"We connected with Debbie late into our son's college process after coming off a bad experience. Working with Debbie was absolutely fantastic and she was very knowledgeable about the overall process as well as individual college details. Not only did she take the time to get to know our son but she was also extremely generous with her time. She guided us to some great schools that were not on our radar, gave honest feedback about his chances at different universities, and gave thoughtful advice on how to make his essays even better by asking questions and encouraging him to focus on what was truly being asked. Debbie genuinely cares where her students land - she’s understanding, compassionate and dedicated. Debbie was extremely proactive about reaching out to see where our son's head was once all decisions were out and she helped him focus and figure out where he truly saw himself. We feel very lucky to have had the pleasure of working with Debbie and we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her. The college process can be very overwhelming and Debbie really helped curb all that stress, we feel vey lucky to have found her." 

-Carol and Noah, Watertown, MA

“Debbie has helped me in more ways than just the college process. She has taught me hard work, determination, and patience. After writing many personal statement drafts and many supplemental essays, I realized what strategies work best for me to get what I need to say on paper. I have learned how to work diligently and carefully. It has been a pleasure working with Debbie as she showed me new schools, helped me apply to my top schools, and celebrated my wins. She made the process smooth and comfortable while making sure I am working hard to get where I want to be.”

-Student, Mercersburg Academy Class of 2023​

"Debbie was a great resource for our family as we navigated the college application process. She had extensive knowledge and insight into the current trends and challenges of applying to college, especially for adoptees. She suggested a college that matched our son's interests and goals, and he was thrilled to get accepted there. We discovered Debbie through an article that highlighted her expertise and experience in working with adoptees. She was always positive, energetic, and supportive of our son, and helped him focus on the most important aspects of his application."

-2023 Parents, Chapel Hill, NC

"As first time parents of a child getting ready to navigate the college application process, we had no idea how to even begin!  As soon as we talked to Debbie we realized that we could not do this without her!  She helped with everything from suggesting courses and extracurriculars to how to stand out to colleges.  She met with my son frequently to check in on his progress on assignments she had given him (college visits, research) and helped him fill out his common app. When it came time to write his college essay, she made suggestions that made his essay more inviting and showed exactly who he was as a potential student. Lastly, and most importantly, she sent the rough draft of his application to three former admissions officers who reviewed it and gave a thumbs up or down as to whether they would admit him.  It was so comforting to have this knowledge as we embarked on our journey to find the perfect school for him.  My son was completely done with his essays and common application by the end of the summer.  It was such a relief to know he could go into his senior year ready to submit all of his applications.  He applied early action to all of his schools and only got one denial!  We never would have had these great results without Debbie's help.
 
We were so impressed with Debbie that we have already enlisted her help with our sophomore.  He has already begun to work with her and I am confident that we will have just as much success with him as we did for our first child." 

-Maria and Michael G., Newtown, CT

"Thank you so much, Debbie, for sharing all of your knowledge and passion about the entire college admissions process. Your insight and guidance were so incredibly valuable to us as parents and, more importantly, to our son. The admissions process (acronyms included) has changed so much since we were in school 25+ years ago. We never would've been able to support him properly as he went through this. For each step of the process (initial interviews, essays, forms, applications, acceptance) you were spot on! 
 
We are also so grateful for your advice as he navigated the world of college football recruitment. The fact that our son will be playing football in the NESCAC League is amazing! You helped him stay focused and true to his ultimate goals. We can't thank you enough for helping him find his place for the next four years. We are all thrilled."

-Steve and Sara, Wilton, CT (2023)

"Debbie guided our son every step of the way, keeping him in check all the way through the process.  Her feedback and suggestions significantly helped and gave our son the confidence to complete his essays.  We can say with absolute certainty that Debbie's guidance and support contributed to our son's ultimate admission to his first choice college!"

- Judy and Jonathan, Tenafly, NJ (2023)

"Thank you so much, Debbie, for keeping me organized and helping me meet all of my deadlines throughout this busy college process.  I am so happy I was accepted to my ED school and done before Christmas."

