Collegemind

Testimonials

Parent - Christina M. - Kristen Tarantola is the reason my daughter Breianna Magardino got accepted into Wellesley College, Smith College, Mount Holyoke College, Emerson College, Howard University, Rutgers University and Montclair State University. We first met Ms. Tarantola at Verona High School as she was my daughter's School Counselor. My daughter and Ms. Tarantola had an instant connection, which carried through as Kristen began counseling Breianna privately.  Kristen helped Breianna throughout the entire college process, which was made even tougher due to the Covid-19 pandemic shutdowns. Thankfully, due to Kristen extensive experience with guiding families through this process, her ability to transform her platform from in person counseling to remote counseling was seamless and organic. 

I was very concerned during the college process, as my teenage daughter would not listen or respond to me as I asked about her applications, essays, etc., but Kristen took the lead and told me not worry. After every session Kristen worked with Breianna, I would receive detailed email of what they worked on during that session, what Kristen wanted Breianna to accomplish for future sessions, deadlines, suggested reading materials, School programs research and her expectations. Even though there were moments Breianna felt pressure, she never felt overwhelmed. This is a testament to Kristen’s generosity, kindness, temperament and loving support. I would have never been able to accomplish any of this on my own. Period. Full stop.

My husband and I are grateful to have had Kristen Tarantola alleviate the pressure of helping us, help our daughter, during this journey. Kristen and Collegemind Counseling saved us.

Student, James G. - "I love working with Kristen because she so clearly loves what she does and that shines through when you meet with her. She really helps me to get everything done and makes the whole process seem a lot more manageable. If you need help, look no further. I probably wouldn’t have been able to get through any of this half as easily without her!!”

Parent, Liz P. - "I can highly recommend Kristen Tarantola and her College Mind service. We used Kristen this past spring and summer to help my daughter, Elana, organize her goals for college, develop a strategy for applying, edit her essays, and generally stay on track with deadlines. Kristen has made this process easily, comfortable and straightforward for our entire family.

My daughter changed her college list about 50 times over the the past spring and at no point during this process was I stressed or worried about any of it. Kristen brings years of experience and a deep understanding of careers, colleges, and the application process to the table. She helped my daughter sort through her goals, examining what she wanted to do after school, what she wanted to learn and what she was good at. Kristen was able to help Elana marry that up with schools that perfectly matched her needs. Together they selected a final list that was realistic. It included solid schools that were targets for my daughter, a couple of safeties just in case, and one or two stretch schools.

Kristen walked my daughter through the process every step of the way from filling out the common app, to getting recommendations, to building a resume, to positioning herself in the best light in her essays. Kristen formed a fantastic bond with my daughter. Whenever there was a question Elana could text Kristen and get a quick reply and they had regular meetings over zoom or conference call. I never worried once throughout all of this if we were on track or if we were making the right choices because Kristen kept me informed every step of the way.

Kristen’s sage guidance helped us identify and resolve issues and risks along the way. My daughter completed all of her college essays well before her deadline and now we are in enviable position of being able to relax and wait for a reply. I know so many parents who experience a lot of stress trying to help their children through this process and I experienced none of that. In fact, I’ve been able to participate in the excitement and the joy that comes with thinking about taking this next important step."

Parent, Eleanor H. - "Kristen’s skill of explaining clearly, her knowledge , and her professionalism make it so easy to work with her through this daunting experience . Her empathy for my grandson can’t be overstated. She leads him through each part of the process with patience and care. We’re narrowing down his choices now and I’m sure with her guidance my grandson will end up just where he belongs. We’re looking forward to a meaningful and enjoyable experience for him. "