Hampton Roads Educational Consulting, LLC

"Dr. Fithian is a huge asset to the Hampton Roads community and parents of high school students. Her wealth of knowledge of colleges and universities, both locally and nationally, is evident at the initial consultation and continues throughout the application process. She successfully guided both my sons through their high school curriculums as well as community service and extracurricular activities to build a strong platform for their college applications. Both were accepted to their first choice schools as well as multiple others.

Her approach is professional, individualized, and extremely well focused. She is available to answer the most trivial question or to guide you through the common app and all its glitches. One of the most valuable aspects of Dr. Fithian's services to me was the benefit of having your teen receive advice and guidance from an impartial, yet caring, adult with expertise in all aspects of the journey. 

I highly recommend Dr. Fithian to my friends and several have taken advantage of her excellent services."

 

Mother of Twin Graduates

"As graduation weekend quickly approaches, I felt I must reach out to tell you how grateful Charlie, my husband and I are for all of your help and guidance you gave to Charlie and us, during his entire high school career. It’s hard to believe we’ve been working together for four years! It has truly been my pleasure to work with you during this time.

 If someone had told me a few years ago that I might have needed guidance from a “professional consultant” just to help my own child submit an application to college, I would have laughed at them. Now on the other side of the process, with two more children that will need to follow this road, I can’t imagine completing this process without your assistance.

 I am especially thankful that I met you early in the process, when Charlie was a just a freshman in high school. Your recommendations and guidance during the process of selecting high school course selections was spot-on. When Charlie was a overwhelmed, trying to figure out how to manage time with extra-curricular activities, maintaining good grades, preparing for SAT/ACT/AP exams, approaching mentors in/outside school for reference letters, and writing over 30 different essays, you put him at ease and helped him realize that all kids at some point have the same worries, anxieties, or concerns, and that he would get through it. He just needed to break it down into smaller steps. And then, you helped him to do just that!

 With your guidance, Charlie’s resume and essays truly spoke to the young man that he is. His personality, values and motivations, and dare I say it, his sense of humor, all shined in those essays. I know that if I had been his “editor,” I would have been tempted to recommend changes that would possibly have changed, or omitted some of the “Charlie-isms”, that ultimately helped him get into the top choice on his list. When I read these essays now, though many months after the acceptance letter has arrived, I enjoy them even more, because of these Charlie-isms!

 Thank you again, Ellen, for your thoughtfulness, unwavering commitment to this young student and his parents, and for helping Charlie during all four of his high school years, and along the journey to college.

 

Mother of Recent Graduate

 

"My daughter was accepted by early decision to William and Mary.She was elated and we are of course very happy for her and proud as well! Thank you so much for your support and guidance over the last few years as she has set her course. We always heartily recommend you to other students and parents who feel they need some guidance in academic planning. Thanks again for all your help!"

Mother of Graduate

"I found Dr. Fithian to be a responsive, dedicated, and caring professional. She is highly knowledgable, truly concerned, and insightful, allowing her to see each individual's complexity. Thus, she is able to help them stress their strengths and overcome their weaknesses.

 The college application process is extremely stressful, coupled as it is with all the pressures of Senior year and pending separation from family. In our family's case, this time was made so much easier simply because the planning had been done to put my son in a position of strength. Rather than being stressed, depressed, and angst-ridden, he knew he was a good candidate who had presented a quality application. He was accepted at every university to which he applied, with multiple scholarships.

 Parents tell me they cannot afford help for their children; I ask instead how they think their children can afford to do without it. That investment yielded choice of college attendance and gave my son the knowledge he was truly prepared to succeed. It was an investment that will help him for the rest of his life. I will forever be truly grateful to Dr. Fithian. It is my privilege to recommend her without hesitation. The work she does is tremendously important, and she does it extremely well."

Mother of recent graduate

"Dr. Fithian’s programme through Hampton Roads Educational Consulting, LLC played a significant role in helping me to achieve my college goals. Not only was she able to provide targeted and focused test help, but her advice also worked to ensure I had the best credentials I could have when applying. Her advice is backed up by countless amounts of research, and she takes individuals’ differences and preferences into account when helping her clients. Anyone who is willing to put in the effort could significantly benefit from Dr. Fithian’s advice and expertise."

Recent graduate

"I engaged HREC to help with my son's college planning. Dr. Fithian reviewed my son's high school grades, classes and extracurricular activities and suggested colleges for him to consider based upon his high school record and interests. Dr. Fithian explained the college application process, provided insight into what schools are looking for and generally helped to manage my son's expectations.

The consulting didn't end when my son graduated from high school. Dr. Fithian and her staff have kept tabs on my son and continue to give him advice regarding strategies for getting into graduate school and have
even provided information on scholarships that they think he would qualify for. I continue to be very impressed with the quality of the service and professionalism of HREC!"

Mother of graduate

"Dr. Fithian's assistance helped me get into the college I wanted to attend, pure and simple. Applying to a university for admission without a guide can be a bit like scaling a mountain during a whiteout; no matter how much you've studied the surface of that mountain from a distance, you're still unsure where to step. In that metaphor, Dr. Fithian is something like a cyborg sherpa that can see straight through all of the snow and nudge you back on path when you falter. She offers the best, most individualized guidance I have come across concerning college admissions, and she has significant experience, both personal and professional, to explain the talent. Perhaps the most telling compliment is how much energy she spent learning from my experiences so that she can be an even better guide for future students. She has my highest recommendation!"

Recent Graduate