Become our next success story.
The Compass team’s constant encouragement and advice helped guide me through my high school years!
Lauren H
Tufts University
I found the Compass Team to be approachable, personable, humorous, encouraging, and direct. They go above and beyond!
Gabby W
Harvard College
When I first started the process I did not really know where to begin, but thankfully the Compass team laid out a “roadmap” for me that had key due dates for apps and was my lifeline for getting all of my apps in on time.
Ben C
Denison University
The Compass team was really a blessing to work with. They provided calm, organization and encouragement.
Austin J
Princeton University
At a time when the college selection process is extremely demanding and can be very stressful for everyone involved, it is refreshing to have guides who know the ropes and bring a personal touch to the process
Carmen and Ira W
Proud Parents
Praise from Parents
Working with Compass helped our son to organize his essay-related tasks, and allowed him to take responsibility for his deadlines. Introspection is not always easy for a teenager, and we were very happy about how well his essays reflected his personality. He wrote on topics that meant something to him, allowing his voice to be heard and his viewpoints to be clearly expressed. Thanks again!
Sue and Jeff W
Parents
We appreciate that Compass' expertise goes beyond the typical college path and encompasses a thorough knowledge of educational alternatives for student’s who find themselves on unique paths. When it became apparent that our son’s next stop after high school was not necessarily going to be college, Compass led us to the GAP year option. They invested time discovering what we wanted out of a GAP year and then identified programs that met our needs. Honestly, we knew so little about GAP years and all the incredible options available, Compass was critical in doing the “leg work” in finding just the right fit. They found a program that was structured, academic and unique in it’s approach. Our son had the opportunity to travel to six countries over 7 months. In each country, he worked, studied, lived with families, explored and developed a deeper understanding of himself, his place in the world and the direction in which he will take his life. The GAP year was a profound experience. Our son is in a much better place to maximize his college experience and be intentional and purposeful with his education. Thank you, Compass for presenting the GAP year option and then helping us discover an incredible program that changed our son’s life.
Jane and John W
Parents
Being a graduate of a top university myself and a career woman, I thought sure I’d be able to handle all of my son’s college application process. I also had not heard about college consulting until I was thumbing through my alumni magazine one day and saw one advertised. Since my son was already in the first semester of his senior year, I thought it was too late to get help. Given my favorite motto “it’s not over until it’s over”, we sought out and contacted Compass. They made time in their busy schedule to work with my son, providing guidance on the college application process. They also recommended other colleges for consideration which we had not previously considered. It was great having someone to turn to when we had questions. The assistance they provided was invaluable. My son often said that it would have been wonderful if we had known about Compass earlier in his high school career. We were all very grateful that we met them when we did. They are very knowledgeable of colleges, the factors to consider for selecting a college which is a good fit for your student, and the application process. The Compass Team is very patient and will hang in there with you and provide wisdom and inspiration.
Janet and Larry J
Parents
Compass' insight and experience were invaluable to our daughter’s college search. Because of Compass' ability to direct teens in a professional and intelligent manner, our daughter was able to narrow down her choices and stick to a time line. It was a wonderful experience, rather than a stressful one! We would highly recommend Compass' services and direction for any family!
Patti and Lee S
Parents
When our granddaughter started the college process, we did not have full knowledge of the process for entering college. We decided that we needed help and guidance. After talking with a friend who had gone through the process successfully with Compass, we decided that they had the skills that we were seeking. We are very impressed with Compass, their company, and what they have provided for our granddaughter. With Compass’ advice and encouragement, she was able to get the guidance, knowledge and support necessary to achieve her desire of getting into St. Mary’s College of California. Compass was and continues to be a pleasure to work with and a large help to her, her parents and grandparents.
Phyllis and Walter B
Parents
Compass is absolutely amazing at helping parents create and implement a strategy for their children’s educational goals.
Nikki and Arnett K
Parents
My niece was having a difficult time with her college preparation and application activities. She had all of the right questions, but her school only offered a minimal amount of assistance and guidance in this area. Compass was a blessing. They were able to help with applications, college selection, internships, essay writing and much more. It’s apparent that they love what they do and are very knowledgeable in this area. Their guidance would be helpful to high school students, adults going back to school or anyone who is interested in further education.
Sadie T
Parents
Compass’ College Essay Workshop is a great stepping stone to the admissions process. The skills and tips they provide allowed our son to prepare his essays with confidence.
Patti B
Parents
You really helped me to see a pathway through this maze of information. Also, you put my mind to ease about the process. I am very grateful that you share your passion with such grace, comfort, and enthusiasm.
Terry B
Parents
Compass helped us navigate the overwhelming variety of choices for our two children, finding schools that fit their individual ambitions and learning styles. The investment was small compared to the payback of having a motivated student in the right learning environment.
