01 — Downloadable Guides
Checklists you can print and work through
Short, practical worksheets built from the questions families ask most.
- The Junior Year Timeline (PDF) Month-by-month checklist from testing decisions to the first campus visit.
- Application Season Tracker (PDF) One page for every school: deadlines, requirements, essays, and submission status.
- Transfer Credit Worksheet (PDF) What to gather before you ask a registrar about course equivalency.
- Comparing Aid Offers (PDF) A side-by-side worksheet that separates grants from loans and shows true annual cost.
02 — Trusted Links & Tools
Official sources worth bookmarking
Free, authoritative, and updated by the organizations that run the process.
- Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) The only official place to file the FAFSA — and the plainest explanation of aid types.
- The Common Application Where most U.S. applications live. Create the account early, even if you apply late.
- College Scorecard Federal data on cost, graduation rates, and post-graduation earnings by program.
- BigFuture by College Board Free college search, major exploration, and scholarship listings.
- EducationUSA The U.S. State Department network advising international students, with offices worldwide.
- NACAC National Association for College Admission Counseling — ethics standards and college fairs.
03 — Recommended Reading
Books that change how families think about college
Read one of these before you build a college list. It will save you a year of worry.
- Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll Be — Frank Bruni An antidote to admissions mania, and the best argument for fit over prestige.
- The Price You Pay for College — Ron Lieber How financial aid actually works, and how to decide what a degree is worth.
- How to College — Andrea Malkin Brenner & Lara Hope Schwartz A practical handbook for the first year — the part most guides skip.
04 — Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers before you book
When should we start working with a consultant?
Sophomore or junior year is ideal for U.S. students — early enough to shape
course choices and build a real list. That said, seniors and transfer students are
welcome; the plan simply gets tighter. International families should allow at least
twelve months before the intended start term.
Do you write essays for students?
No. I brainstorm, question, and give detailed feedback so the writing gets stronger
— but the words stay the student’s own. That is both an ethical standard
and a practical one: admissions readers recognize a voice that isn’t a
teenager’s.
Can you guarantee admission to a specific university?
No one can, and anyone who says otherwise should be avoided. What I can do is make
sure your application is complete, strategically built, honestly presented, and aimed
at schools where your profile is genuinely competitive.
How do sessions work if we are in a different time zone?
Everything can be done by video call, with documents shared and reviewed in writing
between sessions. I schedule comfortably across European and U.S.
time zones.
How much does it cost?
It depends on the package and the scope, so pricing is quoted individually rather
than listed. You receive a written quote after the discovery call — before any
work begins. There are no charges for the initial conversation.
Do you work with institutions as well as families?
Yes. Colleges and universities engage Nexus for recruitment strategy, surge enrollment
counseling, transfer evaluation, advising capacity, staff training, and fractional
enrollment leadership. See
Institutional Consulting.
Still have a question these didn’t answer?
Ask it directly. Short questions get short, honest answers — no consultation required.
Contact Us