A Letter from Our Founder
As a former public high school college counselor, I have happily built Branching Out College Admissions Counseling on an essential, but rare, commodity: significant one-on-one time with each student and his or her parents. The best counseling and smartest decisions occur in honest conversations evolving from these important relationships. As a result, our Branching Out Game Plan reflects the encouragement and self-paced structure of personal coaching sessions in which the larger college admissions process is broken down into manageable and time-sensitive parts.
Strengthening the student’s muscles in the areas of written and verbal communication and self-advocacy are integral to the process and foundational to post-secondary success. A professional background in journalism and communications supplements my work with students in an academic setting to provide a unique combination of experiences that enable our clients to not merely “survive” the college application process, but emerge as stronger, more confident students with their choice of best fit collegiate options.
After graduating with a journalism degree from the University of Florida, I have enjoyed a career filled with many wonderful opportunities to put my reporter’s skills to use. Following collegiate work in print, radio, and television reporting, my corporate responsibilities included public relations, writing, and marketing positions with a General Motors Corp.-Walt Disney Company partnership, IBM Corp., and Turner Broadcasting, Inc.
In the education arena, I discovered a passion for supporting the uniquely rich learning environment of our public schools through fifteen years of volunteer service in several leadership capacities. Professionally, as a certified English teacher, I relished the opportunity to empower young adults for life-long success through understanding “language as art.” As a high school college counselor, I strove to facilitate the discovery process that leads students to the best college option in which to invest their distinctive potential.
One day your child will recount his or her own journey of vocational and volunteer experiences. While it is hard to imagine, that journey begins with decisions made as the college admissions process unfolds. We would like to guide your family on this journey as your high school student “branches out” toward a future of possibilities.
Amy, a University of Florida graduate, is married to David, a graduate of Harvard University and the University of Georgia Law School. Two more Georgia Bulldogs, Honors Program alumni Julia and Douglas are in the family along with Teresa, a recent graduate of Emory University, and Nicholas who attends Harvard University. Amy is also a certified member of The Independent Educational Consultants Association and the Southern Association for College Admission Counseling.