KNOWLEDGEABLE, REGIMENTED SESSIONS
At the start our daughter’s junior year, we knew that we needed to find someone to help her get prepared for the ACT. We did a lot of research and decided that Ann Cadwallader was the best fit for our daughter for many reasons. Ann is very knowledgeable with the SAT/ACT and conducts very regimented learning sessions. You pay for an hour; you get an hour. She is experienced in working with kids with learning disabilities and challenges. My daughter struggles with dyslexia and dysgraphia and needed some tools on how to best take the ACT. After a few sessions, Ann was able to navigate my daughter on where she needed to concentrate and how best to take the test. According to my daughter, Ann nailed it. Our daughter’s ultimate goal was to hit the 30’s on the ACT to open doors to highly selective schools. She did just that after three attempts.
In addition to preparing for the ACT, we decided to hire Ann to help us find the best college fit for our daughter. Ann’s tenacity with brainstorming essays, common app hand-holding, and getting all the proper paperwork done on time was impressive. Coupled with this was her “I really care” attitude that just what my daughter needed. We can honestly say that we will be forever grateful for all her help and will always consider her a friend.
Julie
THE BEST SUPPORT
I cannot thank Ann enough for everything she has done for me. She pushed me and believed in me through this entire college process. I could not have done any of it without her constant help and support. She spent much of her time making sure I wasn’t too stressed and that I felt satisfied and accomplished; I am beyond grateful for that. As I go off to college next year, I will look back and know that I had the best support anyone could ask for.
Thank you so much.
Natalie
OPTIONS DISCOVERED
If you are looking for a college coach, you should know that Ann Cadwallader is there to help. She’s not going to push you in one direction or the other. She’s there to help you see all of your options and discover what is best for you. It’s definitely worth your time to meet with Ann because she will take time for you.
Ari
NO NAGGING NEEDED
When it came time to start the college decision making process for our daughter, we felt overwhelmed & confused. So many things to consider — campus visits, college applications, ACT / SAT tutoring & test taking, etc. After one consultation with Ann, we felt much better as she walked us thru the whole process and how she could help us tackle it. Our daughter clicked with Ann right away and the two of them undertook every step together, with no nagging or pressure from us needed. It allowed us to actually keep our college discussions with our daughter calm and productive, since we didn’t have to get bogged down in the minutia of it all. At the end, she got accepted to a great school that we think will be a perfect fit for her, and we are thankful to Ann for getting us there.
Mark
A CALMING RESOURCE
Working with Ann during a time that is fraught with so much external pressure was very valuable to us. She understands the process, has lots of experience, and is able to convey hopeful optimism balanced with realism. She kept our son accountable and on track during the entire application process and she served as a calming resource for us all. We highly recommend Ann!
Susan
EXPERIENCE AND TRUST
We started working with Ann during the end of our twins’ sophomore year. We knew that busy schedules, our interest in looking at schools outside of the Midwest, and a general lack of familiarity with the process – all times two for twins – would provide logistical challenges and that deadlines would mount. We also knew that we wanted to enjoy junior and senior years as a family as much as possible. With Ann, we were able to take the process at our pace and control it instead of it completely controlling us. We spent time with her during the summer before junior year and junior year reviewing options, planning visits, debriefing about visits and refining lists. Ann earned the kids’ trust almost immediately. Starting the process early with Ann meant that when the time came to start tackling the more complicated and sensitive tasks, the kids were completely comfortable with her. Ann provides a very structured process of meetings (virtual and in-person) and check points. The kids responded well to this approach. She meets the kids based on their individual needs and schedules and divides all the tasks into manageable milestones. The kids gained a sense of control and calm by being able to measure and see their progress.
Our family cannot imagine having gone through this process without Ann’s coaching and support. From each child’s first meetings with her, she helped them think about their unique story and how to keep building on it to make it shine. She motivated them to keep strengthening their individual narratives without putting pressure on them – just by making very transparent and clear what the colleges would be looking at in applications. She prepared them for interviews and was also there as an extra set of eyes to help spot any early warning signs of stress throughout the process.
Once Ann takes your family on as a client, you can rest assured that you are in experienced and trusted hands to navigate the process and help your child put his or her best foot forward. While it is always clear that the children do all their own work and are accountable for the end results, Ann helps give them confidence that their unique stories and all their hard work will be well-presented and considered.
Alexandra
THE LUXURY OF LOW STRESS
I have had the pleasure to work with Ann for over 4 years.
My children are each very unique and have had different needs relative to their college searches. Ann is highly professional and created a personalized and positive experience for each of my children. She is flexible when students are not in the area and makes herself available to her students via email, phone, as well as person appointments.
Ann has taken significant stress off of me as a parent. I trust her fully with guiding my children through the college application process by helping them be proactive, focused, and meet all deadlines. This luxury has afforded very little parent child stress during my childrens’ senior years. For this I will always be grateful.