- Student, Fairfield Prep Class of 2023

"Debbie was very engaged and a wonderful resource to our family in preparation for the college application process. Her knowledge and leadership was important as she directed our son, holding him accountable and responsible for the process. He grew in maturity throughout, gaining the confidence and appreciation necessary toward becoming his own advocate for his college career. He was accepted to all the schools to which he applied, a credit to Debbie’s guidance. She went above and beyond to assist my son in making the right choice for him and his goals. " 

- Parent, Newtown High School Class of 2022

"We really valued Debbie’s holistic, methodical process, which kept our twins on track with less stress, made them aware of options and procedures they would not have realized, and helped them bring out information that led to great-fit outcomes! We are thankful for Debbie’s guidance, responsiveness, and partnership throughout the entire process from initial college research to accepting the admissions offer."

-Parents of twins, Class of 2022

"Debbie's guidance and vast knowledge through this process was beyond what we imagined.  Debbie's approach is no-nonsense with kindness and patience.  Sometimes as parents, we are too involved.  Being able to step back and trust Debbie to use her expertise was a gift for our entire family, especially our son.  The support and direction Debbie provided during this time empowered our son and taught him accountability, which will be valuable throughout his life.  The words THANK YOU aren't strong enough to express our gratitude and appreciation."

- Parent, The Leffell School Class of 2022

"I just wanted to say thank you so much for your help in my college admissions process!  Your advice and insight was extremely helpful and made a very stressful process feel smooth and manageable."

​- Student, Joel Barlow High School Class of 2022

“Thank you, Debbie!!! Can’t tell you how much we respect and appreciate what you do… Can’t imagine going through this process without your guidance and expertise. You’ve been a huge help to my son, my husband, and myself. We feel like you’ve brought out the best in who he is and given him confidence in who he is to ultimately help him succeed in college and beyond. We cannot thank you enough. We’re forever grateful.”

- Parent, Newtown High School Class of 2021

"The college selection process can be byzantine, arduous, and time consuming.  We all seek timely information and advice from subject matter experts for those high-consequence life decisions - especially regarding our children.  DS College Consulting was engaged, detail oriented, and full of resources during our work together.  Debbie was a trusted advisor for us."  

- WMH, 2021 parent

​"Debbie was AMAZING!! She made navigating the difficult college process so much easier for us and our daughter.  She was incredibly knowledgeable about all the schools and was always professional, communicative and extremely conscientious.  She enabled our daughter to own the process and kept her focused and on track. Debbie knew how to work with our daughter to determine the best approach to finding schools that would be a good fit for her.  She brought insight about the application process and individual schools we wished we had when we went through this with our son.   We would definitely recommend DS College Consulting for anyone going through the college process for the first or fifth time!" 

- ​Sharon and Jim B., Wilton, CT

"Working with Debbie was a pleasure every step of the way, for our son and ourselves. She was extremely helpful with all aspects of the process from selecting colleges to visit through completing the applications. She kept our son motivated throughout the various steps, submitting applications on time for early action. Our son was accepted to every college he applied to and will be attending his first choice college in the fall! Debbie is professional, knowledgeable, supportive and provides the guidance needed to make college planning a positive experience for parents and students. We highly recommend her services!"

- Cheryl & Ken, 2020 parents

"Look no further if looking for a College Counselor!  Working with Debbie made the college application process seamless for our girls.  Due to our distance from her, the meetings were via videoconference and this in no way diminished our experience.  Her level of responsiveness was remarkable, and her process was outstanding.  She is tireless and dedicated to her clients.  Importantly, our kids really appreciated her approach and loved working with her.  She gave us confidence in the application process and helped our kids realize their dream schools!"

- 2020 Parents, Central Pennsylvania

"As a parent dealing with the college application process for the first time, it was overwhelming how much things have changed since I applied to college! Debbie's expertise was the key to making the whole journey much more manageable for our family. She guided our son through each step along the way, ensuring he met all deadlines required. He was finished with all his applications before his senior year began which really put him ahead of the game. My son was thrilled to have been accepted to each of the schools to which he applied. Without a doubt, the detail of his application as well as his well crafted essay had some part in this. This is all a credit to Debbie, who took the time to consistently provide feedback and ask more of our son!"

- Kim M., mom of Class of 2020 student

​​"Without hesitation, I can highly recommend DS College Consulting LLC to anyone looking for a college consultant.  Debbie Schwartz helps to match a student’s strengths and career dreams with the right school. She is extremely knowledgeable and readily aligned my daughter’s academics and social community needs to arrive at a realistic list of colleges. Debbie was able to break the process down into phases to make goals more manageable, which helped to alleviate the ordinary tensions associated with college planning and preparation.  In particular, she was keen at brainstorming essay topics while finding ways to help my daughter stand out in the applicant pool.  Debbie is a consummate professional who delivers at every level."