Stasia and Chris S
Parents
Working with Compass has been invaluable to our son’s college application experience. We would say there are 3 key advantages to their service: 1 - They have been instrumental in identifying and helping our son acquire merit-based scholarships that we were unaware of; 2 - their assistance in the college application and essay process gave our son a competitive advantage which helped him with acceptance into top colleges; 3 - very important to us was that they helped to diffuse the parent/child tension that can develop throughout the college application and especially the college essay process. We feel strongly that our family hit the jackpot for sure--best investment we ever made! Thank you, Compass!
Marti and Bill C
Parents
Compass' relevant expertise, organizational skills and interpersonal connections with us have met or surpassed our expectations. Just as importantly, our daughter has enjoyed her interactions with the Compass team and considers them to be trusted confidants. It has been helpful to have advocates who have personally visited dozens of colleges across the country and had first-hand conversations with admission officers. Rather than solely depend on dated information from an assortment of books or on unreliable internet postings, the Compass team shares credible intelligence they have gathered on their ongoing school visit itinerary. For us, they have mapped out a 30 month roadmap that is designed to balance the application-related events (securing recommendations from teachers, selecting appropriate summer programs, etc) with the demands of our daughter’s existing commitments inside and outside the classroom. At a time when the college selection process is extremely demanding and can be very stressful for everyone involved, it is refreshing to have guides who know the ropes and bring a personal touch to the process. Compass brings a level of calmness and encouragement to every conversation with us as parents and to their direct conversations with our daughter. We have never felt that the Compass team was focused on any student other than our daughter, and this is a testament to their professionalism and their level of preparedness for every conversation we have with them.
Carmen and Ira W
Parents
The Compass Team instills confidence with their council of students by allowing them to have an active part in guiding their own path. This attribute to their council is key when the arduous task of applying for college presents itself. During a time when parents would prefer to enjoy quality time and conversations with their college bound children, Compass provides a unique gift of taking the stress out of the application process. This is accomplished through their essay writing workshops, tailoring the application to the student, and applying their talents to find the best “fit” for your child. Our family has personally experienced this wonderful outpouring of knowledge and professionalism when Compass guided our daughter to an academic camp where she was immersed in three subjects of her choice, accompanied with an emphasis on study skills. The success was apparent not only in her high marks and praise of her teachers, but also by the confidence she exudes as she embarks on her junior year of high school.
Stacey and John M
Parents
The Compass College Advisory Center provided my son with excellent resources to make informative choices about the colleges he was considering. The informational and guidance sessions with Compass, helped him to be organized and to write the required essays in a timely manner. Also, the sessions regarding finances and FAFSA were insightful and beneficial. Deciding and making choices about perspective colleges can be a very stressful period for a parent. But with the Compass College Advisory Center, my experience was the complete opposite. Compass, thank you for your expertise.
Regina C
Parents
As educational consultants, The Compass Team closes the gap with answers in what you and your kids are missing: be it a question concerning the college process, a selective academic summer camp or a well fitting boarding school for your kid. With their expertise they support parents and their kids from preschool to college and understands how to get kids involved by tutoring to all their academic needs. Compass professionally helped my son to review his college essays for Stanford University. They did an outstanding job. I can recommend them to anyone who is looking for skilled guidance and I am certain, I will contact Compass in the future for any advice related to my daughter’s education.
Gudrun C
Parents
The Education Doctor Newsletter provides a wealth of information in a clear, easily read format for parents with students of all ages. In a few minutes, I can review the timely topics covered on Dr. Pamela’s radio show (with links to the podcast), take a quick look at featured colleges and summer programs all over the country, and acquire bits of wisdom tailored specifically toward supporting my middle and high schoolers. I have found that the newsletter consistently covers issues that are meaningful to me–reading it is always a rewarding use of my time!
Jill D
Parents
Praise from Students
I would not have made it through the college applications process as well as I did and efficiently as I did without Compass. When I first started the process I did not really know where to begin, but thankfully Compass laid out a “roadmap” for me that had key due dates for apps and was my lifeline for getting all of my apps in on time. With their wise and creative mind, Compass gave me great ideas for essays and improved my writing skills tremendously. I had not even heard of the college I am attending (Denison) at the start of this journey. I am so grateful Compass introduced me to this great little college because I now do believe there is a perfect fit college for everyone.
