FOR PARENTS OF 8TH THROUGH 12TH GRADERS
The conversation about what comes after high school shouldn’t start senior year.
Students and families deserve clarity, not confusion, and collaboration, not anxiety. We coach the whole family —eighth grade through college graduation. No path is off the table.
Who We Are
Most college counseling focuses on the student alone. Our model intentionally includes parents and the entire family. We spent decades inside university enrollment offices in senior leadership - as an Associate Vice President of Enrollment and Director of Undergraduate Admissions, and as a Senior Assistant Director at selective universities - reading applications and making the decisions. We now sit on your side of the table. We start earlier than the typical eleventh-grade counselor, and we bring parents in by design, because the questions that matter most - what fits, what it costs, what happens next - are family questions.
Founded by Robynne Lofton - nearly thirty years of enrollment leadership, past President of WACAC, and Brandi Smith - more than two decades in selective admissions and school counseling, past President of SACAC and its 2026 Larry West Award recipient.
Our advisors add specialist depth in essay preparation, NCAA recruitment, arts and conservatory pathways, and equity-focused admissions.
“We don’t rush childhood. We give families time, perspective, and the opportunity to make decisions from a place of knowledge rather than uncertainty.”
Coaching for the year you’re in
Grade 8-9
Early Risers
Build confidence. Explore strengths. Align as a family before the pressure starts.
Grade 10
Sophomore Launch
Choose courses on purpose. Turn interest into evidence. Open the money conversation early.
Grade 11
Junior Milestones
Build the list, the testing plan, and the story -while there’s still room to change your mind.
Grade 12
Senior Summit
Applications, essays, aid, and the final comparison - steady hands through the busiest year.
After High School
Transfer & Graduate
Change direction, transfer well, or plan the next degree. The work doesn’t always end at enrollment.
Students gain ownership
The lead their own search instead of being managed through it.
Parents gain confidence.
You stop guessing at what the process actually asks of your family.
Families gain clarity.
One plan everyone at the table understands and agrees to.
START HERE
Schedule a free conversation.
Twenty minutes. No commitment, no pressure — just an honest read on where your family stands and what comes next.