The Sugar Maple Philosophy

Penny helps students develop their strengths as they (and their parents) navigate high school and prepare for their future. She utilizes a comprehensive approach that guides students through their academic and co-curricular choices and the college search and application process. This is about far more than just college acceptances. She helps students find their “academic footing” and determine what they want from their college experience. Student’s gain a better understanding of how they learn, what academic environment suits them and how to successfully transition to college.

Students in the 9th and 10th grade meet quarterly with Penny to discuss course selection, co-curricular activities, summer opportunities and to plan for initial college visits. Students spend time exploring fields of study and professional possibilities. She meets monthly with juniors, focusing on continued academic success, standardized test preparation, exploring academic or service opportunities and choosing additional colleges to visit. In the spring of junior year she works with students and their families to finalize their balanced list of schools. During the summer before senior year all of Penny’s students attend her Essay Boot Camp where they draft their personal statement for college applications. During the fall, applications and essays are refined so they reflect the best that the student has to offer. Assistance is also provided for GAP year options, deferral notifications, comparing financial aid offers and, of course, making the final decision.

Why Start So Early?

Although it is possible to begin as late as the fall of senior year, Penny has found the process to be most successful when begun as early as freshman year. Here are some reasons why:

• Beginning early is the best way to prevent this from being stressful. Given how competitive the college application process has become, an early start gives students plenty of time to explore their interests and choose what co-curricular activities to pursue. It allows for leisurely visits to college campuses and time for families to research the financial aspects. This is especially true for students applying to highly selective schools.

• The longer Penny works with a student, the more she learns about their skills, interests and abilities. This helps her recommend colleges that will be a good fit.

• Since the fee for the comprehensive plan is the same whether you start as a freshman or in subsequent years, there is no financial incentive to wait.

• In order to have enough time to devote to each of her students, Penny limits the number of individuals she works with each year. Starting with Penny in the 9th or 10th grade ensures that she will have a spot for your student as a senior when applications are due.

Although Penny believes the comprehensive approach is the best way to support students and families, she occasionally offers consultations on an hourly basis. Please contact Penny to discuss what options may make sense. 

Penny's Students Have Been Accepted To:

Adelphi University | Allegheny College | American University | Appalachian State University | Arizona State University | Bard College Berlin | Barnard College | Baylor University | Bentley University, Honors College | Berklee College of Music | Binghamton University | Bishops College | Boston College | Boston University, Honors College | Bowdoin College | Brown University | Bryant University | Case Western Reserve University | Castleton University, Honors Program | Catholic University | Champlain College | Chapman College | Clark University, Traina Scholar | Clemson University | Coastal Carolina University | Colby College | College of Charleston | College of the Holy Cross | Colorado School of Mines | Colorado State College | Columbia College Chicago | Concordia University- Montreal, CA | Cornell University | Curry College | DePaul University | Denison University | Dickinson College | Drexel University | Duke University | Eckerd College | Elon University, Presidential Scholar | Emerson College, Honors College | Emmanuel College | Emory University | Endicott College | Evergreen State College | Fairfield University, Magis Scholar | Florida Gulf Coast University | Florida Southern College | Florida State University, Honors College | Fordham University | Franklin & Marshall College | Franklin Pierce University | Furman University | Georgetown University | George Washington University | Georgia Institute of Technology | Gettysburg College | Goucher College, Presidential Scholar | Hamilton College | Hampshire College | Harvard University | High Point University | Hofstra University | Hope College | Iona University | Ithaca College | James Madison University | Johnson & Wales University | Juniata College | Keene State College | Kenyon College | Lafayette College | LaSalle University | Lasell College | Lehigh University | LeMoyne College | Lesley University | Lewis & Clark College | Louisiana State University | Loyola University New Orleans | Lynn University | Loyola Marymount College | Loyola University, Chicago | Loyola University Maryland, Presidential Scholar | Marist College, Honors College | Marquette University | Marymount Manhattan College | Merrimack College | Miami University of Ohio | Michigan State University | Mitchell College | Montana State University | Mount Holyoke College | Muhlenberg College | Nazareth College, Honors Program | New York University | Northeastern University, Honors College | Ohio Wesleyan University | Oregon State University | Pace University| Pratt Institute | Penn State University | Plymouth State University | Providence College | Purdue University | Queens University-Ontario, CA | Quinnipiac University | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | Rhodes College | Rochester Institute of Technology | Roger Williams University, Honors College | Rollins College | Ryerson University | Sage Colleges | Salve Regina University | San Diego State University | Santa Clara University | Sarah Lawrence University | School of the Art Institute of Chicago | Seattle University | Seton Hall University | Siena College | Simmons University | Skidmore College | Southern Maine Community College | St. Anselm College | St. John's College | St. Joseph’s College of Maine | St. Lawrence University | St. Michael's College | Stonehill College, Honors College | Stonybrook University | Suffolk University | SUNY Cobleskill | SUNY Potsdam, Crane School of Music | SUNY Oswego | Syracuse University | Temple University | Trinity University, TX | Tufts University | Tulane University | Union College | University of Arizona | University of British Columbia | University of California-San Diego | University of California-Santa Cruz | University of Colorado at Boulder | University of Connecticut, Honors College | University of Dayton | University of Delaware, Honors | University of Denver | University of Hartford | University of Idaho | University of Illinois at Chicago, Honors College | University of Kentucky | University of Madison-Wisconsin | University of Maine | University of Maryland, Honors College | University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Honors College | University of Massachusetts-Boston | University of Michigan, Honors College | University of Missouri | University of Montana | University of New Hampshire | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | University of North Carolina-Greensboro | University of North Carolina Wilmington | University of Pittsburgh | University of Portland | University of Puget Sound - Honors Program | University of Redlands | University of Richmond | University of Rochester | University of San Diego | University of San Francisco, Honors College | University of South Carolina | University of Tampa | University of Tennessee Knoxville | University of Toronto | University of Tulsa | University of Utah | University of Vermont, Honors College | University of Western Ontario | Utica University | Vassar College | Villanova University | Wagner College | Wake Forest University |  Washington & Lee University | Washington University in St. Louis | Wellesley College | Wesleyan University | Western New England University | Westminster College | Western State Colorado University | Wheaton College, MA | Whitman College | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Xavier University