Ben C
Denison University
Throughout my junior and senior year Compass really helped me to navigate the college application process. I had no idea where to even start. They helped organize tutoring for the ACT and SAT and helped me schedule the test dates. From there we started to investigate where I might want to spend the next chapter of my life. When it came time for me to start the applications, Compass really helped me tackle the many essays I had to write. We sat down and talked through my essays and collaboratively made them much better. Not only was Compass an amazing help but I LOVED getting to know them. We developed a great relationship that I plan to keep up. I actually looked forward to hanging out (our meetings). They really are the greatest. I love you Compass!!!
Molly W
University of Denver
Working with Compass has been an extremely positive process! I wasn’t sure how to give colleges an idea of myself or my experiences on paper, or how my numbers would “stack up”. Compass worked with me to find the colleges I thought would be a good fit. Their genuine interest in getting to know me showed when we edited my essays. Their guidance and answers to questions I had helped me build confidence in my decisions and applications. Not only has working with Compass been beneficial through the past months, it has also shown me more about myself and my aspirations.
Mae R
University of Notre Dame
. . .One of the things that makes Compass uniquely excellent is their expertise on how colleges evaluate applicants, as well as the nuanced distinctions between colleges. They are open-minded about different schools, but they offer specific, candid guidance that is influenced by their own visits . . . . I highly recommend Compass because of their effort to develop a strong personal relationship with you. I found them to be approachable, personable, humorous, encouraging, and direct. They go above and beyond, and they offer wisdom in all areas of life – not just academic – which made me view them as mentors and friends. I know that, without a doubt, Compass was an integral part of my surviving the college application process and finding the best school for my undergraduate academic career
Gabby W
Harvard College
Compass not only guided me towards writing a unique and personal college essay, they also helped me learn more about myself. The entire college process is rough, but with the help and counsel of Compass, I was able to feel confident during interviews, have a solid personal essay, and an organized resume.
Daisy B
Middlebury College
As a very unsure writer, the college application process seemed daunting. Thankfully, Compass was always there to help me through the writing process. Especially near deadlines, they made themselves available to me even if they were not in town. We talked over every essay before and after it was written. Compass was amazing at guiding me to a good idea for an essay, too. Compass was an invaluable resource and helped me talk through my school options to choose the best fit. I could not be happier at Wake Forest and am sure I made the right decision! Thanks to Compass the college process went much smoother than it would have on my own.
Matthew C Wake
Forest University
Compass' constant encouragement and advice helped guide me through my high school years! They encouraged me to apply to several educational programs over the summer to provide unique and interesting learning opportunities. Specifically, the Phillips Exeter Summer School was a really great experience and it really prepared me for college life! During the college application process, Compass was always available if I had questions and they helped me brainstorm and critique my essays. My decision to apply ED to Tufts University was an important one, and Compass' support was very important during that time. Compass is very invested in each of their students as they attended several of my orchestra concerts in Cleveland! Thank you for everything Compass!
Lauren H
Tufts University
The college planning and application process was undoubtedly one of the most stressful and high stakes times in my life. Compass was really a blessing to work with. They provided calm, organization and encouragement. Compass helped me finalize my list of colleges to apply to, selecting ones that would be good all around matches. During the application process, they guided me through my essays so I could transform my rough ideas into unique narratives that would stand out among thousands of applications. They also helped me to see all the various essays and questions in each application as a package, which helped me craft a strong overall message. Through this, “Austin” would be able to come alive to admissions officers from the words and sentences on the application. When I got stuck, as I often did, Compass was always there to calmly help me through it while providing encouragement. Compass truly cares about helping their students succeed in and after the college admissions process. I feel very fortunate to have worked with Compass through the admissions process. I’m not quite sure what I would have done without them. Thanks for everything Compass!
Austin J
Princeton University
The Compass College Advisory Center was a tremendous help to me. It provided a college portal, which allowed me to review information about numerous colleges throughout the country. The one on one sessions were of great value to me. I received the encouragement and support that gave me the confidence that I needed to complete the college application process from the beginning to the end.
Clement C
University of Cincinnati
Working with Compass was the best decision I made about preparing for college! The college application process can be stressful but Compass helped me through it step by step. They helped me professionalize my essays without bulldozing my ideas to help me find my dream college. The college process seemed impossible, but with Compass it was achievable because of their expertise with the process and extensive knowledge of colleges all over the country. They made the college process bearable for me. Now I’m at Rhodes, a school I love. I highly recommend their services, including for finding gap year experiences, which they assisted me with as well.
Tori L
Tiffin University
If not for Compass, Their help was incredibly useful and I do not know what I would have done without it. Thank you so much, Compass!
Robbie W.
Vanderbilt University
I really enjoyed and benefited tremendously from working with Compass. They have been a huge help to me as well as my parents along the way. Compass was able to open our eyes to many different college options and working with them has been one of the best decisions that we have made.
Kennedy T
Tuskegee University