Acceptances and Testimonials
What a great year it has been for the partnership between The Summit Counseling Center and Academic Futures!! Summit Staff Therapist Leigh Anne Spraetz works with high school students to find the right fit between a student and a college. In 2011, Leigh Anne’s students were accepted to the following colleges! (Continue reading below to find out how their PARENTS felt!!)
University of Alabama, American University – Paris, American University – Rome, Amherst, Appalachian State University, Auburn University, Baylor University, Boston University, Bowling Green State University, Brown University, Center, Champlain, Clemson University, College of Charleston, University of Colorado, Columbia University, Dartmouth College, Denison University, U of Dayton, Depaul, Drexel, Duke, East Carolina University, Elon, Emory University, Florida State University, Furman University, University of Florida, Georgia Tech, GCSU, University of Georgia, Goucher, GSU, Guilford College, Harvard University, Indiana University, Jacksonville University, Johns Hopkins University, University of Illinois – Urbana, James Madison University, Kennesaw State University, Miami University (Ohio), University of Miami (FL), University of Mississippi, NYU, Northeastern, North Carolina State University, UNC-CH, UNC-A, UNC-W, Ohio State University, Oxford at Emory, University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania State University, Princeton University, Purdue, Richmond, Rhodes, Rose Hulman, San Diego State, Sewanee, Southern Methodist University, Southern Polytechnic, University of South Carolina, Texas Christian University, University of Tennessee, Tulane, Vanderbilt University, Yale University
…And now for the Parents point of view!!!
The college admission process is definitely more competitive and complicated than it used to be. Mrs. Spraetz guided my son on this journey in a thorough and systematic manner, helping him identify career interests, realistic college choices, and practical ways to boost his chances of admission to them. I initially requested Mrs. Spraetz’s help out of fear that otherwise I would become the ultimate “nagging mom” during my son’s last year at home. I quickly came to appreciate not only her organized and encouraging leadership style, but also her extensive knowledge about every facet of college admissions. She quickly established a strong rapport with my son and kept him motivated and enthusiastic as he addressed each suggestion and deadline along the way. We were thrilled with the results he achieved, and he is proud to be heading to Clemson University this fall. Academic Futures provides exceptional value and expertise on a very personal and individualized level.
–Parent of Wesleyan School Senior, 2011
Leigh Anne,
It truly is a bittersweet time for us, the parents too. It feels so great to see the kids to have found their best choice of college in which they are going to have probably the most memorable times of their lives, in which they would blossom and pass with flying colors. This is also the time to pause and take a moment to appreciate all the help, guidance, and support the kids got from you, without which they would have been stranded and lost. I personally want to thank you for helping out my daughter, by setting out goals and deadlines, and nudging her along these critical few years of high school. You have been wonderful and I greatly appreciate your help. Thank you so much,
–Parent of 2011 AHS Student
Thank you for being awesome and helping me through the whole maze of college admissions!!!!! Seriously, I couldn’t have done it without you. You probably already know I would have missed half of my deadlines if you didn’t remind me…
–Alpharetta High School Student, 2011
Thanks so much for ALL of your help and support for our son. We all know you were a major factor in his success into the college of his choice!!!!!! We could never thank you enough for all of your time & energy. Always remember how much we have valued your expertise.
–Alpharetta High School Parent, Class of 2011
Thank you so very much for all of your help and guidance over this past year with Andrew’s application process. Due to your advice and assistance, Andrew had a successful and stress free experience with his college applications. We greatly appreciate all of your guidance!
–2011 Senior from North Springs Charter
Thank you for all of your guidance during our college search for our son. When we first started to investigate colleges we quickly became overwhelmed with all of the school choices, locations, financial aid, etc. It has been twenty years since my husband and I did our college searches and today’s market is by far more complex and dynamic than what we faced when making our decisions. Your methods and strategies took the worry out of the process and made it what it should be, and exciting investigation into the next milestone in our son’s life journey. We have no doubt that you were instrumental in helping our son make the right decision the first time around. Again, thank you for all of your help and guidance. As Big Ten Alumni, my husband and I are excited to finally get to see an SEC Football game.
