Work with Top College Admissions Coaches

This admissions coaching program is designed for all students and is customized to meet individual needs. Studies show a strong correlation between confidence and grades. A student who is not academically inclined often needs to discover their strengths to build confidence. Our business motto is “Competence builds Confidence.” We work closely to engage students and key in on their interests and passions to strategically craft a plan that will leverage their strengths and interests in the high school setting, ultimately increasing their confidence and academic successes.

High schools vary widely, offering a range of public and private options, each with unique opportunities to enrich students’ experiences. These include diverse curricula (Standard, Honors, Advanced Placement (AP), and International Baccalaureate (IB)) and different diploma tracks (Standard, Advanced, AP, IB). Students can also engage in academic enrichment programs like Boys’ and Girls’ State, Governor’s School, and summer college programs.

Beyond academics, there are extensive extracurricular opportunities, including sports, drama, FBLA, Model UN, Scouting (including the highly prestigious Eagle and Gold Awards), community service, internships, and employment. At Professional Tutoring, we work with students to identify their passions and interests, guiding them toward a personalized path that builds a strong academic and extracurricular foundation. Our goal is cohesion: a blend of coursework and activities that help students develop their strengths and prepare for their future college and career.

The transition from high school to college is a major milestone for both teenagers and parents, filled with numerous variables—school options, exams, applications, tuition, and the students themselves. With over 30 years of experience and nationally recognized resources, Professional Tutoring’s College Coaching program helps families navigate this process, optimizing options while tailoring strategies to meet each student’s needs.

College planning can begin at any time, but it’s ideal for families to start creating a general plan when their child enters middle school. At this stage, scheduling an Initial Consultation with Professional Tutoring is a great way to map out a course plan, extracurricular activities, leadership roles, and service opportunities. This plan will remain flexible as the student explores and develops their academic and personal interests.

Yes, we can for sure. A client remarked years ago that local businesses do not last decades unless they are really, really good. Besides having many years of professional experience, professional development and networking, research, and writing several books, the Professional Tutoring staff has carved an important place in the community. Our students graduate from college in four years at a 50% higher rate than the national average and significantly above the Fairfax County Public School average. We are dedicated to knowing our students, helping them find their passions and interests, and finding colleges and universities where they will thrive and grow. One testament that makes us so proud is that our first students from the 1990’s are now bringing their children to us, following in their parents’ footsteps.

Professional Tutoring has been coaching students in all levels of admission since 1994. Our many years of experience shine through as we guide students through resume development, interviewing and visits, essays and finally choosing the best FIT college/university. Our success backs us up.

Yes, our students graduate at 150% of the national average over four years. In addition, our students have averaged over $250,000 in offered scholarships/merit aid (not based on financial need) for many years. Our return on investment is phenomenal.

Professional Tutoring is unique in several ways. First, we know our students and their families well; two-thirds of our students participate in two of our three program sectors (Tutoring, Test Preparation, and Admissions and Career Coaching) and one-third of our students participate in all three. As these programs support different aspects of student development, we see the students’ attributes in very different lights. Beyond that, Professional Tutoring is dedicated to data-driven research and knowledge. We use our proprietary College Selection Decision Matrix, a 60,000-point database, to evaluate higher education fit. We use rankings, the Student Clearinghouse, and the Department of Education’s College Scorecard data to consider the academic, social, athletic, and financial fit. Our programs are extremely structured with to-do lists and timelines to keep all types of students on track with frequent meetings and lots of attention. 

The Academic Planning and Resume Package is designed for students in grades 6 through the first semester of 11th grade. This package allows students to begin building their college admissions profile years ahead of their peers. It includes early college visits, high school curriculum planning, and development of service and leadership activities. 

The All-Inclusive Package is ideal for second-semester juniors and seniors. Our most popular choice, this package prepares students for the application process for the majority of colleges and universities. It includes all essential application support, with the option for add-on services, including essay reviews, to maintain a more affordable price point. 

The Elite Applicant Package is designed for students aiming for top-tier universities, including Ivy League schools. It offers more extensive support than the All-Inclusive Package, including additional essay editing, a full mock interview, and extra essay development time with a coach. 

No, we start with the Initial Consultation. This fee goes toward one of our three College Coaching Packages (Academic Planning and Resume, All-Inclusive, and Elite Applicant) for families who decide to move forward. 

Julia Ross guides the process with very qualified supporting staff members.

Each of our coaching programs has its own deliverables and schedule. The Academic Planning and Resume Package offers approximately eight hours of direct deliverables. The All-Inclusive Package includes approximately 25 hours of direct deliverables and the Elite Applicant Package includes approximately 32 hours of direct deliverables. Beyond the direct deliverables, Professional Tutoring spends many more hours in correspondence, phone calls, and meetings guiding students through their college admissions process. Applicants spend about one year with us in their college admissions process. 

There is a concentration of time spent initially to develop the student’s plan, and then there are regular “checkups” along the way. We meet to draft the student resume, the College Selection Decision Matrix, to prepare essays and the mock interview. Each student is unique and their development plan will reflect those unique needs. Be assured that we keep in frequent contact.

At Professional Tutoring, we take the “village” approach. Parents are involved throughout the coaching program and are encouraged to partner with us. Parents are included in meetings and workshops; parents receive frequent emails and copies of all student work including the College Selection Spreadsheet, Student Resume, Admissions Essays, Letter of Recommendation Requests, and emails.

Our hands-on and one-on-one approach is beneficial to students with ADD.

Many students with learning disabilities and differences, including students with ASD, have benefited from our program. We discuss each case with parents ahead of time to make sure that we will be the right match.

All of the students who have successfully completed our coaching program(s) have been accepted to college and many attend their “first choice” school. 

Yes, we have several students who are not local; these include DOD/Military and State Department students as well as clients who find us through word-of-mouth or the internet. We are able to provide all of our services through Zoom.

This program is designed for students in 11th and 12th grades. And you are not too late as long as the college admissions deadlines have not passed. 

Here is the link.