“I really appreciate Laurie’s assistance to me throughout the college application process. As an international student in China, I did not have the opportunity to meet with Laurie face-to-face at the beginning of the process. However, during my initial Skype meetings with Laurie, I feel that Laurie is not only a professional educational consultant, but also trustworthy and friendly person. Laurie and I worked together to research the majors and career options, selected the colleges that I would apply to, and provide advice for my college essays. In addition, when I studied in a summer program in Cornell during last summer, Laurie drove to Ithaca and spent a wonderful day with me. While it was my first time to meet with Laurie in person, we also discussed extensively about my college list, essays, and interview, which are extremely helpful. Without Laurie’s professionalism and kindness, I would not have accomplished so much in the college application process and finally been accepted by Northwestern University, my first-choice school.”
– Zijian Ma – Shanghai, China
Someone once told me that the cost of sending her child to College Planning Associates was the “best money she had ever spent.” I remember being quite impressed with that statement and several years later, I couldn’t agree more! Laurie takes the time to work with students to help them determine what professions would best suit them according to their capabilities and interests. Once our kids really focused on what areas of study they should pursue, the college search became much easier. Laurie has a great rapport with our children and did an excellent job of guiding them and keeping them on track during the college application process. Both our children are currently happy and thriving at the colleges they attend. I give College Planning Associates much credit in helping my kids find ‘the right fit’ when it came time to pick a college that met their individual needs. And, now I tell people that the cost of college planning at CPA was worth every penny!
We got involved with College Planning Associates very late in the game, at the end of my son’s junior year. He was floundering and had no direction as to a career. Laurie helped him think about careers in a way he had not done before. He decided upon a direction that was very surprising to me, but has proved to be a sound decision that he is very satisfied with.
Laurie also helped my son figure out what he wanted in a college, and she then suggested colleges that fit his needs and preferences. Many of these colleges were not previously on our radar, and were good choices for him.
When my son was ultimately faced with a difficult choice, he turned to Laurie for advice and ultimately decided to attend a college that has been a very good fit for him. Laurie also identified a particular scholarship at that college and encouraged him to apply, which he ultimately won.
With regard to filling out the financial forms, it is possible that one mistake could cost a family a lot of money in terms of financial aid, so it is helpful to have the assistance of someone who knows the answers to the questions parents have when filling out these forms.
With regard to the dreaded college essays, Laurie was very helpful in keeping my son on track and giving him feedback on his writing, as well as inspiring him with new ideas.
The cost of a four year college degree is very high, and it goes up each year. The cost of College Planning Associates can be considered an investment in the effort to find the right college, get accepted to that college, and get the most money from that college. In my case, the investment certainly paid off.
Dana J.
From the start, Laurie Crockett Barclay guided my daughter, Katlyn, in her decision on how to choose a college, from determining the difference between a hobby and a career choice leading to selecting a major and on to the determination of what college atmosphere would be best for her education and social development. Small school or large, public or private, location and class sizes, the value of a college website and the correct path to narrowing the field for official visits, Laurie had all of it covered. We could not have chosen a better college counselor.
We were equally assisted by Bob Crockett’s expertise in financing a college education, an equally intimidating endeavor. The financial forms are an overwhelming challenge that Bob simplified, explained and assisted in completing. His help made it possible to look at whatever school fit Katlyn’s interests and intellectual strengths.
We have been so impressed with College Planning Associates. Laurie Crockett Barclay and her staff are amazing! Our two children met with Laurie from freshman year in high school until the college application process, and it was totally worth the investment. Our children were able to explore different career paths through Laurie’s guidance and focus on timelines that made a huge difference when college applications were due. Laurie is incredibly knowledgeable about the steps needed to achieve great outcomes with the college application process. Of equal importance, she and her staff make the college application process very streamlined, alleviating some of the stress that comes with this process. Our children were accepted to some great schools, and they both chose to attend the University of Notre Dame. We can’t say enough wonderful things about Laurie and College Planning Associates!
Liz Mahoney- Lewisburg, PA
Even as a kid, I always saw myself going to college out of state to a private school, which terrified my dad at first. Laurie and Bob were persistent in reassuring my dad that in our particular situation, we would be able to afford an out of state private school just as easily as a Pennsylvania public institution. Looking back at the work I did with Laurie and Bob, I am so glad that I started early. My first meeting with Laurie was the summer before my freshman year in high school. Laurie was not just an advisor for school, but she became someone I could talk to about life. High school is an exciting, terrible, and scary time, and Laurie was always there to help me refocus on the importance of my high school career. To this day I still communicate with Laurie about how school is going, and honestly, I owe my incredible four years at Ripon College to Laurie Barclay and Bob Crockett, as well as to my dad.
I had a very good experience with College Planning Associates. As my parents’ first child to go through the college process it would have been very stressful and almost impossible without the help I had received. Going into it, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life, but College Planning Associates helped me figure out what I wanted to do through many personal evaluations and job shadowing experiences. They helped me very much with the application process and application essays. Overall, I would just say that without College Planning Associates I would have been lost in the college process and probably wouldn’t have been as motivated to go to the best school possible. This fall I will be attending Lafayette College. Without College Planning Associates, I don’t think my essay, interview with Lafayette’s Admissions Counselors, and application itself would have been strong enough for me to be accepted there.
We found the services of both College Planning Associates and College Financial Aid Planning very beneficial as we were headed into the time period of college selection with our daughters. Laurie Barclay was able to help our daughters select colleges to visit based on their individual interests, likes and dislikes. They both ultimately chose to attend one of those colleges. They would both acknowledge today that their colleges were “a perfect fit.” Bob was able to help us smoothly through the financial paperwork…what a relief that was! We highly recommend the services of this team!
Both of our daughters attended all three modules of College Planning Associates. From our perspective, it was definitely worthwhile. The confidence they have gained through the interview process has been very rewarding and has enhanced their college experience. The lessons learned from meeting timelines and completing applications are immeasurable. We highly recommend this program.
As parents, we felt overwhelmed at the thought of helping our son Harrison begin his college search. With Laurie’s help we are proud to say he was accepted to his first choice and is excited about his major! Under Laurie’s guidance Harrison was able to really identify what he was looking for in a college, area(s) of interest, career ideas and felt confident going to on campus interviews! Her work with him on his talents and career exploration was invaluable, as we certainly would not have pursued this on our own. Laurie not only matches grades, test scores, and class rank to potential colleges but she digs deep to match other talents, passions, service, and potential to find the best fit for the students. We highly recommend Laurie’s services, which truly allow the student to own the process, timelines and applications.