- Gail M., Parent, Newtown Class of 2019

"With Debbie's help, the college search and application process was smoother than I thought it would be.  Debbie helped me find the college that is right for me, and because of her tight timelines, I was done with the application process before senior year started.  Thank you, Debbie, for all your help, and I am looking forward to attending the college of my choice for the next four years."

- JD, Redding, CT

"Disarming our family of the stress and worry associated with the essay portion of the college application was the gift that Debbie gave to us.  As a mother, I was dreading this part of the application process but Debbie made it painless for me, but more importantly, for my daughter.  She did a great job setting deadlines, giving feedback, and moving things forward in an effective and supportive manner.  Above all else, the essays completely retained my daughter's character and voice.  Debbie's personal connection to my daughter, combined with her standard of excellence in all aspects of her work, sets her apart from others."

- ​Pam K., Weston, CT

​"Thanks to Debbie and the consulting services she provided, our daughter’s college admission process was a huge success.  Debbie helped us focus on what was important, guided us throughout the admission process, provided great feedback and insight on everything our daughter had to accomplish throughout the process, helped us set goals, and understand and meet deadlines.  The fees were worth every penny as our daughter got into seven of the eight schools she applied to, and even received a large, unexpected scholarship at her number one choice, thanks in part to the guidance, feedback and suggestions Debbie provided.  We highly recommend Debbie and her college consulting services.  She was truly amazing and exceeded our expectations."

- Dayna and Seth A., Wilton, CT

"Debbie is amazing!! She’s incredibly insightful, smart and very easy to work with. Her advice was constructive, practical and very applicable. Her style motivated my daughter. We are very happy with the results."

- Mustang Class of 2018 Parent 

"After feedback from Debbie, I felt confident in my essay and couldn't wait to send it off to my schools. I also wasn't 100% set on a list of colleges I would be applying to, and Debbie helped me pick schools based on not only my academics but also my personality!! She is so great at what she does and has so much expertise to share. I'm happy to say that with Debbie's help I was accepted to 7 nursing programs and will be attending my top choice school!! I feel so lucky to have had such amazing help and Debbie's guidance really made me feel so much more confident about my application."

- Katie M., Wilton, CT

​"Debbie was a tremendous resource to have during my son's college application process. She provided us with meaningful feedback from the college admissions officer's perspective which was invaluable! When working with my son on his essay, she helped him make his true personality shine through! She has an incredible wealth of knowledge and experience in all aspects of this process.  She made this less mysterious and less stressful for both me and my son. I cannot thank her enough!!"

​- M. Carvo, Ridgefield, CT

"Debbie’s feedback and knowledge about the college application process helped to break down a confusing process into an almost simple one. Her dedication to every part of the process, from crafting an initial list of schools, to writing and editing my college essay, allowed me to have confidence in the work I was submitting. I am happy to say that thanks to Debbie’s expertise and advice I was accepted into all my top schools and will be attending my top choice in the fall! She was an unbelievable resource and I can’t thank her enough."

- Liam Sheahan, Redding, CT

"Debbie was incredibly professional and knowledgeable about the institutions she was suggesting. She worked with Liam and guided his work on his essays and interviewing skills. Debbie turned his strengths into marketable skills which enabled him to be accepted to all of the universities to which he applied. She truly made a daunting process doable and was guiding both of us each step of the way."

- Kate Moynagh Sheahan, Redding, CT

​"My son benefited enormously as he navigated the college choice and admissions process. I highly recommend DS College Consulting for your child so as to ensure a bright future."

- MWF, M.D., Connecticut

​"Debbie took the time to get to know Lydia, suggest colleges based on who she really is, and to help her structure herself to get the applications done.  The essay was great and Lydia got into all of the colleges she applied to!"

- Joni Mantell, Hopewell, NJ

​"We are so grateful for the dedication she has shown in working with our son, and are especially impressed with her expertise in the ever-changing world of college admissions.  We highly recommend Debbie as a college advisor without reservation.  In hindsight we should have consulted her when our son was a high school freshman.

- Judy and Jonathan, Tenafly, NJ (2017)