Pamela Donnelly Consulting

Meet Olivia, a senior in high school headed to Virginia Tech to study kinesiology! Many people tell me they’re surprised to realize that I work with students from all across the country. This last year alone I provided college consulting services for families from San Diego, Denver, Seattle, New Jersey, Dallas, Palo Alto, Los Angeles (of course!), and in this case Virginia. This one meant a lot to me, because I held Olivia as a baby when her parents and I were friends who att...ended the same church in the hometown where my mother lives. Visiting here this month, I certainly wanted to make a point to go see her NOT On Zoom She was quick to pull out the Virginia Tech blanket her mother had just made for her, so we decided to snap a fun picture on her back porch. Congratulations Olivia! I so appreciate being a part of your incredible journey See more

$$$!!! Fascinating new story from the front lines. After a college consultant in my network posted about her student being offered 20k a year to go to a selective private school in NY after the May 1st deadline, another colleague had an accepted student who had deposited at the same school file a second appeal for more merit aid. Now, before May 1st the parents had appealed to the admissions office and were offered only 5k a year for a total of 20k. But because of the art of ...negotiation, the second consultant decided to have the mother to call back to the school and ask for more money. Yesterday her daughter received back news that she will now receive 20k A YEAR. That's a 60k increase overnight in her merit aid offer! Supporting parents and their students in such negotiations comes with the territory of my work as an IEC (Independent Educational Consultant). Learn more about how you can save on college costs here, and PM me to connect. https://youtu.be/k-QdbWrlaII See more

Test Optional Realities and AP Prep Info Ahead Did you know? In many recent admissions cases, the admit rate was twice as high for students with test scores as compared to those without. Some examples: Georgia Tech: 22% (with tests) vs. 10% (without tests) Emory: Admit rate 17% (with tests) vs. 8.6% (without tests) Colgate: 25% (with tests) vs. 12% (without tests)... At selective schools, a great SAT or ACT performance is expected to help confirm what the rest of a strong application already shows for years to come regardless of "test optional" policies. (Note that test optional does not equate with test blind. Also: it cannot add much if the rest of a student's application is not strong.) In this newly test optional world, strong AP scores will be even more necessary. Since SAT subject tests have been cancelled, ensuring your student performs well on AP exams will be crucial. Bottom line: be sure you are providing your student with tutors, practice materials, and online links to help them succeed. May is GO time! Curious to see how important a 5 is to help your son or daughter differentiate their application? Check out this link: https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/.../score-distributions

Parents of juniors: your student should complete their colleges list by mid-June if at all possible. As soon as summer starts, it's essay writing time. This goes so quickly! Here are a few print-and-share resources that can help them prime the pump and get ideas flowing. Be sure they complete all essays (including the many supplemental requirements for most schools) before day one of senior year, since the applications themselves in Sept-Nov can already be time consuming. You want them to take their time and feel confident about this important rite of passage. My team and I help coach which are the best prompts for each individual, review drafts, and cheer from the sidelines for those looking for that extra support. No matter what, foreknowledge is power. Share with your student :)

Deal Alert! My tutoring company has updated its website. You may want to check it out as we roll into AP and final exam season. To celebrate the new site, for the rest of April every student enrolled to take the Valley Prep Diagnostic Exam can get that done for just $100 (50% off!). SAT or ACT? This is an easy way to find out which is best for your student in the comfort of your home, and get a complete analysis of how they need to prep. Sneak peek below. Contact me via PM or call 818-788-8700 to get started. Cheers, everyone! :) ValleyPrepTutoring.com