our kids--is grateful for her guidance, which led to outstanding options at some of the top public and private universities in the country. We couldn't be more thrilled with the outcome and look forward to the next chapter with twins in college.

There are truly no words that fully convey what Michaela did for my daughter during her high school…read moreyears. She stared working with Michaela early on as a writing instructor and coach. She helped my daughter with her entries for numerous writing competitions, including the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, for which she won gold and silver medals over multiple years. She then helped with college essays and planning. I cannot recommend her highly enough! She became an advisor and artistic guide. My daughter's high school fulfilling writing journey was truly made possible with Michaela's support and guidance!

Michaela is great with my 6th and 8th graders who have been working with her this year, including…read moreon my 8th grader's high school applications. They genuinely enjoy the sessions with her (and they're not usually the type to want to do anything "extra"). Michaela makes it fun and not intimidating which is key for my kids and probably a lot of other younger students out there. Our family is so glad to have found Michaela!

I just finished applying to a couple of PhD programs and Luke's help was absolutely invaluable. I…read morestarted the process with my head a bit in the sand. I didn't really know much about applying to grad school or why, exactly, I wanted to and Luke asked incredibly insightful questions that made me really think through my goals and interests. A couple months later, I finally had a few essays drafts to show for my labor. Luke was kind in the way he told me that they had a lot of room for improvement. He pointed out places that I needed to augment and sections that could be cut entirely. He did so gently but firmly, guiding me towards a much better final product. Besides being able to greatly help with content, Luke is also a great copy-editor. Word choice is important, and Luke knows the right words to choose. Regardless of the result of my application, working with Luke made me confident that I have put my best self forward. I highly recommend his services and Spark Prep as a company.

I have worked with Luke for the past 4 years during community college as a nontraditional transfer…read morestudent looking to get into an elite university. Luke is ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE in his craft. My personal statement was so killer, I was able to receive a full tuition scholarship from a top university in California. He utilizes your time efficiently, and really helps you pick topics that will stand out with admissions. I plan to use Luke when I apply to medical school because he is just SO good at making your 1 paragraph about nonsense into 3 solid sentences that blow your mind. I have learned so much over the years from Luke I was even able to give a presentation about essay writing to my community college based on the skills he had taught me. Even if you have to pay out of pocket yourself like I did for Luke, I'm tell you now... ITS WORTH IT. Balancing academics and extra curricular is hard, but Luke holds you accountable and makes the application process a breeze. Even the style of writing I've learned from Luke will help me in future endeavors for years to come. Luke, I am so fortunate to have met you and I have a feeling I wouldn't be in the amazing position I am right now without your application guidance. THANK YOU SO MUCH for all the work and time you put into me as a student and getting to know me on a personal level. 10/10 would recommend to everyone.

Very kind and respectful staff overall. Ease of finding the building, and escort support from the…read morefront desk person. Clean space all around, easy instructions upon arrival, and no confusion whatsoever. Testing space RE lighting, temperature, and comfort was satisfactory.

Just passed my second (and final) test for my professional license at this center. It's well…read morelocated, easy to get to and most important, when I am 100% freaked out about my high-stakes test, VERY NICE and VERY KIND people that work there. Check in and security check terrific. I can't express how grateful I am that they are organized and really put one at ease. Note -- everyone is taking a different test so don't go by what time others leave. They have noise canceling headphones available at each cubicle, this easily distracted person is very happy for that. THANK YOU!