–Parent of Johns Creek High School Student, Class of 2011
Dear Leigh Anne,
After meeting with you the first time, my daughter told me, “I think Leigh Anne is my guardian angel!” She was so thankful to have a partner for the college application process: someone who knew what they were doing, patient but persistent, and always there for any questions or hurdles that may arise. It was such a relief for us as parents to have you being the one to do all of the reminding and nudging during the complicating process. It took a lot of the emotional and combative aspects away from what could have been very stressful time. Not only was our daughter accepted to some excellent, high-level universities, she also received several merit scholarships as well. Thank you for all you did to help us as a family achieve the results we were seeking. Hiring you was an excellent investment in our daughter’s future! Thanks so much.
–Alpharetta High School Parent, 2011
Dear Leigh Anne,
We consider our decision to enlist your services in the college search process one of the best decisions we’ve ever made! You were able to develop a relationship with our son that helped him, and us, move through the process much more easily than we would have been able to do alone. You guided him every step of the way, from the first list of potential colleges that would match his goals, aptitude, and personality, through the final decision. We benefited with an early understanding of ways he could improve his resume and show interest at various schools. And it was so helpful to have you set the time-line, review his essay and the applications, and keep him motivated throughout. We avoided so many potential arguments by just deferring to your expertise and guidance. Furthermore, when we hit a bumpy spot and an early decision did not happen as we had hoped, you were able to talk him through it and refocus his efforts. We are very appreciative of the guidance you provided our son and we’ll always be thankful for it. We will continue to tell our friends and neighbors about you and we wish you and yours all the best always!
–Chattahoochee High School Parent, 2011
Dear Leigh Anne,
I wanted to thank you for all the help you have given our daughter Chandler over the past four years. Under your direction she was able to build a great resume in her college application process. Helping her understand the importance of academic rigor, good grades, internships, leadership skills and volunteering in the community defines the type of candidate most colleges and universities seek out. Having to check in with you on a regular basis and be accountable for her goals made a significant impact on her overall performance. Since she is our first to go through this process, we didn’t know what to expect as far as acceptances to colleges/universities. I am happy to report she was accepted to all 10 colleges she applied to with 75%of them offering scholarship money and entry into their honor’s program. You helped her narrow down her college search based on so many factors to find the best possible fit for her. With your guidance and expertise, I had peace of mind that we were always staying on task and ahead of the curve, which I know is key today. I am so proud of her accomplishments and know that she has the tools to remain at the top of her game in her next academic pursuits at the University of Florida. I highly recommend your services to all students, and would tell the parents the fee more than pays for itself with the time you saved us with your expertise and knowledge. Thanks again.
–Parent of Alpharetta High School Senior, 2011
Thanks a million times for all the wonderful advice you gave to both of us and our son. Looking back at how complicated and thorough and diligent one has to be to get into the college of choice these days, I can’t even imagine doing it without your help. Not only the college stuff, but also the home-front issues, I won’t forget how kind you were to listen to our woes and successes.
–Parent of Alpharetta High Senior, 2011
Just wanted to let you know that I had made my final decision and am going to Auburn in the fall. Also, thank you for helping me through this incredibly complicated process. It would have been rough going without your expertise. It has been a long haul and, as I’m sure many others are, I am excited to be leaving high school and going on to something bigger and better. Thanks again.
–Alpharetta High School Senior, 2011
Woohoo! I’m so excited! I don’t know if I would have been prepared for next year so quickly without you! I can’t wait to stop by to see you after I have some breaks throughout next year. Thanks again!
–North Gwinnett Senior, 2011
When I think back to where my senior was with his college plan during his junior year, It feels like a lifetime ago. He wasn’t sure what kind of school he wanted to go to or what size college he liked. He really hadn’t even given a major any thought. I was always encouraging my son towards the things I thought he would excel in. Most of the time he didn’t agree. When I heard about the service that Leigh Anne offered through the Summit Counseling Center, I knew we needed to look into it. The moment we met Leigh Anne we both felt comfortable with her. We knew the process would make everything go more smoothly. After he completed the different kinds of testing (Myers Briggs, etc.) he could see on paper what his strengths were. Leigh Anne walked him through the process so it was “painless”. He looked forward to the sessions and what he would discover about himself. He would come home from meetings with her and say, “Mom, the test shows I really have a strength in such and such”. Of course these were all the things I knew he would excel in, but he didn’t hear me! My son is excited about his college choice and because of taking small steps with Leigh Anne along the way, it was an enjoyable senior year for all of us! I recommend Leigh Anne and the whole process every chance I get! Thank you!”
