Previous Client Testimonials

"Mrs. Steppel has been one of the kindest, most helpful people I have worked with on my college journey. She helped me rewrite my entire application and followed up with me as I anxiously waited for a response. We met several times online to talk through edits and revamp my personal statement and application answers. Her guidance helped me to gain a spot at one of the top research institutions in the nation! I will always be incredibly grateful for her help and I look forward to working together again as I apply for a master's program."   – Natalie B.

"Debra provided invaluable assistance throughout the college admissions process. Her expertise and constructive feedback provided me with the direction and insight I needed to create essays that stood out. Beyond that, she encouraged me to reflect on my long-term goals and gave pragmatic advice when I was having difficulty deciding between my top two schools. I highly recommend working with Debra!" – Olivia A.

"Debra helped me move past the difficulties of writing my application essays and other aspects of applying to college. She is immensely knowledgeable and helped me resolve every issue I had throughout my application process. She helped me break down the process into tangible steps. The writing strategies she taught me are better than many of the ones I have been taught since arriving in college."  – Branden D.

"It’s somehow already been a decade since I worked with Debra, but I still fondly remember how we fleshed out my college application essays. She patiently teased out my thoughts and motivations and ultimately helped me find my voice through the application process. Forever grateful!   – Amina A.” 

"Debra has been an excellent resource for all three of my daughters, not only with college essay drafts but also with searching for colleges and focusing on declaring majors based on their talents and interests. As a first-generation non-traditional student, I wanted to ensure success for my daughters but had a much different experience than what they were going through in high school. Debra provided the academic strategies and insights that I felt prepared them and enabled them to do well as they transitioned from high school to university. She is so upbeat and positive, you may want to apply to college again yourself!"   – Amy B.

"I am writing to highly recommend Debra for her exceptional guidance, enthusiastic support, unwavering commitment, and personalized approach, which played a pivotal role in my successful enrollment in graduate school.... Her thorough understanding of the college admissions process ensured that I stayed on track and met all deadlines. Moreover, her encouragement and gentle nudges motivated me to complete tasks with confidence.... Debra's dedication to my success extended beyond mere assistance; her positivity and belief in my potential served as constant sources of encouragement. I wholeheartedly recommend Debra to anyone. Her professionalism, dedication, and genuine care make her an invaluable asset to any individual's academic journey."
– Rachelli E.

"Debra is a Rock Star! I had been struggling with my resume when Debra stepped in and saved the day. With her many years of expertise in resume-writing and keen eye for detail, she was able to help rehabilitate and upgrade my resume. She was patient with me and determined to make sure that my final version speaks succinctly to my experiences, skills, and work history. Her professionalism apart, Debra is one of the most inspiring, kind, and selfless people I know. She goes out to bat for her clients and she genuinely wants us to succeed. Debra, thanks again for your help. You are the best!   – Susan M.

"Thank you, Debra, for your professional support through my rebranding process. The guidance you provided helped tremendously. We revitalized my old resume which has caught eyes and engaged more employers than I care to count. Interested recruiting email is still coming in non-stop. I've since found and taken on quality assignments. In tandem with rounding out my LinkedIn profile, I feel confident that employment is there. Finding a mutually good fit is the biggest challenge of a job search, and Debra's approach focuses on that aspect of the process."   – Marjorie B.-H.

“Debra started working with our family when our daughter A. was in 10th grade. Our daughter's private high school has a strong college counseling department, but they are closed during the summer, and sometimes they are dedicated to meeting with a particular cohort (e.g. seniors in the spring who are making acceptance decisions). Debra counseled A. year-round and served as an additional set of eyes and ears throughout the process.

Early on, Debra helped us understand the overall timeframe of the applications process, not only the hard deadlines for the different decision options but also lesser-known dates such as when the CommonApp is published, where to find earlier years’ CommonApp prompts, when high school academic workloads would be heavy, and when to work on certain pieces of the application during lighter-workload times. The summer after 10th grade she talked with A. about how to actually research schools, and what to look for both online and during on-campus visits.

During 11th grade, Debra helped us plan a trip to visit schools on the opposite coast from where we live, with a good mix of large/small and urban/rural schools that offered programs of interest. She was invaluable in developing our driving itinerary, which I had been struggling to create due to my own heavy work commitments. After the visits when A. started to get a feel for what she wanted (and also what she did NOT want) in a school, Debra helped her identify additional schools to research and consider.

Debra worked with A. during the summer before senior year to complete key parts of her application that may be done at any time, including a thorough documentation of her extracurricular activities and a resume. She also reviewed A's Personal Statement through multiple iterations. We also discussed how to handle standardized testing. It was a fantastic strategy to complete these pieces before beginning her challenging academic courses in September. A. started 12th grade with a significant portion of her application already completed, and with far less stress and dread than many of her classmates. Her school counseling department had offered a detailed plan of what they wanted students to accomplish over that key summer between 11th and 12th grades, but they were not available for 1:1 discussions or emails. Having Debra available that summer was important for A. to stay on track and actually complete these tasks, and to have them professionally reviewed before senior year started in the fall.

A. took a one-week summer essay writing class after junior year that was offered by her school's English department and had what she thought was a solid Personal Statement draft at the end of the class. Debra helped A. understand that this was a draft, and that it would likely not be what she would actually submit. A. ended up changing her essay topic based on feedback from Debra, her school counselor, and me (her mom). It was invaluable to have the expert opinion of a professional who was neither from school nor a family member. Her essay ended up being a far more uniquely personal statement that captured the essence of her as a person than the one she had originally written, thanks to Debra.

Working with Debra was a breeze. She and A. scheduled their meetings around school, homework, and sports practices. I listened in to their calls at first, but quickly felt confident that the two of them were working well together, hitting milestones, and most importantly, A. felt confident and assured that she was making good progress. 

  Debra's impact was that A. was able to concentrate on each component of her application with energy and focus at specific times, rather than being overwhelmed with having too much to do, too late, with tight deadlines. Along with her school counselor, Debra helped A. to develop a solid strategy for an Early Decision application, and then different paths to follow if she did not receive an ED offer. Having those 2nd and 3rd paths laid out before submitting the ED application helped A. to feel confident in her journey and to be able to focus on her academics and to serve as the captain of her sports team. Happily, she was accepted ED to her first choice and is now thriving there as a freshman."   – Lindsey A.