One of the first homework assignments Monica gives her students is to identify two adults who love their work, and talk with them individually about the paths that led to that work. Some perceptive students notice that one of those adults is already in front of them.
In 2005, Monica began her private practice to help educate families about the college admissions process, and to support the successful transition of students into colleges where they thrive. She is committed to being a knowledgeable resource to families by visiting many colleges each year, regularly attending national conferences and workshops, and staying current on research and news in higher education.
Monica is an educational psychologist who received her counseling training and doctorate in Human Development at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education where she focused on adolescent and young adult development. For more than twenty years, Monica worked in higher education as a college professor in Education, director of writing programs, and admissions reader. Her work on a University of California committee contributed to the current college admissions writing assessment and undergraduate writing curriculum throughout the UC system.
Monica is the author of seven guides on different aspects of the transition from high school to college. Her DVD and workbook College Success for Students with Learning Challenges is used in high schools throughout the United States. Monica leads training workshops for independent and school-based counselors through regional, state, and national organizations (SERF, NESCA, NEACAC, and IECA). She was one of three organizers to initiate a national gap year fair and web-based resource center. For seven summers, she participated as an essay specialist and group leader in College Horizons, the exemplary vision of Dr. Whitney Laughlin that is transforming the cultural landscape of American higher education.