College planning professional. Engineer. The person in your corner.
Most families come to Tamara feeling like they're already behind. They've been researching for months and still don't know what they don't know. They're worried about money, about timing, about whether their student is building the right profile. They need someone who can look at the full picture — academic, financial, social — and give them a clear path forward.
That's what Tamara does. She's been doing it for over 10 years, with families who have real stakes in getting this right — not because their student is struggling, but because the cost is real, the competition is real, and the decisions made in high school genuinely affect what's available on the other side.
Her background isn't typical for this field. She's a Cornell-trained engineer who spent 25+ years managing high-stakes projects for Fortune 500 firms and federal agencies. She's recruited technical and professional talent across industries. She knows what employers want at the end of this process — which means she guides families to think about not just where to apply, but what the application is building toward. That combination of systems thinking, project discipline, and real-world professional context is what makes the experience of working with her different.
Four things that make working
with Tamara different.
Families often say the same things when they describe working with Tamara. Here's what they mean.
She knows how this process actually works.
Tamara has spent over a decade studying every part of admissions and financial aid — how merit aid is awarded, how schools evaluate academic profiles, and how to build a college list that is both aspirational and realistic. She knows where families get stuck. She has seen it enough to know how to keep it from happening.
Your student owns the process. You don't have to manage it.
One of the things families say most often after working with Tamara is that their relationship with their student improved. Not because the process was easy — but because Tamara owns the logistics, which means parents don't have to be the ones nagging about deadlines and next steps. Students stay engaged because they're guided, not managed. By senior year, they know exactly why they're applying where they're applying — and they can articulate it clearly in an essay or an interview.
The chaos goes away.
There's a moment families describe — usually a few months in — where they realize they've stopped dreading the college conversation at the dinner table. The deadlines are handled. The plan is clear. The next step is always in writing. That's not luck. It's what happens when someone who has managed complex federal and corporate projects for 25 years applies that same discipline to your family's college process.
The person you meet is the person who shows up.
A lot of families spend months building trust with a college counselor and then get handed off to someone they've never met right when it matters most. Tamara doesn't do that. The relationship you build in sophomore year is the same one guiding you through senior year. Every session. Every decision. The same person.
If your student knows what they want to do,
that changes everything.
A lot of families Tamara works with have students who already have a direction — engineering, pre-law, business, health sciences. That focus is an asset in the college process, but only if you know how to use it. Tamara does.
Engineering & STEMTamara is a Cornell engineer. She's been in those programs, worked alongside technical professionals for 25+ years, and knows what STEM programs actually require — and what separates the students who thrive from the ones who don't. She guides students to evaluate programs by ABET accreditation, research opportunities, and career outcomes — not just rankings. |
Pre-Law & Social SciencesPre-law isn't a major — it's a strategy. The right undergraduate program, the right research and activity profile, and the right essay narrative together determine what law school options look like. Tamara guides students who know they're headed toward law to think about undergrad as the foundation, not just a stepping stone. |
Business & FinanceNot every business school is the same — program structure, accreditation, internship access, and alumni networks vary significantly. Tamara evaluates programs on what actually matters for business-track students: AACSB accreditation, co-op and internship pipelines, and the kind of professional network a school builds. She asks the questions families don't know to ask on campus visits. |
What this means on a college visit: Most families show up to campus tours and ask the same questions everyone else asks. Tamara prepares families to ask the questions that actually reveal whether a program is right for their student — about accreditation, research access, co-op pipelines, advising quality, and what happens when a student changes their mind. That preparation changes the visit from a campus tour into a real evaluation.
The outcomes speak for themselves.
Families often ask whether working with a college counselor actually makes a difference. Here's what a decade of working with real families — not projections, not averages — actually looks like.
Why credentials matter
for your family.
The college admissions landscape changes every year — policies shift, schools change how they evaluate applications, financial aid formulas get updated.
Tamara's professional memberships — IECA, PCACAC, SACAC — aren't decorations. They require ongoing engagement with admissions professionals, regular campus visits, and adherence to a strict ethical code. They're how she stays current. And current is what your family needs.
Staying current also means actually showing up. Tamara visits campuses regularly and documents what she finds — so families get a real perspective on a school, not just what the admissions office puts in a brochure. Watch the campus visit series on YouTube →
IECA — Independent Educational Consultants Association
The leading professional association for independent college counselors. Members are held to a rigorous code of ethics and must demonstrate active engagement with colleges and universities.
PCACAC — Potomac and Chesapeake Association for College Admission Counseling
Regional professional organization connecting counselors with admissions professionals across the Mid-Atlantic region.
SACAC — Southern Association for College Admission Counseling
Regional professional organization supporting ethical and informed college counseling practice across the South.
Say Yes to College: The Junior Year Game Plan
Tamara's guide to the most critical year of the college planning process — covering college list building, testing strategy, merit aid fundamentals, and the financial conversations families avoid.
Get the BookReady to work with someone who actually knows the process?
A Discovery Session is where we figure out where your family is, what's most urgent, and what the right next step is — based on your situation, not a script.
Book a Discovery Session Complimentary · 30 minutes · Intake form required to schedule.