–North Gwinnett Parent of 2011 Senior
Leigh Anne,
We cannot believe it but Grant’s Graduation is here. We wanted to write and express our thanks for the outstanding job you did preparing Grant for his junior and senior years at MPCS as well as helping him with the college search process. It truly is a process and that is what we value the most of the many aspects you oversaw. With Grant being our oldest, I did not know the ins and outs of the testing process and the applications. It was great for Grant to have another trusted adult to discuss his goals, strengths, and areas of opportunities with from start to finish. I was able to observe and not add to the stress of the process.
Grant especially liked the personality testing you performed in the beginning followed by discussions of possible career choices that fit his personality and educational interests. Categorizing desired colleges by top choice, likely and reach schools really helped define his search. Your familiarity with the Admissions Departments of most sought after schools, large and small, helped him tailor his applications and essay answers to each school. Your advice on “holes” in his educational, extracurricular and mission experiences helped him select new opportunities that he enjoyed during his senior year in addition to rounding out his resume. From an organizational standpoint, you set the bar high on establishing deadlines and follow through. This was beneficial for Grant to see as examples and motivate him to follow through on his obligations. By sticking to deadlines, Grant was able to relax and enjoy his Senior year. We thank you so much for helping get Grant accepted into his #1 choice, UGA and being offered a Presidential Scholarship from UGA .This is huge not only for Grant but for our family. It was amazing to see some unexpected acceptances (Georgia Tech) too and we give credit to you for these surprises also. Our younger son is a rising ninth grader. Please save a spot for him next year.
–Mount Pisgah Christian School Parent of 2011 Senior
Dear Leigh Anne,
Thank you so much for taking Kevin through the entire college process. Maybe because he started with you before his junior year, nothing was ever stressful. You worked with him and came up with a great list of schools. The list was so great, in fact, that he has been accepted to all of them! A bonus is that he received merit scholarships from many of the schools as well. I have recommended you in the past, and will continue to do so every chance I get. If anyone would like to talk to me personally, please feel free to share my contact information.
–Parent of Chattahoochee 2010 Senior
Leigh Anne— I share the story I have told numerous parents since we engaged your services for our daughter, Ashley, a senior at Chattahoochee High in Alpharetta. We introduced Ashley to Leigh Anne during her sophomore year. We met once with Leigh Anne for an introductory meet and greet, and we all instantly felt comfortable with her. From that point, Ash worked 1:1 with Leigh Anne throughout the following 2.5 years. The process is simple – for parents. Leigh Anne takes the complexities of the college search and applications process off your shoulders and bear that burden with your student child. But she does so much more. She first walks your student through a self-discovery process – something that most adults have probably never done. This initial self-discovery process includes aptitude testing, Myers-Briggs personality profiling and other introspective exercises for the students to understand what ‘makes them tick’. This process ultimately leads them down the path of deciding what they really enjoy doing, what they want to be when they ‘grow up’ and spending a lifetime doing. Leigh Anne then helps the students to ‘connect the dots’ from looking out to what they want to be, checking the reality of those choices, and drilling down to the core studies that will effectively get them there. In the following stages, she will guide your student through the school selection process – determining which schools are a good fit for your student’s personality, for your student’s studies of choice, career path, etc. And ultimately, she will guide you and your student through the final stages of school visits, school applications and ultimate acceptance and commitment. There is no chance that Ashley would have received the same level of counseling, and definitely without bias, from us – her parents. Ash has established a very close and respectable relationship with Leigh Anne, and we trust her implicitly with such an important step in our daughter’s life. Ash receives Leigh Anne’s input and direction without question, unlike what she, and most students at this age, tend to do with their parents’ advice. We know we made a wise choice when Ash said to us, “You have made the best investment ever in me by introducing me to Ms. Spraetz.’ That decision also turned a stressful 2-year process into a very rewarding and enjoyable exercise for us all. We will be forever grateful, Leigh Anne.
