Testimonials

Sandra Moore’s coaching made “the” difference as my son prepared to interview at his first-choice college. She helped him to see the interview as an opportunity to demonstrate that he was a great match for the college. As a result, his approach to the interview changed: instead of presenting as a casual, laid-back and overly humble candidate, he demonstrated genuine enthusiasm and confident readiness. He left the interview excited, believing that he had successfully conveyed his strengths and goals intelligently and with humor. He was accepted to Oberlin and loves it.
— Robert Strauss, M.D., Poughkeepsie, NY

There is so much hysteria around the college “ordeal” that it’s easy to get lost in the process, so we are grateful to Sandra Moore for guiding us through it. We could not have done it without Sandra’s counseling, suggestions and handholding. She offered guidance and concrete recommendations about what was within our daughter’s reach and, more importantly, what was worth reaching for. Our daughter was accepted to her first-choice school, Skidmore, where she thrived and from which she recently graduated.
— Diane Botnick, Cold Spring, NY

Sandra Moore turned our son’s “next step” into a stress-free experience with a successful outcome. She created a solid bridge with a student so full of anxiety that he was overwhelmed by just the thought of beginning the college search process. And as parents we were full of ambivalence about our role, questioning our ability to help him. Our relationship with Sandra was very different from the one we had had with his high school guidance counselors, who were inundated with large case loads and could give him only limited attention. She communicated openly and frequently with us and gave our family the confidence to move forward. And with her insight, perspective and knowledge, Sandra directed us to a college that is a great match with his particular needs. What we received from her and Next Step College Counseling went above and beyond our expectations. Our son got not only a counselor but also a mentor and a coach.
— Sandra Valenti, Hyde Park, NY

My daughter and I thank Sandra Moore for her priceless assistance during the college search and application process. I traveled with my daughter on her initial visit to the Susquehanna campus and was as impressed as she with the students, administration and facilities. Her later visit as an accepted student reinforced our first impression, especially after talks with students and faculty. Without Sandra's suggestion, the school would have gone unnoticed by us. And they have been generous with scholarships and need-based grants! We are very grateful!
— Jim Early, Stuyvesant, NY

Even if I took a College Shopping 101 course, my daughter would not have given me the kind of respect (or even the attention!) she mustered every week for Sandra Moore. Sandra's ongoing questioning of my daughter's needs and preferences was the key to helping us sort through the college maze. Her follow-up e-mails not only helped my daughter stay focused but also nudged her along in the process (removing me as the villain!). The carefully considered list of options she put together was way beyond what I discovered by wandering around the internet. Sandra prepped my daughter for interviews and coached her on writing without putting an adult imprint on her work. She also listened and identified with the parents' point of view, and always kept us in the loop. We never would have discovered Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts without Sandra. Nor would we have such confidence that this school is such a perfect fit. All in all, it was the best money I could have invested to ensure a positive transition to college.
— Lesli Uribe, Cold Spring, NY

Sandra Moore speaks "college" fluently to families facing the daunting task of getting into one. For the parents, this is a huge relief; for the students, this is a plan, a way, a nuts and bolts system for being admitted to the place they want to go, and for choosing the place that wants them.
— Darrah Cloud, Stanfordville, NY