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.
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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.