–Parent of Chattahoochee High School Student, Class of 2010
When we spoke to our son’s school counselor his sophomore year, we were shocked by how much work and research was needed in order to prepare to apply to colleges. With all of our son’s activities, we felt he needed someone in addition to the guidance at school to assist with this process. Through Leigh Anne’s testing she opened his eyes to potential careers and also showed him that he had the ability to perform better in school. She was a wonderful resource and helped us sift through the college possibilities based on whether our son wanted a smaller school or a full college experience. She kept him on track through the summer between the junior and senior year and by September he had his essay completed and a timetable for completing the applications. We are very thankful for Leigh Anne’s help over the last couple of years. She kept our son focused and helped our family navigate the process for applying to college.
–Parent of Wesleyan School Student, Class of 2010
Dear Leigh Anne: Your services have been invaluable over the past two years as we considered issues like career options, choosing a major and selecting a college. My daughter needed direction and guidance and was much more open to hearing that from an expert than from mom. I can’t tell you how many times I was able to diffuse conflict by saying “What does Leigh Anne advise you to do about this?” I have a sophomore in high school now and we will be signing up for two more years of your fine help!
–Parent of Alpharetta High School Student, Class of 2010
Leigh Anne,
As our family completes our second successful college journey, I want to thank you once again for your invaluable support and guidance. Recently our second child received notification of her admission to her top destination for her college experience. My confidence in her decision is much greater the second time around as I talk to my oldest daughter and hear how much she is both loving and succeeding at college. Finding the right place for your children’s education followed by admission, and then followed by their happiness attending the school of their dreams is so gratifying. You do a great job of organizing the college process and working with each student to achieve their goals. We have been very fortunate to have an excellent guidance counselor at our large public high school. Unfortunately, the public schools do not have the resources to provide the assistance necessary to guide all of their students given the competiveness of college admissions. Besides your guidance, you make it so much easier as parents taking much of the ‘nagging’ away from getting the applications and follow-up tasks completed. I will continue to give you any recommendation and pass on your name to other parents in our area. We are extremely happy with your services and strongly suggest that any parent looking for direction in the college search process use your services. Once Again, thank you for all you have done.
–Parent of Milton High School students’ class of 2008 and 2010
Parent: The college search… Every time I heard the phrase, my stomach stood at attention. A few books, a few articles, and a school meeting or two, taught us one thing; our own college experience in the late 70s credentialed neither of us for this important process. How were we going to find a wonderful private school on a public school budget for a graduate of a small Gwinnett County church school? None of this concerned Leigh Anne! No problem, many great choices out there….find the best fit for her, places she’s sure to thrive…. from there, we’ll focus on schools who in my experience have been generous with scholarship money. A year later, she has ten acceptances so far with five schools offering from $40,000 – $74,000 in scholarships! Never in our wildest dreams… Our daughter said it best, “Ms. Leigh Anne is amazing!”
Student: It really was a hard process. There were many nights I didn’t want to look at SAT practice tests and later on the application essays, but I sure didn’t want to disappoint Leigh Anne. She was so nice to call and encourage me between our visits. I am sooo glad I drove over and met with L.A. before my interview for “preferred housing” last week. I know I was the most prepared of the girls in my group. They were all so nervous and I knew L.A. had covered everything with me.
–Parent and Student, Christian Hebron Academy, Class of 2010
To any parent of a college bound student, my advice is not to do it alone. It has been years since we were in college – the application process and requirements are very different. What I didn’t want at home in my last months with my college-bound child were stress and headaches…. so I hired a professional. I was so impressed with Ms. Leigh Anne Spraetz from the beginning and all the way through the college process. She related very well with my son. She helped him not only look at college options, but majors and careers to follow. We wanted to enjoy this very exciting time – it was money well spent.
–Parent of Wesleyan School Senior, Class of 2009
Because my Forsyth Central High School student was so involved in after-school activities and had very little time during the school year, you worked with her during the summer. When her senior year started she had finished your testing, written three essays, decided on and visited the colleges that would fit her. She was all set to apply on the first day they would take applications. By November 1st, she had received the five acceptance letters she wanted. She was thrilled to have all of them displayed on the bulletin board at FCHS and has now moved on to making her number one choice. Our family appreciates all your caring and supportive work. We also feel that we have gained a friend for life. Thank you so much.
–Guardian/Grandparent of Forsyth Central High School Student, 2009